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Home / Her Work / Song Catalogue / Health to You, O Holy One
In Galata a shower falls, a downpour in Tatavla.
The loveliest of all the girls is she who’s dressed in black.
It was nothing but a dream and we’ve forgotten it.
Health to you, o Holy One, we two have talked at length.
In Galata I’ll drink some wine, in Pera I’ll get tight.
Yedi Koule is home to her with whom I’ll fall in love.
It was nothing but a dream and we’ve forgotten it.
Health to you, o Holy One, we two have talked at length.
Yedi Koule and Tharapia, Tatavla and Nichori —
it’s these four villages alone adorn the ancient City.
It was nothing but a dream and we’ve forgotten it.
Health to you, o Holy One, we two have talked at length.
Translated by John Leatham
Στο Γαλατά ψιλή βροχή και στα Ταταύλα μπόρα,
βασίλισσα των κοριτσιών είναι η Μαυροφόρα.
Έχε γεια, Παναγιά, τα μιλήσαμε,
όνειρο ήτανε, τα λησμονήσαμε.
Στο Γαλατά θα πιω κρασί, στο Πέρα θα μεθύσω,
και μέσ’ απ’ το Γεντί Κουλέ κοπέλα θ’ αγαπήσω.
Έχε γεια, Παναγιά, τα μιλήσαμε·
όνειρο ήτανε, τα λησμονήσαμε.
Γεντί Κουλέ και Θαραπιά, Ταταύλα και Νιχώρι —
αυτά τα τέσσερα χωριά ’μορφαίνουνε την Πόλη.
Έχε γεια, Παναγιά, τα μιλήσαμε·
όνειρο ήτανε, τα λησμονήσαμε.
The dance, also known as hasaposervikos, can be found practically all over Greece. It is a faster variant of hasapikos (butcher’s dance). The faster tempo comes from the north, hence the term serviko (Serbian). It is danced by both men and women holding each other’s shoulders.
Live recording from the concert The known and unknown Domna, held on 29 October 1998 at the Megaron — the Athens Concert Hall. The song was taught to Domna Samiou in 1970 by Achilleas Zafiropoulos when he first arrived in Greece from Constantinople.
Singers
Clarinet
Violin
Constantinopolitan lute
Goblet drum
Tambourine