Evo zore, evo dana

"Evo zore, evo dana" (English translation: Here comes the dawn, here comes the day) is a Croatian pro-ustaše song written after the Black Legion's battle for Kupres in the summer of 1942.

The Black Legion fought off the attack by the Montenegrin Chetniks of Pavle Đurišić and Tito's Partisans. The name refers to the time between the dawn and full daylight when the Black Legion (Crna Legja) surprised both forces with a counterattack that drove them out of Kupres and its surrounding area. Its lyrical origins are unclear, but some unsourced claims state that it was written by an anonymous poet from Herzegovina. However, other sources contend that its authors were a small group of the Ustaše soldiers of Jure Francetić and Rafael Boban who sang the lyrics to the melody of the song "Oj kupreško Ravno poljce" (Oh Kupresian flat field), which is also about the Kupres battle. The lyrics, translated to English, are as follows:

Oj Kupreško ravno poljce, Što pozoba crnogorce, Od tisuću i pedeset, Vratilo se samo deset, Od tih deset kraj Prisoja, Dočekala crna bojna, A tih deset muku muče, I po njima šarac tuče.

O Kupresian flat field That consumed the Montenegrins! From one thousand and fifty men Only ten have returned. And those ten? At Prisoje They were awaited by the black battalions. And those ten are racked with pain, A machine gun still shooting them down

There are more than 40 verses in the original song, but only seven or eight are usually sung.

The seven or eight commonly known verses are these:

Evo zore, evo dana, Evo Jure i Bobana. Evo zore, evo tića, Evo Jure Francetića. Na vrh gore Romanije, Ustaški se barjak vije. Na barjaku sitno piše, Odmetnika nema više. Jure gazi Drinu vodu, I bori se za slobodu. On se bori za slobodu, Hrvatskome našem rodu. Evo zore, evo dana, Nema više partizana. Evo zore, evo tića, Evo Jure i Vokića. Evo zore, evo dana, Evo Jure i Bobana. Oni vode svoju bojnu, Njome biju tešku vojnu. Tvoja bojna brani Liku, Biser zemlje, našu diku.

Here comes the dawn, here comes the day, Here come Jure and Boban Here comes the dawn, here comes the little bird! Here comes Jure Francetić! At the top of the Romanija mountain, The Ustaša flag is flying! On the flag it is written (without the benefit of capitol letters) That there are no more outlaws/partisans. Jure steps into the waters of the Drina, And he is fighting for freedom! He is fighting for the freedom Of our Croatian people! Here comes the dawn, here comes the day, There are no more partisans. Here comes the dawn, here comes the little bird, Here come Jure and Vokić! Here comes the dawn, here comes the day, Here come Jure and Boban! They are leading their battalions, With them they are fighting a difficult battle. This battalion is guarding Lika, The pearl of the nation, our pride.

Other verses include these:

Na vrh gore Romanije Ustaški se barjak vije, Razvili ga hrabri momci, Sve Ustaše dobrovoljci Na vrh gore Romanije Puna bačva od rakije I nju piju hrabri momci Pavelića dobrovoljci! Jure zove, Boban viče, Hej viteže Francetiću. Evo zore, Boban viče, Evo mene Poglavniče.

At the top of the mountain Romanija, An Ustaša flag is flying Courageous men have unfurled it, All Ustaše volunteers! At the top of our Romanija mountain, There is a barrel full of rakija It is consumed by courageous men, The volunteers of Ante Pavelić. Jure calls and Boban cries Awake! Knight Francetić! "Here comes the dawn!" Boban cries, Here I come, Poglavnik!