Should You See a Vessel Pass

Αν δεις καράβι να περνά

00:00

Lyrics

An’ should you see a vessel pass, passing the cape of Ochtoniá
oh take your little kerchief out and wave in signal to me.

Sea, wide upon Sea, heartless foreign lands.

The waves of the wide open sea come singly and in order
yet my afflictions come to me piled up and overwhelm me.

The sweetest time is dawn for then we’ll meet alone.

Translated by Angela Langou

Original Lyrics

Αν δεις καράβι να περνά

Αν δεις καράβι να περνά της Οχτωνιάς* τον κάβο
βγάλε το μαντιλάκι σου και κάνε μου σινιάλο.

Θάλασσα πλατιά, κακούργα ξενιτιά.

Της θάλασσας τα κύματα έρχονται ένα ένα
μα τα δικά μου βάσανα έρχονται μαζεμένα.

Τη γλυκιάν αυγή, να σ’ έβρω μοναχή.

*Η Οκτωνιά είναι χωριό της Εύβοιας, νότια της Κύμης.

Region: Central Greece
Area: Euboea, Kymi
Type: Couplets, Table Song
Category: Sea and Sailors Song
Rhythm: 4 beats, Free rythm
Duration: 03:44

Recording information

Live recording from the concert The known and unknown Domna at the Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall, in 29/10/1998.

Domna Samiou taped the song in Kymi, Euboea, sung by Assynou Bounia, in 1976.

Watch the song by Assynou Bounia (tv program 'Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou – Euboea, Kymi, 1977)

Credits

Domna Samiou

Singers

Nikos Oikonomidis

Violin

Panos Dimitrakopoulos

Kanun

Fahrettin Çimenli

Bowed tambouras

Socrates Sinopoulos

Constantinopolitan lute

Kostas Philippidis

Lute

Volkan Yilmaz

Ney

Vangelis Karipis

Goblet drum

Assinou Bounia

Informant (source of the song)

Discography

Songs of Dame Sea

See also

  • SongPontusInepolisImmigration Song, Sea and Sailors Song

The Ship Is My House

  • The ship is my house, the sea my courtyard and the waves of the north wind, are my comfort. A little stranger is dying at the ships prow, he hasnt got a mother to weep for him, a father to grieve, nor brother nor sister nor any friend or relative. [...]
  • SongCentral GreeceEuboea, GymnoEaster Song, Ritual Song, Sea and Sailors Song

All Attend at Church

(Easter Dance)

  • Όλοι πάνε στην εκκλησά ⬥ All attend –for sake of Christ– all attend at church to exclaim that ‘Christ is Risen!’ and to hear the Word. As for me, they send me to the shore to guard some sailing vessels. I can see some sailing ships approach and boats are [...]
  • SongPeloponneseHistorical SongTable Song

Thirty Ships Prepared for Sea

  • Τριάντα καράβια αρμένιζαν ⬥ Thirty ships were sailing towards Cape Malea and Hydra, ten of them belonged to France and ten of them to England, the others all belonged to Moscow, to the Russian king. But they came and anchored in the port of Pylos. They set about composing letters [...]
  • SongDodecaneseKarpathos, OlymposLament, Sea and Sailors Song

A Sailor-Lads A-Dying PENDING CHECK LINKS

  • Ναυτόπουλο ψυχομαχεί ⬥ I heard the shouting and the cries, they filled the Cyprus straits. I thought they must be slaughtering bulls or taming some wild beasts; I thought the Turks were making war upon the Frankish foe, but they weren’t slaughtering any bulls, nor taming some wild beasts, nor [...]
  • SongAsia MinorLullaby

Lullaby

  • Νανούρισμα ⬥ Slumber for I’ve made you gift of three lands fine and mighty Smyrni with her blossoms, Chios with her many vessels and Constantinople encrusted splendid in her pearls. Slumbers so that she’ll grow up with mother and with father, her brother᾿ll be a trader, her husband an owner [...]