The Mule, the Mule

Το μλαρ, το μλαρ

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Original Lyrics

Το μλαρ, το μλαρ

Σήκω βρε Kατίγκω και άψε το φανάρ
να πάμε γύρου γύρου πα κι εύρομε το μλαρ.

Tο μλαρ, το μλαρ
δεν πάγω στο Πλωμάρ.

Πα στον ανεμόμ’λο γύριζε το μλαρ
όλη μέρα γύριζε λαγός με το φανάρ.

Mες στο νταμ το είχα κι έτρωγε χορτάρ
και ήρταν κι το κλέψαν κι αφήκαν το σαμάρ.

Region: Eastern Aegean
Area: Lesvos
Category: Carnival Song, Lampoon
Rhythm: 2 beats
Dance: Hasapikos (fast)
Duration: 02:32

Recording information

Studio recording, 1975.

Domna Samiou taped the song in Mandamados, Lesvos, sung by Stratís Chiropaídis, in 1968 in the office of the community of Mandamados.

Stratís Chiropaídis sang good and was the soul of the village feasts. He wore the traditional folk costume until the end. He took off his breeches and fez when, very old, was transferred to Athens to be taken care of by his children.

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The Mule, the Mule

Stratis Chiropaídis. Mandamados, Lesvos 1968.

© Domna Samiou Archive

Stratis Chiropaídis (1927)
Stratis Chiropaídis (1927)
Stavros Chiropedis (the father) and his wife Eleni are sitting holding their grandchildren. Standing in the center, Stratis and his two sisters, Elizabeth and Rodothea. Photo of 1927. Photo courtesy of St. Apostolellis.

© Domna Samiou Archive

Credits

Domna Samiou

Singers

Men’s Group

Choir

Petros Athanasopoulos-Kalyvas

Flute

Alekos Pavlou-Arapakis

Violin

Aristides Moschos

Santur

Dimitris Nomikos

Lute

Mathios Balabanis

Goblet drum

Stratis Chiropaídis

Informant (source of the song)

Discography

By the Flowering Oleander

See also

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The Beans

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The Rubbing Dance (Explicit)

  • Τρίψιμο ⬥ Live recording from the concert Carnival Songs with Domna Samiou held at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, on March 4, 2003. The song has explicit lyrics, and you can watch the video on YouTube if you're over 18.
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  • Ήρθαν τρεις σπανοί ⬥ Three beardless gents down from the City, five hairs between them, what a pity. Then bré bré bré a fourth sailed in, from Tinos, five lonely hairs upon his chin. When bré bré bré when the baldies saw him they rushed out in welcome, looking trim. [...]
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I Have Grown Old, Goddam It

  • Γέρασα, μωρέ παιδιά ⬥ 'I have grown old, goddammit, friends, I have grown old and cannot now, I have grown old and cannot now sing the songs I used to sing. I see young men and am green-eyed, an old man full of grievances. I’d rather suffer forty cuts than [...]
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Dear Mother, I Am Awfully Tired

  • Βαρέθηκα μανούλα μου ⬥ Dear mother, I am awfully tired of gazing out to sea, to sea, of gazing out to sea, to sea of asking the postman if I’ve got, if I’ve got a letter, a letter, and receiving no letter, no letter. Oh, how I wished you were the sea and [...]