Ruža Crvena (or sometimes Ružo Crvena) is one of the most popular songs for klapa groups, with its haunting melody and poignant words. It sounds fantastic in 4-part harmony, and we all love to sing along with the chorus. You’d think it was a traditional Dalmatian song, but no, it was actually composed in the early 1990s by Dubravko Šimek, a member of a Zagreb group. It has now become a classic.

The best-known rendition of Ruža Crvena is by Klapa Sveti Juraj, a group of singers from the Croatian Navy. Here they are, with scrolling text to help you sing along!

Croatian lyrics, with my translation into English below

Ružo moja crvena, neubrana ljubavi,
ti si bol jedina, suza moje mladosti.

Recite joj da bez nje
nestale su sve
sve tajne, ljubavi
sve tuge, radosti
i da je volim jos
i ne mogu bez nje
bez ruže crvene

Prošlo je već godina, neubrana ljubavi,
još si bol jedina, uspomena mladosti.

Recite joj da bez nje
nestale su sve
sve tajne, ljubavi
sve tuge, radosti
i da je volim jos
i ne mogu bez nje
bez ruže crvene

English translation

My red rose, unpicked love,
You are only pain, tears of my youth.

Tell her that without her
are missing all
all secrets, love
all sadness, joy
and that I love her still
and cannot live without her
without my red rose

It’s been years, unpicked love,
you are only pain, memories of youth.

Tell her that without her
are missing all
all secrets, love
all sadness, joy
and that I love her still
and cannot live without her
without my red rose

Ruža Crvena

Afterthought…

It seemed to me a little odd to be referring to a girlfriend as a red rose, but then I thought of this well-known example in Scots from Rabbie Burns:

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June:
O my Luve’s like the melodie,
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
And fare-thee-weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!