The song is about a man's love for a beautiful woman named Jelena—which also happens to be my name. Jelena has left him, but he cannot let go of his love for her.

Music is incredibly rich and important to us. It is sung and played at birthdays, weddings, and funerals. This is one of the most well-known songs, especially since many women in Serbia are named Jelena.

The song was written in 1972 by a singer and composer who had fallen in love with a woman named Jelena. The melody is inspired by the old Greek song Misirlou. I only recently discovered this, as Lela Vranjanka has always been considered part of our own cultural heritage. This is a great example of how the peoples of the Balkans are deeply connected—especially those of the former Yugoslavia.

The melody was also used in Quentin Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction, which is why it might sound familiar to many people.

I have many memories of this song being sung to me or being requested by musicians playing in restaurants and at celebrations. At weddings, it is customary to give money to musicians to request special songs, and my father always chose this one.

I am a mother and an artist with 20 years of experience in development work. Together with my husband and two daughters, I have lived and worked in the Netherlands, Serbia, and Botswana. Since September 2024, we have been living in Enschede.