Piva Klapa Ispo' Volta

This romantic song is written in the "old style" of the folk music in Dalmatia (the region, taking up most of the Adriatic Coast of Croatia - probably the most beautiful part of The Mediterranean !). The language is the special, local dialect that is basically Croatian but has got lots of expressions borrowed from the Italian language. It had been spoken all over Dalmatia in the past but is giving way nowadays to the official Croatian.

The story takes place in the town of Split, the capital of the area (even though the town is never actually mentioned, it is clear!) - but in the ancient times when it was a small fisherman town.

It tells about of a group of young men who gather under the balcony of a young widow and sing her a song "sotto voce" or "ispod glasa" (both expressions standing for "very quietly"), as it was the tradition back then. Such groups of young men, called "klapa", used to gather during the night under the balconies of young girls and court them by singing romantic songs - but very quietly, so that the parents (or neighbours) do not wake up.

In this case it is not a young girl but a young and still attractive widow, who is still mourning the death of her husband, a sailor who died in a shipwreck.

The song is very romantic, uses the traditional language and describes the whole scene of the event very efficiently - you can actually see the full moon, over the silent coastal town in the middle of a hot summer night, feel the breeze from the sea and smell the sea salt, pines, olives and the freshly washed clothes, drying in the wind, while the guys quietly sing their romantic song and the woman wakes up and hides behind the window curtain while listening to them.

The direct translation wouldn't make much sense, it looses all the magic when translated into English and sounds funny. To enjoy the song, one must understand the language and also visit a Dalmatian small town, preferably one on one of the islands (NOT Split, which is today far from the romantic during the night, with all the tourists, traffic, discotheques, restaurants and nightclubs - nothing like the old town, described by these lyrics.)

I could try anyway - but do not blame me - and do not laugh... Here you are:

"the group of young man is singing very quietly at the wee summer hour and they are passing under the stairs, where your clothes are drying. The words (of the song) are flying up to the roofs and the fool moon is laughing at the town, you are getting up from your bed to listen to the serenade.

From the balcony, (the island of) Å olta can be seen, the group of young men is singing under the entrance arch, In the distance, the fishermen lights can be seen the group of young men is singing very quietly. You look around your room; the photograph is on the house altar, the photograph of the one, taken by the see while serving on a ship in a far away place.

The town promenade has been empty for some time now and all the house entrances are closed. the group of young men is singing under the entrance arch and there's smell of your freshly washed bedding in the breeze, You are silently opening the curtain a bit; you are as ripe as a summer fruit, and the group of young men is very quietly singing about love and about wine.

From the balcony, (the island of) Å olta can be seen, the group of young men is singing under the entrance arch, In the distance, the fishermen lights can be seen the group of young men is singing very quietly. No one would blame you if you broke the mourning, The grief will destroy you and you are still beautiful.

The (island of) Å olta can be seen from the balcony, and the candle light is blinking under the entrance arch half an hour after midnight the group of young men is singing very quietly.