“Dragostea din tei” is a 2004 summer hit by Moldovan band O-Zone. The title means something like “love of the linden trees”. The song is about a telephone conversation in which the singer, who refers to himself as a “haiduc,” a heroic outlaw or freedom fighter in Romanian folklore, expresses his feelings of love and longing. Despite the upbeat melody, the lyrics are about love, separation, and the joy of retrieving fond memories.

The catchy chorus has emphatically contributed to its popularity and brought Moldovan pop music global recognition. The song evokes early-2000s nostalgia and serves as a cheerful cultural symbol that remains popular at parties and events.

I specifically like this song, which is very popular in my country and probably the most famous song from Moldova, because of how catchy and upbeat it is. The composer is talking about his first love, but some people might interpret it as him not wanting to leave the country, despite emigration being very popular at that time.

My name is Crina Gurev. I am 23 years old and was born in Chisinau, Moldova. Currently I study in Enschede at the University of Twente. My master is Computer Science.