Đorđe Marjanović

Đorđe Marjanović's father, Sveta Marjanović, was born in the village of Duboka, near the town Kučevo in Eastern Serbia. He attended high school in Požarevac, and when he was fifteen, he was among the civilians who followed the Serbian Army on its retreat through Albania. Đorđe Marjanović was born on 30 October 1931 in Kučevo. After the death of his wife, Marjanović's father left the child with his wife's mother, who would raise him. Marjanović had a sister, Ljiljana, and a half-brother from his father's second marriage, Vojislav. Marjanović attended high school in Požarevac. During high school years, he showed interest in theatre, directing and acting in his own plays. After graduating from high school, he moved to Belgrade, where he, in 1950, after grandmother's wish, started his studies of pharmacy. However, his grandmother died, and Marjanović was left without any funds to continue his studies. To earn money he did various jobs: he unloaded freight cars on railroad stations, worked as a subscription collector for Radio Belgrade, worked as a milkman, and appeared as a background actor in Yugoslav Drama Theatre and in several Yugoslav films: Svi na more (Everybody to the Seaside), Anikina vremena (''Anika's Time), Sumnjivo lice (Suspicious Person), Pesma sa Kumbare (The Song from Kumbara''). Despite his efforts, he never finished his studies. == Musical career ==

Early career Marjanović started his musical career in 1954, when he appeared on an audition for amateur singers, organized by the Association of Jazz Musicians of Serbia, singing the songs "Mulen ruž" ("Moulin Rouge") and "Usamljeni gaučo" ("The Lonely Gaucho"). After the audition, he was approached by Radio Belgrade host Dušan Vidak, who told him that he passed. This gave Marjanović an opportunity to perform on concerts organized by the Association of Jazz Musicians of Serbia. The song "Zvižduk u 8" was the album's biggest hit. The festival featured leading pop singers of Yugoslavia; Marjanović decided to appear on the festival performing the songs "Zvižduk u 8" and "Milord" (a cover of Édith Piaf's "Milord"). Marjanović decided to perform the song "Carolina, dai!", which was two months earlier performed at the eleventh Sanremo Music Festival. In this part of the concert he was accompanied by the members of the newly formed beat band Siluete. During the decade, he also had several appearances at the Sanremo Music Festival. 1970s and 1980s, retirement During the 1970s and 1980s, Marjanović's career moved in three main directions: he appeared on pop music festivals, held concerts in Trade Union Hall, where he performed for his faithful fans, nicknamed "Đokists" by the media, and held Soviet Union tours. In 1972, he was awarded the Order of Labor with Silver Wreath by the president of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito. In 1979 he released the album Hvala vam, prijatelji (Thank You, Friends), which featured songs written for Marjanović by various authors: "Zima u Budimpešti" ("Winter in Budapest"), written by Đorđe Balašević, "Moje ludo srce" ("My Crazy Heart"), written by Mladen Vranešević, "Maestro", written by Vojkan Borisavljević, "Gramatika srca" ("Grammar of the Heart"), composed by Aleksandar Korać and with lyrics written by Dušan Radović, "Aerodrom" ("Airport") and "Samo dugme na kaputu" ("Just a Button on the Coat"), both composed by Kornelije Kovač and with lyrics written by Bora Đorđević, and others. On a 1982 concert in the Trade Union Hall the audience by voting chose the songs to be released on the 1982 album Dvadeset nikada više (Twenty Never Again). In 1989, to mark the 30th anniversary of Marjanović's debut release, PGP-RTB released the songs from Muzika za igru and Mustafa on the compilation album Milord za sva vremena (Milord for Eternity). During these two decades, he also performed in France, Germany, Israel, Australia and the United States of America. In 1990 Marjanović was awarded by the Order of Friendship of Peoples by Soviet head of state Mikhail Gorbachev. Later that year, Marjanović made a guest appearance on Lepa Brena concert in Melbourne. While performing the song "Mene nema ko da žali" ("There's No One to Feel Sorry for Me"), he suffered a stroke. After the stroke he had difficulty speaking. He partially recovered, but decided to retire from the scene. During the following decades up until his death, Marjanović did not record new material and would appear live occasionally only, usually as a guest on festivals and other musicians' concerts. == Personal life and death ==

Marjanović married twice. With his first wife, Zlata, he had no children, and with his second wife, Eli Nikolajevna Borisenko, he had three children: daughters Natalija and Nevena and son Marko. Both of his daughters graduated from the Belgrade Faculty of Music Arts. He was buried at the Alley of Distinguished Citizens in the Belgrade New Cemetery. On 28 June (Serbian national holiday Vidovdan) 2021, he was posthumously awarded the 1st class Order of Karađorđe's Star by the President of Serbia. == Legacy ==

In 1994, a concert entitled Rokeri Đorđu Marjanoviću (Rockers to Đorđe Marjanović) was held in Trade Union Hall. The concert featured Dejan Cukić, Milan Delčić, Žika Milenković, Ruž, Rambo Amadeus and other acts performing Marjanović's songs. In 1999, Radio Television of Serbia broadcast a documentary about Marjanović, entitled ''K'o nekad u osam'' ("Like Before at Eight O'clock") after a verse from "Zvižduk u 8". The same song was covered by Serbian and Yugoslav rock singer Dejan Cukić in 1996. Marjanović's version of Dionysis Savvopoulos song "Dirlada" was covered by Serbian and Yugoslav rock musician Milan Delčić in 1994. Marjanović's song "Đavoli" ("Devils") was covered in 1999 by Serbian alternative rock band Jarboli. The song "Beograde" ("(Oh,) Belgrade") was covered by Croatian and Yugoslav alternative rock band Let 3 in 2005. In 2006, the song "Zvižduk u 8" polled No.31 in the B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs list. == Awards and honors ==

• Honorary Member of Komsomol (1968) • Order of Labor with Silver Wreath (1972) • Silver Plaque of Kučevo (1978) • MESAM Festival Grand Prix (1989) • Order of Friendship of Peoples (1990) • Slavianski Bazaar Lifetime Achievement Award (1996) • Association of Musicians of Serbia Lifetime Achievement Award (1988) • Sunčane Skale Golden Mermaid Lifetime Achievement Award (2000) • 1st class Order of Karađorđe's Star (posthumously, 2021) == Discography ==

Studio albums • Muzika za igru (1959) • Mustafa (1962) • Prijatelji, zdravo! (1967) • A život teče dalje (1975) • Hvala vam, prijatelji (1979) • Dvadeset nikada više (1982) Compilation albums • Milord za sva vremena (1989) • Prijatelji, zdravo! (1995) • Sećanja (1997) • ''K'o nekad'' (2005) EPs • Milord (1961) • Ekspres-kafa (1962) • Đavoli (1963) • Igrajmo twist (1963) • Dečje igre (1963) • Gonzales (1963) • Ja plaćam ove noći (1963) • Drugovi iz mog dvorišta (1963) • Roberta (1963) • Zvižduk u 8 (1964) • Sam (1964) • Marko Polo (1964) • Medison u Meksiku (1964) • Natali (1965) • Drugovi moji (1966) • Devojke (1967) • Mene nema ko da žali (1968) • Romana (1968) • Ako ljubavi nema (1969) • Padajte kiše na naš grad (1970) • Didu-lidu-dadu (1971) Singles • "Pesma raznosača mleka"/"Prodavac novina" (1960) • "Ljiljana"/"Ulicama sreće" (1963) • "Od ljubavi do mržnje"/"Na gori raste jorgovan" (1970) • "Za dane ljubavi"/"Ruže u tami" (1971) • "I tako ode Marija"/"Na tvoju ruku ja nemam više prava" (1971) • "Grešnica"/"Ne želim da umrem sad" (1972) • "Ta tužna muzika"/"Digi-digi-dajge" (1972) • "Živiš sama"/"Ona me ne voli više" (1974) • "A život teče dalje"/"Ema, Emili" (1975) • "Činge linge"/"Ako čovek živi sam" (1975) • "Poslednji voz"/"Pesma s planine" (1975) • "Bela dama – crni kralj"/"Nemoj nikad da me ostavljaš" (1977) • "Nikad nije kasno"/"Ružičasti sneg" (1978) • "Kabare"/"Moje ludo srce" (1979) == References ==