Italian Songs Published in Magazine ‘Metronom za Vas’ (Metronom for You) and on Records Released by Yugoslav Labels

Abstract

Magazine for popular music players, Metronom za Vas (‘Metronome for You’) served as the starting point in this endeavor to a get closer look on relations between Yugoslav popular music of the sixties and radical changes of both international reputation of the state and everyday life of its people that then occurred. Although dominant socialist ideology was not completely abandoned, partisan uniforms and revolutionary songs gradually changed place with tokens of western popular culture schlager records, fancy dress and general hedonism. Magazine, as one of the symbols of this „westernization“, consisted of sheet music of then popular tunes, copyright information, as well as commercials regarding music and everyday life, something like lifestyle magazine for players. In general, compositions from Italy were the most popular ones, especially those presented on famous Sanremo festival. Since the leadsheet in Metronome provided information regarding original and Yugoslav cover, my research will focus on relations between printed publication and its sonorous and iconographic presentation embodied in gramophone record, pointing out similarities and differences between these modes of production.