I Was Far Away, but Now I’m Back

Ξένος ήμαν κι ήρθα τώρα

00:00
I Tread the Earth Gently

Lyrics

“I was far away,
but now I’m back from foreign lands,
with diamonds and fresh-struck gold
and silver coins for you”.

“What use is gold to me, what good is silver,
when my heart is locked tight shut two and forty times?
Money won’t open it, gold is not the key.
Brave young men and blue eyes alone
can unlock my heart and let love it”.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Original Lyrics

Ξένος ήμαν κι ήρθα τώρα

«Ξένος ήμαν κι ήρθα τώρα από μέσα απ’ τη Φραγκιά,
σου ’φερα καινούργια γρόσια και διαμάντια και φλουριά».

«Τι τα θέλω εγώ τα γρόσια, τι τα θέλω τα φλουριά,
’χω καρδιά μου κλειδωμένη με σαράντα δυο κλειδιά;
Δεν ανοίγει με παράδες, δεν ανοίγει με φλουριά,
μόν’ ανοίγει με λεβέντες και με μάτια γαλανά».

Region: Thrace
Category: Love Song
Rhythm: Free rythm
Duration: 03:23

Recording information

Studio recording (2006). Based on Domna Samiou’s 1976 field recording of the song in Nea Vyssa, Evros, sung by Father Dimitris Godosis.

Credits

See also

A resident of the village of Paliouri in Didymoteicho. Domna Samiou met him in 1976 during the filming of the TV programme Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou – Thrace, Evros. Together with his son, Υannis Zafiroudis, they sang to her songs from the local tradition. Domna included the table […]
Virtuoso of the clarinet and the flute, from the village of Chandras in Orestiada, Evros. He collaborated with Dora Stratou and Karyofyllis Doitsidis. He was one of the principal local bearers of the musical tradition of Thrace. During the shooting of the TV programme Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou […]
A farmer and amateur violinist from Paliouri, Didymoteicho. Domna Samiou met him in 1976 during the shooting of the TV programme Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou – Thrace, Evros. Together with his father, Christos Zafiroudis, he sang local songs for her. In the following video excerpt from the programme, […]
(1928–2013) | Gaida-player from Asproneri in Didymoteicho, Evros. He played and sang in weddings and feasts. Domna Samiou met him in 1976 during shooting of the TV program Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou – Thrace, Evros (ΕRT, 1977), where he played local tunes.