Beautiful, lyrical ballad about the death of the lovers Admira and Bosko during the war in Sarajevo. Guitar, piano, strings, cello, female vocal.
bridge
siege
sarajevo
bosko
bay f m
karena wynn moylan
memories of sarajevo
admira
Story behind the song
Admira and Bosko were two young people who were shot by a sniper and died on the Vrbanja bridge in Sarajevo in 1994 trying to escape the war. He was Serbian (christian) and she was Muslim and their families wanted them to escape to safety. I wrote this song about them in 1996 and sang it in folk clubs. I recorded a version of it with myself on guitar and vocals and a friend on cello and sent it to Radio Zid in Sarajevo, a community radio station that operated throughout the siege and war. I later sent them over 30 CD's by local musicians and they sent back 4 CDs called 'Rock under Seige' and 'Dertum'. Twenty years have passed and now I have made a radio documentary on their bravery and the amazing music made by musicians under gunfire. I have re-recorded the song with vocalist Parissa Bouas for the second documentary called ' Sarajevo:The Myths and Legends'. You can check out the docos at www.projectzidradio.wordpress.com
Lyrics
Memories of Sarajevo Words and Music by K. Wynn-Moylan 1997
V 1: Across the river, I'll meet you there my love
We'll steal, beneath the sheltering sky
There's nothing here now, no future without your hand in mine
Without your sunlit smile
All the warmth of summer, rests inside your arms tonight
All my youth and all my older times
There's no-one could persuade me, to abandon you for safety
There's no danger, when I feel you mine
V2: Across the river, just down the street my love
A day, a night like any other
Nothing unusual, nothing to say that we should wait and hide
Our love and still take cover
And when I see you, I'll know what it's been worth
And when our hands touch we'll fall to thank the earth
To show we're grateful, to live in this our time
That we're happy, for this love we had to find
V3: Across the river, disregard the fusillade of hate
The bullets whine about our ears
We shine defiance, we shine with faith and love and hope
We're a beacon to their fears
And we trusted them, like we trust each other
Our love was blind, but their eyes were keen
And just like little boys, smash the flowers for their beauty
There's men who'll smash what love they find when seen
V4: Across the river, the bridge between two banks,
Spans a sadder universe
Two lovers lie, locked in a last embrace
While two nations battle for their hearse
And if they need a symbol of their sin and their futility
They can see it when they glance down from their roofs
And if they reminding of the fact of their humanity
Here's two more hearts that will give them proof
V5: Across the river, the wind blows cold along the bank
The bridge lies empty all swept bare
Nothing reminds you, that here was love struck down
Just the roses lying there.