1943 – 26th Segment: “The Little Red Skirt”

In this series we introduce 100 songs which have gone down in the history of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. They became popular by being played throughout important years and time periods or by winning the hit parade. Now it is up to you, our listeners, to vote for the best Czech song of the century. We continue with the year 1939.

Thanks to the last few segments of “100 Hits of the Republic,” we are already familiar with the leading three ‘musketeers’ of Czech folk music; Karel Vacek, Jaromír Vejvoda and Josef Poncar. During the so-called protectorate period they were joined by two more ‘folk’ writers – first by Václav Bláha, and then by Karel Valdauf.

Today’s hit comes from the work of Václav Bláha. The song “The Little Skirt,” or rather the “The Little Red Skirt,” was first heard during the dismal Protectorate Republic. The word ‘red’ was not allowed to be printed, because during the war the Germans were worried about publishing anything that could remotely resemble pro-Soviet propaganda. For some time, the waltz “The Little Skirt” became the most successful melody in Czechoslovakia. Presumably, it was a reminder of more peaceful times, when young ladies could easily get ahold of pretty dance outfits with ironed pleats in the skirts, catching the eyes of all the young men in their surroundings…