Information: A dance.

Translation: No meaning

Pronunciation: LAY-lahm

Region: Serbia

Forrest Johnson relates:

Nick Bratkovich, in search of new material for his band, found Leilam in a stack of recent Yugoslav 45 rpm records borrowed from a Serbian friend in 1973. He and the band believed the record to be of Albanian derivation because of the x's in the female artist's last name and the Serbian fascination with Albanian rhythms in 1973.

Michael Kuharski points out:

The recording fits the pattern of a Kosovo Šota tune in these ways:

1. The rhythm
2. the "smooth" dynamic (volume level) changes/li>
3. the distinctive descending melody pattern (series of measures, each based on a tone a step below the last one)./li>

It the last item which is most persuasive. This is not an Anatolian pattern, so far as I know, but a uniquely Albanian one.

Forrest Johnson relates:

Someone wrote "Turkish" on it at the old I.I. The record does have the words "Muraht" on it . . . does this mean anything to you?

Michael Kuharski says:

No, although it does suggest the Turkish forename Murad or Murat. That word means nothing in either Albanian or Turkish (nor any of the Slavic languages I deal with) so far as I can tell.