Selma is one of the most beautiful rock ballads ever recorded in former Yugoslavia by the influential Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme

Bijelo dugme

Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...

. This song appeared for the first time on their 1974 debut album Kad bi bio bijelo dugme.

Background

"Selma" is a song about a young girl traveling to university. The narrator is saying goodbye to her, and he cannot express his feelings for her, all he can say is that she did not lean out of the train window as it's leaving.

The text of the song was written by Vlado Dijak

Vlado Dijak

Vlado Dijak was known a former Yugoslav poet and songwriter.-Biography:...

 a former Yugoslav poet and songwriter, and music by Goran Bregović

Goran Bregovic

Goran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...

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Studio Version

The version that we hear on the record is approximately six minutes and ten seconds in length. The song has two verses, but the second verse is repeated for the 3rd verse. There is an organ solo done by organist Vlado Pravdić

Vlado Pravdic

Vlado Pravdić is a Bosnian musician most famous as the organist of the Yugoslav rock group Bijelo dugme from 1974 to 1976 and again from 1978 to 1987....

 as well as guitar riffs played by Bregović.

Koncert kod Hajdučke česme Version

For their 1978 live release Koncert kod Hajdučke česme

Koncert kod Hajducke cesme

Koncert kod Hajdučke česme is the first live release by Yugoslav rock band Bijelo dugme...

the band had a much shorter version of the song. This version ran for only 3.5 minutes, and the second verse was not repeated. Also the organ solo played in the beginning and the middle of the song was not included thus shortening the song's length as opposed to the studio version.

The song uses Hammond Organ

Hammond organ

The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...

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Mramor, kamen i zeljezo Version, 1987

The Third version of Selma was released on the bend's third live album named "Mramor, kamen i zeljezo". Released as a double album, the material was recorded throughout 1987 during the band's tour in support of their album "Pljuni i zapjevaj moja Jugoslavijo." Interestingly, in this "naked" version, Bregovic took off organ as a previously dominant instrument which gave the song religious sense and decided to simplify the song, bass and drums were set as a main instruments. Although released on live album, the third version of Selma was made up in the recording studio.