Zdeněk Svěrák to lead Czech Republic in nationwide sing-along against coronavirus tomorrow

Following a short countdown, he and Jaroslav Uhlíř will then lead the country in singing the song Není nutno, which roughly translates as No Need. According to organizers, millions of people around the Czech Republic are expected to join in singing.

The song was composed for the 1983 Czech comedy Tři veteráni (Three Veterans), and has since become a classic sung by old and young alike, reflecting the Czech spirit and positive attitude that has persevered for the past tumultuous 100 years. Uhlíř wrote the music for the song, and Svěrák the lyrics.

Svěrák may be best-known to non-Czech speakers for his lead role in the Oscar-winning film Kolya. He’s also one of the minds behind legendary fictional Czech Jára Cimrman, who he has portrayed on stage for decades; the plays have recently been translated into English and performed both in Prague and abroad.

Není nutno, není nutno,
aby bylo přímo veselo,
hlavně nesmí býti smutno,
natož aby se brečelo.
Chceš-li, trap se, že ti v kapse
zlaté mince nechřestí,
nemít žádné kamarády,
tomu já říkám neštěstí.

Nemít prachy – nevadí,
nemít srdce – vadí,
zažít krachy – nevadí,
zažít nudu – jó to vadí, to vadí.

Není nutno, není nutno,
aby bylo přímo veselo,
hlavně nesmí býti smutno,
natož aby se brečelo.

Není nutno, není nutno,
aby bylo přímo veselo,
hlavně nesmí býti smutno,
natož aby se brečelo.

And the song sung together by Uhlíř and Svěrák for the children’s program Vadí, nevadí:

There’s no need, no need,
to be happy,
above all, you must not be sad,
let alone cry.
If you want, you can worry, that in your pocket
gold coins do not rattle,
but to have no friends,
that’s what I call misfortune.

Don’t have money – doesn’t matter,
don’t have a heart – matters
experience failure – doesn’t matter,
experience boredom – yeah it matters, it matters.

There’s no need, no need,
to be happy,
above all, you must not be sad,
let alone cry.

There’s no need, no need,
to be happy,
above all, you must not be sad,
let alone cry.