My Precious (Tzivaeri)

Τζιβαέρι

00:00

Lyrics

Alas, my precious,
my fragrant flower now brings joy to a foreign land,
gently, gently and quietly.

Alack, 'twas I sent him away, my precious,
no one made me,
gently, gently, I tread the earth gently.

I curse you foreign land, you and your prosperity,
you took my child away and made him yours.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Original Lyrics

Τζιβαέρι

Aχ, η ξενιτιά το χαίρεται, τζιβαέρι μου
το μοσχολούλουδό μου
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά και ταπεινά.

Αχ, εγώ 'μαι που το έστειλα, τζιβαέρι μου
με θέλημα δικό μου
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά πατώ στη γη.

Αχ, πανάθεμά σε ξενιτιά, τζιβαέρι μου
εσέν’ και το καλό σου
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά και ταπεινά.

Αχ, που πήρες το παιδάκι μου, τζιβαέρι μου
και το ’κανες δικό σου
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά και ταπεινά.

Region: Dodecanese
Type: Couplets
Rhythm: 4 beats
Duration: 03:11

Recording information

Studio recording, 1966. Released in 45 rpm disc (Fidelity 7387, 1966) supervised by Domna Samiou (Recordings in 45 RPM). Later, in 2008, Yiorgos Tsambras included the track in the CD collection Mousiko Odiporiko 1959-1969 (Universal Music, 2008).

Credits

Ilias Vassilarakis

Violin

Pantelis Chatzipetros

Santur

See also