by Jon Parks | Feb 19, 2021
This is one of many Roma folk songs director Ružena Klemparova learned in her childhood from her musician father. It’s origins are unknown. While many of those songs are about love, others like this one are about sadness and the hard realities of everyday...
by Jon Parks | Feb 18, 2021
Vianoce Hrejú (Christmas Warms Us) is a Slovak Christmas song written and made popular by the Slovak singer-songwriter Marian Cekovsky. This time of year (at least before COVID) most elementary schools present a Christmas program for parents and family… not...
by Jon Parks | Dec 7, 2020
“Who Am I” is a song first released in 2003 by the American band Casting Crowns. In the years since its first release, it has since been translated and become popular worldwide – including in Slovakia. Marian Galdun, the lead singer of M2, believes that songs like...
by Jon Parks | Nov 30, 2020
“Thank You Mother” is a popular Roma song that’s been recorded countless times. The original author is unknown, but this is not unusual for these types of songs: Someone writes a song, someone else hears it and repeats it, someone else modifies it and adds to it… then...
by Jon Parks | Nov 23, 2020
“The King is Coming” is a song written by Ronald and Laura Sugar, members of the Devleskero Kher worship team. Since writing and first sharing it nearly three years ago, it has become a regular part of the worship of the church, also loved by the children and youth...
by Jon Parks | Oct 26, 2020
When we hear a Roma pop song and ask someone what the song’s about, we usually get a confident, straightforward answer: [Shrug] Love! Romantic love is one of the simple joys that can be found in the difficulties of daily life – that’s why it’s...
