PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the traditional old Greek song "Apo Xeno Topo" (Aπό ξένο τόπο). Artists who have recorded it include Maria Soultatou, Glykeria, and many others.

Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source.

About this Song

This traditional song from Asia Minor (where modern-day Turkey resides) is the Greek counterpart for the Turkish song "Üsküdara Gideriken", with entirely different lyrics. Versions of it have been sung in many languages in many places around the world. In fact, there is even a documentary titled Whose Is This Song? that discovers and reveals many of those versions.

In the original version of this song, the lyrics refer to a love story with a 12 year old girl. To avoid pedophilia accusations, many artists who performed this song changed the age to 18, and others to 20.

About Glykeria

Glykeria Kotsoula is the sweetheart of Greece and one of the greatest legends of our time. She was born in 1953 in Serres, Greece. Her musical style is modern laika (rebetika & folk), while still always paying tribute to the great Rebetes of the past.

Panayiota, the translator of this song, offers this personal perspective on what Glykeria's music means to her:

Glykeria's music always has and always will inspire me both on and off the stage. I admire her simplicity and humbleness despite her fame and success. While most kids were learning standard lullabies, my mother would sing all her songs to me, since I was a baby. My mother Evangelia is a huge fan and loves singing her songs. On family road trips, my mother played all her tapes over and over again. Those cassette tapes are what made me fall in love with Laika/Rebetika style music at the age of ten. Thank you Glykeria, thank you Mama! Enjoy!

Most of Glykeria's records have gone platinum. She has gained fame and respect through out the world. Glykeria collaborates with many notable international musicians, including the Turkish living legend, Omar Farouk Tekbilek.

About Keti Grey

Keti Grey is the professional name for Athanassia Gkizili. She was born on the Greek island of Samos in 1924. She started her career as an actress, but went on to record her first song in 1952, and over her career she worked with all the great composers of her time. In the 1960's, Grey was the highest paid singer in Greece with a salary that exceeded 8,000 drachmas. Over the course of her career, she recorded over 1,500 songs before retiring in 1995. She starred in 19 films as an actress and a singer.

Song: Apo Xeno Topo (From a Foreign Place)

Lyrics: Traditional

Music: Traditional

Some Artists Who Have Recorded It:

A documentary titled Whose Is This Song? discovers many recordings of this song in many languages. There are also many resources on the Internet identifying many artists and languages where this song has been found. These highlights were selected for this page, but some Internet searching will reveal many other artists and languages.

In Greek

• Xanthippi Karathanasi ("Apo Xeno Topo")
• Mariza Koch
• Mario Liberopoulo, 1917 ("Apo Xeno Kosmo")
• Giorgos Vidali, 1926 ("Ehasa Mantili")
• Lefteris Menemenlis, 1928 ("Ehasa Mantili")
• Kazis Miltiadis, 1928 ("Ehasa Mantili")
• Virginia Magidou ("Eskoutari")
• Keti Grey, 1960 ("Apo Xeno Topo"), with Markos Vamvakaris on the album Ta Matoklada Sou Lampoun
• Glykeria, 2008 ("Apo Xeno Topo"), on her album Όλα Τα Σμυρναίικα
• Maria Soultatou ("Apo Xeno Topo")
• Omid Tahmasebpur, 2010 ("Apo Xeno Topo")
• Katerina Papadopoulou, 2010, on the album Πολίτικη Ζυγιά

In Other Languages

• Safiye Ayla, 1949, in Turkish
• Eartha Kitt, 1953, in Turkish ("Uska Dara")
• Mohamed El-Bakkar, 1959, in Arabic ("Banat Iskandaria") on his album Port Said
• Zeki Müren, 1968, in Turkish, sang the song in the movie Kâtip (Üsküdar'a Giderken)
• Chris Kalogerson, 1975, instrumental ("Banat Iskandaria") on his album Belly Dancing for Everyone
• Hani Mitwasi, 2006, in Arabic ("Gazali Gazali") on his album Khamrat Al Hob
• Loreena McKennitt, 2006 ("Sacred Shabbat") on the album An Ancient Muse

Dance Styles:

• Syrtos
• Syrto-Tsifteteli
• Belly Dance

Τραγούδι: Aπό ξένο τόπο

Στίχοι: Παραδοσιακό

Μουσική: Παραδοσιακό

Ερμηνευτές:

Στα Ελληνικά

• Μάριο Λυμπερόπουλο, 1917 ("Άπο Χένω Κόσμο")
• Γιώργος Βιδάλη, 1926 ("Έχασα Μαντήλι")
• Λευτέρης Μενεμενλης, 1928 ("Έχασα Μαντήλι")
• Καζης Μιλτιάδης, 1928 ("Έχασα Μαντήλι")
• Καίτη Γκρέυ, 1961 ("Aπό ξένο τόπο")
• Γλύκερια, 2008 ("Aπό ξένο τόπο")
• Μαριά Σουλτάτου ("Aπό ξένο τόπο")

Χορός:

• Συρτός
• Συρτοτσιφτετέλι
• Οριεντάλ, Χορό Της Κοιλιάς, Ανατολίτικο Χορό, Τσιφτετέλι, Τσιφτετέλια, Χανούμικο, Κελικός Χορός