Pavel Žák dies: Czech lyricist behind the hit “Holky z naší školky”

Czech composer and lyricist Pavel Žák has died. Born on 28 August 1941 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, he was one of the notable authors of Czech pop music.

Žák wrote the lyrics to the hit “Holky z naší školky” (“Girls from Our Kindergarten”, music by Karel Vágner) for Stanislav Hložek and Petr Kotvald. He also wrote the words to Karel Černoch’s “Zrcadlo” (“Mirror”) and Hana Zagorová’s “Duhová víla” (“Rainbow Fairy”). He wrote both music and lyrics for the songs “Kresli znovu obrázky” (“Draw the Pictures Again”, Hana Zagorová) and “Přátelství” (“Friendship”, Petr Rezek). His interpreters also included Hana Hegerová, Helena Vondráčková, Marie Rottrová and others.

At Czechoslovak Radio, Žák worked as a director, scriptwriter and dramaturge, took part in the programmes “Houpačka”, “Koncert Mikrofóra”, “Junior 30” and “Juniorvečerník”, and also worked at the Expo 67 world’s fair in Montreal.

The “Song About My Land”, which he wrote together with Karel Černoch, won the Golden Bratislava Lyre in 1969. It was seen as a protest against the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops in August 1968. The communist censors later banned the song, Černoch was barred from performing, and Žák was dismissed from Czechoslovak Radio.

In 2021, Žák received the Medal of Merit for his contribution to culture and the arts. For his 80th birthday, the Supraphon label released a six-disc collection of his work.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz