I Went Aboard a Boat

Σε καινούργια βάρκα μπήκα

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Songs of Dame Sea

Lyrics

I went aboard a boat but newly built,
aboard a boat but newly built, and landed at St George.

I sought the seaman, strong and bold, who’d been out fishing for a catch.
“Good fishers, have you any fish, some lobsters and some squid maybe?”
“Why, yes, we’ve got some fat sardines, just what a pretty lass likes best;
and we’ve some tasty sea-bass too, a fish young girls will gladly eat.
What’s more, we do have squid as well, which dashing youngsters find a treat”.
“Thread golden rushes through their gills, and weigh them in the balance there”.

Translated by John Leatham

Original Lyrics

Σε καινούργια βάρκα μπήκα

Σε, μωρ’ σε, σε καινούργια βάρκα μπήκα,
σε καινούργια βάρκα μπήκα και στον Αϊ-Γιώργη βγήκα.

Βρίσκω ναύτες παλληκάρια που ψαρεύανε για ψάρια.
«Έχετε ψαράδες ψάρια, αστακούς και καλαμάρια;»
«Έχουμε γλυκιά σαρδέλα για την όμορφη κοπέλα·
έχουμε και τα λαβράκια, που τα τρών’ τα κοριτσάκια·
έχουμε και καλαμάρια, που τα τρών’ τα παλληκάρια».
«Βούρλωσέ* τα, πέρασέ τα, στην παλάντζα ζύγισέ τα».


*βούρλωσέ τα: πέρασέ τα σε βούρλο για τη μεταφορά

Rhythm: 2 beats
Duration: 04:18

Recording information

Studio recording (2000). Based on Domna Samiou’s 1964 field recording of the song in Agia Eleni, Serres, performed by the lyra player Dimitris Vlaskos.


Watch another version of the song from Propontis sung by Domna Samiou

Credits

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Spyros Koukos

Singers

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Spyros Koukos

Thracian lyra

Vangelis Karipis
Vangelis Karipis

Daouli (davul)

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Dimitris Vlaskos

Informant (source of the song)

Discography

See also

The wealth of Greek traditional music has been enriched by every aspect of maritime tradition – by its values, virtues and charm – as is amply demonstrated by this wonderful collection of songs. They embrace the ways people have sung, since Ulysses, about the temptations of the sea, its risks, […]