A few years ago, while on vacation in Greece, the author of this article had an interesting experience. During an evening walk, he suddenly recognized a familiar melody. Just as he thought it was a well-known song by a famous Serbian singer, it turned out the lyrics were entirely in Greek.
Indeed, it has not been uncommon for Serbian artists to adopt compositions from Greek authors—sometimes legally, sometimes not (we won’t go into that here)—and adapt the lyrics for the local market. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the most famous examples.
1. CECA – JA JOS SPAVAM
The well-known song “Ja jos spavam u tvojoj majici” by Svetlana Ceca Raznatović is actually a cover of “Epimeno” by Christos Kyriazis.
This track also has a Bulgarian version titled “Pesenta”, performed by Gloria.
2. DARA BUBAMARA & TWINS – OPA OPA
This song, which had two versions in Serbia, is itself a cover—even in Greece. The group Antique, formed by future Eurovision winner Helena Paparizou and Nikos Panagiotidis, launched the global hit “Opa Opa” in the late 1990s.
The duo, both born in Sweden, reintroduced old Greek songs in a faster, modern rhythm to the land of their ancestors. Their “Opa Opa” was already a sped-up cover of the same-titled song by Notis Sfakianakis.
In Serbia, the track received two adaptations: one by Twins, which is slightly more famous, and another by Dara Bubamara. In both versions, the title remained the same—“Opa Opa”.
Twins – Opa Opa
Dara Bubamara – Opa Opa
3. KNEZ – JOS UVIJEK
Another Antique hit was covered by Nenad Knezevic Knez. Their song “Moro Mou” became “Jos uvijek” in his version.
4. ZELJKO SAMARDZIC – BEZOBRAZNO ZELENE
The famous “Bezobrazno zelene” by Zeljko Samardzic is widely known, but few realize it’s a cover of a track by Greek singer Valantis.
5. TOSE PROESKI – LEDENA
Although he wasn’t known for recording covers, Tose Proeski did have a few, including “Ledena”, originally performed by Despina Vandi.
6. CECA – TACNO JE
@ballkanmmusic tačno je – ceca #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #ceca #cecaraznatovic #music #balkanmusic #spotify #lyrics #xybca ♬ original sound – 🎶
Another Despina Vandi song found its way into Serbian music as Ceca’s “Tacno je”.
7. AMADEUS BEND – MOZDA
Amadeus Bend covered “Kommatia” by one of Greece’s most popular performers, Christos Dantis. Their version is called “Mozda”.
8. ZELJKO SAMARDZIC – MOJA SI MOJA
Zeljko Samardzic also adapted “Moja si moja”, originally by the famous Greek singer Antonis Remos, who has held numerous concerts in Serbia—the latest being in Belgrade in June 2024.
9. SASA KOVACEVIC – ZIVIM DA TE VOLIM
Sasa Kovacevic’s hit “Zivim da te volim” is actually a cover of a major song by Greek star Nikos Vertis.
10. SRECKO SAVOVIC – GODINA NOVA
One song many have surely heard, especially at New Year’s Eve celebrations, is “Godina nova” by Srecko Savovic. This is a cover of “Esena mono” by Greek singer Katy Garbi.
These were just some of the Greek songs that received Serbian adaptations. There’s enough material for several more parts, so expect a continuation of this series soon on our site. In the meantime, let us know in the comments which other Serbian hits originated from Greece.
In the meantime, second part has arrived and you can check it bellow:
