"Kad mi pišeš, mila mati" by Živan Milić (1973)

During 1960s Serbian actor-turned-singer Živan Milić almost single-handedly managed to revive the music genre of starogradska, nostalgic, small town music often backed with strings and usually performed in bars and restaurants, songs usually covering subjects of love, passion, gypsy life and yearning. There is something timeless about this kind of music and indeed its roots go way back trough centuries, to the days of Austro-Hungarian Empire and its nomadic Gypsy musicians who would travel from place to place to perform on weddings and such. Spiritually (if not musically) I would even dare to compare it with Portuguese Fado as both genres rely on heartbreak, disappointment, sadness and fatalism (but can occasionally surprise with joyful ode to happiness and drinking, another side of the coin).

Živan Milić had not only classic, good look of an actor but also a very attractive, impressive and sonorous baritone voice perfectly suited to this kind of ballads. At the time of this recording he was in his 30s and in a full power of that battlefield voice - repertoire here is without exception traditional music (with even two instrumentals thrown in) and everything here displays wonderful control of emotions, not only as musician but also as an actor who delights in lyrics. When he sings something like reflective gypsy ballad "Kad mi pišeš, mila mati"  or "Ko siroče rastao sam" you can just weep and pour another drink. I always found interesting how these musicians - who basically decidedly focused on continuation of tradition - worked and existed along with all the other musicians who performed in fields of popular/rock/jazz genres and even though singers of starogradska music never got much of media attention, they always had strong cult following and continued to work after many other trends faded away. I even believe that people like Milić accumulated more respect (if not commercial visibility) and deserved status of true artists, unlike most of pop singers who would eventually get swept aside with new fashions. Just wonderful album and timeless music that still sounds excellent. Milić was a lion amongst lilliputians.