Himzo Polovina (; 11 March 1927 – 5 August 1986) was a Bosnian singer and songwriter, and a sevdalinka. Polovina was a neuropsychiatrist by profession. His deep understanding and knowledge of sevdalinka left a great mark on Bosnian culture.
Biography Polovina was born on 11 March 1927 in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His father, Mušan Polovina, was an Austro-Hungarian soldier during World War I. The Polovina family comes from the outskirts of Foča. During his fathers service in Ljubljana, he met and married Ivanka Hlebec, making Himzo Polovina the child of an ethnically mixed marriage between a Bosniak father and a Slovene mother.
Himzo was introduced to music and singing as a child. His father played the šargija and would often sing sevdalinka songs. As their father sang, Himzo and his siblings sang along in unison.Himzo's father encouraged him and his siblings to go to the Bosniak Muslim society "Itihad", Polovina, his brother Mirza and sister Samija played a part in the Ottoman-era Bosniak drama Hasanaginica.
In the late 1930s, right before World War II broke out, Polovina was taught to play the violin by renowned Czech professor and violinist Karel Malaček.
Polovina was an active member of the Bosniak movement Young Muslims (Bosnian: Mladi muslimani) after World War II, he was taken to trial many times but was never sentenced. At one of the trials he was accused of wearing traditional Muslim clothing and propagating Muslim ideas.
From 1947 until he left for Sarajevo, he was a member of the folk ensemble "Abrašević", with whom he toured cities and villages across Yugoslavia. Polovina was married to a woman named Fikreta Medošević. They had a daughter Rubina and a son Edmir.
He died at the age of 59 from a heart attack while on vacation with his family in Montenegro, and was buried in the Bare Cemetery in Sarajevo.
Career In January 1953 he auditioned live for Radio Sarajevo. He performed the sevdalinka song "Mehmeda je stara majka karala" and was accepted. His cover of the Bosnian sevdalinka, Emina, is considered by many to be the best version of the song. His 1960s version featured added verses, which were written after the subject of the song, Emina Sefić, died in 1967. Upon hearing Emina's death, Polovina told poet Sevda Katica, who spoke the new verses.
Discography The following is the complete list of albums, singles and extended plays (EPs) released by Himzo Polovina: Tracks ReleasedStade se cvijeće bosom kititi Stade se cvijeće rosom kititi U lijepom starom gradu Višegradu1958Gonđe ružo u zelenom sadu Gonđe ružo u zelenom sadu Mustafu majka budila1958Pokraj kuće male Pokraj kuće male Magla pala od pola Saraj'va1958Gonđe ružo u zelenom sadu / Mustafu majka budila Gonđe ružo u zelenom sadu Mustafu majka budila1960Kad se Jangin iz Sokaka pomoli with Dušanka Labor Kad se Jangin iz Sokaka pomoli S one strane pive Otvor' vrata od hamama Zaplakala stara majka Džafer Begova1963Telal viče Telal viče Prošetala Suljagina Fata1963Moj behare / Pjesma o Mehmed-Paši Sokoloviću Moj behare Pjesma o Mehmed-Paši SokolovićuOctober 1964Emina / Hasanagin Sevdah (Što te nema) Emina Hasanagin Sevdah (Što te nema)1964Azra Azra Meni draga sitna pisma piše Na prijestolju sjedi Sultan Lutaj, pjesmoOctober 1965Stade se cvijeće rosom kititi Stade se cvijeće rosom kititi U lijepom starom gradu Višegradu Telal viče Pošetala Suljagina FataMay 1966Ehlimana Ehlimana Akšam Geldi Imam curu malenu Komšinica1967Mila majko, šalji me na vodu / U sotonu jedne proljetne noći Mila majko, šalji me na vodu U sotonu jedne proljetne noći1969Jutros prođoh kroz čaršiju / Dvore gradi komadina Mujo Jutros prođoh kroz čaršiju Dvore gradi komadina Mujo1969Jesi li čula dušo? / Otputovah u daljine Jesi li čula dušo? Otputovah u daljine1970U Stambolu na Bosforu / Okladi se momče i djevojče U Stambolu na Bosforu Okladi se momče i djevojče1971Narodne pjesme iz Bosne i Hercegovine Sarajevo, divno mjesto Zaplakala stara majka Oj djevojko, džidžo moja Širi mjesec po Igmanu zrake Imal' jada Čije je ono djevojče Čudna jada od Mostara grada Mila majko šalji me na vodu Dunjaluče, golem ti si Voljelo se dvoje mladih Gonđe ružo Široka kita rakita21 November 1972U sutonu jedne proljetne noći U sutonu jedne proljetne noći Crne oči dobro glede Na put se spremam Tiha je noć1975Kradem ti se u večeri Kad ja pođoh na Bembašu Vino piju age Sarajlije Kradem ti se u večeri Sjećaš li se kad si lani Razbolje se lijepa Hajrija Pokraj vrela U Stambolu na Bosforu Oj djevojko Anadolko Djevojka je zelen bor sadila Ikindija Ja zagrizoh šareniku jabuku Kad se Jangin iz Sokaka pomoli1976Emina / U Stambolu na Bosforu Emina U Stambolu na Bosforu1977Kliknu vila sa vrha porima U Trebinju gradu Izvi se Mujo na grade Kliknu vila sa vrha Porima Jasenice, nestalo ti gaza Dobro došli, kićeni svatovi Omere, prvo gledanje Poletjela dva goluba Ali-Paša na Hercegovini Mujagu majka budila Nema ljepše cure od malene Đule1979Mehmed Paša tri cara služio / U lijepom, starom, gradu Višegradu Mehmed Paša tri cara služio U lijepom, starom, gradu Višegradu1980Mila majko, šalji me na vodu / Djevojka je zelen bor sadila Mila majko, šalji me na vodu Djevojka je zelen bor sadila1982Sevdah i suze Tamburalo momče uz tamburu Poljem se vija hajdar delija U lijepom starom gradu Višegradu Kad ja pođoh na Bembašu Otvor' vrata od hamana Karanfile, cvijeće moje Oj, djevojko, pod brdom Snijeg pade na behar, na voće Oj, bogati, siva ptico sokole Stade se cvijeće rosom kititi September 1984Magla pala od pola Saraj'va Magla pala od pola Saraj'va Ehlimana Pod Skočićem trava pogažena Meni draga sitna pisma piše Imam curu malenu Otputovah u daljine Okladi se momče i djevojče Pjesma o Mehmed-Paši Sokoloviću Pusti me, majko Laku noć Pokraj kuće male Komšinica Jesi li čula dušo1987Himzo Polovina Emina Stade se cvijeće rosom kititi Pošetala Suljagina Fata Jutros prođoh kroz Čaršiju Moj behare Lutaj, pjesmo Hasanagin Sevdah Na prijestolju sjedi Sultan Azra Telal viče Akšam geldi Dvore gradi komadina Mujo1988Voljelo se dvoje mladih / Pod skočićem trava pogažena Voljelo se dvoje mladih Pod skočićem trava pogaženaunknown release dateNema lijepše cure / Pusti me, majko Nema lijepše cure Pusti me, majkounknown release date
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