Molitva
Encyclopedia
"Molitva" is a song by Serbian singer Marija Šerifović
. It was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007
. It was Serbia
's Eurovision debut as an independent nation; the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro
having dissolved in June 2006. The song was released as a CD single in nine different versions on June 27, 2007 by Connective Records.
Molitva was the first song containing no English language
lyrics to win since 1998
; the 2004 winner "Wild Dances
" by Ruslana
had been sung mostly in Ukrainian but contained some English phrases. It was also the first time a ballad
has won since televoting
became the standard. The song is also notable for its stage presentation because it lacked dance routines, revealing or showy costumes, pyrotechnics
and other gimmicks. The Eurovision Song Contest is often accused of concentrating on these things instead of the music itself. Many elements of "Molitva" contrasted with the previous winner, "Hard Rock Hallelujah
".
Marija's performance was complemented by the notable presence of the five backing singers, who joined together afterwards to form Beauty Queens
.
version is titled "Destiny", the Russian
version is titled "" (Molitva). The Finnish
version is called "" and was performed by the Beauty Queens
, not Marija. The song has also been released as a dance remix and a remix named "Jovan Radomir mix" by Swedish
TV-presenter Jovan Radomir, who also wrote the English lyrics. An instrumental version has also been released as well as a karaoke version. The UK oompah band Oompah Brass http://www.oompahbrass.com recorded an instrumental version of "Molitva" on their album Oompocalypse Now (2008) http://www.oompahbrass.com/Oompah_Brass/CD.html, premiered at the 2007 Belgrade Beer Festival.
has had in the year 2007. It was played at a welcome party for Serbia's tennis players after their French Open successes .
During Wimbledon 2007, Molitva was often used during clips displaying the courts and players on the BBC. It was mainly used before and after footage or interviews with the Serbian players.
At the final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest
, which took place on May 24, Šerifović sang "Molitva" as the opening.
The short 10 sec instrumental theme of the song can be heard even today on Radio Television of Serbia
(RTS) (between scheduled broadcasts as short intermezzo or when presenting RTS programme/image).
Marija Šerifovic
Marija Šerifović is a singer from Serbia. She won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Molitva". Šerifović was born in Kragujevac, Socialist Republic of Serbia, Yugoslavia and is the daughter of Verica Šerifović, also a notable singer...
. It was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007
Eurovision Song Contest 2007
The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was won by first-time appearance as an independent country Serbia and was held at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland from 10 May to 12 May. The host broadcaster was YLE.Finland earned the right to host...
. It was Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
's Eurovision debut as an independent nation; the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
having dissolved in June 2006. The song was released as a CD single in nine different versions on June 27, 2007 by Connective Records.
Background
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
lyrics to win since 1998
Eurovision Song Contest 1998
The Eurovision Song Contest 1998 was the 43rd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1998 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The presenters were Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson...
; the 2004 winner "Wild Dances
Wild Dances (song)
"Wild Dances" is the name of the song by Ukrainian pop-star Ruslana Lyzhichko . "Wild Dances" was the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Turkey....
" by Ruslana
Ruslana
Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko is a World Music Award winning and MTV Europe Music Award nominated artist, and the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004....
had been sung mostly in Ukrainian but contained some English phrases. It was also the first time a ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
has won since televoting
Televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.- Broadcast contest televoting :...
became the standard. The song is also notable for its stage presentation because it lacked dance routines, revealing or showy costumes, pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
and other gimmicks. The Eurovision Song Contest is often accused of concentrating on these things instead of the music itself. Many elements of "Molitva" contrasted with the previous winner, "Hard Rock Hallelujah
Hard Rock Hallelujah
"Hard Rock Hallelujah" is a song by the Finnish heavy metal band Lordi, which won the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with 292 points. It was also Finland's first placement in the top five. It was voted as the most popular Finnish Eurovision entry in the forty years the country has participated...
".
Marija's performance was complemented by the notable presence of the five backing singers, who joined together afterwards to form Beauty Queens
Beauty Queens
Beauty Queens are a Serbian girlband, formed in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2007, after Marija Šerifović's victory in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. The girls sang the backing vocals, and became very popular. They also reached third place at Beovizija 2008....
.
Other versions
The EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
version is titled "Destiny", the Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
version is titled "" (Molitva). The Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
version is called "" and was performed by the Beauty Queens
Beauty Queens
Beauty Queens are a Serbian girlband, formed in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2007, after Marija Šerifović's victory in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. The girls sang the backing vocals, and became very popular. They also reached third place at Beovizija 2008....
, not Marija. The song has also been released as a dance remix and a remix named "Jovan Radomir mix" by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
TV-presenter Jovan Radomir, who also wrote the English lyrics. An instrumental version has also been released as well as a karaoke version. The UK oompah band Oompah Brass http://www.oompahbrass.com recorded an instrumental version of "Molitva" on their album Oompocalypse Now (2008) http://www.oompahbrass.com/Oompah_Brass/CD.html, premiered at the 2007 Belgrade Beer Festival.
Use of the song
Molitva has been often played for many successes SerbiaSerbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
has had in the year 2007. It was played at a welcome party for Serbia's tennis players after their French Open successes .
During Wimbledon 2007, Molitva was often used during clips displaying the courts and players on the BBC. It was mainly used before and after footage or interviews with the Serbian players.
At the final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
, which took place on May 24, Šerifović sang "Molitva" as the opening.
The short 10 sec instrumental theme of the song can be heard even today on Radio Television of Serbia
Radio Television of Serbia
Radio Television of Serbia or Serbian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster in Serbia. It broadcasts and produces a variety of news, drama, and sports programming through radio, television and the Internet. RTS is, since July 2001, a member of the European Broadcasting Union. RTS is...
(RTS) (between scheduled broadcasts as short intermezzo or when presenting RTS programme/image).
Track listing
- "Molitva" (Serbian Version) – 3:03
- "Destiny" (English Version) – 3:04
- "Molitva" (Russian Version) – 3:01
- "Molitva" (Magnetic Club Reload Mix Serbian Version) – 4:26
- "Destiny" (Magnetic Club Reload Mix English Version) – 4:23
- "Molitva" (Magnetic Club Reload Mix Russian Version) – 4:25
- "Molitva" (Jovan Radomir Remix) – 3:38
- "Rukoilen" (Finnish Version) – 3:06
- "Molitva" (Instrumental) – 3:02
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swedish Singles Chart | 9 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 19 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
112 |
External links
- Lyrics at diggiloo.net
- http://ww1.rts.co.rs/euro/wupload/video/molitva.rmMolitva live at BeovizijaBeovizijaBeovizija was a music festival established in 2003. Since 2007 it was the national selection for Serbia's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest. Beovizija was organised and broadcast live each year by RTS1, on RTRS in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and internationally on Eurovision.tv and RTS SAT...
2007] - Molitva - versions