THE BALKANARAMA SHEET MUSIC ARCHIVE
Ushti, ushti, baba
Here's a Macedonian Rom song about the moment during the wedding ceremony when the bride's dowry, the cheiz, is brought out of her house so it can accompany her to her new husband's. It can accompany the Rom dance chochek.
 
Image: Sheet music

Each verse is repeated.
 
Ushti, ushti, baba
o davulja maren
o davulja maren, baba
me phenjake aven

Me phenjake aven
e najsukarjakje
e najsukarjakje, baba
e najtiknorjakje

Ushti, ushti, baba
o cheizi ikal
o cheizi ikal, baba
e najtiknorjakje

Ushti, ushti, baba
o davulja maren
o davulja maren, baba
me phenjake aven

 Wake up, wake up, father
The drum is beating
The drum is beating
They're coming for my sister

They're coming for my sister
The most beautiful one
The most beautiful one, father
The smallest one

Wake up, wake up, father
The dowry is being taken out
The dowry is being taken out
The smallest one

Wake up, wake up, father
The drum is beating
The drum is beating
They're coming for my sister

Music: Monitor CD 71496, "Songs of a Macedonian Gypsy."
Lyrics: Carol Silverman got them from Esma Redzhepova, the famous Rom singer, and translated them. The Monitor recording is sung in Romany by two Slavic Macedonians; Carol says their accent leaves something to be desired.