The key capable of softening the hardest human hearts

Bristol-based Polish musicians have released a charity “anthem”, encouraging people to open their hearts and help others. The song, Kluczyk do Serca (Key to the Heart), immediately became very popular among Bristolian Poles upon its release just a few days ago: the music video reached 3,000 views in six days on Youtube. The author of the lyrics and music is Stanisław ‘Big Stach’ Jakimiec from Southmead, who recorded the song together with other Polish musicians living in Bristol.

Stanisław Jakimiec came to Bristol five years ago. He works as a tiler by day, and after work he fulfils himself as a blues-rock musician and motorcyclist. He has written over 80 songs.

”He writes song after song, and keeps asking me – ‘think of a new topic, I need to write another one’!” says Anna Jakimiec, the artist’s wife and manager. ”Stanisław finds it extremely easy to write lyrics. He wrote songs about a key to the heart, about a pillow, about love, about home, about a guitar, about a friend, about a bad man. It’s hard to count them all accurately after so many years.”

Kluczyk do Serca is about an unusual key, capable of softening the hardest human hearts. It was written three years ago. However, it was only recently that a professional recording was made.

Musician Stanisław Jakimiec has written over 80 songs. Photo by Katarzyna Sowinska

”Kluczyk do Serca is a musical expression of who we are and how we would like to see the reality around us,” says Stanisław Jakimiec. “The song – which talks about helping and opening our hearts to other people was created spontaneously, without reference to specific events. It has a universal message and can be successfully used as a kind of anthem of Polish and non-Polish charity actions.

“We have always been helping others. My wife Ania has a big heart, and I have been supporting her in her charity work for 30 years. These are her dreams, and if they are hers, then they are mine too. Before coming to England, we organised events for orphanages in Poland, together with other motorcyclists from our home town of Szczecin and the surrounding area. Unfortunately here we don’t have the opportunity to do this, as there are no such institutions here.”

After the closure of the Polish Club on St Paul’s Road in Clifton, where compatriots could socialise a few years ago, the Ship Inn pub on Lower Park Row became the new local cultural mini-centre for Poles. Until the lockdown, Polish musicians used to meet there for jam sessions.

All those who took part in the recording of Kluczyk do Serc met at the Ship Inn: Big Stach, author of the lyrics, music and arrangements, who sang and played the guitar; Tadeusz Mitręga, who also sang and played bass guitar and keyboards; Mirosław Fizik, who played the drums; Monika Garbień, a rock singer by day, who did the vocal arrangements and sang; Anna Mak and Sławomir Gnat who also sang; Marcin Antoni Zaziąbło-Reś who played the violin.

Due to the pandemic and government restrictions, recording took place differently than usual, as each musician separately recorded their vocal and instrumental tracks at home. Monika Garbień later put them together in her studio.

The musicians all met at the Ship Inn on Lower Park Row, which has become an unofficial cultural centre for Bristol’s Polish community. Photo by Katarzyna Sowinska

”The recording process stretched through the lockdown, I started preparations as early as September,” says Stanisław Jakimiec. “However, due to the multitude of obstacles I wanted to abandon the project. Luckily, Monika Garbień intervened and professionally guided us. Thanks to her the whole process took a month. We are also planning to record an English version of the song.

“Our last jam session in the Ship Inn took place in March last year – since then the pub is unfortunately closed. We all look forward to its opening and playing together. For the time being, I am working intensively on new songs. I have also decided to refresh the older ones and record them anew. I will successively publish everything on my YouTube channel.”

Main image by Katarzyna Sowinska

Read a Polish version of this article