A Bosnian song, initially released 15 years ago as a satirical commentary on immigration, has unexpectedly become a viral sensation and the unofficial anthem for Bosnia-Herzegovina's World Cup campaign. The track, by the genre-bending rock group Dubioza Kolektiv, has been re-recorded and released with new lyrics, captivating the nation ahead of its second appearance on the global football stage.
The updated music video for the accordion-driven song, now titled 'I Am From Bosnia, Take Me to America', was filmed in Sarajevo and has quickly amassed nearly 2 million views on YouTube in less than three weeks. This builds on the enduring popularity of the original version, 'USA', which has accumulated 26 million views since its release in 2011.
Vedran Mujagić, the band's bassist, noted the song's remarkable evolution, stating that it transformed from a 'satirical take on immigration and the American Dream' into an 'American football dream for the entire nation'. The band members were reportedly surprised and moved when supporters began displaying banners with their lyrics and singing them as a powerful rallying cry during the team's hard-fought qualification matches. Bosnia-Herzegovina secured their place after a late goal against Wales, a victorious penalty shootout, and a subsequent win against Italy.
Keyboardist Brano Jakubović expressed his delight at how fans have imbued the old song with new meaning. He explained that while the original 'USA' was an upbeat, catchy tune with lyrics like 'I can no longer wait, take me to United States / Take me to Golden Gate, I will assimilate', its narrative quickly shifted to disillusionment. The new version, predominantly in Bosnian, focuses on the sport and includes a line addressing a lingering national grievance: 'And that goal against Nigeria, that was never offside' – a reference to a controversial disallowed goal in the 2014 World Cup.
Jakubović highlighted football's unifying power in Bosnia, a nation still grappling with the trauma of its independence war and deep divisions. He remarked that 'football in this moment is much more than just a game, it’s a hope and it’s very basically a political thing because it brought all the people from Bosnia together, which is usually not the case.' While the song's title mentions America, Bosnia's first World Cup match is in Canada, though the team will be based in Sandy, Utah, for other group stage matches against Switzerland and Qatar in the United States.
Mujagić also pointed out that many players were born in the U.S. or other diaspora communities, observing, 'They are children of those people who went outside in search of a better life or as refugees or whatever their story was. And they kind of see and hear these lyrics and this song entirely differently from us.'
Source: Dubioza Kolektiv, YouTube