Maryla Rodowicz

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Rodowicz in 2007

Maryla Rodowicz (born as Maria Antonina Rodowicz, 8 December 1945 in Zielona Góra) is one of the most popular Polish singers. She studied at Liceum Ziemi Kujawskiej (The Kujawy region college) in Włocławek and graduated from the Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego (The Academy of Physical Education) in Warsaw. In her youth she participated in athletics among other things at Kujawiak Wloclawek

She became famous in 1973 with the song "Małgośka" with lyrics by Agnieszka Osiecka. A year later, during the World Cup Opening Ceremony in Munich, she performed a song "Futbol" (Football).

The singer's body of work comprises over 600 recorded songs, with over 20 Polish albums as well as albums in English, Czech, German and Russian. Apart from "Małgośka" the artist's most famous songs are "Niech żyje bal" (Long live the ball), "To już było" (This has already been), "Wielka Woda" (The great water), "Rozmowa przez ocean" (A talk over the ocean), "Bossanove do poduszki" (A bedside bossanova), "Łatwopalni" (Inflammables) and her latest album's hits such as "Wszyscy chcą kochać" (Everybody wants to love) and "Będzie co ma być" (What ought to be, will be). In 2005 she recorded an album "Kochać" with lyrics by Katarzyna Nosowska. On the occasion of World Cup 2006, she recorded a song "Za Janasa" (For Janas) with the same songwriter's lyrics.

Maryla Rodowicz has performed in concert worldwide: in Europe, America, Australia, and Asia. She has won many awards for her singing. She has also participated in various festivals including outside the borders of Poland, for example in Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, and Tulsa, as well as in Poland including "Festiwal Piosenki i Piosenkarzy Studenckich" (The Student Songs and Singers' Festival) in Kraków and at "Krajowy Festiwal Piosenki Polskiej" (The National Polish Song Festival) in Opole.

Rodowicz is also an actress who has performed in several movies and musical entertainment. She regularly performs in a Polsat TV channel series "Rodzina zastępcza" (A Foster Family).

In 1992 she released her autobiography under the title of "Niech żyje bal" (Long live the ball).

[edit] Selected discography

Żyj mój świecie (Live, my world), 1970
Wyznanie (Confession), 1972
Maryla Rodowiczova (CSRS) (a Czechoslovakian release), 1972
Maryla Rodowicz (NRD) (an East Germany release), 1973
Rok (A year), 1974
Sing-Sing, 1976
Wsiąść do pociągu (To enter a train), 1978
Cyrk nocą (A circus at night/A night lark), 1979
Święty spokój (The sacred peace), 1982
Maryla Rodowicz (ZSRR) (A Soviet Union release), 1983
Był sobie król (There once was a king), 1984
Gejsza nocy (The geisha of a night), 1984
Polska Madonna (Polish Madonna), 1987
Full, 1991
Absolutnie nic (Absolutely Nothing), 1992
Marysia Biesiadna (Drinking Marysia), 1994
Złota Maryla (Golden Maryla), 1995
Tribute to Agnieszka Osiecka. Łatwopalni (... Inflammables), 1997
Przed zakrętem (Before the turn), 1998
Karnawał 2000 (The 2000 Carnaval), 1999
Niebieska Maryla (Blue Maryla), 2000
12 Najpiękniejszych kolęd (The 12 most beautiful Christmas carols), 2001
Życie ładna rzecz (The life, a nice thing), 2002
Maryla i przyjaciele (Maryla and friends), 2003
Nejvetsi hity (a Czech release), 2003
Kochać (To love), (60,000 copies sold) 2005
Jest Cudnie, 2008

[edit] Songs

The notable "Polish Madonna" written by Agnieszka Osiecka (an emotional portrait of an average Polish woman trying to make ends meet) contains clear Catholic symbolism and references to the social circumstances characteristic to Poland in the late eighties that marked the end of the communist era in Poland. In this song, the author questions whether the "Polish Madonna" (or, in other words, the Catholic Saint Mary, usually portrayed as holding the small Jesus in her hands) has enough money to pay for rent, promising her that the child will get a welcome allowance to the public kindergarten. The old communist promises are never fulfilled for her, and her dreams of having a lipstick "made in France" can only come true in her dreams.