British Forum For Ethnomusicology

British Forum for Ethnomusicology
Soccer, Popular Music and National Consciousness in Post-State-Socialist Bulgaria, 1994-96

Author(s): Donna A. Buchanan
Source: British Journal of Ethnomusicology, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2002), pp. 1-27
Published by: British Forum for Ethnomusicology
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DONNA A. BUCHANAN
S o c c e r ,
p o p u l a r
m u s i c a n d n a t i o n a l
c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n
p o s t -s t a t e -s o c i a l i s t
Bu l g a r i a ,
1 9 9 4 -9 6
Thi s a r t i c l e
i n ve s t i g a t e s
ho w
s p o r t s
a n d
p o p u l a r
m u s i c c o n t r i bu t e d t o t he
fo r m a -
t i o n
o f
n a t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s
d u r i n g
t he i m m e d i a t e
p o s t -s t a t e -s o c i a l i s t p e r i o d
i n
Bu l g a r i a . Thr o u g ho u t
t he
d i ffi c u l t
s u m m e r s
o f
1 9 9 4 a n d
1 9 9 6 ,
Bu l g a r i a 's
s u c c e s s i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l s o c c e r
c ha m p i o n s hi p s br i e fl y
r e s t o r e d
ho p e , c o n fi d e n c e
a n d n a t i o n a l
p r i d e
t o
m a n y. S i g n i fi c a n t l y, d u r i n g
t he
c ha m p i o n s hi p s
m u s i c i a n s
p r o d u c e d
n e w
s o n g s
t ha t c e l e br a t e d t he ho m e t e a m 's vi c t o r i e s i n
l a n g u a g e
a n d
m u s i c a l
s t yl e s
t ha t
r e fe r r e d o ve r t l y
t o t he n a t i o n 's
s hi ft i n g p o s i t i o n
vi s a vi s t he
Ba l ka n s ,
t he
Eu r o p e a n
Un i o n a n d t he we s t e r n wo r l d .
In t r o d u c t i o n
S ho r t l y
a ft e r
m i d d a y
o n 1 2
Ju n e , 1 9 9 6 , I
s e t o ff t o a t t e n d a r e he a r s a l o f t he
Bu l g a r i a n
Na t i o n a l Ra d i o 's fo l k o r c he s t r a a s
p a r t
o f
m y c o n t i n u i n g
r e s e a r c h o n
t r a d i t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c .1
I
ha d
ju s t
a r r i ve d i n S o fi a fo r a m o n t h o f fi e l d -
wo r k a n d ha d n o t s e e n t he s e
m u s i c i a n s , m a n y
o f who m we r e o l d
fr i e n d s ,
i n t wo
ye a r s .
Aft e r i n i t i a l
g r e e t i n g s
we r e
e xc ha n g e d
I a s ke d t he m whe n t he i r r e he a r s a l
wo u l d
be g i n .
"We 've
a l r e a d y
fi n i s he d
p l a yi n g
fo r
t o d a y, " t he y
t o l d m e . "Bu t
wha t t i m e d i d
yo u
s t a r t ?"
I a s ke d i n
c o n fu s i o n ,
fo r
u s u a l l y
t hi s
g r o u p
r e he a r s e d
i n t he
e a r l y
a ft e r n o o n . "Two
o 'c l o c k, "
t he y r e s p o n d e d .
I l o o ke d a t
m y
wa t c h.
It wa s
ju s t
2.25
p .m . The y
bu r s t o u t
l a u g hi n g
a t
m y
be wi l d e r e d
e xp r e s s i o n .
"We u s e d t o
fi g u r e
t ha t we m a d e t he
e qu i va l e n t
o f
$1 50.00
a
m o n t h, "
e xp l a i n e d
o n e
m u s i c i a n ,
"bu t
n o w,
wi t h i n fl a t i o n a n d
c ha n g e s
i n t he
e xc ha n g e
r a t e ,
we 'r e
o n l y m a ki n g
a bo u t $4 5.00 a m o n t h."
"The r e fo r e , "
he
e xc l a i m e d ,
qu o t i n g
a
p o p u l a r p hr a s e ,
"s o m u c h
p a y,
s o m u c h wo r k." "If i n fl a t i o n
ke e p s u p
t he
d a y
wi l l c o m e whe n we
a r r i ve ,
g r e e t
o t he r a n d
g o ho m e , "
he c o n t i n u e d . "We
a l r e a d y
s p e n d
m o r e t i m e
c o m m u t i n g
t o a n d fr o m wo r k t ha n we d o
wo r ki n g !"
"We l l
t he n , "
I
s a i d ,
whe n t he
l a u g ht e r
ha d d i e d
d o wn ,
"s ho u l d I c o m e ba c k t o m o r r o w?"
1 Thi s a r t i c l e
r e p r e s e n t s
a
g r e a t l y e xp a n d e d
a n d
s u bs t a n t i a l l y
m o d i fi e d ve r s i o n o f Bu c ha n a n
i n
p r e s s ,
whi c h i s a m o r e
p r e l i m i n a r y,
c o n fe r e n c e
p a p e r p r e s e n t a t i o n
o f t he m a t e r i a l
d i s c u s s e d he r e . I
wa r m l y
t ha n k
m y
r e s e a r c h a s s i s t a n t , An d r e w Gr a n a d e , fo r hi s
u n s t i n t i n g
a s s i s t a n c e wi t h bo t h a r t i c l e s .
BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL.
1 1 /i i
2002 p p . 1 -27
2
BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL. 1 1 /i i 2002
"No ,
we 'l l be i n t he
r e c o r d i n g
s t u d i o , "
I wa s t o l d .
"Ok,
wha t a bo u t
Fr i d a y?"
I
p e r s i s t e d .
"We 'r e n o t s u r e i f we 'l l wo r k a t a l l o n
Fr i d a y, " t he y c hu c kl e d ,
"be c a u s e i t 's t he
be g i n n i n g
o f t he we e ke n d ." "An d
Mo n d a y?"
I
i n qu i r e d .
"Be t t e r
t ha t
yo u
wa i t u n t i l
Tu e s d a y, " t he y
s a i d ,
"be c a u s e
Mo n d a y
i s t he fi r s t
d a y
a ft e r
t he we e ke n d - a n d
be s i d e s ,
t he r e 's a s o c c e r
g a m e !"2
De m o c r a c y
i n Abs u r d i s t a n
My
fr i e n d s r e fe r r e d t o t he 1 9 9 6
Eu r o Cu p c ha m p i o n s hi p s ,
i n whi c h
Bu l g a r i a
ha d
p l a ye d S p a i n
t o a 1 -1 t i e t hr e e
d a ys
e a r l i e r .3 No w
t he y
we r e t o t a ke o n
Fr a n c e ,
a n d i t wa s t he m u s i c i a n s '
ho p e
t ha t t he i r t e a m 's
p e r fo r m a n c e
wo u l d
m a t c h i t s s u c c e s s a t t he 1 9 9 4 Wo r l d
Cu p
t o u r n a m e n t ,
i n whi c h
Bu l g a r i a
t o o k
fo u r t h
p l a c e .
The fa c t t ha t
m y
fr i e n d s a l t e r e d t he i r r e he a r s a l s c he d u l e t o s u i t
t ha t o f t he
Eu r o Cu p s i g n i fi e d
m o r e t ha n a
we a ke n i n g
wo r k e t hi c bo r n o f
e c o n o m i c
d e s p a i r .
Eve n
l e a d i n g g o ve r n m e n t fi g u r e s a p p e a r e d
t o fo c u s m o r e
a t t e n t i o n o n s o c c e r t ha n t he s e ve r e e c o n o m i c
ha r d s hi p , s kyr o c ke t i n g
c r i m e r a t e
a n d
p o l i t i c a l i n s t a bi l i t y
t ha t ha d
p l a g u e d
t he n a t i o n s i n c e 1 9 89 . The
p a r l i a m e n t
wa s
c u r r e n t l y e n g a g e d
i n a
p l e n a r y
s e s s i o n t ha t c a l l e d fo r t he Pr i m e Mi n i s t e r 's
r e s i g n a t i o n ,
wi t h n e w e l e c t i o n s t o be he l d t he
fo l l o wi n g
we e k. Ye t e ve n
t ho u g h
n u m e r o u s
p a r l i a m e n t a r i a n s p u bl i c l y p r o c l a i m e d
t he s e e ve n t s c r u c i a l t o t he
c o u n t r y's
fu t u r e ,
t he y
ha d
c o m p l e t e l y s u s p e n d e d
t he i r d i s c u s s i o n s
d u r i n g
t he
Bu l g a r i a -S p a i n
m a t c h a n d n o w
p r o p o s e d
t ha t a vo t e be t a ke n o n t he m a t t e r s
a t ha n d
p r i o r
t o t he n e xt
p ha s e
o f t he
c ha m p i o n s hi p s ,
whi c h
Bu l g a r i a n
Na t i o n a l Te l e vi s i o n
(he r e a ft e r BNTV)
wo u l d a i r t ha t
e ve n i n g .
"The
p e o p l e ", t he y
s a i d ,
wa n t e d t o wa t c h t he
g a m e
-
n o t t he
p l e n a r y
s e s s i o n .
Thu s ,
a t 7.00
p .m .
BNTV
i n t e r r u p t e d
i t s
p l e n u m c o ve r a g e
t o br o a d c a s t a m a t c h be t we e n
It a l y
a n d Ru s s i a whi l e
Bu l g a r i a n
Na t i o n a l Ra d i o c o n t i n u e d t o
c a r r y
t he
l e g i s l a t i ve
p r o c e e d i n g s .
"Whe n wi l l we
p u t
t he fu t u r e o f o u r
c o u n t r y
be fo r e s o c c e r ?!"
d e s p a i r e d m y
fr i e n d Ts e n ka
l o r d a n o va ,
a
m u s i c o l o g i s t
who wa s a l s o
m y
ho s t e s s
d u r i n g
t hi s
s ho r t
t r i p .
"The
e c o n o m y
i s s o ba d t ha t
p e o p l e
c a n n o
l o n g e r
t a ke t he i r c hi l d r e n
o u t o f t he
c i t y
fo r a we e k's
va c a t i o n ,
l e t a l o n e t o a Bl a c k S e a r e s o r t fo r a n e n t i r e
s u m m e r ,
t he
wa y t he y
u s e d
t o , "
s he a d d e d . In fl a t i o n wa s
r a m p a n t
a n d ,
d e s p i t e
m a s s i ve
s a l a r y i n c r e a s e s ,
c o s t s o f fo o d a n d m a t e r i a l
g o o d s
c o n t i n u e d t o
o u t s t r i p
e a r n i n g s .
Whe r e a s i n 1 9 89 a
g o o d
a n n u a l
s a l a r y
t o t a l l e d
4 , 800 l e va ,
by
1 9 9 4
20, 4 00
l e va wa s c o n s i d e r e d a
p o o r wa g e ,
whi l e a
g o o d jo b br o u g ht
i n
6 0, 000
l e va .
Ye t ,
by
m i d -Ju n e
1 9 9 6 ,
m e a t c o s t 500
l e va /ki l o ,
a
ba g
o f
r i c e ,
9 5
l e va ,
a
l i t r e o f
m i l k,
4 0
l e va ,
a n d a bo t t l e o f m i n e r a l
wa t e r ,
1 0 l e va . Ga s ha d be c o m e s o
p r o hi bi t i ve l y e xp e n s i ve
t ha t m o s t
p e o p l e
l e ft t he i r ve hi c l e s i n t he i r
g a r a g e s .
The
fe e fo r a n o i l
c ha n g e
wa s
1 0, 000 l e va ,
a n d t hi s d i d n o t i n c l u d e t he c o s t o f t he o i l
2
Fo r a d i s c u s s i o n o f t hi s a n e c d o t e a s i t p e r t a i n s t o t he p o s t -s t a t e -s o c i a l i s t hi s t o r y o f fo l k
e n s e m bl e s i n
Bu l g a r i a ,
s e e Bu c ha n a n fo r t hc . b: Ch. 1 2.
3
Un l e s s o t he r wi s e i n d i c a t e d , g e n e r a l i n fo r m a t i o n o n
Bu l g a r i a n
s o c c e r a n d t he 1 9 9 4 -9 6
i n t e r n a t i o n a l s o c c e r
t o u r n e ys
i s t a ke n fr o m
m y
fi e l d n o t e s a n d a
va r i e t y
o f we bs i t e s l i s t e d i n
t he Re fe r e n c e s s e c t i o n t ha t c o n c l u d e s t hi s a r t i c l e .
BUCHANAN S o c c e r , p o p u l a r
m u s i c a n d n a t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n
p o s t -s t a t e -s o c i a l i s t Bu l g a r i a ,
1 9 9 4 -9 6 3
i t s e l f,
whi c h wa s
o n l y
s o l d i n Ge r m a n m a r ks .
Pyr a m i d
s c he m e s ha d
wi p e d
o u t
p e r s o n a l s a vi n g s
a n d n u m e r o u s ba n ks ha d fo l d e d . Br e a d ha d a l l bu t
d i s a p p e a r e d
fr o m t he
m a r ke t p l a c e
d u e t o a n
u n p r e c e d e n t e d g r a i n s ho r t a g e , p r o m p t i n g
t he
c o s t o f a l o a f t o r i s e fr o m 1 8 l e va t o 22 l e va i n a
s i n g l e
we e ke n d . Wo r s e
ye t ,
l o c a l
e xp e r t s p r e d i c t e d
t ha t a n o t he r 23%
p r i c e
hi ke wa s i m m i n e n t .
Fo r
m a n y
t he "br e a d
c r i s i s ",
a s i t wa s
c hr i s t e n e d ,
e p i t o m i ze d
t he
a bje c t
fa i l -
u r e o f
p o s t -1 9 89
e c o n o m i c
p o l i c y.
Tha t
Bu l g a r i a ,
t he
p u r p o r t e d
br e a d ba s ke t o f
Eu r o p e ,
wa s fo r c e d t o
i m p o r t g r a i n
wa s
s i m p l y
u n t hi n ka bl e - e ve n
hu m i l i a t i n g .4
At t he s a m e
t i m e ,
t he s l o w
i m p l e m e n t a t i o n
o f a d e m o c r a t i c
l e g a l
c o d e
s p a wn e d
a
l a r g e
n u m be r o f n e w m i l l i o n a i r e s s e a t e d be hi n d t he whe e l s o f
e qu a l l y
n e w,
s hi n y
bl a c k
Me r c e d e s , m a n y
t he r e s u l t o f
i l l e g a l a c t i vi t y.5
Thi s wa s "kr i vo r a zbr a n a
d e m o kr a t s i ya " (c r o o ke d l y
u n d e r s t o o d
d e m o c r a c y),
s a i d o n e
fr i e n d ,
i n whi c h
p e o p l e
be l i e ve d t ha t
t he y
c o u l d d o a s
t he y
l i ke d ,
whe n e ve r
t he y
l i ke d ,
g i vi n g
l i t t l e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o e t hi c s o r
l a w,
a n d t hi s a t t i t u d e ha d
p r o m o t e d
c r i m i n a l a n d
m a fi a
o p e r a t i o n s
o f
e ve r y
c o n c e i va bl e
s o r t ,
fr o m
m o n e y l a u n d e r i n g
t o
t r a ffi c ki n g
i n wo m e n . Thi s wa s n o t "s vo bo d a "
(fr e e d o m ),
s he
a d d e d ,
bu t
"s l o bo d i ya " (t he
a bu s e o f
fr e e d o m ; l i c e n t i o u s n e s s ).
In
fa c t ,
t he s i t u a t i o n
c o m p e l l e d
o n e
jo u r n a l i s t ,
i n a 3
Ju l y
t e l e vi s e d n e ws
e d i t o r i a l ,
t o c hr i s t e n
Bu l g a r i a
"Abs u r d i s t a n ",
a
p a r -
t i c u l a r l y c hi l l i n g
c o m m e n t
g i ve n
i t s
e t ym o l o g i c a l
c o n n e c t i o n t o t he bo r d e r
r e p u bl i c s
o f t he CIS a n d i t s
r e c o g n i t i o n
o f
ju s t
ho w
t r a g i c a l l y
c o m i c l i fe ha d
be c o m e .6
Thu s ,
va r i o u s
p o l i t i c a l
l e a d e r s br o a d c a s t t he i r c o n c e r n
d u r i n g
t he
o t he r wi s e d e a d a i r t i m e
s e p a r a t i n g
BNTV's l i ve
c o ve r a g e
o f t he
Eu r o Cu p
s e m i -
fi n a l s
(En g l a n d
vs
Ge r m a n y
a n d Fr a n c e vs t he Cze c h
Re p u bl i c ).
"Wi l l we ha ve
br e a d o n t he t a bl e s ? Wi l l t he r e o n c e
a g a i n
be
l o n g
l i n e s o n t he s t r e e t s ?" o n e
i n qu i r e d s o l e m n l y,
t he l a s t i n
r e g a r d
t o t he i n t e r m i n a bl e
qu e u i n g
fo r m a t e r i a l
g o o d s
t ha t
t yp i fi e d
l a t e s o c i a l i s m a n d t he i m m e d i a t e
p o s t -Zhi ko v
e r a . To
m y
a s t o n i s hm e n t ,
a s e c o n d
s p e a ke r
t he n
a c t u a l l y a p o l o g i ze d
fo r
d i s c u s s i n g
t hi s a n d
o t he r
u n s a vo u r y t o p i c s , s p e c i fi c a l l y
n a r c o t i c s ,
"d u r i n g
t he t e n s e
p e r i o d
be t we e n
t he t wo s o c c e r m a t c he s ".
4 S o m e be l i e ve d t ha t t he
g o ve r n m e n t
wa s i n fa c t
i m p o r t i n g ,
a t a
hi g he r p r i c e , e xa c t l y
t ho s e
p r o d u c t s
t ha t i t
u s u a l l y e xp o r t e d
i n a bu n d a n c e a t a l o we r
p r i c e ,
a s e vi d e n c e d
by
t he
fo l l o wi n g
a n e c d o t e . On e m u s i c i a n r e l a t e d ho w a ha r ve s t wo r ke r fr o m t he
a g r i c u l t u r a l l y
r i c h
r e g i o n
o f Do br u d zha
(i n n o r t he a s t e r n
Bu l g a r i a ) a c c i d e n t a l l y d r o p p e d
hi s ha t i n a t r u c kfu l o f whe a t
d e s t i n e d fo r
e xp o r t .
Bu t a fe w we e ks
l a t e r ,
whe n Do br u d zha r e c e i ve d a whe a t
s hi p m e n t
fr o m
t he Mi d d l e
Ea s t ,
he fo u n d hi s ha t m i xe d i n wi t h t he
g r a i n !
5 On e fr i e n d
l a u g hi n g l y
r e m a r ke d t ha t e ve n
t ho u g h
t he
e c o n o m y
wa s i n
s hr e d s ,
t he r e we r e
s t i l l m o r e
p e o p l e d r i vi n g
Me r c e d e s i n S o fi a t ha n i n Ne w Yo r k
Ci t y.
An d e ve n
t ho u g h
t he r e
wa s l i t t l e
m o n e y
t he r e we r e s t i l l
m a n y p e o p l e e a r n i n g
i t
e a s i l y
a n d i n
hu g e
a m o u n t s . "Lo o k
he r e , "
he
s a i d ,
"i n
Bu l g a r i a
we 've l e a r n e d ho w t o be c o m e r i c he r m u c h m o r e
qu i c kl y
t ha n
i n t he S t a t e s . Lo o k ho w
l o n g
i t t o o k
yo u
t o be c o m e a r i c h n a t i o n
-
g r a d u a l l y,
l i t t l e
by
l i t t l e ,
t hi s
ha p p e n e d .
He r e we ha ve
p e o p l e
who ha ve l e a r n e d i n s i x
ye a r s
wha t i t t o o k
yo u
200
t o l e a r n !"
6
Ac c o r d i n g
t o o n e fr i e n d , a t s o m e
p o i n t
i n t he m i d -1 9 9 0s t he
Bu l g a r i a n
S o c i a l i s t
Pa r t y (t he
fo r m e r Co m m u n i s t Pa r t y) a p p r o a c he d
t he Ru s s i a n
g o ve r n m e n t
a bo u t
i n c o r p o r a t i n g Bu l g a r i a
a s a s u c c e s s o r s t a t e . Pu bl i c
o u t c r y qu i c kl y qu e l l e d
t he i d e a , bu t t he fa c t t ha t i t wa s e ve n
s u g g e s t e d
a d d s a n o t he r
i n t e r p r e t a t i ve
d i m e n s i o n t o t he "Abs u r d i s t a n " r e m a r k.
4 BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL. 1 1 /i i 2002
S p o r t ,
m u s i c a n d n a t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s
Ho w wa s i t t ha t
s o c c e r ,
whi l e
a l wa ys p o p u l a r
i n
Bu l g a r i a ,
ha d n o w a t t a i n e d a
s i g -
n i fi c a n c e s o m o n u m e n t a l t ha t i t i n d u c e d
e m p l o ye e s
t o o ve r t u r n wo r k
s c he d u l e s ,
t he
g o ve r n m e n t
t o
s u s p e n d
i t s
m e e t i n g s
a n d a
p o l i t i c a l fi g u r e
t o e xc u s e hi m s e l f o n
n a t i o n a l t e l e vi s i o n fo r
d i s c u s s i n g
t hr e a t s t o t he
p u bl i c 's
we l fa r e n e a r
g a m e
t i m e ?
The
e a r l y
1 9 9 0s wi t n e s s e d i n t e n s e s o c i a l t r a n s fo r m a t i o n t ha t r e d e fi n e d
Bu l g a r i a 's
i d e n t i t y, p u bl i c i m a g e
a n d
p o l i c y o bje c t i ve s ,
whi c h i n c l u d e d a n
a r r a y
o f
jo i n t
r e g i o n a l p r o je c t s
wi t h o t he r Ba l ka n c o u n t r i e s
a n d ,
e ve n t u a l l y, m e m be r s hi p
o f t he
Eu r o p e a n
Un i o n a n d NATO. In t hi s
r e s p e c t ,
t he
p u bl i c 's
i n s a t i a bl e
a p p e t i t e
fo r
s o c c e r ,
e ve n whe n t he ho m e t e a m wa s n o t
p l a yi n g ,
c o n n e c t e d t he
c o u n t r y
t o a
l a r g e r Eu r o p e a n
- a n d wi t h US
ho s t i n g
o f t he 1 9 9 4 Wo r l d
Cu p
- Am e r i c a n o r bi t .
Li ke t he Am e r i c a n
s o a p o p e r a s (n a m e l y,
The bo l d a n d t he
be a u t i fu l )
t ha t s o m e o f
m y Bu l g a r i a n
fr i e n d s c o n s u m e d wi t h
r e l i s h,
s o c c e r
p r o vi d e d
a
"p o i n t
o f c o n t a c t
wi t h a
g l o ba l
a u d i e n c e fo r
p e o p l e
who s e
c a p a c i t y
t o t r a ve l
[wa s ] e xt r e m e l y
l i m -
i t e d ",
a n d a
g l i m p s e
i n t o
r e l a t i ve l y
l u xu r i o u s a n d
g l a m o r o u s l i fe s t yl e s
fo s t e r e d
by
t he fa n t a s t i c s u m s a wa r d e d t o bo t h
s p o r t s
he r o e s a n d m o vi e s t a r s
(S t o ke s
1 9 9 6 :26 ).
Ma i n s t r e a m
Bu l g a r i a n s
e m br a c e d s o c c e r a s a
c o s m o p o l i t a n s p o r t
t ha t
u n i t e d t he m wi t h a
g l o ba l c o m m u n i t y
o f fa n s
(c f.
Tu r i n o
2000:1 5). Mo r e o ve r ,
a m i d s t t he t r o u bl e d s u m m e r s o f 1 9 9 4 a n d
1 9 9 6 ,
t he y
vi e we d t he
u n p r e c e d e n t e d
s u c c e s s o f t he
Bu l g a r i a n
t e a m a s
e ffe c t i ve l y p u t t i n g
t he
e m e r g e n t
n a t i o n o n t he
m a p , br i e fl y r e s t o r i n g
a s e n s e o f n a t i o n a l
d i g n i t y
a n d c o n fi d e n c e i n t he
p r o c e s s .
The t e a m 's vi c t o r i e s we r e
i n t e r p r e t e d
a s a n i n d e x o f n a t i o n a l
p r o g r e s s ,
bo t h i n
i n fo r m a l c o n ve r s a t i o n a n d i n
p o l i t i c a l
r he t o r i c
(c f.
Ro we
1 9 9 5:1 22).
In
fa c t ,
s o
s t r o n g l y
we r e s o c c e r wi n s
e qu a t e d
wi t h t he d e bu t o f
p o s t -1 9 89
Bu l g a r i a
o n t he wo r l d
s t a g e
t ha t
p o p
m u s i c a r t i s t s
be g a n e n s hr i n i n g
t he t e a m 's
a c hi e ve m e n t s i n n e w
s o n g s c o m p o s e d s p e c i a l l y
fo r t he
g a m e
o f t he
d a y.
In t he i r
r o m a n t i c i ze d a c c o u n t o f s t a r
p l a ye r s ' e p o c ha l
fe a t s a n d o f
s p o r t i n g
c o n fl i c t
be t we e n
n a t i o n s ,
t he y
we r e n o t u n l i ke t he hi s t o r i c a l ba l l a d s o f o l d . Bu t t he s e
n e w
p r a i s e s o n g s
c e l e br a t e d t he r o l e o f
yo u n g
vo i vo d i
(l e g e n d a r y
he r o i c c hi e f-
t a i n s o r
l e a d e r s )
l o c ke d i n a
c o n t e m p o r a r y
ba t t l e - t ha t o f
wi n n i n g
t he
r e s p e c t
a n d
o f t ho s e
s u p e r p o we r s
who s e
p o l i t i c a l s ys t e m s
a n d fr e e m a r ke t
e c o n o m i e s
Bu l g a r i a
n o w
s t r u g g l e d
t o e m u l a t e . In s o
d o i n g t he y
u t i l i ze d l a n -
g u a g e
a n d m u s i c a l
s t yl e s
t ha t r e fe r r e d
o ve r t l y
t o t he n a t i o n 's
o n g o i n g i d e n t i t y
t r a n s fo r m a t i o n a n d i t s
s hi ft i n g p o s i t i o n
vi s a ' vi s t he
Ba l ka n s ,
t he
Eu r o p e a n
Un i o n t o whi c h i t
a s p i r e d
a n d t he we s t e r n
wo r l d ,
fo r whi c h t he US A wa s
e m p l o ye d
a s a n
e s p e c i a l l y p o t e n t s ym bo l .
S p e c i fi c a l l y,
t he
s o n g s ' s t yl i n g
r e fl e c t e d t he
i n c r e a s i n g l y c o s m o p o l i t a n
n a t u r e
o f
p o s t -s o c i a l i s t p o p u l a r
m u s i c a n d
Bu l g a r i a n
l i fe i n
g e n e r a l .
S o m e
p o i n t e d
t o
o l d e r t r a d i t i o n s o f e s t r a d a
(l i g ht
s o c i a l i s t
p o p p e r fo r m e d by
ba n d s
e m p l o ye d by
t he s t a t e r a d i o a n d
r e c o r d i n g i n d u s t r i e s ),
t he
c a ba r e t ,
o r
l yr i c a l , e a r l y
t we n t i e t h-
c e n t u r y
u r ba n
s o n g .
Ot he r s
we r e r o c k
s o n g s
s i m i l a r
t o Am e r i c a n
"t o p
4 0"
hi t s .
A
l a r g e n u m be r , ho we ve r , i l l u s t r a t e d n e w
e t hn o p o p (e t n o -p o p ) t r e n d s , o r
p o p u l a r
m u s i c
c o m bi n i n g
t he e l e c t r i fi e d i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n
(e s p e c i a l l y ba s s , e l e c t r o n i c
ke y-
bo a r d , s yn t he s i ze r s
a n d e l e c t r o n i c
d r u m s )
a n d
t e c hn o l o g y
o f we s t e r n
Eu r o p e a n
a n d Am e r i c a n
p o p
wi t h
s t yl i s t i c
e l e m e n t s o f l o c a l Ba l ka n e t hn i c m u s i c s . As I
ha ve wr i t t e n e l s e whe r e
(Bu c ha n a n
fo r t hc . a , b), Bu l g a r i a n e t hn o p o p
i s a
l a r g e
1 9 9 4 -9 6 5
a n d d i ffu s e
c a t e g o r y
t ha t a r o s e i n t a n d e m wi t h
g l a s n o s t
a n d
p e r e s t r o i ka
i n t he
m i d -1 9 80s ,
be g a n
t o d o m i n a t e t he
p o p u l a r
m u s i c s c e n e i n t he
e a r l y
a n d m i d -
1 9 9 0s ,
a n d e m br a c e s a n u m be r o f
s u b-g e n r e s , m a n y
o f whi c h ha ve
a n a l o g u e s
i n o t he r Ba l ka n n a t i o n s . S o m e o f t he s e
s u b-g e n r e s
i n c l u d e t he
ja zz-o r i e n t e d
we d d i n g
m u s i c
(s va t ba r s ka m u zi ka ) p r o m o t e d
fi r s t
by
c l a r i n e t i s t Ivo
Pa p a zo v
a n d hi s
ba n d , "Tr a ki ya ";
r o c k
s o n g s i n c o r p o r a t i n g
t r a d i t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s
o r
s i n g i n g s t yl e s
fo r a bi t o f l o c a l
c o l o u r ;
t e c hn o a n d d i s c o r e m a ke s o f e a r l i e r
s o c i a l i s t fo l k e n s e m bl e
r e p e r t o r y; "a vt o r s ka
Ma ke d o n s ka m u zi ka "
(a u t ho r e d ,
o r
n e wl y c o m p o s e d
Ma c e d o n i a n
m u s i c ),
o r
p o p s o n g s
i n fl u e n c e d
by
t he fo l k a n d
e a r l y t we n t i e t h-c e n t u r y
u r ba n
s o n g
t r a d i t i o n s o f t he Pi r i n -Ma c e d o n i a
r e g i o n
o f
s o u t hwe s t e r n
Bu l g a r i a
a n d t he
Re p u bl i c
o f
Ma c e d o n i a ; a n d ,
m o s t
n o t a bl y,
"c ha l g a "
o r
"p o p fo l k" (p o p fo l k),
whi c h d r a ws o n Ro m
m u s i c i a n s hi p
a n d
Mi d d l e Ea s t e r n
-
e s p e c i a l l y
Tu r ki s h -
m o d e s ,
r hyt hm s
a n d
i d i o m s .7 The
wi d e s p r e a d p o p u l a r i t y
o f
e t hn o p o p ,
a n d
p a r t i c u l a r l y
t he l a t t e r t wo
s u b-g e n r e s ,
i s
i m p o r t a n t
n o t
ju s t
a s a m a r ke r o f
p o s t -s o c i a l i s m ,
bu t a l s o be c a u s e
i t
s i g n i fi e s , a m o n g Bu l g a r i a n s ,
a n
e m e r g e n t
s e n s e o f
r e g i o n a l
Ba l ka n c o n s c i o u s -
n e s s wi t hi n t he
Eu r o p e a n
c o n t i n e n t .
Thi s a r t i c l e t he r e fo r e
a n a l ys e s
t he
c o n ve r g e n c e
o f t wo
p o we r fu l e xp r e s s i ve
d i s c o u r s e s ,
s p o r t s
a n d
p o p u l a r
m u s i c ,
a s
t he y
r e l a t e t o t he
c o n t i n u i n g
fo r m a t i o n
o f n a t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s
d u r i n g Bu l g a r i a 's
i m m e d i a t e
p o s t -s t a t e -s o c i a l i s t
p e r i o d .
As Da vi d Ro we ha s o bs e r ve d
(1 9 9 5:1 22),
t he
p o l i t i c s g e r m a n e
t o bo t h o f
t he s e d i s c o u r s e s
m a y "s u p p o r t
o r u n d e r m i n e s t r u c t u r e s o f
p o we r
t ha t a r e
d e e p l y
e m be d d e d i n o u r
p r a c t i c a l
c o n s c i o u s n e s s " a n d a s s i s t i n t he
"e ve r yd a y
c o n s t r u c -
t i o n o f
i d e o l o g i e s " t hr o u g h
whi c h "d o m i n a n t
g r o u p s
s e e k t o
s ym bo l i ze
a n d
n a t u r a l i ze t he i r
p o we r ".
In t hi s
c a s e ,
wha t we wi l l fi n d i s t ha t t he n e w
s o n g s
a i d e d t he
m yt ho l o g i za t i o n
o f
Bu l g a r i a n
s o c c e r t o
p r o m o t e
a n
i d e o l o g y
o f i n t e r -
n a t i o n a l d o m i n a n c e a n d
he n c e ,
a m o r e
p o s i t i ve
n a t i o n a l
i m a g e d u r i n g
a
p e r i o d
o f e xt r e m e d o m e s t i c c i vi l s t r i fe
(i bi d .:1 4 0).
No
l o n g e r
wa s a
s p o r t s
t e a m t o
s ym bo l i ze
t he
t o u g h,
a t hl e t i c ,
we l l -m u s c l e d
bo d y i m a g e fo r m e r l y p r e s c r i be d by
s o c i a l i s t
r e a l i s m ,
a t e s t a m e n t t o s t a t e -fu n d e d s c i e n t i fi c a d va n c e m e n t s a n d a n
i m a g e
a l s o va l o r i ze d a s a m i l i t a r i s t i c
s ym bo l
o f t he s o c i a l i s t n a t i o n 's br u t e
s t r e n g t h
o r
t e c hn o l o g i c a l m i g ht ,
fo r
c e r t a i n l y,
u n d e r Zhi vko v
Bu l g a r i a n
s o c c e r
n e ve r a c hi e ve d s u c h a c c l a i m
(i bi d . :1 26 -27). Ra t he r ,
t hi s t e a m wa s a
t e s t i m o n y
t o fr e e
c o m p e t i t i o n ,
a n d i t s
p l a ye r s
we r e t he
u n d e r d o g s
-
t he br a ve
yu n a t s i (s i n g .
yu n a k;
he r o e s o r
c ha m p i o n s
o f
s o n g
a n d
s t o r y)
c a l l e d
u p o n
t o o u t wi t t he i r
o p p r e s s o r -o p p o n e n t s t hr o u g h c o u r a g e , vi r i l i t y
a n d s he e r
c u n n i n g .
US A '9 4
To d e m o n s t r a t e
m y
r e m a r ks I wi l l fo c u s
p r i m a r i l y
o n t he 1 9 9 4 Wo r l d
Cu p
t o u r -
n a m e n t . At t hi s t i m e I r e n t e d a r o o m i n t he
we l l -a p p o i n t e d a p a r t m e n t
i n s o u t he r n
S o fi a o f a
hi g hl y
e d u c a t e d ,
m i d d l e -a g e d c o u p l e
who m I wi l l c a l l Ka l i n a a n d
As e n . Whi l e Ka l i n a wo r ke d a s a
p r o m i n e n t
a r c hi t e c t who s e c a r e e r i n c l u d e d
7
On
we d d i n g
m u s i c s e e Bu c ha n a n 1 9 9 6 , Ri c e 1 9 9 4 :237-6 0 a n d 1 9 9 6 , a n d S i l ve r m a n 1 9 89 ;
o n
"a u t ho r e d
Ma c e d o n i a n m u s i c " s e e Bu c ha n a n 1 9 9 9 a n d Pe t e r s 2000; o n
"p o p
fo l k" s e e
Bu c ha n a n fo r t hc . a , Di m o v 2001 , a n d Ri c e 2002.
6
s e ve r a l o f t he
c i t y's
t r a d e m a r k
bu i l d i n g s , d u r i n g m y s t a y
As e n wa s a t ho m e
r e c o ve r i n g
fr o m a kn i fe wo u n d s u s t a i n e d o n e
n i g ht
a fe w we e ks be fo r e
m y
a r r i va l ,
whe n a
p a i r
o f
t hu g s
a s s a u l t e d hi m t o s t e a l hi s
g o l d
n e c k c ha i n a s he
wa l ke d ho m e fr o m t he
n e a r by
t r a m
s t o p .
As we t a l ke d i t s o o n be c a m e c l e a r t ha t
As e n wa s a s m u c h
p s yc ho l o g i c a l l y
a s
p hys i c a l l y
d e bi l i t a t e d
by
t hi s a t t a c k. In
fa c t ,
fo r hi m t he
m u g g i n g
ha d be c o m e a
p r o fo u n d p e r s o n a l s ym bo l
o f t he s o c i a l
d i s i n t e g r a t i o n
t ha t he s a w a r o u n d hi m a n d o f hi s o wn
i n c r e a s i n g d i s e m p o we r -
m e n t a s t he t o t a l i t a r i a n s t a t e d i s s o l ve d .
Al t ho u g h
he ha d vo t e d fo r "t he d e m o c -
r a t s "
(i .e .,
t he Un i o n o f De m o c r a t i c Fo r c e s
p a r t y,
o r
UDF)
a n d a t t e n d e d t he i r
m e e t i n g s ,
he n o w be l i e ve d t ha t
d e m o c r a c y
wa s
r u i n i n g
t he
c o u n t r y. Ec ho i n g
t he
o bs e r va t i o n s o f
m y
o t he r
fr i e n d s ,
he c i t e d a s e vi d e n c e
i n fl a t i o n ,
t he
ho a r d i n g
o f
s c a r c e
g o o d s ,
t he
p o i s o n i n g
o f ho u s e ho l d
p r o d u c t s
l i ke
l i qu o r
a n d
vi n e g a r ,
a
g e n e r a l
d e c l i n e i n
ho n e s t ,
c o u r t e o u s
i n t e r p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s , a n d ,
o f
c o u r s e ,
c r i m e . Hi s o wn
a t t e m p t s
t o e xe r c i s e hi s n e w-fo u n d c i vi l
r i g ht s
a ft e r t he
m u g g i n g
ha d
br o u g ht
n o
r e s u l t s ;
t he
p o l i c e
wo u l d n o t e ve n t a ke hi s s t a t e m e n t . Fo r As e n
t hi s
o n l y
c o n fi r m e d t ha t t he n e w
s ys t e m
d i d n o t wo r k a n d
a u g m e n t e d
hi s
fe e l i n g s
o f
he l p l e s s n e s s
i n a c u l t u r e t ha t ha s
a l wa ys
va l o r i ze d o ve r t
d i s p l a ys
o f
m a c hi s m o a n d
vi r i l i t y.
"Yo u s ho u l d ha ve s e e n
m e , Do n n a ,
I wa s o u t
d r i n ki n g
e ve r y n i g ht
wi t h t he m o s t
i m p o r t a n t p e o p l e
i n t he
Pa r t y, e ve r y n i g ht
a t t he
S he r a t o n - a t t he
S he r a t o n ,
e ve r y n i g ht
wi t h t he s e
p e o p l e .8
Al l I ha d t o d o wa s
p i c k u p
t he
p ho n e
a n d I c o u l d m a ke
t hi n g s ha p p e n ."
On c e a
p o we r fu l e n g i n e e r ,
he wa s
n o w,
i n hi s o wn
wo r d s ,
"ju s t
a n a d m i n i s t r a t o r ".
By e a r l y Ju l y,
a s
Bu l g a r i a be g a n
t o wi n
s t e a d i l y
i n t he
t o u r n a m e n t ,
l o c a l
p a p e r s
d e d i c a t e d who l e s e c t i o n s t o t he
c o u n t r y's p a r t i c i p a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g
e n d l e s s
a r m c ha i r
a n a l ys e s
o f
e ve r y p l a y. Li ke wi s e ,
BNTV fe a t u r e d
s p e c i a l p r o g r a m m e s
d e vo t e d t o
g a m e hi g hl i g ht s
a n d i n t e r vi e ws wi t h
ke y p l a ye r s ,
s o m e c o n d u c t e d a s
t he y
r e l a xe d n e xt t o t he i r ho t e l
p o o l ,
t o
p r o vi d e
t he
p u bl i c
wi t h a m o r e i n t i m a t e
vi e w o f t he t e a m 's a c t i vi t i e s a n d Am e r i c a n l i fe . Be c a u s e t he
g a m e s
t he m s e l ve s
we r e br o a d c a s t
l i ve ,
m a n y
o c c u r r e d i n t he m i d d l e o f t he
n i g ht
l o c a l t i m e . Bu t n o
m a t t e r wha t t he
ho u r ,
whe n a
g o a l
wa s s c o r e d o r a n o t he r
vi c t o r y
wo n ,
t he
p u bl i c
(p r e d o m i n a n t l y
m e n -
m a n y
o f t he m
d r u n k) s p i l l e d
o u t i n t o t he
s t r e e t ,
ye l l i n g
a t
t he
t o p
o f t he i r
l u n g s , l e a n i n g
o n t he i r c a r
ho r n s ,
s i n g i n g "Bu l g a r i a
i n Am e r i c a "
(a
n e w
p o p s o n g
a i r e d be fo r e e a c h
m a t c h)
a n d
s ho o t i n g
fi r e c r a c ke r s
o r , wo r s e ,
g u n s ,
i n t o t he
n i g ht s ky.
The fe s t i vi t i e s
s t r o n g l y
r e s e m bl e d o l d e r Ba l ka n m e n 's
c e l e br a t i o n s ,
i n whi c h a l c o ho l
c o n s u m p t i o n , s i n g i n g ,
fi r e a r m s a n d
a g g r e s s i ve
d i s p l a ys
o f e m o t i o n we r e
t yp i c a l .
Ove r c o ffe e
m y
fr i e n d No r a s a i d t ha t s he fo u n d he r s e l f
wo n d e r i n g
ho w
I,
a s a
fo r e i g n e r , m i g ht p e r c e i ve
t he s o c c e r
hys t e r i a . "Thi n g s
a r e s o d i ffi c u l t
he r e , "
s he
e xp l a i n e d ,
t ha t s o c c e r o ffe r s a n
"e s c a p e
t o a d i ffe r e n t
r e a l i t y,
a ki n d o f
fa n t a s y."
"Am e r i c a
r e p r e s e n t s
a s o r t o f
p a r a d i s e , "
s he
c o n t i n u e d ,
a n d t he fa c t t ha t t he
t e a m wa s
s u c c e e d i n g
t he r e bo o s t e d n a t i o n a l
p r i d e .
"The s o c c e r
t e a m , "
s he
s a i d ,
"i s
c a r r yi n g
t he
we i g ht
o f
n a t i o n a l i s m a t a t i m e whe n t he r e a r e n o l a ws
a g a i n s t
c r i m e a n d
p e o p l e
s e n s e t ha t
a n a r c hy
i s
r u l i n g
t he i r l i ve s ." Ot he r fe m a l e fr i e n d s
8
As e n r e fe r s t o t he S he r a t o n Ba l ka n , t he m o s t e xc l u s i ve ho t e l a n d r e s t a u r a n t i n S o fi a , a n d
p r o ba bl y
t he
c o u n t r y, d u r i n g
t he s o c i a l i s t e r a .
1 9 9 4 -9 6 7
a g r e e d :
Ts e n ka
fa n be ha vi o u r a s a
s i g n
t ha t
Bu l g a r i a
wa s
e m e r g i n g
fr o m i t s "bl a c k ho l e o f
d e p r e s s i o n ",
whi l e a t hi r d
wo m a n ,
t he m o t he r o f a t e e n -
a g e d
s o n ,
e m p ha s i ze d
t ha t t he t e a m
p r o vi d e d
a
he a l t hy, p o s i t i ve
r o l e m o d e l wi t h
whi c h
yo u n g
m e n c o u l d
i d e n t i fy.
The
yo u t hs
we r e t hu s
"p r o u d
t o c a l l t he m -
s e l ve s
Bu l g a r i a n s ",
s he s a i d . The t e a m 's vi c t o r i e s bo u n d t he
c o u n t r y t o g e t he r ,
c r e a t i n g c o l l e c t i vi t y
o u t o f c ha o s
by s hi ft i n g
d e fi n i t i o n s o f "u s " a n d
"t he m ",
o c c l u d i n g
l o c a l d i ffe r e n c e s i n fa vo u r o f a n
o ve r a r c hi n g
s e n s e o f
u n i t y.
As
Gr e g
Do wn e y (2000:4 )
o bs e r ve s fo r Br a zi l i a n
c a p o e i r a , Bu l g a r i a 's "c ha m p i o n s
bo r e
t he n a t i o n i n t he i r
bo d i e s ;
t he n a t i o n 's a c c u m u l a t e d s ki l l a n d
p u g i l i s t i c
kn o wl -
e d g e
r e s i d e d i n t he i r a t hl e t i c
a r t i s t r y
a n d t e c hn i c a l a bi l i t i e s ".
"Ol e -l e , o l e -l e ,
o l e -l e ":
Bu l g a r i a
vs
Ge r m a n y
Whe n
Bu l g a r i a
m e t
Ge r m a n y
i n t he
qu a r t e r
fi n a l s a t 7.00
p .m .,
l o c a l
t i m e ,
o n 1 0
Ju l y,
1 9 9 4 ,
t he e n t i r e
c o u n t r y
he l d i t s br e a t h.
Ge r m a n y
wa s t he fo r m e r wo r l d
c ha m p i o n
a n d a
Eu r o p e a n s u p e r p o we r
who s e
l i fe s t yl e , t e c hn o l o g i c a l s a vvy
a n d
r e p u t a t i o n
fo r
e ffi c i e n c y Bu l g a r i a n s
a d m i r e d t o s u c h a n e xt e n t t ha t
t he y
be c a m e
t he ba s i s o f t wo r e l a t e d m a xi m s : "Ba i Do i c ho vs i c hko zn a e "
(Ba i
Do i c ho kn o ws
a l l )
a n d "Ba i Do i c ho vs i c hko m o zhe "
(Ba i
Do i c ho c a n d o
a l l ),
whe r e "Ba i " i s a
t e r m o f
r e s p e c t
u s e d t o a d d r e s s e s t e e m e d o l d e r m e n a n d "Do i c ho " i s a n o m i n a l
g l o s s
fo r "De u t s c he ".9 Bu t
Ge r m a n y
wa s a l s o t he n a t i o n t ha t ha d e m br o i l e d
Bu l g a r i a
o n t he
wr o n g
s i d e i n Wo r l d Wa r
II
a n d whi c h a fe w fr i e n d s - Ka l i n a
a m o n g
t he m
- a c c u s e d o f
a r r o g a n t l y u s i n g
t he i r Bl a c k S e a r i vi e r a a s a
p l a y-
g r o u n d
whi l e
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y a d o p t i n g
a
s u p e r c i l i o u s
a t t i t u d e t o wa r d s t he l o c a l
p o p u l a t i o n .
The r e wa s m u c h a t s t a ke .
As
u s u a l ,
i n t he
d a ys l e a d i n g u p
t o t he
g a m e
Ra d i o
S i g n a l
+,
a n i n n o va t i ve
n e w s t a t i o n d e vo t e d t o n a r o d n a m u zi ka
(fo l k
o r t r a d i t i o n a l
m u s i c )
o f a l l
s o r t s ,
a i r e d s e ve r a l
s o n g s c o m p o s e d
fo r t he
t o u r n a m e n t .
S u c h
s o n g s ,
a s d i s c u s s e d
a bo ve ,
g e n e r a l l y
r e fl e c t e d a wi d e
r a n g e
o f
s t yl e s ,
fr o m r o c k t o e s t r a d a
(l i g ht
s o c i a l i s t
p o p m u s i c )
t o
r a p
t o l o c a l e t hn i c t r a d i t i o n s . S o m e we n t s o fa r a s t o
p a r o d y o p p o n e n t s by e m p l o yi n g e a s i l y r e c o g n i za bl e
t u n e s o r c ha r a c t e r i s t i c s o f
t he i r o wn n a t i o n a l m u s i c s . Fo r
e xa m p l e ,
t he
s o n g
"Ad i o s ,
Me ks i ko "
(Fa r e we l l ,
Me xi c o )
i s
a c c o m p a n i e d by
a m a r i a c hi
ba n d ,
whi l e
"Ex,
c he ve s e l ka r n i va l "
(Oh,
wha t a
jo yo u s c a r n i va l ),
whi c h r e fe r s
o ve r t l y
t o
Me xi c o ,
s e t s n e w
l yr i c s
t o
t he we l l -kn o wn Me xi c a n
s o n g
"La c u c a r a c ha "
(Exc e r p t 1 ).
Ma n y
o t he r s i l l u s t r a t e d t he n e w
p o p fo l k e t hn o p o p g e n r e . My
s e c o n d
e xa m p l e
(Exc e r p t 2),
whi c h I r e c o r d e d fr o m Ra d i o
S i g n a l
+ o n t he
m o r n i n g
o f t he
Bu l g a r i a
vs
Ge r m a n y g a m e ,
fa l l s i n t o t hi s
c a t e g o r y.
The ve r s e s a r e c ha n t e d i n
r a p
fa s hi o n o ve r a
r e g g a e
be a t . The s e e l e m e n t s a r e s e t t o a n
a c c o m p a n i m e n t
t ha t
c o m bi n e s e l e c t r i c
p i a n o ,
a
s yn t he s i ze d
d r u m t r a c k,
e l e c t r i c ba s s a n d a l t o s a xo -
p ho n e
a n d t ha t e xhi bi t s s e ve r a l
p r o m i n e n t
Tu r ki s h fe a t u r e s . The s e i n c l u d e t he
o r n a m e n t a t i o n
a n d
wa i l i n g
t i m br e
e m p l o ye d by
t he
s a xo p ho n e ,
a n d t he t a ks i m -
l i ke s o l o
i m p r o vi s a t i o n p e r fo r m e d
o n t hi s i n s t r u m e n t i n m a ka m Hi c a z fo l l o wi n g
9 My
s i n c e r e t ha n ks t o Ri c ha r d
Te m p e s t
fo r
br i n g i n g
t he s e e xp r e s s i o n s
t o
m y
a t t e n t i o n a n d
fo r hi s
m a n y s u p p o r t i ve
c o m m e n t s o n t hi s a r t i c l e .
8 BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL. 1 1 /i i 2002
Exc e r p t
1
Pa r t o f
"Ex,
c he ve s e l ka r n i va l ".1 0 Te xt a n d
a r r a n g e m e n t by
Mi ha i l
S ho p o v; p e r fo r m e d by
As e n
Ki s i m o v
La
ku ka r a c ha ,
l a ku ka r a c ha -
To zi t a n t s i e
p o zn a t :
Bi a l g a r i
s ka c ha t ,
Me ks i ko
p l a c he ,
No t a n t s i r a d o s t s e
p r i zn a t .
La
ku ka r a c ha ,
l a
ku ka r a c ha ,
Po c hn e fu t bo l n i ya
ba l ,
Fe n o ve
s ka c ha t ,
o t r a d o s t
p l a c ha t ,
Ex,
c he ve s e l ka r n i va l .
La
c u c a r a c ha ,
l a c u c a r a c ha -
S he 's fa m i l i a r wi t h t hi s d a n c e :
Bu l g a r i a n s ju m p ,
Me xi c o
c r i e s ,
bu t
[t hi s ]
d a n c e a n d
jo y
a r e we l l
kn o wn .
La
c u c a r a c ha ,
l a
c u c a r a c ha ,
The s o c c e r ba l l
be g i n s ,
Fa n s
ju m p , t he y c r y
fr o m
jo y,
Oh,
wha t a
jo yo u s
c a r n i va l .
Exc e r p t
2 Re c o r d e d 1 0
Ju l y,
1 9 9 4 ,
fr o m Ra d i o
S i g n a l
+, S o fi a ;
p e r fo r m e r s
u n kn o wn
V d e ve t d e s e t i c he t vi i r t a
g o d i n a
s ht e n i s r e s ht n e
p a k
s Ar zhe n t i n a .
Ma r a d o n a s ht e bi i d e Ma d o n a ,
i
S t o i c hko v s ht e vka r a t r i
g o l a .
Na
fi n a l a
s ht e s r e s ht n e m
Ge r m a n t s i ,
n o
n a l i , s m e
p o l vi n
Am e r i ka n t s i !?
S ht e
n a p r a vi m
d e s a n t n a
vr a t a t a ,
i s ht e
vze m e m p r o s t o i g r a t a .
US A, US A, US A,
S ha m p i o n i
s m e .
Ts ya l
n a r o d
p r o s l a vi kha fu t bo l i s t i t e .
US A, US A, US A,
S ha m p i o n i
s m e .
Ts ya l
n a r o d
p r o s l a vi kha fu t bo l i s t i t e !
In t he
ye a r
'9 4
We wi l l m e e t
a g a i n
wi t h
Ar g e n t i n a .
Ma r a d o n a II
wi l l be c o m e
Ma d o n n a ,
a n d S t o i c hko v wi l l s c o r e t hr e e
g o a l s .1 2
At t he fi n a l we 'l l m e e t t he
Ge r m a n s ,
bu t we 'r e ha l f
Am e r i c a n s ,
r i g ht !?
We 'l l m a ke a
l a n d i n g
o n t he
g o a l , 1 3
a n d
s i m p l y
t a ke t he
g a m e .
US A, US A, US A,
We a r e t he
c ha m p i o n s .
The e n t i r e n a t i o n c e l e br a t e d t he s o c c e r
p l a ye r s .
US A, US A, US A,
We a r e t he
c ha m p i o n s .
Al l t he
p e o p l e
c e l e br a t e d t he s o c c e r
p l a ye r s !
1 )
Fr o m Pe i t e s n a s : ha i d e n a s ht e ! Evr o '9 6 :
1 1 p o be d n i p e s n i (S i n g
wi t h u s : l e t 's
g o
t e a m !
Eu r o '9 6 : 1 1
vi c t o r y s o n g s ).
I
Ma r a d o n a i s
Ar g e n t i n a 's Di e g o Ma r a d o n a , p r o hi bi t e d
fr o m
c o m p e t i n g
i n s o m e o f t he 1 9 9 4
Wo r l d
Cu p c ha m p i o n s hi p g a m e s
be c a u s e o f
d r u g
u s e .
1 2
Thi s ve r s e
p r e d i c t s
t he
p o t e n t i a l
o u t c o m e o f
g a m e s
t ha t ha d n o t
ye t
be e n
p l a ye d
whe n t he
s o n g
wa s
p r o d u c e d . Ul t i m a t e l y, Bu l g a r i a
be a t
Ar g e n t i n a 2-0; l e g e n d a r y Bu l g a r i a n
a t t a c ke r
Hr i s t o S t o i c hko v s c o r e d t he fi r s t
g o a l . Ho we ve r , s t r a n g e l y e n o u g h,
he s c o r e d a t o t a l o f t hr e e
g o a l s
i n hi s t e a m 's vi c t o r i e s o ve r t he t e a m s i n t he i r t o u r n a m e n t
g r o u p
be fo r e
t he y
a d va n c e d t o
t he
t o p e i g ht c o m p e t i t i o n .
1 3
The
i m p l i c a t i o n
o f t hi s l i n e i s t ha t t he
Bu l g a r i a n
t e a m wo u l d m a ke a
p a r a c hu t e -l i ke l a n d i n g
o n t he
g o a l c a g e .
1 9 9 4 -9 6
9
t he
c ho r u s ,
e a c h o f whi c h i m i t a t e s s i m i l a r
t e c hn i qu e s
u s e d
by
Tu r ki s h zu r n a
a n d c l a r i n e t
p l a ye r s .
The
t e xt ,
whi c h a t t r i bu t e s t he s ki l l o f t he
Bu l g a r i a n
t e a m
t o t he fa c t t ha t
t he y
a r e n o w
"ha l f-Am e r i c a n ",
r e ve a l s t he t he n
wi d e l y
he l d
l o c a l be l i e f t ha t
Bu l g a r i a n s ,
n o w a fr e e
p e o p l e ,
e xhi bi t e d a fu n d a m e n t a l
a ffi n i t y
wi t h
Am e r i c a n s ,
a n d t ha t t he
US A,
a s a
c ha m p i o n
o f
d e m o c r a c y,
wo u l d e xt r a c t
Bu l g a r i a
fr o m i t s c u r r e n t
p r e d i c a m e n t .
As o n e fr i e n d l a t e r
r e m a r ke d ,
"we ha d
s u c h
g r a n d i o s e
i l l u s i o n s ".
"S t o i c hko vs ko ho r o "
Whi l e s o m e
s o n g s g l o r i fi e d
t he e n t i r e
t e a m ,
o t he r s
p r a i s e d ke y p l a ye r s .
Or ke s t i t r
Kr i s t a l i ,
o n e o f t wo ba n d s
r e s p o n s i bl e
fo r
c r e a t i n g
t he
p o p fo l k s t yl e ,
d e d i c a t e d
a n e n t i r e a l bu m t o Hr i s t o S t o i c hko v,
who l a t e r be c a m e t he t o u r n a m e n t 's
jo i n t -
t o p
s c o r e r
(s i x g o a l s ).1 4
Li ke t he
p r e vi o u s e xa m p l e ,
t he a l bu m 's t i t l e
s o n g ,
"Ol e ,
S t o i c hko v",
e xhi bi t s Mi d d l e Ea s t e r n i n fl u e n c e
(Exc e r p t 3).
The
p i e c e be g i n s
wi t h
a t a ks i m -l i ke s o l o s o u n d e d
by s yn t he s i ze d s t r i n g s ,
a n d
d u r i n g
ve r s e s t hr e e a n d
Exc e r p t
3
"Ol e ,
S t o i c hko v"
Ba r c e l o n a za m i n a
t o
-
m a c h
i g r a e
ve c he t a m .
V
Ka t a l o n s ki ya t
o t bo r
t o i
ya
s t a n a l
s ha m p i o n .
Ol e ,
p o d i s p a n s ko t o
n e be
vs i c hki zn a e m e d o br e
c he S t o i c hko v
za s e g a
t o i
e fu t bo l n a
zve zd a .
Ra d va m e s e n i
s e g a
n a
s p o r t m e n s ka
t o
i g r a .
S n o m e r o s e m n a
g i i r ba
p o l e
S t o i c hko v n a s ve t a .
"S t o i c hko v, "
d u m a
Ma l a g u [?]-
p r i ya t e l i
s a e d i n za
d r u g
-
"Vs i c hki v Ba r s a
i g r a e t e
-
c ha k za vi zhd a
i m Pe l e ."
He l e ft fo r Ba r c e l o n a
-
he
a l r e a d y p l a ye d
a
g a m e
t he r e .
In t he Ca t a l a n t e a m
he be c a m e a
c ha m p i o n .1 5
Ol e ,
u n d e r t he
S p a n i s h s ky
we a l l kn o w we l l t ha t
S t o i c hko v
c u r r e n t l y
he i s a s o c c e r s t a r .
We 'r e
c e l e br a t i n g
n o w
a t hi s
s p o r t s m e n -l i ke g a m e .
Wi t h n u m be r 8 o n hi s ba c k
S t o i c hko v t hr e w hi m s e l f o n t he wo r l d .
"S t o i c hko v, "
s a i d
Ma l a g u 1 6 -
The y'r e
fr i e n d s wi t h o n e a n o t he r
-
"Eve r yo n e
i n Ba r c a t ha t
yo u p l a y
-
e ve n
Pe l 6 1 7
e n vi e s t he m ."
1 4
The d e d i c a t i o n r e a d s : "Thi s a l bu m i s d e d i c a t e d t o o u r be l o ve d Hr i s t o S t o i c hko v. We wi s h
hi m a n d t he e n t i r e n a t i o n a l s o c c e r t e a m s u c c e s s i n US A '9 4 ." S t o i c hko v's o t he r a c hi e ve m e n t s
i n c l u d e Be s t
Eu r o p e a n Pl a ye r (1 9 9 1 -9 2, 1 9 9 3-9 4 ),
1 9 9 4 FIFA Fo o t ba l l e r o f t he Ye a r a n d
Bu l g a r i a n S p o r t s m a n
o f t he Ye a r
(1 9 9 3-9 4 ).
1 5 S t o i c hko v s c o r e d t he
s i n g l e
a n d vi c t o r i o u s
g o a l a g a i n s t
Cl u b
Es p a fi o l ,
a s e c o n d Ca t a l a n
t e a m ,
a s a m e m be r o f Ba r c e l o n a 's Cl u b Ba r c a i n hi s
S e p t e m be r
1 9 9 0 d e bu t
g a m e .
1 6
In d i s t i n g u i s ha bl e
-
p e r ha p s
t he n a m e o f a Ba r c a t e a m m a t e who a l s o
p l a ye d
fo r t he
n a t i o n a l
S p a n i s h
t e a m .
1 7 Br a zi l 's l e g e n d a r y
Ed s o n Ar a n t e s d o
Na s c i m e n t o ,
be t t e r kn o wn a s Pe l 6 .
1 0
BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL.1 1 /i i 2002
fo u r t hi s "o r c he s t r a "
s u p p l i e s
br i e f
i n t e r je c t i o n s
be t we e n
p hr a s e s
t ha t c o m m e n t
o n t he vo c a l
p a r t
i n a m a n n e r n o t u n l i ke t he l a wa zi m o f Ar a b m u s i c o r s i m i l a r
p a s s a g e s
i n
a r a be s k,
a Tu r ki s h
p o p
m u s i c
g e n r e
e m u l a t e d
by
s o m e
Bu l g a r i a n
g r o u p s .1 8
In
a d d i t i o n ,
fl a m e n c o i n fl u e n c e i s e vi d e n t i n t he t u n e 's
m o d a l i t y
a n d i n
t he u s e o f
s yn t he s i ze d br a s s y t r u m p e t s p r e c e d i n g
e a c h
ve r s e ,
whi c h
i m p a r t
t he
fl a i r o f a
S p a n i s h bu l l fi g ht .
S o m e o f t he
g r o u p 's
m e m be r s a r e
Ro m ,
a n d t he
vo c a l
s t yl e (d i c t i o n , t i m br e ,
i n fl e c t i o n a n d
o r n a m e n t s )
r e fl e c t s Ro m i n fl u e n c e .
Whi l e t he
S p a n i s h
e l e m e n t s c a n be
a s a m u s i c a l r e fe r e n c e t o t he fa c t
t ha t S t o i c hko v fi r s t a c hi e ve d
i n t e r n a t i o n a l
a c c l a i m whi l e
p l a yi n g
fo r Ba r c e l o n a 's
Cl u b Ba r c a i n 1 9 9 0-9 5 a n d
1 9 9 6 -9 8,
t he
i n c o r p o r a t i o n
o f
s p e c i fi c a l l y
fl a m e n c o
i n fl u e n c e s i l l u s t r a t e s t ha t
Bu l g a r i a 's
Ro m m u s i c i a n s
r e c o g n i ze ,
a n d
a l i g n
t he m s e l ve s
wi t h,
t he m u s i c o f o t he r
Eu r o p e a n Gyp s y g r o u p s .
Thi s , t o o ,
i s a n
i m p o r t a n t
c ha r a c t e r i s t i c o f s o m e
p o p fo l k
a n d
s p e a ks
t o a Ro m m u s i c a l c i r c u i t
t ha t t r a n s c e n d s s t a t e bo r d e r s .
S o m e
m a y
fi n d i t i r o n i c t ha t
Bu l g a r i a n s
wo u l d s o
r e s o u n d i n g l y c ha m p i o n
a
t e a m who s e
s t a r t i n g l i n e u p e m i g r a t e d i m m e d i a t e l y
a ft e r t he 1 9 89
c o l l a p s e
o f
c o m m u n i s m t o
p l a y
fo r c l u bs i n
Fr a n c e ,
Po r t u g a l , Ge r m a n y
a n d
S p a i n ;
i n d e e d ,
i n
Fe br u a r y
2001 S t o i c hko v l a n d e d a c o ve t e d
m u l t i -ye a r
c o n t r a c t wi t h t he
US A's
Chi c a g o
Fi r e ,
fo r who m he ha s
p l a ye d
s i n c e Ma r c h 2000
(Zo o m s o c c e r 2001 ).
Ho we ve r ,
s u c h c o n t r a c t s
o n l y
e n ha n c e d t he
p l a ye r s ' a p p e a l .
The fa m e a n d
p r e s -
t i g e
a c c o r d e d t he m a s n a t i o n a l
s ym bo l s
d e r i ve d i n
p a r t
fr o m t he i r
a bi l i t y
t o m o ve
i n t o t he
we s t e r n
Eu r o p e a n (o r Am e r i c a n )
a r e n a a n d s u c c e e d t he r e .
The y
be c a m e
a n o ve l
t yp e
o f t r a n s n a t i o n a l
g u e s t
wo r ke r ,
who s e
we a l t hy l i fe s t yl e s
a n d r e s i d e n c e
a br o a d
t yp i fi e d
t he n e w
Bu l g a r i a n
d r e a m
p e r fe c t l y.
Ju s t a s ba s ke t ba l l c a m e t o
r e p r e s e n t
a
wa y
o u t o f t he i n n e r
c i t y
fo r
m a n y i m p o ve r i s he d
Am e r i c a n
yo u n g -
s t e r s ,
fo r t he
a ve r a g e Bu l g a r i a n
s o c c e r
be g a n
t o
s ym bo l i ze
a n
e xi t ,
l i t e r a l l y
a n d
fi g u r a t i ve l y,
fr o m l i fe 's
p r o bl e m s .
As
ye t
a n o t he r s o c c e r
s o n g
fr o m t he 1 9 9 4
t o u r n a m e n t s t a t e s , "No w,
whe n t he r e a r e n o vi s a s /t he US A i s o n e t o m e /
Bu l g a r i a
i s
l i vi n g
i n c r i s i s /bu t i t 's s t i l l a s o c c e r n a t i o n ."
"Li l i e s " o f
m a n y va l l e ys
Abo u t
t hi r t y
m i n u t e s be fo r e t he
Bu l g a r i a
vs
Ge r m a n y g a m e be g a n ,
BNTV
p r o -
g r a m m e d
s e ve r a l s o c c e r
s o n g s
t o
he i g ht e n
t he
p u bl i c 's a n t i c i p a t i o n . My
n e xt
e xa m p l e ,
"Zd r a ve i , Li l i Ma r l e n " (He l l o ,
Li l i
Ma r l e n ),
wa s o n e o f t he s e . As i t s
t i t l e
s u g g e s t s ,
t hi s wo r k's
m e l o d y
i s t ha t o f
Li l i Ma r l e n ,
t he c o n t r o ve r s i a l
s o n g
c o m p o s e d by
No r be r t S c hu l t ze a n d
p o p u l a r i ze d by
La l e An d e r s o n a n d Ma r l e n e
Di e t r i c h,
a m o n g
o t he r s ,
i n
Ge r m a n ,
Fr e n c h a n d
En g l i s h-l a n g u a g e
ve r s i o n s
d u r i n g
t he S e c o n d Wo r l d Wa r
(a l t e r n a t i ve
t i t l e s i n c l u d e "Li l l i
Ma r l e n e ",
"Li l i
Ma r l e e n ",
1 8
On a r a be s k s e e S t o ke s 1 9 9 2.
1 9
A d i m i n u t i ve n i c kn a m e fo r Hr i s t o S t o i c hko v.
20
Bu l g a r i a n fo r wa r d Em i l Ko s t a d i n o v. The ve r s i o n o f s t a n za 3 p r e s e n t e d i n t he t e xt i s t ha t
r e c o r d e d o n
g a m e d a y.
An a l t e r n a t i ve r e n d i t i o n , r e l e a s e d o n a c o m m e r c i a l c a s s e t t e i n 1 9 9 6
(d i s c u s s e d be l o w), r e a d s : "It s o be ,
p o c ha ka i , "/s m e e
s e Le c he t a m , /"c he t i
l yu bo vn i k s i ve l i k
o t d a vn o t o va
g o zn a m , "/n o n e ka i a z s l e d
zl a t e n p a s /s g o l kr a s i v, v
m i g s ht a s t l i v/d a ka zha
BUCHANAN
S o c c e r , p o p u l a r
1 9 9 4 -9 6
1 ]
Exc e r p t
4
"Zd r a ve i , Li l i
Ma r l e n ". Te xt a n d
Mi ha i l
S ho p o v;
p e r fo r m e d by
As e n Ki s i m o v
Ta m n a s t a d i o n a
v
Nyu -l o r ks ki ya p e k,
s e vi khi r i Ma r a d o n a
n a 20-t i ve k.
S r e s ht a
g o r e s ht a
s
Ge r m a n i ya
i g r a e
d n e s
Bi l g a r i ya
-
i g r a e
v
yu l s ki
d e n
za t e b, Li l i Ma r l e n .
Kr a i s t a r a t a
l a t e r n a ,
p r e d
n e m s ka t a
vr a t a ,
zn a m s ht e
s t o ya t
n a d t e be
p r o c hu t i
s ve t i l a .
No m o i t a l e va c hka s o s t a i r s hu t
s ht e
g i n a p r a vi
v
m i g "ka p u t ",
i
m o ya
v t o zi d e n
s ht e
s i , Li l i Ma r l e n .
"It s o
be ,
p o c ha ka i , "
s m e e s e
Em i l ,
"n e
zn a e kh,
c he
t a ki i v
ve l i k
l yu bo vn i k
t i
s i bi l ,
n o n e ka i za s l e d
t vo ya p a s ,
i
m o ya s p r i n t
o ki c he n
s fi n t ,
d a ka zha o t kr o ve n '-
'Zd r a ve i , Li l i Ma r l e n '."
Tr i fo n p a i k
zhe l e zn i
s he p n e
i m
va i zg l a s ,
"To zi
p u t t
m o m c he t a ,
o t n o vo
s l i m
s a s va s ."
A Be r t i
Vo g t s
s i
m i s l i , "Zn a m ,
t e z
bi l l g a r i
s i
n ym a t
s r a m !
Da n o
Li l i
Ma r l e n
s p a s i
t e v t o zi d e n .
Li l i , Li l i Ma r l e n ,
d a n o o s t a n e s h t i
p r i
m e n ."
The r e a t t he s t a d i u m
i n t he Ne w Yo r k
he a t ,
Ma r a d o n a i s whi r l e d
t o t he t we n t i e t h
c e n t u r y.
Bu l g a r i a p l a ys
a ho t m a t c h
wi t h
Ge r m a n y t o d a y
-
p l a ys
o n a
Ju l y d a y
fo r
yo u ,
Li l i Ma r l e n .
Ne a r t he o l d
o r g a n g r i n d e r ,
be fo r e t he Ge r m a n
g o a l c a g e ,
I kn o w t ha t a bo ve
yo u
wi l l s t a n d
r e n o wn e d l u m i n a r i e s .
Bu t
m y
l e ft -ha n d e r wi t h a
s ha r p
s ho t
wi l l r e n d e r t he m i n a fl a s h
"ka p u t ",
a n d m i n e i n t hi s
d a y
wi l l be
yo u ,
Li l i Ma r l e n .
"It s o , 1 9 be , wa i t , "
s m i l e s
Em i l , 20
"I d i d n 't kn o w t ha t
yo u
we r e s u c h a
g r e a t
l o ve r ,
bu t l e t
m e , t o o ,
a ft e r
yo u r p a s s ,
a n d
m y fa n c y s p r i n t
wi t h a
fe i n t ,
s a y fr a n kl y
-
'He l l o , Li l i Ma r l e n '."
An d
Tr i fo n , 21 o f i r o n ,
whi s p e r s
t o t he m i n a
c r y,
"Thi s
t i m e , m y bo ys ,
I'm o n c e
a g a i n
wi t h
yo u ."
An d Be r t i
Vo g t s 22
t hi n ks t o
hi m s e l f,
"I
kn o w,
t he s e
Bu l g a r i a n s
ha ve n o s ha m e !
Le t 's
ho p e
Li l i
Ma r l e n
s a ve s
yo u
o n t hi s
d a y.
m a y yo u
r e m a i n n e a r m e ."
o t kr o ve n ...
("It s o , be , wa i t "/s m i l e s
Le c he
t he r e , /"t ha t yo u 'r e
a
g r e a t
l o ve r I've kn o wn fo r a
l o n g t i m e , "/bu t
l e t
m e , t o o ,
a ft e r a
g o l d e n p a s s /wi t h
a be a u t i fu l
g o a l ,
i n a
ha p p y
fl a s h/t o
s a y
fr a n kl y ...).
He r e Le c he i s a d i m i n u t i ve n i c kn a m e fo r
Bu l g a r i a n
fo r wa r d l o r d a n Le c hko v.
21
Tr i fo n
Iva n o v, Bu l g a r i a n
d e fe n s e m a n .
22
Co a c h o f t he Ge r m a n n a t i o n a l t e a m .
1 2 BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL. 1 1 /i i 2002
Exc e r p t
5
Li l i Ma r l e n ,
ve r s e s 1 a n d 2. Ge r m a n
l yr i c s by
Ha n s
Le i p s . (0 By
p e r m i s s i o n
o f t he Pu bl i s he r APOLLO
VERLAG,
Pa u l Li n c ke
Gm bH, Ma i n z;
c f. Ja c ks o n 1 9 79 :
1 0-1 1 )
vo r d e r Ka s e r n e
vo r d e m
g r o s s e n
To r
s t a n d e i n e
La t e r n e ,
u n d s t e ht s i e n o c h
d a vo r ,
s o wo l l n wi r u n s d a wi e d e r
s e hn ,
be i d e r La t e r n e wo l l n wi r s t e hn
wi e
e i n s t ,
Li l l i Ma r l e e n .
Un s r e be i d e n S c ha t t e n
s a hn wi e e i n e r
a u s ;
d a s s wi r s o l i e b u n s
ha t t e n ,
d a s s a h m a n
g l e i c h
d a r a u s .
Un d a l l e Le u t e s o l l n e s
s e hn ,
we n n wi r be i d e r La t e r n e s t e hn
wi e
e i n s t ,
Li l l i Ma r l e e n .
In fr o n t o f t he ba r r a c ks
i n fr o n t o f t he
he a vy
d o o r
s t o o d a l a n t e r n
a n d i f i t s t i l l s t a n d s t he r e
l e t 's s e e e a c h o t he r t he r e
a g a i n
l e t 's s t a n d
by
t he l a n t e r n
a s
o n c e ,
Li l i Ma r l e e n .
Bo t h o f o u r s ha d o ws
l o o ke d l i ke
o n e ;
t ha t we l o ve e a c h o t he r
t ha t o n e s a w i t
qu i c kl y
a s t he
s a m e ,
a n d a l l
p e o p l e
s ha l l s e e i t
whe n we s t a n d
by
t he l a n t e r n
As
o n c e ,
Li l i Ma r l e e n .
"The
g i r l
u n d e r t he l a n t e r n " a n d
"My
Li l i o f t he
l a m p l i g ht ").23
It s
p r e s e n c e
i n t he Ba l ka n s i s
e xp l a i n e d by
t he fa c t
t ha t ,
o n c e t he Ge r m a n
o c c u p a t i o n
o f
Yu g o s l a vi a
wa s
e s t a bl i s he d ,
Ra d i o
Be l g r a d e 's
d i r e c t o r ,
Ka r l -He i n z
Re i n t g e n ,
i n c o r p o r a t e d
i t i n t o t he s t a t i o n 's br o a d c a s t s t o t he Afr i ka
Ko r p s (Br o c k n .d .:2;
Ja c ks o n
1 9 79 :21 -2;
s e e a l s o Rho d e s
1 9 9 7).24
It wa s t r a n s m i t t e d
n i g ht l y, ju s t
be fo r e t he s t a t i o n
s i g n e d
o ff,
a s we l l a s i n
r e s p o n s e
t o l i s t e n e r
r e qu e s t s
a n d
m e s s a g e s , d e s p i t e
t he fi r m
o p p o s i t i o n
o f
Pr o p a g a n d a
Mi n i s t e r
Jo s e p h
Go e bbe l s
(Ja c ks o n 1 9 79 :22-3).
In t ha t c o n t e xt t he
s o n g 's
r o m a n t i c
l yr i c s
a n d
s e n t i m e n t a l ,
c a ba r e t -l i ke
p r e s e n t a t i o n s i g n i fi e d
ho m e , he a r t h, s we e t he a r t ,
d o m e s t i c bl i s s - t he
i d e a l s fo r whi c h
e ve r y
s o l d i e r
fo u g ht .
He r e i n t he s o c c e r
wa r , ho we ve r ,
t he
fi g u r e
o f Li l i Ma r l e n be c a m e a m u s i c a l
p e r s o n i fi c a t i o n
o f t he Ge r m a n n a t i o n - i t s
fe m i n i n e
s a vi o u r ,
o r m u s e - wo o e d
a wa y by
t he
a d va n c i n g Bu l g a r i a n s
a n d ,
e s p e c i a l l y,
Hr i s t o S t o i c hko v
(s e e Exc e r p t 4 ).
It i s a l s o
s i g n i fi c a n t
t ha t t he
p a r o d y's
c ha r a c t e r
p o i n t s
t o a s e c o n d
Bu l g a r i a n
m u s i c t r e n d
p o p u l a r
a t t hi s t i m e : a r e s u m e d i n t e r e s t i n t he "o l d u r ba n
s o n g s "
(s t a r o g r a d s ki p e s n i )
t ha t t he s o c i a l i s t
r e g i m e s u p p r e s s e d s ho r t l y
a ft e r i t c a m e
t o
p o we r ,
a n d t he c r e a t i o n o f
n e wl y-c o m p o s e d p o p u l a r s o n g s , p r i m a r i l y
fr o m
t he Pi r i n -Ma c e d o n i a
r e g i o n
o f s o u t hwe s t e r n
Bu l g a r i a ,
whi c h
d i s p l a y m a n y
o f
t he s a m e
qu a l i t i e s
(s e e
Bu c ha n a n 1 9 9 9 a n d fo r t hc . b: Ch.
1 2). Ma n y
o f t he n e w
"a u t ho r e d Ma c e d o n i a n
s o n g s ",
whi c h we r e
p o p u l a r i ze d
a t t wo
m a jo r
fe s t i va l s
c a l l e d "Pi r i n Fo l k" a n d "Pi r i n Fe s t " i n t he
e a r l y
a n d
m i d -1 9 9 0s ,
r e t a i n t he
l yr i c a l
23
The Ge r m a n ve r s i o n o f t he
s o n g m a y
be he a r d o n Ma r l e n e Di e t r i c h
o ve r s e a s :
Am e r i c a n
s o n g s
i n Ge r m a n
fo r
t he
O.S .S .
24
The Afr i ka
Ko r p s
wa s a Wo r l d Wa r
II
Ge r m a n t a n k
r e g i m e n t
s t a t i o n e d i n No r t h Afr i c a
u n d e r t he
s u p r e m e
c o m m a n d o f Ge n e r a l Ro m m e l . Ra d i o
Be l g r a d e
br o a d c a s t e n t e r t a i n m e n t t o
t r o o p s
i n t he
Ko r p s ,
t o whi c h r e s i d e n t s o f
Be l g r a d e
a n d
s u r r o u n d i n g
a r e a s c o u l d a l s o l i s t e n .
1 9 9 4 -9 6
1 3
Exc e r p t
6
Li l i Ma r l e n ,
ve r s e s
1
a n d 2
(The g i r l
u n d e r t he
l a n t e r n ;
m y
Li l i o f
t he
l a m p l i g ht ). En g l i s h l yr i c s by
To m m i e Co n n o r a n d Jo hn
Tu r n e r Phi l l i p s
(fr o m
Ja c ks o n
1 9 79 :52)
Un d e r n e a t h t he l a n t e r n
by
t he ba r r a c k
g a t e
Da r l i n g
I r e m e m be r
t he
wa y yo u
u s e d t o
wa i t ,
'Twa s t he r e t ha t
yo u whi s p e r e d t e n d e r l y
Tha t
yo u
l o ve d
m e ,
yo u 'd a l wa ys
be
My
Li l i o f t he
l a m p l i g ht ,
My
o wn Li l i Ma r l e n e .
Ti m e wo u l d c o m e fo r r o l l
c a l l ,
t i m e fo r u s t o
p a r t
Da r l i n g
I'd c a r e s s
yo u
a n d
p r e s s yo u
t o
m y
he a r t
An d t he r e 'n e a t h t ha t fa r o ff l a n t e r n
l i g ht ,
I'd ho l d
yo u t i g ht ,
we 'd ki s s
"g o o d n i g ht , "
My
Li l i o f t he
l a m p l i g ht ,
My
o wn
Li l i
Ma r l e n e .
m e l o d i e s ,
d r a m a t i c vo c a l
s t yl e
a n d
s e n t i m e n t a l , n o s t a l g i c
t e xt s
t yp i c a l
o f t he
o l d e r
g e n r e ,
whi c h i t s e l f wa s
s t r o n g l y
r e l a t e d t o s i m i l a r u r ba n
s o n g s
fo u n d i n
t u r n -o f-t he -c e n t u r y Ge r m a n y,
Ru s s i a a n d o l d Vi e n n a
(c f. S o n g s o f
o l d
Vi e n n a ).
Thu s t he
vo c a l i s t ,
As e n
Ki s i m o v,
p e r fo r m s
t he s o c c e r
p a r o d y
i n t he m a n n e r o f
a c a ba r e t ba r d - n o w
s p o ke n ,
n o w
s u n g
- whi l e t he
l yr i c s e m p l o y
t he r o m a n t i c
c o n qu e s t
o f Li l i Ma r l e n a s a
m e t a p ho r
fo r
Bu l g a r i a 's s p o r t s vi c t o r y.
A
c o m p a r i -
s o n o f t he Ge r m a n a n d
En g l i s h
t e xt s
(Exc e r p t s
5 a n d
6 )
wi t h t ha t o f t he
p a r o d y
r e ve a l s fu r t he r
p e r t i n e n t
a s s o c i a t i o n s . Fo r
e xa m p l e ,
t he
En g l i s h
l i n e "Un d e r n e a t h
t he
l a n t e r n ,
by
t he ba r r a c k
g a t e "
be c o m e s ,
i n t he
Bu l g a r i a n
ve r s i o n ,
"Ne a r t he
o l d
l a t e r n a ,
be fo r e t he Ge r m a n
g o a l c a g e ".
He r e
l yr i c i s t
Mi ha i l
S ho p o v's
u s e
o f t he wo r d "l a t e r n a " c o u l d be
a s a
Bu l g a r i a n i za t i o n
o f t he
En g l i s h
"l a n t e r n " o r t he Ge r m a n
"La t e r n e ",
fo r t he r o m a n t i c
i m a g e
o f a n a m o r o u s
r e n d e zvo u s i n t he
g l o w
o f a
s t r e e t l a m p fi g u r e s s t r o n g l y
i n bo t h o f t he l a t t e r t e xt s .
Ho we ve r ,
t he
Bu l g a r i a n
t e r m fo r
l a m p
i s
"fe n e r ";
"l a t e r n a " t r a n s l a t e s a s
hu r d y-
g u r d y
o r
o r g a n -g r i n d e r ,
bo t h o f whi c h a r e a l l u d e d
t o , m u s i c a l l y
a n d
t e xt u a l l y,
i n
t he
c o n t e m p o r a r y
Ma c e d o n i a n
p o p u l a r s o n g s
a s a m e a n s o f
c a p t u r i n g
t he s o n i c
a m bi a n c e o f t he
c o u n t r y's
"o l d
c i t i e s ",
s u c h a s o l d
Pl o vd i v.
Im p o r t a n t l y,
t hi s i s n o t t he
o n l y c o n t e m p o r a r y
u s e o f t hi s c o n t r o ve r s i a l t u n e
i n t he Ba l ka n s . In
c o n ju n c t i o n
wi t h t he 1 9 9 6
Eu r o Cu p ,
"Zd r a ve d i ,
Li l i Ma r l e n "
wa s r e l e a s e d o n a n a l bu m o f s o c c e r
s o n g s p r o d u c e d by S ho p o v (Pe i t e
s n a s :
ha i d e n a s ht e ! Evr o '9 6 : 1 1
p o be d n i p e s n i (S i n g
g o
t e a m ! Eu r o '9 6 :
1 1
vi c t o r y s o n g s ;
s e e
Fi g u r e 1 )) p r o d u c e d by S ho p o v.
The c a s s e t t e i n c l u d e s a s e c -
o n d
p a r o d y,
"I
p a k zd r a ve i , Li l i
Ma r l e n " (An d
he l l o
a g a i n ,
Li l i
Ma r l e n ),
whi c h
e xt o l s a s e c o n d
Bu l g a r i a n vi c t o r y
o ve r
Ge r m a n y
o n 7 Ju n e , 1 9 9 5
(Exc e r p t 7).
1 4 BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL.1 1 /i i 2002
Fi g u r e
1
S i n g
g o
t e a m ! Ca s s e t t e l i n e r fo r Ko n s t a n t i n
S ho p o v's
c o l l e c t i o n o f
1 1 s o c c e r
vi c t o r y s o n g s ,
r e l e a s e d i n
c o n ju n c t i o n
wi t h t he 1 9 9 6
Eu r o Cu p c ha m p i o n s hi p s
Whi l e t he m u s i c a l
a c c o m p a n i m e n t
o f t he l a t t e r
ve r s i o n ,
r e n d e r e d
p r i m a r i l y
o n
s yn t he s i ze r ,
i s
e xa c t l y
t he
s a m e ,
S ho p o v
a l t e r e d s o m e o f t he
l yr i c s
t o a c c o m m o -
d a t e t he n e w s i t u a t i o n .
By
t hi s t i m e t he
va n qu i s hi n g Bu l g a r i a n s
ha d
g r o wn
s o
s t r o n g
t ha t Li l i Ma r l e n d e s e r t e d t he Ge r m a n s
e n t i r e l y.
Ac c o r d i n g
t o Na i l a Ce r i ba g i i
(1 9 9 5:9 9 )
a n d S va n i bo r Pe t t a n
(1 9 9 8:21 ),
d u r i n g
t he
Yu g o s l a v
c i vi l wa r i n 1 9 9 1 -9 2 o n e o f t he t wo
s o n g s
m o s t
fr e qu e n t l y
r e qu e s t e d by
Cr o a t i a n s o l d i e r s wa s "(e ka m t e "
(I
a m
wa i t i n g
fo r
yo u ), s u n g
by
a
g r o u p
o f s e ve n fe m a l e a c t r e s s e s fr o m
Za g r e b
t o t he
Li l i Ma r l e n
m e l o d y.
It wa s t hu s br o a d c a s t
r e g u l a r l y
o n Cr o a t i a n r a d i o a n d
t e l e vi s i o n ,
p a r t i c u l a r l y
o n
"Ga r d i ja d a ",
a TV
p r o g r a m m e
fo r s o l d i e r s
(i bi d .).
Fr o m
Ce r i ba g i c 's
p e r -
s p e c t i ve ,
i n t hi s c a s e t he t u n e d i d n o t
s ym bo l i ze a n t i p a t hy
t o
Ge r m a n y (o r t hi n g s
Ge r m a n ),
bu t r a t he r Cr o a t i a 's s e l f-i d e n t i fi c a t i o n wi t h We s t e r n
Eu r o p e
a n d ,
he n c e ,
i n t he
l a n g u a g e
o f
o r i e n t a l i s m ,
wi t h a m o r e "c i vi l i ze d "
s o c i e t y by
vi r t u e
o f i t s
hi s t o r y
wi t hi n t he
Au s t r o -Hu n g a r i a n Em p i r e
a n d
g e n e r a l g e o g r a p hi c
p r o xi m i t y
t o t ha t a r e a . Thi s
d i s t i n g u i s he d
Cr o a t i a fr o m i t s S e r bi a n
o p p o n e n t ,
who s e "o r i e n t a l "
p a s t
u n d e r Ot t o m a n r u l e - o n c e m o r e i n t he
g e n d e r e d
l a n -
g u a g e
o f o r i e n t a l i s m - wa s
p e r c e i ve d
a s
p o s s e s s i n g
u n c i vi l i ze d ,
br u t i s h m a l e
be ha vi o u r
(t o r t u r e , r a p e ,
i n va s i o n ,
c r i m e s
a g a i n s t c i vi l i a n s )
o f whi c h Cr o a t i a
wa s t he m o r e
fe m i n i n e ,
p a s s i ve
vi c t i m . The
s o n g 's n o s t a l g i c ,
s e n t i m e n t a l
p r o p e r t i e s ,
c o n ve n t i o n a l Ge r m a n ha r m o n i e s a n d
l e g a t o
c ha r a c t e r u n d e r s c o r e d
t hi s
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .
BUCHANAN
1 9 9 4 -9 6 1 5
Exc e r p t
7 "I
p a k zd r a ve i , Li l i Ma r l e n ",
ve r s e s 3-4
("An d
he l l o
a g a i n ,
Li l i
Ma r l e n ").
Te xt a n d
Mi ha i l
S ho p o v; p e r fo r m e d by
As e n
Ki s i m o v
Vi t o s ha
s i n e e ,
n a d s t a d i o n a NAK.
Ra zvya va
s e
p o be d n o
t r i
ba g r i d n i ya t fl a g .
S r e s ht a
g o r e s ht a
s
Ge r m a n i ya
i g r a e
d n e s ,
Bi l g a r i ya ,
i g r a e
v
yu n s ki
d e n ,
za t e b, Li l i Ma r l e n .
It s o ,
Lyu bo ,
Le c he ,
Kr a s yu
-
Pe r s i ya
ka d r i l ,
zho n g l i r a ha
s
t o p ka t a ,
p o zn a t i ya
s i t s
s t i l .
I Be r t i
Vo g t s
s i
m i s l i , "Zn a m ,
t e
n ya m a t
s i n i s t r a kh n i s r a m .
Za s ht o Li l i Ma r l e n
i
d n e s
i zbya g a kh
t i o t m e n ?
s ht e
p o m n ya d i i l g o t o
t i d e n .
s ht e
p o m n ya
t o zi
yu n s ki
d e n ."
Vi t o s ha s hi n e s bl u e 25
a bo ve NAK s t a d i u m .26
Vi c t o r i o u s l y
wa ve s
t he
t r i -c o l o u r e d
fl a g .27
A ho t
g a m e
wi t h
Ge r m a n y
Bu l g a r i a p l a ys t o d a y,
p l a ys
o n t hi s Ju n e
d a y,
fo r
yo u ,
Li l i Ma r l e n .
It s o ,
Lyu bo ,
Le c he ,
Kr a s yu -
28
a Pe r s i a n
qu a d r i l l e ,
ju g g l e d
wi t h t he
ba l l ,
fa m i l i a r wi t h i t s
s t yl e .
An d Be r t i
Vo g t s
t hi n ks t o
hi m s e l f,
"I kn o w
t he y've
n e i t he r fe a r n o r s ha m e .
Why,
Li l i
Ma r l e n ,
d i d
yo u
fl e e m e
t o d a y,
t o o ?
Li l i ,
Li l i
Ma r l e n ,
I'l l r e m e m be r
yo u r l o n g d a y.
Li l i ,
Li l i
Ma r l e n ,
I'l l r e m e m be r t hi s Ju n e
d a y."
Pe t t a n 's
fi n d i n g s p r o vi d e
a d d i t i o n a l
i n s i g ht .
Hi s
a n a l ys i s
o f Cr o a t i a n wa r
s o n g s
r e ve a l s t ha t
t he y m a y
be d i vi d e d i n t o t wo
c a t e g o r i e s ,
whi c h he c a l l s
"o ffi c i a l "
a n d "a l t e r n a t i ve "
(1 9 9 8:1 9 ).
The s e r e l a t e t o t wo
o p p o s i n g a p p r o a c he s
t o t he wa r t ha t "s e r ve d
d i ffe r e n t ,
bu t a l m o s t
e qu a l l y i m p o r t a n t
r o l e s wi t hi n t he
c o n t e xt o f Cr o a t i a 's d e fe n s e "
(i bi d .:24 ).
The fo r m e r fe a t u r e d
p r e -e xi s t i n g s o n g s
a s s o c i a t e d wi t h e a r l i e r
c o n fl i c t s ,
a s we l l a s n e w
r e p e r t o r y.
"Offi c i a l "
s o n g s
we r e
we l l
p r o d u c e d
a n d
p r o fe s s i o n a l l y p e r fo r m e d ,
a n d we r e d i s s e m i n a t e d
wi d e l y
t hr o u g h
t he m a s s m e d i a a n d m u s i c s t o r e s . The i r r e fi n e d
l yr i c s , s u n g
i n Cr o a t i a n
a n d /o r
En g l i s h
t o
c o s m o p o l i t a n , Eu r o -p o p a r r a n g e m e n t s ,
c u l t i va t e d
p o s i t i ve
25
"Vi t o s ha " r e fe r s t o Mt
Vi t o s ha ,
t he
hi g he s t p e a k
i n t he
vi c i n i t y
a n d a n
i m p o r t a n t s ym bo l
o f S o fi a a n d i t s
p o p u l a t i o n .
It o ve r l o o ks t he
c i t y
a n d i t s c e n t r a l s t a d i u m
c o m p l e xe s
fr o m t he
s o u t h. On a c l e a r
d a y
i t o ft e n
a p p e a r s
bl u e -vi o l e t
a g a i n s t
t he
s kyl i n e .
26
I
be l i e ve t ha t NAK i s a n
a c r o n ym r e fe r r i n g
t o a
p a i r
o f s t a d i u m s t ha t s i t s i d e
by
s i d e
a l o n g
Bo u l e va r d
Ts a r i g r a d s ko
S ho s e n e a r d o wn t o wn S o fi a : t he s t a d i u m o f t he Na t i o n a l
Ar m y
(Na t s i o n a l n a ya Ar m i ya )
a n d t he
Ko l o d r u m ,
o r
c yc l i n g
a r e n a . Bo t h a r e
p a r t
o f a
l a r g e r
c o m -
p l e x
o f
s p o r t s
bo wl s t ha t a l s o i n c l u d e s Va s i l Le vs ki
S t a d i u m ,
whe r e
m a n y i m p o r t a n t
m a t c he s
a r e he l d .
27
Bu l g a r i a 's fl a g
fe a t u r e s t hr e e br o a d
s t r i p e s o f,
fr o m
t o p
t o
bo t t o m , whi t e , g r e e n
a n d r e d .
28
The s e n i c kn a m e s
r e fe r ,
a s fa r a s I c a n
t e l l ,
t o Hr i s t o
S t o i c hko v, Lu bo s l a v Pe n e v, Io r d a n
Le c hko v a n d Kr a s i m i r
Ba l a ko v,
r e s p e c t i ve l y.
1 6 BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL. 1 1 /i i 2002
Exc e r p t
8 "Ce ka m t e "
(I
a m
wa i t i n g
fo r
yo u ),
fi n a l ve r s e
(Pe t t a n 1 9 9 8:21 -22)
"Offi c i a l "
ve r s i o n
An d t he
d e s t r o ye d
ho u s e s wi l l be bu i l t
a g a i n ,
a n d
e ve r y
c hi l d wi l l
l a u g h a g a i n ,
An d o u r
s o n g
wi l l be he a r d
e ve r ywhe r e ,
be c a u s e Cr o a t i a - t ha t i s a l l o f
u s ,
l e t l o ve be o u r wi n n e r .
Al t e r n a t i ve ve r s i o n
The
d a y s l o wl y r e p l a c e s
t he
n i g ht ,
Che d o 29 wa s u n a bl e t o
p a s s
t he Bo s u t
Ri ve r ,
He wi l l
s t a y
d e a d i n t he c o l d Bo s u t
fo r e ve r ,
whi l e I l i ve a n d d e fe n d
m y
Cr o a t i a .
d e p i c t i o n s
o f t he Cr o a t i a n
ho m e l a n d , m o u r n e d
he r
s u ffe r i n g
a t t he ha n d s o f a n
a m bi g u o u s
fo e ,
a n d
a p p e a l e d
fo r
p e a c e .
In
m u s i c ,
t e xt a n d
i m a g e t he y a l i g n e d
Cr o a t i a wi t h We s t e r n
Eu r o p e
a n d
p e t i t i o n e d
t he i n t e r n a t i o n a l
c o m m u n i t y
fo r
a s s i s t a n c e
(i bi d .:1 8-26 ). By
c o n t r a s t ,
"a l t e r n a t i ve "
s o n g s
we r e
p r o d u c e d a n o n y-
m o u s l y
fo r a d o m e s t i c a u d i e n c e
by
a m a t e u r m u s i c i a n s a n d we r e d i s t r i bu t e d
by
p i r a t i
- s t r e e t ve n d o r s a s s o c i a t e d wi t h t he s a l e o f
p i r a t e d r e c o r d i n g s . S u n g o n l y
i n
Cr o a t i a n ,
i n wha t Pe t t a n d e s c r i be s a s a "Ba l ka n "
s t yl e
c ha r a c t e r i ze d
by
a
m o r e
g u t t u r a l
vo c a l t i m br e a s s o c i a t e d wi t h r u r a l m o u n t a i n
c o m m u n i t i e s ,
t he i r
be l l i g e r e n t ,
o ft e n c o a r s e a n d
p o l i t i c a l l y p r o bl e m a t i c l yr i c s p o r t r a ye d
a
m i l i t a r y
p o i s e d
fo r a c t i o n
a g a i n s t
t he S e r bi a n
a g g r e s s o r s (i bi d .).
"Ce ka m
t e "
a p p e a r e d
n o t
ju s t
i n t he "o ffi c i a l " ve r s i o n d e s c r i be d
by
Ce r i ba g i i
bu t a l s o i n a n "a l t e r n a t i ve "
ve r s i o n
whi c h,
fr o m Pe t t a n 's
p e r s p e c t i ve , p a r o d i e d
t he
fo r m e r . Hi s t r a n s l a t i o n o f e a c h
s o n g 's c o n c l u d i n g
s t a n za i l l u s t r a t e s t he
s ha r p l y
d i ve r g e n t a p p r o a c he s
t o t he wa r
s i g n i fi e d by
t he t wo
c a t e g o r i e s (Exc e r p t 8).
Gi ve n
Bu l g a r i a 's
i m m e d i a t e
g e o g r a p hi c a l p r o xi m i t y
t o t he fo r m e r
Yu g o s l a vi a ,
i t i s
qu i t e p o s s i bl e
t ha t
S ho p o v's
s o c c e r
s o n g s
we r e
i n s p i r e d by
o n e o f t he s e
Cr o a t i a n hi t s . The 1 9 9 0s wi t n e s s e d t he i n c r e a s e d d i s s e m i n a t i o n a n d
i n t e r c ha n g e
o f l o c a l
p o p u l a r
m u s i c s wi t hi n t he Ba l ka n s
t hr o u g h
r a d i o , t e l e vi s i o n ,
l i ve
p e r fo r m a n c e s
a n d , o ft e n ,
p i r a t e d r e c o r d i n g s ; S ho p o v's p a r o d i e s m i g ht
t hu s be
i n d i c a t i ve o f t he s e
e m e r g i n g r e g i o n a l
c i r c u i t s .30 Wha t e ve r t he
c a s e ,
t he
Bu l g a r i a n
s o n g s
s ho u l d be c o n s i d e r e d
a g a i n s t
t he
ba c kd r o p
o f t he e a r l i e r ve r s i o n s a n d t he i r
a c c u m u l a t e d m i l i t a r i s t i c a s s o c i a t i o n s .
In d e e d ,
t he r e
m a y
n o t be a be t t e r
e xa m p l e
o f ho w a
s i n g l e
m u s i c a l
c o m p o s i t i o n
c a n u n i t e d i ve r s e
p o p u l a t i o n s
whi l e s i m u l t a -
n e o u s l y t a ki n g
o n
l o c a l /s p e c i fi c
- a n d e ve n c ha u vi n i s t i c -
m e a n i n g s .
29
Che d o i s s l a n g
fo r Che t n i k, t he t e r m u s e d t o d e s c r i be S e r bi a n a n t i -c o m m u n i s t , n a t i o n a l i s t
fo r c e s d u r i n g Wo r l d Wa r II.
3o In fa c t , a l t ho u g h I p u r c ha s e d m y r e c o r d i n g o f 1 1 Bu l g a r i a n vi c t o r y s o n g s i n a l e g i t i m a t e
m u s i c s t o r e , i t wa s a
p i r a t e d
ve r s i o n . The l i n e r n o t e s we r e
d u p l i c a t e d
t o r e s e m bl e t he
o r i g i n a l
1 9 9 4 -9 6 1 7
"Che s t i t a
p o be d a !": Vi c t o r y s o n g s
At a bo u t 9 .00
p .m .,
whe n
Bu l g a r i a 's vi c t o r y
wa s
a s s u r e d ,
t he e n t i r e
c o u n t r y
e r u p t e d
i n a c e l e br a t i o n t ha t l a s t e d u n t i l we l l a ft e r
m i d n i g ht . Fo l l o wi n g
l o c a l
c u s t o m ,
whi c h d i c t a t e s t ha t i n t e n s e
jo y
i s
e xp r e s s e d
be s t
t hr o u g h
i n t e n s e c a c o -
p ho n y, p e o p l e
c he e r e d a n d fi r e d
g u n s
fr o m t he i r r o o f
t o p s
a n d ba l c o n i e s .
The y
s e t o ff
fi r e c r a c ke r s ,
bl e w i n t o n o i s e m a ke r s a n d
ho r n s ,
a c t i va t e d c a r a l a r m s a n d
s a n g
"o l e , o l e ,
o l e " i n t he s t r e e t s . Cr o wd s
d i s p e r s e d u p
a n d d o wn Vi t o s ha Bo u l e -
va r d ,
o n e o f d o wn t o wn S o fi a 's m a i n
t ho r o u g hfa r e s ,
a n d
t hr o n g e d p u bl i c s qu a r e s .
As
t he y
m a r c he d
t he y
c ha n t e d
"Bl l -g a r -s ki , yu -n a -t s i !" (br a ve Bu l g a r i a n
he r o e s ;
br a ve
Bu l g a r i a n c ha m p i o n s ), e m p l o yi n g
t he
l a n g u a g e
o f he r o i c ba l l a d s .
Me a n whi l e ,
ba c k a t t he BNTV s t u d i o
p ho n e
c a l l s we r e
p l a c e d
t o va r i o u s
p l a ye r s .
Pr e s i d e n t
Zhe l yu
Zhe l e v
a d d r e s s e d t he
n a t i o n ,
a p p l a u d i n g
t he t e a m
o n i t s
a c c o m p l i s hm e n t .
Co m m e n t a t o r s
be g a n
t o
s p e c u l a t e
a bo u t t he
r e m a i n i n g
g a m e s ,
e ve n
t u r n i n g
t o t he
s u p e r n a t u r a l
fo r
g u i d a n c e .
The
c o u n t r y's
m o s t
fa m o u s
m e d i u m ,
Ba ba
Va n g a ,
ha d
p r e d i c t e d
e a r l i e r t ha t t wo c o u n t r i e s who s e
n a m e s
be g a n
wi t h B wo u l d m e e t i n t he
fi n a l s ;
t he
jo u r n a l i s t s
n o w a wa i t e d he r
p ho n e
c a l l
c o n fi r m i n g
t hi s
p r o p he s y.31
Mu s i c , t o o ,
wa s
i n t e g r a l
t o t he fe s t i vi t i e s .
We d d i n g
ba n d s a n d fo l k e n s e m bl e s
p e r fo r m e d s p i r i t e d
n a r o d n a m u zi ka
a s
c o n g r a t u l a t o r y m e s s a g e s
fl a s he d a c r o s s
t he bo t t o m o f t he t e l e vi s i o n s c r e e n .32 To c r o wn i t s
c o ve r a g e
t he TV s t u d i o
i n vi t e d a fe m a l e vo c a l t r i o l e d
by
r e n o wn e d fo l k
s i n g e r
Ya n ka
Ru p ki n a
t o
g i ve
a n
i m p r o m p t u p e r fo r m a n c e
o f a
ha s t i l y
wr i t t e n
vi c t o r y s o n g .
Thi s
t r i o ,
who s e
o t he r m e m be r s i n c l u d e d Ya n ka Ta n e va a n d El e n a
Ka m e n o va ,
wa s m o d e l l e d
o n a n e a r l i e r
g r o u p ,
t he Tr i o
Bi i l g a r ka ,
i n whi c h
Ru p ki n a
ha d
p e r fo r m e d
wi t h
S t o ya n ka
Bo n e va a n d Eva
Ge o r g i e va .
Li ke t he s o c c e r
t e a m ,
t he
o r i g i n a l
t r i o
s ym bo l i ze d
a
p o s i t i ve
d i m e n s i o n o f t he
p o l i t i c a l
t r a n s i t i o n ,
fo r
t he y
ha d a t t a i n e d
i n t he l a t e 1 9 80s whi l e
t o u r i n g wi d e l y
wi t h t he
g r o u p
Ba l ka n a
(s e e
Bu c ha n a n fo r t hc . b: Ch.
1 0).
Pe r ha p s
t o
e m p ha s i ze
t hi s
r e l a t i o n s hi p ,
t he c u r r e n t t r i o
p r e s e n t e d
n e w
l yr i c s
t o a l o ve
s o n g
c a l l e d "The
s e d ya n ka
ha s be e n
r u i n e d ",
whi c h
a p p e a r e d
o n t he
Tr i o
Bi l g a r ka 's
1 9 88 Ha n n i ba l Re c o r d s
r e l e a s e ,
The
fo r e s t
i s
c r yi n g (s e e
Exc e r p t s
9 a n d
1 0).
In
ke e p i n g
wi t h t he
t i m e s ,
t he t hr e e s o m e
p e r fo r m e d
t he n e w
ve r s i o n i n a m o r e
c o n t e m p o r a r y,
s t u d i e d
a r r a n g e m e n t
t ha t fe a t u r e d t he t r a d i -
t i o n a l
s o n g m e l o d y, p e r fo r m e d by Ru p ki n a ,
o ve r t e xt
fr a g m e n t s (d e r i ve d
fr o m
t a i ,
a i d e
n a s ht e , t a i , t a i ) r e p e a t e d r hyt hm i c a l l y by
t he
r e m a i n i n g
vo c a l
d u o ,
l a r g e l y
i n
m a jo r
a n d m i n o r s e c o n d s . Wi t hi n a fe w
d a ys
Ra d i o
S i g n a l
+ a i r e d t he
wr a p p e r ,
bu t t he c a s s e t t e i t s e l f bo r e n o i n fo r m a t i o n wha t s o e ve r - n e i t he r
t i t l e , p e r fo r m e r s ,
p r o d u c e r ,
d i s t r i bu t o r , d a t e ,
n o r e ve n
a n y
i n d i c a t i o n o f whi c h s i d e wa s A o r B. As a
c o m m o d i t y
t he c a s s e t t e t he r e fo r e
s p e a ks
t o t he
l a r g e r p r o bl e m
o f
c o p yr i g ht
l a w
i n fr i n g e m e n t
t ha t ha s
p l a g u e d
t he e n t i r e
r e g i o n ,
bu t
e s p e c i a l l y Bu l g a r i a ,
i n t he l a s t d e c a d e .
31
Ba ba
Va n g a
wa s ha l f c o r r e c t , fo r Br a zi l
c o n qu e r e d It a l y
t o t a ke t he t i t l e . Tha t
wo u l d
i n c o r p o r a t e s o o t hs a yi n g
i n t o t he i r br o a d c a s t wa s a
s i g n
o f t he t i m e s , a s l o c a l i n t e r e s t i n
t he
s u p e r n a t u r a l , s t r o n g l y p r o hi bi t e d
u n d e r Zhi vko v, s u r g e d
a ft e r 1 9 89 .
32 Thi s i n c l u d e d a
p e r fo r m a n c e by
En s e m bl e Na i d e n Ki r o v fr o m Ru s e a n d a n a m a t e u r
S ho p
fo l k e n s e m bl e .
1 8
BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOM US ICOLOGY VOL. 1 1 /i i 2002
Exc e r p t
9
S e d ya n ka t a ye
n a
r a zva l a ,
ve r s e s
1 -2,
Fr o m The
fo r e s t
i s
c r yi n g ;
p e r fo r m e d by
t he Tr i o
Bt i l g a r ka
S e d ya n ka t a ye
n a
r a zva l a ,
Ed i n
d o d i ,
d r u g
s i
ho d i ,
Ta i , t a i , t a i ,
i
t a i ,
bya l o
Ra d e ,
i
t a i ,
bya l o
Ra d e ,
Ed i n
d o d i ,
d r u g
s i
ho d i ,
i
t a i ,
bya l o
Ra d e ,
i
t a i ,
bya l o
Ra d e .
"Mo i t o l u be s ht t i l i d o d i ?"
"Ed o
ye g o
c hi i t o i d e ."
i
t a i ,
bya l o Ra d e ,
i
t a i ,
bya l o
Ra d e ,
"Ed o
ye g o
c hi i t o i d e ."
i
t a i ,
bya l o
Ra d e ,
i
t a i ,
bya l o
Ra d e .
The wo r k be e ha s be e n
r u i n e d ,
On e
c o m e s ,
a n o t he r
l e a ve s ,
i
t a i ,
fa i r
Ra d a ,
i
t a i ,
fa i r
Ra d a ,
On e
c o m e s ,
a n o t he r
l e a ve s ,
i
t a i ,
fa i r
Ra d a ,
i
t a i ,
fa i r Ra d a .
"My
l o ve ,
wi l l he c o m e ?"
"The r e he
i s ,
t ha t 's hi m
c o m i n g ."
i
t a i ,
fa i r
Ra d a ,
i
t a i ,
fa i r
Ra d a ,
"The r e he
i s ,
t ha t 's hi m
c o m i n g ."
i
t a i ,
fa i r
Ra d a ,
i
t a i ,
fa i r Ra d a .
s a m e
p i e c e
i n a m o r e
p o l i s he d
ve r s i o n who s e n e w m i d d l e s e c t i o n
i n t e r p o l a t e d
a
s o l o ba vn a
p e s e n (u n m e t r e d , l a vi s hl y
o r n a m e n t e d "s l o w
s o n g ") p e r fo r m e d by
Ru p ki n a
o ve r a s i m i l a r
va m p .
The
s o n g 's
t e xt wa s
s i m p l e , p a i r i n g
a fe w l i n e s o f
p r a i s e (Vi c t o r y!
Le t 's
g o
t e a m !/El e ve n
yo u n g
m e n /e l e ve n o n t he
fi e l d /The y
l e ft
fo r fa r
a wa y/t o [d i s p e r s e ]
t he i r m a l e
s t r e n g t h/Li ke
a whi r l wi n d fr o m t he
Ba l ka n s /l i ke a wi n d a bo ve t he
fi e l d /Ma y yo u
be
s t r o n g , m a y yo u
be
he a l t hy/
c o u r a g e o u s Bu l g a r i a n bo ys )
wi t h a
r e p e t i t i ve
c ho r u s t ha t wa s
c l e a r l y
ba s e d o n
t he
o r i g i n a l
wo r k. The
r e s u l t i n g a r r a n g e m e n t
s a t a t t he
ju n c t u r e
be t we e n s o c i -
a l i s t n a r o d n a m u zi ka a n d
p o s t -1 9 89 e t hn o p o p
t r e n d s ,
e s p e c i a l l y
t ho s e whi c h
r e m a ke o l d e r fo l k e n s e m bl e
r e p e r t o r y
i n t o
r hyt hm i c
"d i s ko
fo l k" p r o d u c t i o n s .
To g e t he r
wi t h s e ve r a l o t he r m e m be r s o f
Ba l ka n a ,
Ru p ki n a
ha d be e n a t t he fo r e -
Exc e r p t
1 0 S o c c e r
vi c t o r y s o n g (e xc e r p t ) s u n g by
Ya n ka
Ru p ki n a ,
Ya n ka
Ta n e va a n d El e n a Ka m e n o va .
Co m p o s e d
1 0
Ju l y,
1 9 9 4 ,
a n d
p e r fo r m e d
o n s a m e
d a y
o n
Bu l g a r i a n
Po be d a ! Ai d e n a s ht e !
Ta i ,
a i d e
n a s ht e , t a i , t a i ,
Ta i ,
a i d e
n a s ht e , t a i ,
t a i .
Ed i n a i s e t m l a d i
m o m t s i ,
Ed i n a i s e t
p o p o l e t o ,
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
a i d e
n a s ht e ,
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
yu n a c he t a ,
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
a i d e
n a s ht e ,
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
yu n a c he t a .
Vi c t o r y!
Le t 's
g o
t e a m !
Ta i ,
l e t 's
g o
t e a m , t a i , t a i ,
Ta i ,
l e t 's
g o
t e a m , t a i ,
t a i .
El e ve n
yo u n g
m e n ,
El e ve n o n t he fi e l d .
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
l e t 's
g o
t e a m ,
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
he r o i c
l e a d e r s ,
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
l e t 's
g o
t e a m
Ta i , t a i ,
t a i i
t a i ,
br a ve
yo u t hs .
1 9 9 4 -9 6 1 9
fr o n t o f t he l a t t e r m o ve m e n t i n t he l a t e
1 9 80s ;
t he t r i o 's s o c c e r
vi c t o r y s o n g
s e e m e d a n e xt e n s i o n o f t hi s e a r l i e r
s t yl e .33
By
t hi s t i m e t e l e vi s i o n
ha d m o bi l i ze d i n t he s t r e e t s . On t he
s p a c i o u s p l a za
i n fr o n t o f t he Na t i o n a l Pa l a c e o f Cu l t u r e
t he y
s t r o l l e d a m i d s t t he
e u p ho r i c
m o b, i n t e r vi e wi n g
t he
m a n y
c e l e br i t i e s
g a t he r e d
t he r e . He r e t he
p o we r
o f
s p o r t
t o u n i t e a d i ve r s e
p u bl i c by p r o vo ki n g
n a t i o n a l s e n t i m e n t wa s
s t r i ki n g l y
c l e a r . The s e
"g o l d e n bo ys "
ha ve
br o u g ht
t he n a t i o n
t o g e t he r ,
r e m a r ke d o n e
p e r s o n . "The y've
d r i ve n t he who l e n a t i o n t o
s i n g
a n a t i o n a l
hym n "
a d d e d
a n o t he r . An e c s t a t i c
jo u r n a l i s t , l i ke n i n g
t he s o c c e r
vi c t o r y
t o t he bi r t h o f a n e w
n a t i o n ,
s ho u t e d t ha t
Bu l g a r i a n s
wo u l d n o
l o n g e r
c e l e br a t e t he t e n t h o f No v-
e m be r
(t he d a y
t ha t fo r m e r Pr e m i e r To d o r Zhi vko v wa s
d e p o s e d )
bu t t he t e n t h
o f
Ju l y.34 An d ,
i n a c l e a r i l l u s t r a t i o n o f ho w
"s p o r t
a n d n a t i o n "
m a y
"a r t i c u l a t e
wi t h
e c o n o m i c , t e c hn o l o g i c a l , m i l i t a r y, d e m o g r a p hi c
a n d o t he r d i s c o u r s e s o f
'd e ve l o p m e n t "',
a s e c o n d c o m m e n t a t o r o bs e r ve d
t ha t ,
g i ve n
t ha t
Bu l g a r i a
wa s
n o w a
"fu t bo l n a n a t s i ya " (s o c c e r n a t i o n ), p e r ha p s
i n t he
c o m i n g ye a r s
i t wo u l d
a l s o be c o m e a "t e hn i c he s ka
n a t s i ya " (t e c hn i c a l
o r
t e c hn o l o g i c a l n a t i o n ) (Ro we
1 9 9 5:1 36 -37).
As fo r Ka l i n a a n d
As e n , t he y
a r r i ve d ho m e a bo u t 1 1 .30
p .m .,
ho a r s e fr o m
ye l l i n g
wi t h t he r e s t o f t o wn . "Thi s
vi c t o r y r e p r e s e n t s
a l i t t l e
jo y
i n a
c o u n t r y
t ha t ha s be e n
c o m p l e t e l y
be a t e n
u p by
t he
p o l i t i c i a n s , "
As e n r e m a r ke d . "Al l
I c o u l d t hi n k a bo u t " s a i d
Ka l i n a , t a ki n g
m e
a s i d e ,
"wa s t ha t
yo u r
r e l a t i ve s wi l l
n o w t hi n k t o
t he m s e l ve s ,
'l o o k a t Do n n a i n t he
g r e a t
n a t i o n o f
Bu l g a r i a !'
Pe r ha p s t he y
d i d n 't kn o w whe r e
Bu l g a r i a
wa s
be fo r e ,
bu t n o w
t he y
wi l l kn o w
whe r e t o fi n d i t ."
The n e xt
m o r n i n g
As e n
s p e n t
t wo a n d a ha l f ho u r s
t e l e p ho n i n g
hi s fr i e n d s t o
wi s h t he m "c he s t i t a
p o be d a " (ha p p y vi c t o r y),
n o w a ho u s e ho l d
p hr a s e
bo t h i n
c a s u a l c o n ve r s a t i o n a n d o ffi c i a l
p r e s s .
He u s e d t hi s
s p o r t i n g
e ve n t a s a m e a n s o f
p u l l i n g
hi s s o c i a l c i r c l e
t o g e t he r ,
a
m e t a p ho r
o f s o c c e r 's e ffe c t o n t he n a t i o n i n
g e n e r a l .
He
c l e a r l y
fe l t
e m p o we r e d by
t he
vi c t o r y,
whi c h wa s a s m u c h a n e t hn i c
t r i u m p h
o ve r t he Ge r m a n s a s a m a r ke r o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l a t hl e t i c
p r o we s s ;
i n t he
p o s t -g a m e
wo r d s o f fo r wa r d l o r d a n Le c hko v
("t he
Ba l d
Ea g l e "),
"It
a l wa ys
fe e l s
g o o d
t o wi n ... bu t t o be a t t he Ge r m a n s ... i s l i ke a
d r u g " (qu o t e d
i n Kl e i n a n d
Ho r n u n g 1 9 9 4 ). In d e e d ,
Ka l i n a o bs e r ve d t ha t a l l
d a y l o n g , e ve r ywhe r e
s he
l o o ke d ,
s he s a w m e n
p a r a d i n g
a r o u n d wi t h t he i r c he s t s
p u ffe d
o u t .
In m e d i a i n t e r vi e ws o ve r t he n e xt s e ve r a l
d a ys
Pr e s i d e n t
Zhe l e v
e c ho e d
As e n 's r e a c t i o n a n d s u m m a r i ze d t he
c o u n t r y's
a t t i t u d e ,
whi c h I
p a r a p hr a s e
he r e .
The t e a m 's s u c c e s s wa s a s u c c e s s fo r
Bu l g a r i a n
s o c c e r ,
fo r t he
Bu l g a r i a n
n a t i o n
a n d fo r t he
Bu l g a r i a n p e o p l e .
It ha d r a i s e d t he
p u bl i c 's
c o n fi d e n c e a n d
s p i r i t s .
In
fa c t ,
t hr o u g h
t he i r
p l a yi n g
t he t e a m ha d
a c c o m p l i s he d
wha t
d i p l o m a c y
ha d
fa i l e d t o d o : t o s i t u a t e
Bu l g a r i a a m o n g
t he wo r l d 's m o s t i n fl u e n t i a l n a t i o n s i n
a
wa y
t ha t hu n d r e d s o f m i l l i o n s o f
p e o p l e
wo u l d n e ve r
fo r g e t .
"We wa n t o u r
c o u n t r y
t o be
r e c o g n i ze d by
t he Am e r i c a n c i t i ze n s t o who m we fe e l
ve r y fr i e n d l y
33
On d i s ko fo l k
s e e Bu c ha n a n 1 9 9 5:4 06 -7, fo r t hc .
b: Ch. 1 0; a n d Ri c e 1 9 9 4 :258-6 0.
34 "Nya m a
1 0-t i n o e m vr i , i m a 1 0-t i
yu l i !"
20
a n d
o p e n ,
a n d we wa n t fo r t he Am e r i c a n s t o kn o w whe r e
Bu l g a r i a
i s o n t he
m a p ,
a t l e a s t o n t he fo o t ba l l
m a p !"
d e c l a r e d Zhe l e v's
fo r e i g n p o l i c y
a d vi s o r ,
Ca r m e n
Vl i c hko v,
i n a n i n t e r vi e w wi t h Na t i o n a l Pu bl i c Ra d i o 's Ro be r t
S i e g e l
(NPR 1 9 9 4 ). Im p o r t a n t l y, Zhe l e v
a l s o a t t r i bu t e d t he t e a m 's
a c c o m p l i s hm e n t
d i r e c t l y
t o d e m o c r a t i c
r e fo r m ,
fo r t hi s a l l o we d
Bu l g a r i a 's
be s t
p l a ye r s
t o c o m -
p e t e
i n We s t e r n
Eu r o p e ,
whe r e
t he y g a i n e d e xp e r i e n c e
a n d a c c l a i m
i m p o s s i bl e
u n d e r s t a t e s o c i a l i s m
(i bi d .).
In
fa c t ,
l i ke
m a n y jo u r n a l i s t s
a t
ho m e ,
Vl i c hko v
we n t s o fa r a s t o
e qu a t e
t he
s i g n i fi c a n c e
o f
Bu l g a r i a 's vi c t o r y
o ve r
Ge r m a n y
wi t h t ha t
t he e ve n t s o f 1 9 89
(i bi d .):
RS :
S o ,
yo u 'r e c o m p a r i n g ,
o r c o m m e n t a t o r s i n S o fi a
c o m p a r e d ,
t wo m o m e n -
t o u s e ve n t s - t he a d ve n t o f
d e m o c r a c y
a n d a
qu a r t e r -fi n a l vi c t o r y
i n t he
Wo r l d
Cu p ?
CV: I
s a y
t ha t t he s e a r e
c o m p a r a bl e
i n t e r m s o f t he e m o t i o n a l
a p p r o a c h
a n d
t he
hi g h s p i r i t s
whi c h t he c i t i ze n s o f t he
Bu l g a r i a n
t o wn s a n d
vi l l a g e s [ha ve
e xhi bi t e d ] t hr o u g ho u t
t he
c o u n t r y; [t he s e
e ve n t s
a r e ] s o m e t hi n g
t ha t we
e xp e c t
t o ha ve a n
i m p a c t a l t o g e t he r
o n t he
ve r y i m a g e
o f
Bu l g a r i a t hr o u g ho u t
t he wo r l d .
To t a ke
a d va n t a g e
o f t he
p o s i t i ve
e xp o s u r e
Zhe l e v t he r e fo r e
fl e w
t o
t he US fo r t he s e m i -fi n a l
c o m p e t i t i o n .
Al l o f
m y
fe m a l e a s s o c i a t e s a l s o
r e m a r ke d , ho we ve r ,
o n t he
n e g a t i ve a s p e c t s
o f wha t
t he y
wi t n e s s e d a r o u n d t he m . Ka l i n a n o t e d t ha t o n t he
d a y
a ft e r Ge r -
m a n y's
d e fe a t
e ve r y
m a n i n S o fi a e i t he r we n t t o wo r k i n e br i a t e d o r d i d n o t
g o
a t
a l l . As e n wa s n o
e xc e p t i o n ;
he ha d a r r i ve d ho m e i n a
hi g hl y
i n t o xi c a t e d s t a t e a n d
r e m a i n e d s o fo r t he n e xt s e ve r a l
d a ys .
As t he ho u r s o f
c e l e br a t i n g l e n g t he n e d ,
t he fe s t i vi t i e s t o o k o n a n
u g l y
t o n e ;
yo u n g
m e n
e xp r e s s e d
t he m s e l ve s
by e n g a g -
i n g
i n a c t s o f va n d a l i s m a n d a s s a u l t :
u p s e t t i n g g a r ba g e
c a n s ,
d e s t r o yi n g p u bl i c
p r o p e r t y
a n d
o ve r t u r n i n g
c a r s ,
s m a s hi n g
t he i r wi n d o ws a n d t he n
l o o t i n g
t he
c o n t e n t s . Ts e n ka d e s c r i be d t he m o o d o n t he s t r e e t s a s
"d a n g e r o u s ", a d d i n g
t ha t
t he
e n e r g y
u n l e a s he d
by
t hi s e ve n t wa s
u n p r e c e d e n t e d
i n he r
e xp e r i e n c e .
"I d o n 't
t hi n k t he
c o u n t r y
c a n t a ke a n o t he r
wi n , "
s he
l a u g he d .
"Thi s wa s a l e s s o n fo r
Ge r m a n y, "
Ka l i n a
d e c l a r e d ,
r e p e a t i n g
r u m o u r s t ha t
t he Ge r m a n
p r e s s
ha d
m a l i g n e d Bu l g a r i a
i n i t s
p r e -g a m e r e l e a s e s ,
"bu t I c a n 't
u n d e r s t a n d
c e l e br a t i n g by br e a ki n g t hi n g s
o r
hu r t i n g p e o p l e ."
S he wo r r i e d t ha t
t he
vi c t o r y
ha d i n fl u e n c e d
p e o p l e 's
be ha vi o u r
a d ve r s e l y.
It wa s a s i f a l l t he
r e s e n t m e n t a n d fr u s t r a t i o n ha r bo u r e d
by Bu l g a r i a n
m e n ,
who s e "s e l f-c o n fi d e n c e
wa s
c o m p l e t e l y s t r i p p e d by
t he
s ys t e m " (a n d
he r e I t hi n k s he m e a n t bo t h
by
s t a t e s o c i a l i s m a n d i t s s u c c e s s o r
g o ve r n m e n t s ),
ha d be e n
c a t ha r t i c a l l y
r e l e a s e d
by
t he t e a m 's a c hi e ve m e n t s i n t he wo r l d
s p o r t i n g
a r e n a . "Whe n
d e m o c r a c y
a r r i ve d , "
s he e xc l a i m e d
bi t t e r l y, "e ve r yo n e c e l e br a t e d ,
s c r e a m i n g
a n d
ye l l i n g
i n
t he s t r e e t s .
Eve r yo n e e xp e c t e d
t ha t s o m e o n e wo u l d wa ve a
m a g i c
wa n d a n d
c ha n g e t hi n g s o ve r n i g ht .
Thi s wa s n 't
r i g ht ,
bu t i t wa s wha t we
e xp e c t e d ."35
Whe n t he s e
e xp e c t a t i o n s
we n t u n m e t , m a n y p e o p l e g a ve u p , fe e l i n g
c r u s he d a n d
35
S e e Bu c ha n a n fo r t hc . b: Ch. 1 .
1 9 9 4 -9 6 21
Fi g u r e
2 The 1 9 9 4
vi c t o r y p a r a d e a p p r o a c he s
t he
c i t y
c e n t r e a n d Va s i l Le vs ki S t a d i u m
a l o n g Ts a r i g r a d s ko
S ho s e Bo u l e va r d
he l p l e s s .
In
s o c c e r , ho we ve r ,
m e n fo u n d a m o r e fa vo u r a bl e n a t i o n a l
i m a g e ,
a n d
by a s s i m i l a t i n g
t hi s
i m a g e
- t hi s
m e t a p ho r
o f
s p o r t
a s n a t i o n - i n t o t he i r o wn
p e r s o n a l
i d e n t i t i e s ,
a n e w s e n s e o f
s e l f-i m p o r t a n c e
be c a m e
a p p a r e n t
i n t he i r
ve r y
bo d i e s . "I'm s u r e n o t o n e m a n wi l l
g o
t o wo r k t o m o r r o w
a ft e r n o o n ,
e ve n
t ho u g h
t he
g a m e [Bu l g a r i a 's
s e m i -fi n a l m a t c h wi t h
It a l y]
wi l l n o t
be g i n
u n t i l
1 1 .00
p .m ., "
Ka l i n a c hu c kl e d .
"The y'l l p r e p a r e
t he m s e l ve s fo r t he m a t c h
[i .e .,
d r i n k,
d i s c u s s
o d d s ].
An d
g i ve n
t hi s ,
i f
Bu l g a r i a
wi n s
a g a i n
o u r e c o n o m i c
p o l i c y
wi l l a m o u n t t o
n o t hi n g !"
Pa r a d e o f
c ha m p i o n s
Ka l i n a n e e d n o t ha ve
wo r r i e d ,
fo r
Bu l g a r i a
l o s t i t s s e m i -fi n a l m a t c h t o
It a l y
2-1
a n d t he
e n s u i n g
c o n s o l a t i o n r o u n d wi t h S we d e n
4 -1 ,
fa l l i n g
t o fo u r t h
p l a c e
i n
t he t o u r n a m e n t .
Ne ve r t he l e s s ,
whe n t he
p l a ye r s
r e t u r n e d ho m e a t
m i d d a y
o n
22
Ju l y t he y
we r e t r e a t e d l i ke
vi s i t i n g r o ya l t y.
At t he
a i r p o r t jo u r n a l i s t s p o i n t -
i n g m i c r o p ho n e s
d e s c e n d e d o n t he m a s
t he y s t e p p e d
o ff t he
p l a n e .
Ti m e a n d
a g a i n
t he
p r e s s
a s ke d ,
"Yo u r fi r s t wo r d s o n
Bu l g a r i a n
s o i l ?" a n d t he n a d d e d
o m i n o u s l y,
"Al l o f
Bu l g a r i a
i s
wa t c hi n g yo u
a t t hi s m o m e n t ". A br i e f
c e r e m o n y
fo l l o we d . The t e a m wa s t he n
p a r a d e d t hr o u g h
t o wn i n
a p p r o p r i a t e l y
d e c o r a t e d
c a r s a n d fl o a t s
a l o n g
a bo u l e va r d l i n e d wi t h
c he e r i n g
fa n s t o a
p a c ke d
Va s i l
Le vs ki S t a d i u m
(Fi g u r e 2),
whe r e a s e c o n d
c e r e m o n y
a n d
vi c t o r y "m e g a c o n -
c e r t "
fe a t u r i n g p r a c t i c a l l y e ve r y
s o c c e r
s o n g p r o d u c e d d u r i n g
t he t o u r n a m e n t
a wa i t e d t he m .
22 BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL.1 1 /i i 2002
To
be g i n
t he fe s t i vi t i e s t he fe d e r a l
g o ve r n m e n t
a n d l o c a l bu s i n e s s e s s ho we r e d
g i ft s
o n t he
p l a ye r s , c o n t r i bu t i n g
t o t he i r m o vi e s t a r
i m a g e s .36
Hr i s t o S t o i c hko v
a n d Bo r i s Mi ha i l o v we r e a wa r d e d c a r s - a r e d Vo l vo a n d
bl u e -g r e e n
Re n a u l t ,
r e s p e c t i ve l y.
Two o t he r t e a m m e m be r s r e c e i ve d
a p a r t m e n t s
i n S o fi a .
Eve r y
p l a ye r
r e c e i ve d a
g o l d
m e d a l , i n s u r a n c e ,
s t a t e
p e n s i o n s
a t a
g e n e r o u s p e r c e n t a g e
r a t e a n d a we e k's va c a t i o n i n Va r n a fo r t he m s e l ve s a n d t he i r fa m i l i e s .
Ci t y
o ffi -
c i a l s a l s o
p l a c e d
t he i r n a m e s i n t he
"g o l d e n
bo o k o f
S o fi a ",
i n whi c h t he n a m e s
o f
vi s i t i n g d i g n i t a r i e s
a r e
s u p p o s e d l y
wr i t t e n . In
a d d i t i o n ,
t o
m y g r e a t s u r p r i s e ,
t he S t a t e
g r a n t e d e ve r y p l a ye r "S o fi i s ko g r a zhd a n s t vo " (S o fi a c i t i ze n s hi p ),
o r t he
r i g ht
t o r e s i d e i n t he
c a p i t a l .
Thi s
p r i vi l e g e ,
t he e ve n t 's e m c e e
a n n o u n c e d ,
ha d
be e n
p a s s e d by
t he
l e g i s l a t u r e
a n d fo r wa r d e d t o t he
c i t y
c o u n c i l ,
whe r e i t wo u l d
be
o ffi c i a l l y r e g i s t e r e d .
Tha t r e s i d e n c e i n S o fi a wa s s t i l l
s t r i c t l y
c o n t r o l l e d i n
1 9 9 4 t e s t i fi e s t o t he c o n t i n u e d
s t r e n g t h
o f
p r e -1 9 89 p o l i c i e s
fa r i n t o t he t r a n -
s i t i o n
p e r i o d .
The
m a n y s p e e c he s
e xt e n d e d t he
p a t r i o t i c
fe r vo u r o f t he
p r e vi o u s d a ys
i n
wa ys
t ha t br a c ke t e d
c o n t e m p o r a r y fo r e i g n p o l i c y o bje c t i ve s .
Yo u d r o ve Am e r i -
c a n s t o c ha n t
"bt i l g a r s ki yu n a t s i ",
s a i d Pr e s i d e n t
Zhe l e v,
e m p ha s i zi n g
t he n o ve l
i n t e r n a t i o n a l a l l i a n c e t ha t t hi s
d e m o n s t r a t e d ,
e ve n
t ho u g h
i t wa s d i ffi c u l t t o
e xp l a i n
t o t he m wha t a
yu n a k
wa s . Yo u m o ve d
yo u r
"Ma c e d o n i a n br o t he r s t o c he e r fo r
Bu l g a r i a ",
he
c o n t i n u e d ,
i n d i c a t i n g
a s e n s e o f
u n i t y
wi t h a
p e o p l e
who s e e t hn i c
l e g i t i m a c y m a n y Bu l g a r i a n s
ha ve
c ha l l e n g e d
fo r d e c a d e s
(e s p e c i a l l y
u n d e r s t a t e
s o c i a l i s m ),
bu t who s e
r i g ht
t o s t a t e ho o d wa s a l s o
qu i c kl y
a c c e d e d
by
t he
Bu l g a -
r i a n
g o ve r n m e n t
i n 1 9 9 2.37 The
p o s t -1 9 89
s t a t e wa s
be i n g
bu i l t
a c c o r d i n g
t o n e w
p r i n c i p l e s
t ha t
r e qu i r e d
n e w
c o a l i t i o n s , Zhe l e v
s e e m e d t o be
s a yi n g ,
a n d s o c c e r
wa s
fa c i l i t a t i n g
t hi s
p r o c e s s .
De s p i t e
t he i r
l e n g t hy jo u r n e y
fr o m t he
US ,
t he s o c c e r t e a m wa s m a d e t o s t a n d
t hr o u g ho u t
t he
s p e e c he s
a n d a wa r d s i n t he
s c o r c hi n g Ju l y
he a t a t t he s t a d i u m 's
c e n t r e ,
n o t
t a ki n g
s e a t s i n t he s t a n d s u n t i l t he
m e g a c o n c e r t be g a n .
Fo r t hi s e ve n t
e a c h
s o n g
wa s
p e r fo r m e d by
a l e a d vo c a l i s t t o a
p r e -r e c o r d e d a c c o m p a n i m e n t .
In i t i a l l y e n t e r t a i n i n g ,
t he c o n c e r t c o n t i n u e d a t s u c h
l e n g t h
t ha t a l m o s t
e ve r yo n e
l e ft t he s t a d i u m be fo r e i t c o n c l u d e d
-
i n c l u d i n g
t he t e a m . In
fa c t ,
i t s e e m e d c l e a r
t ha t t he e n t i r e
g a l a
wa s o r c he s t r a t e d n o t s o m u c h t o
a p p l a u d
t he t e a m o r i t s
a c c o m p l i s hm e n t s
bu t t o c e l e br a t e t he n a t i o n . As o n e t e l e vi s i o n n e ws
jo u r n a l i s t
o bs e r ve d ,
t he
t o u r n e y
ha d m a d e
e ve r y
c i t i ze n fe e l
Bu l g a r i a n ,
r a t he r t ha n a s a
m e m be r o f "t he r e d
p a r t y" (i .e .,
t he
Bu l g a r i a n
S o c i a l i s t
Pa r t y,
o r
BS P)
o r "t he
bl u e
p a r t y" (t he UDF).
36 In fa c t , o n e fr i e n d t o l d m e t ha t a
we a l t hy Bu l g a r i a n -Am e r i c a n a l l e g e d l y p r o m i s e d
e a c h
p l a ye r
a
l a r g e
s u m o f
m o n e y
fo r
e ve r y m a jo r vi c t o r y
-
$1 0, 000
i f t he
t o p e i g ht c o m p e t i t i o n
wa s
r e a c he d , $30, 000
fo r
g e t t i n g
i n t o t he
qu a r t e r fi n a l s ,
a n d
$1 00, 000
fo r
r e a c hi n g
t he s e m i -
fi n a l s .
S u p p o s e d l y
t hi s be n e fa c t o r
ho p e d
t ha t hi s o ffe r wo u l d s e r ve a s a fi n a n c i a l
i n c e n t i ve ,
bu t I ha ve be e n u n a bl e t o
i n d e p e n d e n t l y ve r i fy
t hi s i n fo r m a t i o n o r hi s
i d e n t i t y.
37
In d e p e n d e n t l y
o f t hi s e ve n t , o n e fr i e n d t o l d m e t ha t s e ve r a l r e s i d e n t s o f FYROM (Fo r m e r
Yu g o s l a v Re p u bl i c
o f Ma c e d o n i a ) ha d fl o wn t he
Bu l g a r i a n fl a g
i n ho n o u r o f t he t e a m 's
s u c c e s s bu t ha d be e n
r e p r i m a n d e d by
l o c a l a u t ho r i t i e s fo r t hi s a c t , p r o ba bl y
be c a u s e i t c o u l d
be
a s
a d vo c a t i n g
a
Bu l g a r i a n
c l a i m t o Ma c e d o n i a n
t e r r i t o r y.
BUCHANAN
1 9 9 4 -9 6 23
Bu t n o t
e ve r yo n e
fo u n d s o c c e r s o
i n s p i r i n g .
On e
c o u p l e ,
bo t h
a c a d e m i c s ,
i n s i s t e d t ha t t he s o c c e r fe r vo u r wa s n o t n a t i o n a l i s m bu t
"c he a p p o p u l i s m ".
Fo r
t he m ,
n a t i o n a l i s m
r e p r e s e n t e d
a fo r c e t ha t d r e w a l l c i t i ze n s
t o g e t he r . The y
vi e we d s o c c e r a s a m a s s c u l t u r e
p he n o m e n o n
bu t s t r e s s e d t ha t n o t
e ve r yo n e
wa s
a fa n .
The y
c r e d i t e d t he t e a m 's
p o p u l a r i t y
t o n i hi l i s m - t o t he fa c t t ha t c i t i ze n s
ha d be c o m e s o d i s i l l u s i o n e d t ha t
t he y
be l i e ve d i n
n o t hi n g a n y
m o r e . Fo r
s o m e ,
s o c c e r be c a m e a n e w n a t i o n a l i c o n t o
wo r s hi p ,
bu t t hi s
c o u p l e
wa s n o t
a m o n g
t he m .
The y t ho u g ht
i t r i d i c u l o u s - e ve n s ha m e fu l - t ha t
Zhe l e v
ha d fl o wn t o t he
US t o wa t c h t he s e m i -fi n a l s i n t hi s t i m e o f c r i s i s . "S o be c a r e fu l a bo u t
c a l l i n g
t hi s
n a t i o n a l i s m , " t he y
c a u t i o n e d ,
"be c a u s e fo r u s i t i s t he
o p p o s i t e ."
In
fa c t , t he y
fo u n d t he who l e a ffa i r
t e r r i bl y a l i e n a t i n g .
Co n c l u s i o n s
I ha ve
a r g u e d
t ha t a n
a n a l ys i s
o f
s p o r t
a n d m u s i c i n
m i d -1 9 9 0s Bu l g a r i a
r e ve a l s
ho w t he t r a n s i t i o n
a wa y
fr o m s t a t e s o c i a l i s m a ffe c t e d
g o ve r n m e n t a l p o l i c y
a s
we l l a s t he l i ve s o f
e ve r yd a y
c i t i ze n s .
Fi r s t , d u r i n g
t hi s
p e r i o d a s p e c t s
o f s o c c e r
c u l t u r e t o u c he d
u p o n
o r e m br a c e d
t o p i c s
t ha t
p r e vi o u s l y
ha d be e n
c l o s e l y
m o n i t o r e d o r
r e p r e s s e d
be t we e n 1 9 4 4 a n d
1 9 89 , i n c l u d i n g e m i g r a t i o n ,
u r ba n
fo l kl o r e ,
t he
s u p e r n a t u r a l , c a p i t a l i s m ,
m a t e r i a l i s m a n d d e m o c r a t i c fr e e d o m . In
a d d i t i o n ,
t he Tu r ki s h a n d Ro m fl a vo u r o f s o m e s o c c e r
s o n g s p o i n t s
t o
i m p o r t a n t
i s s u e s o f e t hn i c
i d e n t i t y
a n d
m i n o r i t y g r o u p
r e l a t i o n s t ha t a r e n o t a d d r e s s e d he r e
bu t whi c h a r e
c r u c i a l l y
r e l a t e d t o t he fo r m u l a t i o n o f a d e m o c r a t i c
Bu l g a r i a n
n a t i o n a l
i d e n t i t y
a s we l l a s t he
s hi ft i n g
s a n d s o f
r e g i o n a l
Ba l ka n
p o l i t i c s .
S e c o n d ,
bo t h
s o n g l yr i c s
a n d t he be ha vi o u r a n d
c o m m e n t a r y
o f s o c c e r
fa n s ,
i n c l u d i n g
t ha t o f
p o l i t i c a l
l e a d e r s ,
d e m o n s t r a t e t he n a t i o n 's
p r o fo u n d
d e s i r e t o
be
r e c o g n i ze d by,
a l l i e d wi t h a n d i n c l u d e d i n t he
We s t e r n
wo r l d .
Al t ho u g h
t he
e vi d e n c e
p r e s e n t e d
he r e
p e r t a i n s e s p e c i a l l y
t o t he e ve n t s o f
1 9 9 4 ,
t hi s
ye a r n i n g
c o n t i n u e d t o be vo i c e d
l o n g
a ft e r wa r d s . Fo r
e xa m p l e , fo l l o wi n g
a r e he a r s a l o f
Ra d i o S o fi a 's fo l k o r c he s t r a i n l a t e Ju n e
1 9 9 6 ,
a m i d s t t he e xc i t e m e n t s u r r o u n d -
i n g
t he
Eu r o Cu p g a m e s ,
o n e m u s i c i a n
a p p r o a c he d
m e
e a g e r l y
a n d
s a i d , "Do n n a ,
a l l o f Am e r i c a
r e c o g n i ze s Bu l g a r i a
n o w be c a u s e o f o u r s o c c e r
p l a ye r s , r i g ht ?"
Thi r d ,
m y i n ve s t i g a t i o n
a l s o s ho ws t ha t t he s o c c e r c r a ze bo t h n o u r i s he d a n d
fe d o n a
fa n t a s y
o f m a t e r i a l we a l t h a n d
g l a m o u r i n s e p a r a bl e
fr o m t he
p u bl i c 's
a s p i r a t i o n
t o a
d e m o c r a t i c ,
c a p i t a l i s t l i fe s t yl e
m o s t
c o m m o n l y s ym bo l i ze d
i n
s o n g
t e xt s a n d c o n ve r s a t i o n
by
t he Un i t e d S t a t e s
("No w,
whe n t he r e a r e n o
vi s a s /t he US A i s o n e t o m e
...")
a n d
p e r s o n i fi e d by
t he t e a m 's s t a r
p l a ye r s .
The l a t t e r 's
s p o r t i n g a c c o m p l i s hm e n t s ,
e vi d e n c e d i n
s o n g
a n d
s t o r y
a s n a t i o n a l
p r o g r e s s
t o wa r d s t hi s
l i fe s t yl e , s u g g e s t e d
t ha t
Bu l g a r i a ,
t wi c e vi c t o r i o u s o ve r
Ge r m a n y, m i g ht
d e s e r ve o r s o o n
e a r n
EU
m e m be r s hi p a l o n g s i d e
i t s e c o n o m i -
c a l l y s u p e r i o r
bu t
va n qu i s he d
fo e .
Fo u r t h, t hi s
s t u d y
d i s c l o s e s t he
s ha t t e r i n g e c o n o m i c , s o c i a l a n d
p s yc ho l o g i -
c a l
i m p a c t
o f d e m o c r a t i c r e fo r m
t hr o u g h 1 9 9 6 , a n d ho w t he
Bu l g a r i a n p u bl i c
a n d i t s l e a d e r s
e m p l o ye d p o p u l a r
c u l t u r e a s a
c o p i n g
m e c ha n i s m d i r e c t e d a t
r e g a i n i n g
a
p o s i t i ve
n a t i o n a l o u t l o o k a n d u n i fi e d s e n s e o f n a t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s -
n e s s . Bo t h m u s i c a n d
s p o r t
a r e
p o we r fu l
fo r m s o f c u l t u r a l
t ha t
24
BRITIS H JOURNAL OF ETHNOMUS ICOLOGY VOL.1 1 /i i 2002
p o s s e s s
t he
a bi l i t y
t o
g e n e r a t e
n a t i o n a l
s e n t i m e n t ,
a n d e ve n t o t r a n s fo r m t ha t
s e n t i m e n t i n t o
p r e s c r i p t i o n s
fo r n a t i o n a l i s t a c t i o n . In o t he r
wo r d s ,
s o c c e r a n d
s o c c e r
s o n g s
we r e
i m p l e m e n t e d
a s
t yp e s
o f "c u l t u r a l n a t i o n a l i s m " t o fa c i l i t a t e
s t a t e
bu i l d i n g
- i n t hi s
c a s e ,
t ha t o f a d e m o c r a t i c
Bu l g a r i a (Cr o n i n
a n d
Ma ya l l
1 9 9 8:2;
Tu r i n o
2000:1 4 -1 5).
As n a t i o n a l
e m bl e m s ,
s u c h
p he n o m e n a
c r e a t e
"a
c o l l e c t i ve
g a ze "
a n d t he n s hi ft i t "o n t o i s s u e s o f t he
d e e p e s t i d e o l o g i c a l
i m p o r t a n c e ", n a m e l y,
t ho s e o f
i d e n t i t y,
be l i e f a n d va l u e s
(Ro we 1 9 9 5:1 4 0).
Thu s ,
whe n Zhe l e v d e c l a r e d t he s o c c e r t e a m 's a c hi e ve m e n t s t o be a d i r e c t r e s u l t
o f d e m o c r a t i c r e fo r m a n d a n e ffe c t i ve m e a n s o f
g a i n i n g
We s t e r n
r e c o g n i t i o n ,
he
g a ve
m a i n s t r e a m
Bu l g a r i a n s l o g i c a l , p o s i t i ve
a n d
t a n g i bl e
r e a s o n s t o
s t a y
hi s
g o ve r n m e n t 's
c o u r s e . The n a t i o n a l s e n t i m e n t t ha t r e s u l t e d be c a m e
l i t e r a l l y
i n t e r -
n a l i ze d ,
a ffe c t i n g p e o p l e 's
e m o t i o n a l
we l l -be i n g , p s yc he s
a n d e ve n
p o s t u r e s ,
a s
we l l a s t he i r be ha vi o u r o r a c t i o n s . In
s ho r t ,
t hr o u g h
t he i r
e n g a g e m e n t
wi t h t he
s o c c e r
c r a ze , m a n y Bu l g a r i a n s e xp e r i e n c e d
t he n a t i o n i n t he i r
ve r y
bo d i e s .
Ye t t he d i s e n c ha n t m e n t wi t h t he who l e fa d
p r o fe s s e d by
s o m e o f
m y
a s s o c i -
a t e s s ho ws t ha t n a t i o n a l i s m o f
a n y
s o r t
(c i vi c , c u l t u r a l , e t hn i c ,
r e l i g i o u s )
i s a
r a zo r -s ha r p
s wo r d wi t h a d o u bl e
e d g e
-
m y
fi ft h
p o i n t .
It bo t h bi n d s a n d
d i vi d e s ,
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y c a s t i n g
a t hi n ve n e e r o f
u n i t y
o ve r a s o c i a l
r e a l i t y
o f e xt r a -
o r d i n a r y
d i ffe r e n c e a n d
d i ve r s i t y.
To
wi t ,
d u r i n g
t he 1 9 9 6
Eu r o Cu p
s e ve r a l
c o l l e a g u e s
r o o t e d fo r Fr a n c e be c a u s e
t he y
c o u l d n o
l o n g e r
e n d u r e t he c i vi l d i s -
t u r ba n c e t ha t fo l l o we d a
Bu l g a r i a n
wi n ;
t he y
d i d n o t wa n t t o fa c e t he r i o t s i n t he
s t r e e t s a n d o n
p u bl i c t r a n s p o r t ,
o r t o he a r t he
c ha n t i n g
a n d
g u n s ho t s .
S t i l l o t he r s
ba c ke d Fr a n c e be c a u s e a fe w
p l a ye r s ,
a s
r e p r e s e n t a t i ve s
o f t he n o u ve a u
r i c he ,
we r e
t ho u g ht
t o be c o n n e c t e d wi t h m a fi a
o r g a n i za t i o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y
m a fi a -r u n
p r i va t e s e c u r i t y
s e r vi c e s who s e
g u a r d s
ha d
be g u n
t o a s s u m e
p o l i c e p o we r s (l i ke
p u t t i n g l i g ht s
o n t he i r c a r s a n d
i g n o r i n g
t r a ffi c
l a ws ).
The fa c t t ha t c i vi l l a ws d i d
n o t o bt a i n m a d e
p a t r o l l i n g
s u c h
a c t i vi t y n e a r l y i m p o s s i bl e ,
a n d t hi s
g e n e r a t e d
g r e a t
r e s e n t m e n t
a m o n g
s o m e fa n s .
Thu s ,
whi l e s c ho l a r s d e vo t e d t o t hi s t r o u bl e d
r e g i o n m i g ht fr u i t fu l l y
r e fl e c t
o n wha t a n d ho w o t he r
t yp e s
o f c u l t u r a l
p e r fo r m a n c e s
a r e
m a r ki n g
t he c o n s t r u c -
t i o n o f t he n e w Ba l ka n
s t a t e s ,
we m u s t a l s o c o n s i d e r t ha t t he s e n t i m e n t s a n d
a l l i a n c e s
p r o vo ke d by
s u c h
p he n o m e n a
a r e
i n he r e n t l y
a s
e xc l u s i o n a r y
a s
t he y
a r e
i n c l u s i o n a r y,
a n d t ha t i n d i vi d u a l s
(o r g r o u p s ) m a y e s p o u s e
o r
r e je c t
t he m fo r
a who l e ho s t o f
r e a s o n s ,
p e r s o n a l
o r o t he r wi s e .
Pe r ha p s
t hi s i s a n o bvi o u s
p o i n t ,
bu t i t s
i m p l i c a t i o n s
a r e
fa r -r e a c hi n g .
I wo u l d
p r o p o s e ,
fo r
i n s t a n c e ,
t ha t i t i s
i m p o r t a n t
t o t hi n k n o t
o n l y
a bo u t ho w t he Ba l ka n n a t i o n s
e n vi s a g e
t he m s e l ve s i n
r e g a r d
t o t he
p o t e n t i a l i t y
o f a u n i t e d
Eu r o p e ,
bu t a l s o a bo u t wha t s u c h a n a ffi l i a -
t i o n wo u l d e xc l u d e a n d o c c l u d e .
Bu l g a r i a 's
fe r ve n t
p i t c h
fo r EU
m e m be r s hi p
m a r ks a c l e a r m o ve
a wa y
fr o m t he Ru s s i a n
p o we r
o r bi t
(hi s t o r i c a l l y
a
s t r o n g
i n fl u e n c e e ve n be fo r e Wo r l d Wa r
II),
fo r
e xa m p l e , ye t
r e l a t i o n s be t we e n t he t wo
c o u n t r i e s ha ve n o t
d i s i n t e g r a t e d
a s a r e s u l t bu t
m e r e l y c ha n g e d .
Mo r e o ve r ,
Tu r ke y
i s a
m a jo r p l a ye r
i n
r e g i o n a l p o l i t i c s , m i l i t a r y s t r a t e g y, r e l i g i o n a n d , a s
m y
s e c o n d a n d t hi r d m u s i c a l
e xa m p l e s d e m o n s t r a t e , t he c o n s t r u c t i o n o f c o n t e m -
p o r a r y e xp r e s s i ve
c u l t u r e . Te a m
Bu l g a r i a 's
s u c c e s s o n t he s o c c e r fr o n t
m a y
ha ve
s e r ve d t o
r a l l y
n a t i o n a l i s t i c
a s p i r a t i o n s
t o wa r d s t he EU a n d d i s t r a c t c i t i ze n s fr o m
t he e c o n o m i c d e va s t a t i o n
t he m . The e c l e c t i c , o ft e n
o ve r t l y
Tu r ki s h
1 9 9 4 -9 6 25
c ha r a c t e r o f t ho s e s o c c e r
s o n g s
wr i t t e n i n a
p o p fo l k
ve i n , ho we ve r ,
r e ve a l s t ha t
t he s e
a s p i r a t i o n s
a r e he l d i n t e n s i o n wi t h a
g r o wi n g
a wa r e n e s s o f wha t i t m e a n s
t o be
Bu l g a r i a n
i n a Ba l ka n c o n t e xt . Whe n we t hi n k a bo u t t he
Ba l ka n s , t he n ,
we
m u s t c a s t o u r
g a ze
e a s t a s we l l a s
we s t ,
a n d s o u t h a s we l l a s n o r t h.
Thi s
br i n g s
m e t o
m y
l a s t
p o i n t .
As I wr i t e t he s e wo r d s i n Oc t o be r
2001 ,
Bu l g a r i a 's
d e d i c a t i o n t o
p e a c e , s t a bi l i t y
a n d
p o l i t i c a l
a n d e c o n o m i c
c ha n g e ,
a s
we l l a s t o
jo i n t r e g i o n a l
a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l
s e c u r i t y
a n d t r a d e
c o a l i t i o n s ,
i s
be i n g
r e wa r d e d wi t h c o n t i n u e d IMF
s u p p o r t , m e a n i n g fu l
o ve r t u r e s fr o m bo t h t he EU
a n d
NATO,
a n d a c o ve t e d s e a t o n t he Un i t e d Na t i o n s
S e c u r i t y
Co u n c i l . It i s fa i r
t o
s a y
t ha t We s t e r n
p o we r s
d o n o w kn o w whe r e t he n a t i o n i s - a n d n o t
ju s t
be c a u s e o f i t s s o c c e r
p l a ye r s !
At t he s a m e t i m e t he i n t e r n a t i o n a l n a t u r e o f t he s e
d e ve l o p m e n t s ,
l i ke t he
c o s m o p o l i t a n
i n fl e c t i o n s o f
Bu l g a r i a n
s o c c e r
s o n g s
a n d
fa n
c o m m e n t a r y,
d e m o n s t r a t e s t ha t whe n
a n a l ys i n g
t he Ba l ka n s we m u s t
a l wa ys
t hi n k i n t e r m s o f
m u l t i p l e
a l l i a n c e s ,
whe t he r
m i l i t a r y,
e c o n o m i c ,
c u l t u r a l o r
p o l i t i c a l .
We m u s t t hi n k bo t h i n s i d e a n d o u t s i d e t he
r e g i o n ,
a n d bo t h i n s i d e a n d
o u t s i d e
Eu r o p e ,
t o c o n s i d e r ho w l o c a l
p e r c e p t i o n s
o f t r a n s n a t i o n a l o r
g l o ba l
i n fl u e n c e s a l s o d r i ve t he
ho p e s ,
d r e a m s , m o t i va t i o n s ,
p o l i c i e s , i m a g e s
a n d
i d e n t i t i e s o f t he s e n a t i o n s a n d t he i r c i t i ze n s .
Re fe r e n c e s
Bo o ks a n d a r t i c l e s
Br o c k, Go r d o n ,
s p o n s o r (n .d .)
"The o ffi c i a l Li l i Ma r l e e n
p a g e ." ht t p ://
i n g e b.o r g /g a r b/l m a r l e e n .ht m l .
Bu c ha n a n ,
Do n n a A.
(1 9 9 5) "Me t a p ho r s
o f
p o we r , m e t a p ho r s
o f t r u t h: t he
p o l i -
t i c s o f m u s i c
p r o fe s s i o n a l i s m
i n
Bu l g a r i a n
fo l k o r c he s t r a s ."
Et hn o m u s i c o l o g y
39 .3:381 -4 1 6 .
(1 9 9 6 ) "We d d i n g
m u s i c i a n s ,
p o l i t i c a l
t r a n s i t i o n ,
a n d n a t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s -
n e s s i n
Bu l g a r i a ."
In M. S l o bi n
(e d .) Re t u n i n g
c u l t u r e : m u s i c a l
c ha n g e s
i n
Ce n t r a l a n d Ea s t e r n
Eu r o p e , p p .
200-30. Du r ha m a n d Lo n d o n : Du ke
Un i ve r s i t y
Pr e s s .
(1 9 9 9 ) "De m o c r a c y
o r
'c r a zyo c r a c y'?
Pi r i n fo l k m u s i c a n d s o c i o c u l t u r a l
c ha n g e
i n
Bu l g a r i a ."
In B. Re u e r
(e d .)
Ne w
c o u n t r i e s ,
o l d s o u n d s ? Cu l t u r a l
i d e n t i t y
a n d s o c i a l
c ha n g e
i n s o u t he a s t e r n
Eu r o p e , p p .
1 6 4 -77. Mu n i c h:
Ve r l a g
S t i d o s t d e u t s c he s Ku l t u r we r k.
(i n p r e s s )
"S o c c e r
s o n g s
a n d t he c o n s t r u c t i o n o f n a t i o n a l s e n t i m e n t i n
p o s t -
s t a t e -s o c i a l i s t
Bu l g a r i a ."
In B. Re u e r
(e d .)
Un i t e d
Eu r o p e
- u n i t e d m u s i c ?
Di ve r s i t y
a n d i t s s o c i a l d i m e n s i o n s i n S o u t he a s t e r n
Eu r o p e .
Mu n i c h:
Ve r l a g
S t i d o s t d e u t s c he s Ku l t u r we r k.
(fo r t hc . a ) "Bu l g a r i a n e t hn o p o p a l o n g
t he o l d Vi a Mi l i t a r i s :
Ot t o m a n i s m ,
o r i e n t a l i s m , o r Ba l ka n
c o s m o p o l i t a n i s m ?"
In D. A. Bu c ha n a n (e d .)
Ba l ka n
p o p u l a r
c u l t u r e a n d t he Ot t o m a n e c u m e n e : m u s i c , i m a g e ,
a n d
r e g i o n a l p o l i t -
i c a l d i s c o u r s e .
-
(fo r t hc . b) Pe r fo r m i n g d e m o c r a c y: Bu l g a r i a n
m u s i c a n d m u s i c i a n s i n t r a n -
s i t i o n .
Chi c a g o : Un i ve r s i t y
o f
Chi c a g o
Pr e s s .
26
Ce r i ba i i d ,
N.
(1 9 9 5)
"Ge n d e r r o l e s
d u r i n g
t he wa r :
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s
i n Cr o a t i a n
a n d S e r bi a n
p o p u l a r
m u s i c ,
1 9 9 1 -1 9 9 2."
Co l l e g i u m An t r o p o l o g i c u m
1 9 .1 :
9 1 -1 01 .
Cr o n i n , Mi ke ,
a n d
Ma ya l l ,
Da vi d
(1 9 9 8) "S p o r t
a n d
e t hn i c i t y:
s o m e i n t r o d u c -
t o r y
r e m a r ks ." In M. Cr o n i n a n d D.
Ma ya l l (e d s ) S p o r t i n g
n a t i o n a l i s m s :
i d e n t i t y, e t hn i c i t y, i m m i g r a t i o n ,
a n d
a s s i m i l a t i o n ,
p p .
1 -1 3. Lo n d o n a n d
Po r t l a n d ,
OR: F. Ca s s .
Di m o v, Ve n t s i s l a v (2001 ) Et n o p o p bu m i i t .
S o fi a :
BUi l g a r s ko
Mu zi ko zn a n i e
Izs l e d va n i ya .
Do wn e y, Gr e g (2000) "Do m e s t i c a t i n g
a n u r ba n m e n a c e : e ffo r t s t o r e fo r m
c a p o e i r a
a s a Br a zi l i a n n a t i o n a l
s p o r t ." Un p u bl i s he d m a n u s c r i p t .
Ja c ks o n ,
Ca r l t o n
(1 9 79 )
The
g r e a t
Li l i . S a n Fr a n c i s c o :
S t r a wbe r r y
Hi l l Pr e s s .
Kl e i n ,
Gi o ffr i d o
Z.,
a n d
Ho r n u n g ,
Ri c c a r d o
(1 9 9 4 )
"Br a ve
Bu l g a r s !
We ,
who a r e
a bo u t t o d e fe a t
yo u ,
s a l u t e
yo u !" Vi l l a g e
Vo i c e 1 9
Ju l y:
1 87.
Na t i o n a l Pu bl i c Ra d i o
(1 9 9 4 ) "Bu l g a r i a n
s o c c e r
vi c t o r y
a n hi s t o r i c e ve n t ."
Tr a n s c r i p t
o f Ro be r t
S i e g e l
i n t e r vi e w wi t h Ca r m e n
Vl i c hko v,
Bu l g a r i a n
fo r e i g n p o l i c y
a d vi s o r ,
o n t he NPR
p r o g r a m m e
Al l
t hi n g s
c o n s i d e r e d ,
1 1
Ju l y
1 9 9 4 .
Pe t t a n ,
S va n i bo r
(1 9 9 8) "Mu s i c ,
p o l i t i c s ,
a n d wa r i n Cr o a t i a i n t he 1 9 9 0s : a n
i n t r o d u c t i o n ." In S . Pe t t a n
(e d .) Mu s i c ,
p o l i t i c s ,
a n d wa r : vi e ws
fr o m Cr o a t i a ,
p p .
9 -27.
Za g r e b:
In s t i t u t e o f
Et hn o l o g y
a n d Fo l kl o r e Re s e a r c h.
Pe t e r s ,
Ka r e n
(2000) "Re p r e s e n t a t i o n s
o f Ma c e d o n i a i n
c o n t e m p o r a r y e t hn o p o p
s o n g s
fr o m s o u t hwe s t
Bu l g a r i a ."
Ba l ka n i s t i c a 1 3:1 31 -6 3.
Rho d e s ,
Ro bbi e
(1 9 9 7)
"The
s a g a
o f 'Li l l i Ma r l e n e '." Me c ha n i c a l Mu s i c
Di g e s t
Ar c hi ve s .
ht t p ://m m d .fo xt a i l .c o m /Ar c hi ve s /Di g e s t /1 9 9 707/1 9 9 7.07.1 2.
Ri c e ,
Ti m o t hy (1 9 9 4 ) Ma y
i t
fi l l yo u r
s o u l :
e xp e r i e n c i n g Bu l g a r i a n
m u s i c .
o f
Chi c a g o
Pr e s s .
S (1 9 9 6 )
"The d i a l e c t i c o f e c o n o m i c s a n d a e s t he t i c s i n
Bu l g a r i a n
m u s i c ." In
M. S l o bi n
(e d .) Re t u n i n g
c u l t u r e : m u s i c a l
c ha n g e s
i n Ce n t r a l a n d Ea s t e r n
Eu r o p e , p p .
1 76 -9 9 . Du r ha m a n d Lo n d o n : Du ke
Un i ve r s i t y
Pr e s s .
(2002) "Bu l g a r i a
o r
c ha l g a r i a :
t he a t t e n u a t i o n o f
Bu l g a r i a n
n a t i o n a l i s m i n
a m a s s -m e d i a t e d
p o p u l a r
m u s i c ." Ye a r bo o k
fo r
Tr a d i t i o n a l Mu s i c 34 .
Ro we ,
Da vi d
(1 9 9 5) "Id e o l o g i e s
i n
c o m p e t i t i o n ." Cha p t e r
6 i n hi s
Po p u l a r
c u l -
t u r e s : r o c k
m u s i c ,
s p o r t
a n d t he
p o l i t i c s o f p l e a s u r e (p p . 1 22-4 3).
Lo n d o n :
S a g e
Pu bl i c a t i o n s .
S i l ve r m a n ,
Ca r o l
(1 9 89 ) "Re c o n s t r u c t i n g
fo l kl o r e : m e d i a a n d c u l t u r a l
p o l i c y
i n
Ea s t e r n
Eu r o p e ."
Co m m u n i c a t i o n 1 1 :1 4 1 -6 0.
S t o ke s ,
Ma r t i n
(1 9 9 2)
The a r a be s k d e ba t e : m u s i c a n d m u s i c i a n s i n
m o d e r n
Tu r ke y.
Oxfo r d : Cl a r e n d o n Pr e s s .
(1 9 9 6 ) "'S t r o n g
a s a Tu r k':
p o we r , p e r fo r m a n c e
a n d
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n
i n
Tu r ki s h
wr e s t l i n g ."
In J.
Ma c Cl a n c y (e d .) S p o r t , i d e n t i t y,
a n d
e t hn i c i t y, p p .
21 -4 1 . Oxfo r d :
Be r g .
Tu r i n o , Tho m a s R.
(2000)
"In t r o d u c t i o n ." In hi s Na t i o n a l i s t s , c o s m o p o l i t a n s ,
a n d
p o p u l a r
m u s i c i n Zi m ba bwe .
o f
Chi c a g o
Pr e s s .
Zo o m s o c c e r
(2001 )
"S t o i c hko v
s i g n s
fo r
Chi c a g o
Fi r e ."
ht t p ://www.zo o m s o c -
c e r .c o m /n e ws /US A/ 9 81 6 526 9 3.52.ht m l ; 7
Fe br u a r y.
BUCHANAN
1 9 9 4 -9 6 27
We bs i t e s
(wi t ho u t
c i t e d
a u t ho r s )
ht t p ://www.a n g e l fi r e .c o m /t x2/S t o i c hko v/Bu l g a r i a .ht m l
ht t p ://www.a n g e l fi r e .c o m /t x2/S t o i c hko v/FCBARCELONA.ht m l
ht t p ://www.a n g e l fi r e .c o m /t x2/S t o i c hko v/p e r s o n a l i n fo .ht m l
ht t p ://www.a n g e l fi r e .c o m /t x2/S t o i c hko v/WS C.ht m l
ht t p ://www.a n g e l fi r e .c o m /t x2/S t o i c hko v/e u r o 9 6 .ht m l
ht t p ://www.u ka n s .e d u /c a r r i e /d o c s /t e xt s /l i l i e n g .ht m
ht t p ://www.wo r l d c u p a r c hi ve .c o m /CUPS /1 9 9 4 /wc 9 4 i n d e x.ht m l
Re c o r d i n g s
Bu l g a r i a n
br o a d c a s t ,
Wo r l d
Cu p
S o c c e r
Cha m p i o n s hi p ,
1 0
Ju l y,
1 9 9 4 .
Ma r l e n e Di e t r i c h o ve r s e a s : Am e r i c a n
s o n g s
i n Ge r m a n
fo r
t he O.S .S . Co l u m bi a
Re c o r d s GL 1 05 LP
9 4 05,
n .d .
Or k.
Kr i s t a l i ,
Mo n t a n a :
Ol e ,
S t o i c hko v '9 4 .
Fo l kt o n -EOOD,
n .d .
Pe i t e s n a s : ha i d e n a s ht e ! Evr o '9 6 :
1 1
p o be d n i p e s n i (S i n g
g o
t e a m ! Eu r o '9 6 : 1 1
vi c t o r y s o n g s ). Mu s i c ,
t e xt s a n d
a r r a n g e m e n t s by
Mi ha i l
S ho p o v.
Pe r fo r m e d
by
As e n Ki s i m o v. Di s t r i bu t e d
by
Un i s o n Mu s i c
Co m p a n y, n .p .,
n .d .
Ra d i o
S i g n a l
Pl u s
(+) br o a d c a s t s ,
1 0
Ju l y,
1 9 9 4 ,
a n d 1 7
Ju n e ,
1 9 9 6 .
Tr i o
Bt i l g a r ka ,
The
fo r e s t
i s
c r yi n g (l a m e n t fo r In d je Vo i vo d e ).
Ha n n i ba l Re c o r d s
HNBC
1 34 2,
1 9 88.
No t e o n t he a u t ho r
Do n n a A. Bu c ha n a n
g a i n e d
he r Ph.D. fr o m t he
Un i ve r s i t y
o f Te xa s a t Au s t i n
i n 1 9 9 1 a n d i s
c u r r e n t l y
As s i s t a n t Pr o fe s s o r o f
Mu s i c o l o g y
a t t he
Un i ve r s i t y
o f
Il l i n o i s a t
Ur ba n a -Cha m p a i g n .
He r r e s e a r c h i n t e r e s t s i n c l u d e t he m u s i c o f
Bu l g a r i a ,
t he
Ba l ka n s ,
t he Me d i t e r r a n e a n a n d t he
CIS ,
e s p e c i a l l y
Ru s s i a .
Ad d r e s s : S c ho o l o f
Mu s i c ,
Un i ve r s i t y
o f
Il l i n o i s ,
21 36 Mu s i c
Bu i l d i n g ,
1 1 1 4
We s t Ne va d a
S t , Ur ba n a ,
IL
6 1 801 , US A;
e m a i l : bu c ha n a l @u i u c .e d u .

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Soccer, Popular Music and National Consciousness in Post-State-Socialist Bulgaria, 1994-96

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