The Very Best of Albanian Music

Album Cover Such a rarity for music as esoteric as Albanian Pop to be universally enjoyable even by foreigners who have no idea what the lyrics mean. It’s now hard to fully recover just how isolated communist Albania was in those days. Big Brother was busy sanitizing almost every aspect of the culture, relentlessly screening out any hints of decadent bourgeois Western influence. Yet these songs clearly evoke sounds from the American music scene of the early 20th century. I have no idea how this amazing music managed to make it out to the public. “Naten Vone” is probably my favorite song. In fact, I recommend listening to the album backwards. Enjoy!

Vaçe Zela has a flawless voice! …And isn’t it eerie how she could be Halle Berry’s white twin in that album cover?

Author: Kejda

Born: Tirana, Albania Residing: New York, NY University of Waterloo, Economics '08

5 thoughts on “The Very Best of Albanian Music”

  1. Kejda,mos te te vije keq por “naten vone” nuk eshte e fillimit te shekullit 20 por eshte kenge e festivalit te te famshem vitit 1972 dhe ai qe e shkrojti u denua sepse te rrish naten vone eshte kundra “morali te partiese”.
    A ne mos eshte akoma me e re….

  2. Mili,

    Nuk thashe qe eshte nga fillimi i shekullit 20, por EVOKON muziken Amerikane te asaj kohe. Edhe ate lloj influence, ne me vonese e kemi pertypur.

  3. Thank you so much. After an utterly exhausting search for Albanian music that is stimulating and refreshing, and after having failed miserably, I find this.

    Like you, I’m pleasantly shocked that this music escaped censorship, being so overtly sexual. I suspect her “good girl” image may have sneaked her past the regime much like Bill Haley’s age and style got him by the WASP-y parentals back in the 50’s. But however it happened, I’m glad it exists. It’s nice to have proof that there’s more to Albanian music than odes to murder and dirges of repressed sexuality.

    Thanks again!

  4. Words can not express how much these songs have helped me with my research paper of art in Albania. Thank you so much! I am not entirely sure how creditable the sources are but the information you have here is marvelous! Other reading sources I had were all entirely subjective but this information is an unique twist to my thesis paper because it goes along with what I already read. Finally.

    You = awesome

  5. “I have no idea how this amazing music managed to make it out to the public.” Well, as soon as it made it out, everyone associated with it was severely punished, starting with Todi Lubonja.

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