I love the music of Dalmatia. Here’s another song I often find myself humming – a lovely lyrical description of  fishermen setting out in their boats before dawn,  accompanied by bickering seagulls, while everyone else sleeps.  This is the wonderful Ribari (Fishermen) by Vinko Coce, with some beautifully evocative scenes of the Adriatic in this video.

Words are below if you want to join in, followed by my best English translation.

Ribari

Prije jutra ribari se bude,
More zna njih, more zna te ljude
Prije jutra u zoru
S galebima na moru
Na poštama sunce čekaju

Svako jutro parangale dižu,
Vižitaju i vršu i mrižu,
A galebi čekaju
Da i njima ča daju
U ribare oni viruju

Noć je mirna vali spavaju
Pod svitlom se ribe skupljaju
Špurtilon I ostima
Dobit će po kostima
Kad se smire kad se pridaju

U dubini mriže parangali,
Na pučini bile se sinjali,
Tiho kraju veslaju,
Malu barku guraju,
A ribara ruke izdaju

Prije jutra umoran
Ribar čeka novi dan
Dok svi ljudi spavaju
Galebi se karaju

English Translation:

Fishermen

Before morning, fishermen waken,
The sea knows them, the sea knows those men
Before morning in the dawn
Out at sea with the gulls,
At their posts awaiting the sun

Every morning fishing lines are raised,
Bringing in traps and nets,
And the  seagulls are waiting
To be given something too
From the fishermen they trust

The night is calm, waves sleep
Under the lights, fish gather
Nets and tridents
Will capture the fish
As they go still and give up

In the depths, fishing lines
On the seas, shining lights,
Towards the shore rowing quietly,
Urging the small boat on
Fisherman’s arms betray him

Before morning, tired
The fisherman waits for a new day
While everyone is sleeping
And seagulls bicker