Από τα μπεντένια πέφτω ⬥ I’ll jump from the battlements, I’ll end it all now; and my love shouts: “For the love of God, catch him somehow!” I didn't see you yesterday or today, I can’t take this torture, there’s just no way. I've vowed to wear black for the [...]
Μαύρα μάτια κι αν θελήσω ⬥ If I want black eyes, I have them in hand — they’re my darling’s, my other half’s. Douneme, doumanaki, douneme, vai, vai, douneme, doumanaki, douneme, vai. My dear white rose, I desire your flower; when you’re away, I’m sad, when you return, I’m happy. [...]
Αν θέλεις για να παντρευτείς ⬥ If you want to marry, to take a wife, come ask me do, I’ll tell you who’s good for you. Don’t take a white woman, no sack of flower; for a sack of flower will always be dour. Don’t take a black woman, no [...]
Τα κανάρια ⬥ Studio recording, 1986. Domna Samiou taped the song in Agiassos, Lesvos, sung by a group of amateur actors, in 1965. According to the informants, the song originates from the village of Demircili, near Urla on the Eritrean peninsula.
Κανελόριζα ⬥ Down by the distant coast, down by the sandy shore is the girl — is the girl I love. The girl I love, with hair so fair and eyes so dark, she’s but twelve — she’s but twelve years old. She’s but twelve years old, the sun has [...]
Καρσιλαμάς ⬥ Instrumental tune with Petros Athanasopoulos-Kalyvas (clarinet) and Yiorgos Koros (violin). Studio recording (1986). Based on Domna Samiou's 1982 field recording of the tune in Simandra, Chalkidiki, performed by the musicians Yannis Nikolaidis (violin) and Antonis Thomaidis (laouto, lute in English).
Αντικριστός ⬥ A dance with a 9-beat rhythm (2-3-2-2), known also as karsilamas from Megara. The same tune is also danced on the island of Kythnos. Recorded in 1961.
Καρσιλαμάς ⬥ Instrumental version of the song Karsilamas Dance from Marmara, recorded in 1997. The karsilamas is a face-to-face dance. As a traditional dance —mainly performed at weddings— it exists in many regional variations throughout Greece.
Καρσιλαμάς ⬥ The tune is well known among the Megarians, who likely learned it from refugees from the village of Meli on the Erythraea Peninsula, when the latter were resettled near Megara in Attica. Studio recording (1995).
Να το πούμε ένα ⬥ One, let’s say one one is the nightingale, and sweetly does she sing. Let’s say two, two partridges on the threshing floor one is the nightingale, and sweetly does she sing. Let’s say three, three is the Holy Trinity two partridges on the threshing floor [...]
Σαν τα μάρμαρα της Πόλης ⬥ Like the marble slabs that stand in St. Sophia so well-matched and symmetrical are your eyebrows, eyes and hair. I have decided to become a dome in St. Sophia for fair girls and for dark ones to come and worship there. Translated by Mania Seferiades
Νανούρισμα ⬥ Come, sleep, come take her to the gardens and fill her bosom with flowers. Sleep, fair day, bestarred night, O May of blooms and spring shoots. Sleep, sown by an eagle, hatched by a goose, and raised by a golden hawk. Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
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 [...]
Νανούρισμα - Ύπνε που παίρνεις τα παιδιά ⬥ Studio recording, 1961. Released in 1961, in the LP Songs of the Sea and of the Highlands (Philips 600506 PR, 1961) supervised by Domna Samiou.
Το παραθύρι σ’ να καεί ⬥ May your window catch fire and your door cave in so I may get my hands on your divine body. You sit at your window with other girls beside you, you are the rose and they your branches. How can you ask where we [...]
Σγουρέ βασιλικέ μου ⬥ My curly basil, when did you grow so and spread your branches, little one, and steal my wits away? Oh curly basil, dear little marjoram ‘tis you will part me from my mother. Basil I will be, in your pot I shall grow tended by your [...]
Καλέ, δε με λυπάσαι ⬥ My heartless love, do you not feel for me as you don your finery and I lose myself for love of thee? Come kiss me quick and be quickly on your way, lest the neighbors see us and say your heart is mine. Translated by Michael [...]
Τα παλαιά μου βάσανα ⬥ My old torments have been and gone. Now new ones with snake’s fangs have come along. Mantalenia, Mantalenia Spare me a thought as I walk by. Your name is Mantalenia And your kiss is sweet as pie. If you cause me torment, little bird, and [...]
