The cult band Bijelo Dugme was the most popular rock band in the former Yugoslavia and beyond. Hits like “Sta bi dao da si na mom mjestu” (“What Would You Give to Be in My Place”), “Tako ti je, mala moja, kad ljubi Bosanac” (“That’s How It Is, My Little One, When a Bosnian Kisses”), and “Ne spavaj mala moja muzika dok svira” (“Don’t Sleep, My Little One, While the Music Plays”) are still known classics without which no party or celebration can go by.
The band was founded in Sarajevo in 1974 by Goran Bregovic, then a young and talented musician, and Zeljko Bebek (vocals), who became their first frontman. Later they were joined by other exceptional musicians, such as Milic Vukasinovic (drums), Ipe Ivandic (drums), and Vlado Pravdic (guitar). Unfortunately, they did not remain immune to the turbulence that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia. The band broke up and reunited several times during their career, changing the lineup and experimenting with their sound. There were even rumors that Bijelo Dugme was a state project, something Brega himself once denied.
He also described what their performance was like in front of the then-president of the country, Josip Broz Tito. “So, that Bijelo Dugme was a state project? I remember when we were invited to play for Tito for New Year’s. Some of Tito’s grandchildren were singing: ‘Tako je, mala moja, kad ljubi Bosanac’, so they brought in the group that sings that song because they realized that’s exactly what comrade Tito wanted to hear,” Brega said, revealing a shocking thing the former president did at the time.
“When Tito covered his ears after five seconds of our concert, they pulled us off the stage after about eight seconds. So, as a state project, I played for a maximum of ten seconds,” said Bregovic. Tereza Kesovija also commented on the same event, spinning the story and saying that they actually weren’t thrown out, but rather that Tito was the one who couldn’t listen to them, so he left the venue.
