Dear Mother, I Am Awfully Tired

Βαρέθηκα μανούλα μου

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Lyrics

Dear mother, I am awfully tired of gazing out to sea, to sea,
of gazing out to sea, to sea
of asking the postman if I’ve got, if I’ve got a letter, a letter,
and receiving no letter, no letter.

Oh, how I wished you were the sea and I the sandy shore,
and wished your gentle waves would come and fall into my arms.

Translated by John Leatham

Original Lyrics

Βαρέθηκα μανούλα μου

Βαρέθηκα μανούλα μου τη θάλασσα να βλέπω, να βλέπω
τη θάλασσα να βλέπω, να βλέπω
τον ταχυδρόμο να ρωτώ και γράμμα να μην έχω, να μην έχω
και γράμμα να μην έχω, να μην έχω.

Ήθελα να ’σαι θάλασσα κι εγώ το περιγιάλι
τα κύματά σου να ’ρχονται στην εδική μου αγκάλη.

Region: Eastern Aegean
Area: Chios
Type: Couplets
Category: Love Song, Sea and Sailors Song
Rhythm: 4 beats
Dance: Syrtos
Duration: 03:18

Recording information

Studio recording, 2001.

Domna Samiou learned the song by the cantor Zacharias Mikedis from Chios in the '60s.

Credits

Katerina Papadopoulou

Singers

Nikos Oikonomidis

Violin

Socrates Sinopoulos

Constantinopolitan lute

Angelina Tkatcheva-Stathopoulou

Santur

Kostas Philippidis

Lute

Zacharias Mikedis

Informant (source of the song)

Discography

Songs of Dame Sea

See also

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I Want to Sail Away

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  • SongEastern AegeanChiosLove Song, Sea and Sailors SongCouplets

Little Ship, Where Are You Going

  • Καράβι καραβάκι ⬥ Little ship, where are you going shore to shore, come out so I can see you You’ve cast a spell on me and I am mad about you, your sister’s put a spell on me and I am mad about you. with red flag and golden cross, come out [...]
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Three monks from Crete

  • Τρεις Καλογέροι Κρητικοί (Τεριρέμ) ⬥ Three monks from Crete, three monks from Crete And three from Mount Athos, te-teriri-riririrem1 they fitted out a sailing-ship, after the Lord’s Resurrection. There blew a northerly ahead, a southerly astern. – I do not fear you, Boreas, I care not how you blow, you see, [...]
  • SongEastern AegeanIkaria, FournoiLove SongCouplets

What Ails You, Crow

  • Τι έχεις μαύρε κόρακα ⬥ What ails you, crow, that your wings have blackened? If it’s your heart that aches, come weep with me. ’Twas for you and me that sorrows were born, and heartache pain and sighing, too. The crow’s born white but ends up black, like all those [...]