Dervoz: "My Land" was one of Josip Broz Tito's favorite songs!

The song "My Land", written in the 70s by one of the most famous BiH singer-songwriters Kemal Monteno and performed by Ismeta Dervoz with the group Ambasadori, is one of the most performed patriotic songs in BiH, and has almost become a national anthem, which the Pan-European Movement of BiH proposed to the state parliament of BiH last year.

The song was written for gastarbeiters, people who left BiH for other countries in search of work. However, in the early 90s, when bloody conflicts engulfed the country, it became one of the most famous patriotic songs, performed on almost all TV and radio stations, in order to awaken a sense of patriotism among the citizens of BiH.

Singer-songwriter Dervoz reveals in an interview with the BiH news agency Patria that the song "My Land" was one of the favorite songs of Josip Broz Tito, then president of Yugoslavia, and that it was often played at official receptions organized by Tito.

- The song "My Land" was written as a love song. It is a song of farewell and anticipation. At that time, it was a song intended for - we called those people gastarbeiters... - says Dervoz for Patria.

- However, it gained a different connotation thanks to the fact that it was accepted on certain occasions, and even Tito himself really loved "My Land".

The greatest reward for "My Land", Dervoz considers, is that the song has lasted for 40 years. It was first performed at the Schlager festival in 1970 and is equally popular today. It was especially performed during BiH's state holidays - Independence Day on March 1st and Statehood Day of BiH on November 25th, writes NAP.