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 Douneme, [...]
Μέσ’ της Πόλης τ’ αργαστήρια ⬥ In the workshops of Constantinople, In the gold and silver smiths’, I first laid eyes on your likeness, And my heart was yours forthwith. You stand there in the church Like a column made of marble And at the sight of you The priests [...]
Κανελόριζα ⬥ Down by the distance 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 [...]
Αντικρυστός ⬥ A dance with a 9-beat rhythm (2-3-2-2), known also as “karsilamas from Megara”. The same tune is also danced in Kythnos island. Recorded in 1961.
Καρσιλαμάς ⬥ The tune is very well known among Megarians who must have learnt it from refugees from the village of Melí on the Erythraea peninsula when the latter were settled in the neighbourhood of Mégara, Attica. Recorded in 1995.
Αντικρυστός χορός – Τσιφτ ⬥ The tune is known also as 'tsift'. The kanun master Nikos Stefanidis taught this tune to Domna Samiou and her musicians. Recorded in 1991.
Μαρμαρινός καρσιλαμάς ⬥ May this Bálos last, last until morning that the girls may dance with their mates! Ah, my barber boy, come, embrace my neck.1 Black eyes of mine and sweet, why are you angry? Did perhaps your mother scold you about me? I saw eyes and eyebrows and [...]
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
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, [...]
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 [...]
Τί να την κάμω μια καρδιά (α) ⬥ Studio recording, 2002. Collected in Smyrna by Nikólaos B. Phardýs, at 1876-1877 during his studies at the Evangelical School of Smyrna.
Παραπονιάρικό μου ⬥ Poor sad love who weeps all day, What is it ails you, why won’t you say? Sneak to the window and pretend It’s your marjoram that you tend. Come to the window and see My heart’s blood as it spills for thee. Oh, aman I did not [...]
Αποφάσισα να γίνω ⬥ So, I decided I'd become a dome high on Aghiá Sophiá, amán, my love, amán, Then Turkish girls and Greek ones, too, would come along to worship there. My fair and fat Sultana, dear, you've gone and broken my poor heart, You've robbed me of my senses and you've [...]
Σωκιανή ⬥ Ah, aman, aman, Sokiani1, Sokiani, my heart goes out to thee. Ah, aman, aman, Menemen’, Menemen’, thou art my heart’s desire. Ah, aman, aman, Odemis’, Odemis’, oh my it burn and topple. Ah, aman, aman, Bergama, Bergama, grow rich from toil and gild me. Ah, aman, aman, Phokiani, Phokiani2, my heart goes out [...]
