Korak do slobode


Korak do slobode is the seventh studio album from Serbian and Socialist [Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslav] rock band Galija, released in 1989. It is the second part of Galija album trilogy comprising Daleko je Sunce, Korak do slobode and Istorija, ti i ja.

Background and concept

The idea of releasing an album trilogy dealing with contemporary political turmoil in Yugoslavia was brought up lyricist Radoman Kanjevac in 1987. Collaboration with Kanjevac, alongside fresh musical ideas brought by a new member, academically educated multi-instrumentalist Bratislav "Bata" Zlatković, resulted in the first part of the trilogy, Daleko je Sunce, released in 1988. In early 1989, the band recorded the second part of the trilogy, Korak do slobode, in Radio Belgrade's Studio VI, with Saša Habić as the producer.
The album's opening and closing theme were composed by Bratislav Zlatković and played by Zlatković and guest performer Boban Marković. The song "Sloboda" featured Kerber frontman Goran Šepa on vocals, in a duet with Galija frontman Nenad Milosavljević. While Daleko je sunce featured lyrics by both Kanjevac and the band's second vocalists and long-time lyricist Predrag Milosavljević, all lyrics for Korak do slobode were authored by Kanjevac, with Milosavljević making only a cotribution to "Pevaju jutra" lyrics, much to his dissatisfaction. The lyrics of the title track include a reference to Yugoslav rock bands Prljavo Kazalište, Zabranjeno Pušenje and Boye, and lyrics for "Ljubavna pesma" feature a verse from the song "Mi Bosanci delije" by folk singer Meho Puzić.
As its predecessor, Korak do slobode featured politically provocative lyrics and imagery: the reggae song "Ljubavna pesma", composed by the group's guitarist Jean Jacques Roskam and sung by himself and Nenad Milosavljević, featured ironic lyrics dealing with rising nationalism in Yugoslavia, the title track included the verse "Ide četa čela namrštena, među njima najboljega nema", taken from the song "Pesma o Krcunu" by folk singer Slobodan Mulina, dedicated to Slobodan Penezić "Krcun", Yugoslav war hero and communist politician who died in a car accident under suspicious circumstances, and the album cover, designed by Slobodan Kaštavarac, featured an image of army trucks during a military exercise.
Korak do slobode was the band's only album recorded with bass guitarist Predrag Milanović, who joined the band as the replacement for long-time bass guitarist Zoran Radosavljević "Čupa". Soon after the album release, Milanović was replaced by Dušan Karadžić.

Personnel

Additional personnel

Reception and legacy

Korak do slobode was well received by fans and critics. The album hits included "Na tvojim usnama", "Kopaonik", "Korak do slobode" and the ballad "Kad me pogledaš". At the end of the year, Yugoslav music magazine Pop Rock proclaimed "Na tvojim usnama" the Song of the Year, and Nenad Milosavljević won the Composer of the Year Award at MESAM festival.
In 2015, Korak do slobode album cover was ranked 78th on the list of 100 Greatest Album Covers of Yugoslav Rock published by web magazine Balkanrock.