Polish Music - Perfect

Feb

2009

I think it was one of the Michaels who suggested that we should talk about our favorite music. Naturally, I assume he meant Polish music.

Hmmm… favorite Polish music… I do have to admit to owning two disco polo CDs, but they’re not exactly what I would call my favorite.
So what is? Well, I am going to show my true age again here and dig up some Polish golden oldies for you.

Let’s start with my most favorite Polish song, probably ever. Ask any Pole over the age of 20 if he’s heard “Autobiografia” and I bet you he’ll answer something along these lines “Duh! Man, it’s a classic.”

And yes, it sure is. It is the most famous song of the most famous Polish rock band with a very non-Polish name – Perfect.

In terms of rock music, it’s an ancient band, it’s been around, on and off, since the late 70s. (Yes, Virginia, there was rock music in Poland under komuna.)

The song – “Autobiografia” is more or less a typical coming of age story of a young guy who discovers rock music, alcohol, sex and dreams of being famous.
Why did it become so immensely popular? I’m not sure. It’s very easy to sing along to, the lyrics are simple enough for anyone to understand (in Polish, of course) and it has gentle references to changes that took place in Poland after the death of Stalin (referred to in the song as “uncle Joe has died” – “wujek Józek zmarł.” It talks about happy times (parties and having fun) and tragic times (when the girlfriend commits suicide). In other words, it covers a lot of very real life.

Set the words to a great melody and what you get is a hit. And a hit it was indeed. The song was released in the fall of 1982 during one of the more miserable periods in Polish modern history. But that didn’t stop it from ruling the charts. (Yes, Virginia there were music charts in Poland under komuna.)

So here it is. Music - Zbigniew Hołdys, lyrics – Bogdan Olewicz.
“Autobiografia” – Perfect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5bPVde23iE

PS. I couldn’t find a “singable” English version of “Autobiografia” on the internet, but if you know where to find one, please let me know. Otherwise, I’m thinking to prepare my own translation.

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6 Comments

Basia Lomnicka commented on February 16, 2009 at 3:13 pm |Permalink

Funny, I was watching a TVP polonia broadcast of “Sniadanie na podwieczorek”,
(my cousin is associatated with the show and I watch it occassionally) a few weeks
ago and one of the guest performers was the rock band Perfect.
Interesting first impression for me. I heard the interview before the lead singer actually
performed, so I thought his “rock star” image, was a bit of a put-on. But once
he started performing, he was obviously the real McCoy. I quite liked the band.
I’ll have to dig up more of their stuff and have a listen.
Basia
michael commented on February 16, 2009 at 4:23 pm |Permalink

Songs I like:

Dla Agaty Mróz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=cY15u370Hgk&feature=related
There is nice music in the background to this tribute to Agata Mróz

Another tribute to Agata Mróz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVJ4DWJWgUE&NR=1

Anita Lipnicka & John Porter - Old Time Radio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mTMbbcER5A&feature=user
This is the first “Polish” song I found on you tube. Below is a song by her in Polish:
Zanim zrozumiesz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh-9oyXnARs

More links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toE0B-1WAVg
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=p7GQST3lR5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7GQST3lR5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9jyULimx8E
David Honley commented on February 17, 2009 at 6:40 am |Permalink

Cześć Anna!
Polska muzyka? (Polish music?) I am presently trying to get all the songs recorded by Łzy (’Tears’ in English) - Polish pop/rock band of the ’90s, but still performing live concerts all over Poland. For any person trying to learn the Polish language I can thoroughly recommend that you listen to Łzy. The female lead singer, Ania Wyszkoni, has superb diction - the words she sings on the recordings are so clear and distinct. I find listening to Łzy a great help in accustomizing my ear to the sound of the Polish language and recognizing words from the songs. Maybe not everybody’s ‘cup of tea’, but I think Łzy’s music is ,,fantastyczna”! My favourite tracks are:
Narcyz
Niebieskia sukienka
Agnieszka już dawno…
Gdybyś był
Anyone interested, the CDs are avaiable from:
http://www.rockserwis.pl and at very good prices. Many of the songs can be heard via the following link:
http://www.textofsong.com/teksty_piosenek/l/lzy
Try some out!
Have fun!
Pozdrawiam serdecznie
David (w Anglii)
vanja commented on February 18, 2009 at 5:48 pm |Permalink

Hey Anna,

The Norwegian composer KAADA is releasing an album soon which he calls “11 Pre-Apocalypse Junkyard Symphonies Nostalgias for the Polish Workingclass Heros”. The album is released together with old-looking postcards from Poland.
http://www.kaada.no or myspace.com/kaada

really strange music, and I am not sure if it is actually polish sounding?
dazzzzan commented on August 13, 2009 at 4:39 am |Permalink

This is Czech a new. underground band that make fun with the mix of music and lyrics ….
this is their first ever music video. its pretty cool for an unknown band!! http://vimeo.com/5936645

u can find out more about the band there!
agnieszka commented on October 23, 2009 at 10:35 am |Permalink

how funny,
(David )I met Lzy when I was in college(since the lead singer was friends with my college girlfriend and here they are), untill this day my friends sing to me Agnieszka juz dawno….. they also performed during our Juwenalia-they sure rock!!!!!!!
But you can’t forget group like Wilki,Lady Pank.
I also remember singing with Kasia Kowalska, Marek Grehuta itp.
I’m not a fan of Country which you can compare to Dicso Polo .sorry

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