Κάτω στο γιαλό ⬥ Studio recording (1980). One of the most popular songs from the islands. In Paros, it is danced with balos steps, while in Kea it is performed as a syrtos.
Κάτω στον γιαλό ⬥ Down on the sandy beach, down by the water’s edge, a girl was laundering her silver-threaded dress. After rinsing it, she lay and fell asleep. The wind blew from the north, and backed north-west, then north again, and rudely lifted up her silver-threaded dress and bared [...]
Η Βγενούλα ⬥ Young Evyenoula, comely lass, the lass who married early and boastfully was wont to say that Charon would not get her, because her home stood proud and tall, her husband was so manly, because of brothers she had twelve and eighteen brothers-in-law. Now when old Charon heard [...]
Η Ευγενούλα η μοσχονιά ⬥ Evgenoula, the fair maid beloved by all, went and boasted she had no fear of death, that she had houses tall and a sweetheart brave and strong and nine brothers to man the castle walls. And when Charon heard her words, they pleased him not [...]
Σαράντα πέντε μάστοροι ⬥ Studio recording (1973). Based on Domna Samiou's 1972 field recording in Ierissos, Chalkidiki, sung by Yannis Tsirigotis, Eleni Tsirigoti, Alexandra Roumelianaki, Yiorgos Tzitzos and Yannis Migdis.
Σαράντα μαστορόπουλα – Της Άρτας το γεφύρι ⬥ A team of forty stonemasons and sixty prentice workers were putting up a bridge across the river close by Arta. The whole day long they built the bridge, at night it was dismantled. The masons much lamented this, the prentices were weeping. [...]
Τέσσερα τσαι τέσσερα ⬥ Four and four makes eight, four young lads setting out to war. Feeling hungry on their way, they slopped to eat and drink. They sought a spring upon the mount and found a hole a hundred feet deep. They drew lots to see who would climb [...]
Τα τέσσερα, τα πέντε, τα εννιάδερφα ⬥ Four brothers, five brothers, nine, eighteen cousins, none destined to grow to man’s estate, were by royal command to go and fight twelve long years in the wars. When they whet their swords, the sea glistens; when their staffs clash, the mountains tremble. [...]
Ο Γιάννος και η Βαγγελιώ ⬥ Giannos and Vangelio went to the same school, Giannos to learn to read and write, Vangelio to sing. Giannos fell in love and would take her for his wife. – Mother, I have something, something I must share. I love Vangelio and would take [...]
Γιώργη, βαράν τα σήμαντρα ⬥ Giorgi, they’re ringing the bells. So, Giorgi, get yourself off to church, get yourself off to church to take communion. "Mother, I sinned when serving as a soldier. They’d all tethered their mounts in a green meadow, but I went and tethered mine to a [...]
Εγώ ’μαι ’νους ψαρά παιδί ⬥ Studio recording (1980). Based on Domna Samiou's 1976 field recording of the song in Kymi, Euboea, sung by Μr. Papantoniou.
Πέρασα καλημέρισα ⬥ I passed by and bid four black eyes good day, four lips, dear Daphne, four red lips. Four red lips and two lithe, slender frames, I passed them by, dear Daphne, and asked them the way; they didn’t say a word, and I set off anyways. Along [...]
Στην Πόλη ήμουν κι έμαθα ⬥ I was in the City and heard my fairest was to wed, that she had exchanged vows with another. Mounting my horse, I set off home. And half way there, at the dragon’s well, I came upon a weeping maid clad all in black. [...]
Μηλίτσα που ’σαι στο γκρεμό ⬥ Little apple tree perched there on the brink, perched on the brink weighed down with apples, how I want your apples but fear the drop. – If you fear the drop, then come take the path. The path led me to a deserted chapel [...]
Ο Μάραντον ⬥ Marandon has received the order to go to war. He forges horseshoes of silver and nails of gold, He shoes his black steed by the light of the moon. His beloved beside him holds the nails in her kerchief: – Where are you going, where are you [...]
Ο Μάραντον ⬥ Word came calling Marandon up to fight. He forged horseshoes out of silver and nails out of gold and shoed his horse in the dead of night in the moonlight, his beloved at his side with the nails in her kerchief. - Where to, Marandon my love, [...]
Ο βασιλιάς και ο Μαυριανός ⬥ Mavrianos and the king were dining in a garden. Having nought of note to discuss, the talk turned to blonde girls and curly-headed girls, to girls with dark black eyes and how there wasn’t one in the world that couldn’t be seduced. – I [...]
Απόψε πίν' αφέντης μου ⬥ Studio recording, 2006. Domna Samiou taped the song in Pera Melana, Kynouria, Arcadia, sung by Angeliki (Koula) Aneziri, in 1972.
Γιε μου γιατί δε λούζεσαι ⬥ – My son, why don’t you go and wash, why don’t you change your clothing? Today, my child, is Easter Day, you’ll go and take communion. – No, mother, you must know I sinned while I was in the fighting. The other men all [...]
Εγώ είμαι ορφανό παιδί ⬥ No father had I, my mother was a widow. My mother was a widow and sold me, sold me into service to a good master. My master was joyful, his son was to wed, and bade me serve his guests from a golden jug. With [...]
Τ’ Αϊ-Γιωργιού τη βραδινή ⬥ On Saint George’s eve, as Saint George’s day was ending, a princess was rigging a solid gold frigate with sails of pure silk and silken cords for tackle, a helm of gold, oars wrought in silver, and a hand-picked crew, each a chosen man. When [...]
Μια Πασχαλιά, μια Κυριακή ⬥ One Easter Day, one Sunday, on a holy day, my little bird, a mother was adorning her son one Saturday from dawn to dusk, readying him for church on Sunday morn. Everybody went, hands reverently crossed, and I went, too, eyes tight shut. The congregation [...]
Μια κόρη από την Αμοργό ⬥ She’s a girl from Amorgos, ribbon, o my ribbon! she wants to go out to sea, braided, ribbon mine! But how? She cannot go to sea, she cannot use an oar. She pays three hundred florins down, the passage costs her that, and then she gives [...]
