Vranjanka refers to a woman from Vranje, a city in southern Serbia. Vranjanka is also the name of a dance that supposedly at one time was popular in the Vranje area, but it appears no such dance exists there today. However the song Šano dušo used to accompany the dance Vranjanka is very popular still in Serbia in general. The Šano Dušo melody was composed prior to 1886 by Josif Marinković, from near Belgrade, who was trained in classical composition in Prague and Vienna. Wikipedia says “Lieder, composed after the lyrics by romanticist poets and folk motives, occupy the most significant place in Marinković’s oeuvre. He is considered the founder of this genre in Serbian music….Marinković also found his inspiration in the texts close to folk songs and composed in the manner close to folk, establishing in Serbian art music a popular sevdalinka genre.” Marinković composed his melody to fit lyrics written by Dragutin Ilić (1858/1926). Over time, more lyrics were added, and I haven’t been able to determine which lyrics were Ilić‘s original.
There are MANY sets of lyrics, only some of which are listed here, none of which completely match existing YouTubes. (there are about 20 YouTubes currently available). The Goca Lazarević YouTube above mostly conforms to verses 1, 2, & 3. The Sajka YouTube mostly conforms to 1, 2, & 5. For more verses see Ron Houston’s ©1998 Folk Dance Problem Solver.
će ti davam, džanum, Šano, djerdan od dukata.
1. Shana, sweetie, open the door for me,
Open for me, Shana, the door, that I give you ducats.
Refrain: Oy, lele lele, is burning for you
is burning my, Shana, heart for you.
2. Your face is white, Shana, snow in the mountains.
Your brow, lovely Shana, like moonlight.
3. Those lips of yours, Shana, like roses of dawn.
Those eyes, my sweet, make me burn.
4. Night comes, beautiful Shana, I am filled with grief,
your beauty, Shana, won't let me sleep.
5. Shana, sweetie, open the door for me,
that to you I give, holy moly!, Shana a necklace of ducats (gold coins).
Folkdance Footnotes 