Uzeyir Hajibeyli composed this song in 1918, setting it to the lyrics of Ahmad Javad. Ahmad Javad wrote this poem on December 14, 1914 in Ganja. The creation of the poem “Çırpınırdı Qara dəniz” (“The Black Sea Was Roaring”) is linked to Turkey’s entry into World War I. During the war (1914–1918), the poem was dedicated to the naval victories of the Ottoman warship “Hamidiye”, commanded by Captain Huseyn Rauf Bey (later known as “Admiral Nelson”). In these battles, the Russian warship “Kazbek” was sunk, and another vessel “Kaluqa” was rendered inoperable. The “Kazbek”, a pride of the Russian Imperial Navy, was likened to the invincible Spanish Armada. It was equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and crewed by the elite of Russia’s naval forces. Yet, the “Hamidiye” single-handedly destroyed this formidable warship with surprising ease. Upon hearing of the “Hamidiye”—which triumphed over some of the world’s most powerful fleets during World War I—Ahmad Javad was deeply moved and wrote the poem in a single night in December 1914. The poem was later included in his second poetry collection “Dalgha” (“The Wave”), published in 1919.

In 1918, Uzeyir Hajibeyli composed the music for this poem and dedicated it to the heroic deeds of the Caucasus Islamic Army under the command of Nuru Pasha, which arrived in Azerbaijan to support its independence struggle. This song, which became immensely popular in Turkey, has been performed at numerous official events and ceremonies in both Azerbaijan and Turkey

Following the collapse of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the Soviet authorities banned the performance of this song under the pretext of pan-Turkism. For over 70 years, the song remained silenced in Azerbaijan.

Although Armenians have falsely claimed that the lyrics of this song belong to Sayat-Nova and its melody was used as the anthem of the “Dashnaktsutyun” Party, countless historical records—including newspapers published in Turkey and Azerbaijan in 1915, as well as subsequently published journals and books—irrefutably prove that both the poem and music are original cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.

After a prolonged period of suppression, the song was performed publicly in Azerbaijan for the first time on March 10, 1993, at the Republic Palace in Baku during the 100th anniversary commemoration of Ahmad Javad’s birth.

 

“The Black Sea Was Roaring”

 

The Black Sea was roaring,

Gazing at the Turk’s crimson flag!

“Ah!..." I would sigh—“I’d never die,

If I could fall upon your soil”.

 

Separated from the land of friends,

For years, your chest has heaved!..

Yet loyal tides still come and go—

Make way for the Turk’s flag!

 

Cast pearls upon its path,

Strewn gold to left and right!

Let storms stand aside in awe—

Hail the Turk’s crimson flag!

 

Stanza 4

“Hamidiye”—that Turkish blood!

None can eclipse its glory!

Let “Kazbek” be its first sacrifice—

Enraptured by the Turk’s flag!

 

Winds blowing from friendly lands,

Bring me poems, bring me greetings.

May all lands of Turan rise—

In devotion to the Turk’s flag!

 

Make way for the Turk’s flag!!!