Oj Srbijo, mati (Zovi, samo zovi) | Serbian Patriotic Song | Lyrics

Lyrics by: Unknown
Music by: Unknown

"Zovi, samo zovi" (Serbo-Croatian for Call, just call) is a Croatian and Serbian patriotic song. It is also known as "Oj Hrvatska mati" (lit. "Oh Croatia Our Mother") in Croatia and "Oj Srbijo mati" ("Oh Serbia Our Mother") in Serbia. It was most commonly known as "Jugoslavska mati" during the early days of Yugoslavia and served a similar purpose as "La Marseillaise" in France. The early lyrics (zovi, samo zovi) originated during World War I and spread as a South Slavic rallying cry, with the additional verses added later.

The rise of Pan-Slavism in the 19th century led to calls for unity within the South Slavic people, including Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. Proponents of the movement believed in unifying the South Slavic people through similarities in their language, culture, and ethnicity. It was during this time in Prague that the Sokol, or falcon movement was founded and quickly spread throughout the Slavic lands. The Sokol would become a popular motif in national songs and writings during both the times of Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

One of the earliest writings of the song were found in the 1919 journal Jugoslavenska Njiva, where the local people were described as singing "Zovi, samo zovi" along with "Vive La France" and "La Marseillaise". Other lyrics were not combined together until years later. "Jugoslavska mati" (Yugoslavia mother) appeared separately at first, then was combined with "zovi, samo zovi". Various regions of Yugoslavia were added into the lyrics, including those in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.