Znam da ne smem da te volim

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a narrator living a solitary existence, her heart broken by unfulfilled longing. Yet, in the arms of the subject, a profound sense of safety emerges, dissolving all fear. This immediate contrast between her lonely reality and the security found in this specific connection sets a powerful emotional stage. The repeated phrase, "Ničega se na svetu ne bojim" (I'm not afraid of anything in the world), hammered home twice in the first stanza, emphasizes the almost magical, protective quality of this intimacy. The core tension lies in the forbidden nature of this love. The narrator explicitly states, "Znam da ne smem da te volim" (I know I shouldn't love you) and "Znam da ne smem da te ljubim" (I know I shouldn't kiss you). This internal conflict is amplified by the external reality: "Ti si drugoj, drugoj srce dao" (You gave your heart to another). The narrator acknowledges the late hour for a new beginning, "Al' je sada za početak kasno" (But it's too late for a start now), yet her desire to keep this love, "al' ne želim Tvoju ljubav da izgubim" (but I don't want to lose your love), overrides the logic of the situation. The most striking aspect is the narrator's awakening. She describes the subject's warmth as something that "probudio ženu" (awakened the woman) within her, and later, "probudio želju" (awakened desire). This suggests a profound personal transformation tied directly to this forbidden relationship. The plea, "Ne daj, ne daj da nam srca venu" (Don't let our hearts wither), coupled with the explicit desire for "želim tvoju ljubav zabranjenu" (I want your forbidden love), highlights a desperate clinging to a connection that is both deeply fulfilling and inherently doomed. This song resonates because it captures the raw, often irrational, pull of a love that defies societal or situational boundaries. The narrator's vulnerability is palpable; she's aware of the wrongness, the impossibility, and the pain, yet the emotional and physical solace she finds is too potent to relinquish. The craft here is in the direct, almost childlike articulation of this impossible desire, making the forbidden feel intensely personal and urgent.