We have spent the last few days in Lithuania, visiting family, eating doughnuts, doing Easter stuff and generally just hanging around, so this week’s mixtape has a very distinct Lithuanian theme.
Rima is in control here due to her vastly superior knowledge of Lithuanian music, but there are a couple of additions from John at the end.
Mėgaukis!
As always, you can also find these tracks as a playlist on our Spotify and Youtube channels.
Wasn’t Easy by Gjan
I just found her while living abroad. Greta Jančytė is for sure better known by her stage name GJan. She is not just a singer but a songwriter too. At the moment she works with the Romanian company Global Records. It’s just something that I like and many of her songs are in English so you can understand and enjoy too.
Eurobasket 2011 anthem
Lithuania is a small country, but a big one when we talk about basketball. Basketball is like our religion and this song is the official EuroBasket 2011 anthem (the championship was in Lithuania). Just last Friday one of the best known Lithuanian teams Žalgiris was playing against the Russian club CSKA and won! So not to mention basketball would be equal to a crime.
Po Mano Oda by Jazzu and Leon Somov
This is one of my favourite musical projects, just sadly last month they had their final goodbye tour. It was time for a change. They are all about electronic music, pop and experimental. Just everytime they catch me with their ideas, strong emotions and drama. The lyrics can be in English and Lithuanian.
Fojė Kitoks Pasaulis
The band that all generations know and one of my favourites. Amazing group, amazing people but sadly not together anymore. Hey, but they are still amazing, crazy and actually making more music. This is the last version of the song when they reunited after 30 years. I went to the last concert with my Mum, it was something special… happiness, craziness and just good emotions with tears.
Laisvė by Eurika Masytė
This is one more song that each Lithuanian sings… Why? Because this is about freedom, the last time we got independence all of our nation was singing it. The lyrics are written by the poet Justinas MArcinkevičius. Just FREEDOM!
Meilės Duetas by Aistė Smilgevičiūtė
And what do you think about the rock opera? It can be amazing, this is one of the duets from one of them. The opera is according to one of the most famous poets, the priest, the artist Maironis and his poem Jūratė ir Kastytis. The love between the man – a fisherman and the goddess women who lives in the sea. Something full of romance, mystery and beliefs.
Aš tik noriu by Valentinas Abarius
The lyrics are by D.Kajokas and the performance by the boy who lives downstairs from my parents. Ohh I hated his brothers partying when I wrote my thesis (by the way I came to my parents during that period to have some silence from the city). I got to know him by living near by and by teaching at the school and I am happy for him. I do believe that Valentinas will follow his dream and will sing more amazing singing poetry and who knows what the future will bring him. Good luck Valentinas!
No More Drama by Face White
There is no need for more comments – no more drama!!! Saulius Prūsaitis is known for many projects, one of the projects is Face White and probably well known Happyendless.
Wide Open Space by Mansun
John says: I really don’t have much to contribute to a playlist of Lithuanian songs or songs about Lithuania or even songs that relate to my feelings about or trip to Lithuania, but I did get this little gem stuck in my head while driving through big stretches of farmland on the way between a couple of small villages.
Somebody Told Me by The Killers
John says: Ooh, one more… I vaguely remembered reading somewhere at some point that Brandon Flowers has a Lithuanian grandparent, so I checked it out and it’s true! Can’t Deny My Love is his best solo offering, but he is really at his best with The Killers and I happen to really like this song.