Ivica Šerfezi

Ivica Šerfezi (December 1, 1935 – May 28, 2004) was a Croatian pop singer from Zagreb.

Šerfezi started singing in dance halls, and his first real success was a duet with Domenico Modugno on the Maksimir stadium. In the 1960s and the 1970s he toured Yugoslavia, East Germany as well as the Soviet Union, and his concerts filled up 150 venues.

His songs were often influenced by Greek folkore. The primary composer of his songs was Nikica Kalogjera. Some of his hit songs included Suze liju plave oči ("Blue eyes shedding tears"), Ruže su crvene ("Roses are red"), Ksimeroni, etc.

His career lasted for 46 years and he had golden records fifteen times. He also sang many duets with the Macedonian singer Ljupka Dimitrovska.

Šerfezi was nicknamed Šerfa, and called "the golden boy of home show business". He was an avid tennis and golf player, and in later years also a politician. In 2001, as a longtime supporter of Croatian Peasant Party, he ran as that party's candidate on the elections for Zagreb City Assembly, but he and his list failed to enter the Assembly.

Lyrics

from the song Ruže su crvene:
Ruže su crvene
tajne su skrivene
slatka je muzika
ali nije kao ti
Roses are red
secrets are hidden
the music is sweet
but not like you