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

Τσικουλάτα
(Chiculata)

(Chocolate)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Chiculata" (Τσικουλάτα), which was composed and sung by Giorgos Xanthiotis. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like.

For more information about the laiko and rebetiko styles of music, see Introduction to Laiko / Rebetiko Music elsewhere on this web site.

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

Giorgos Xanthiotis is a Greek Romani musician. Some say Chiculata was composed by another Greek Romani musician, Sotis Volanis (Σώτης Βολάνης).

In the Arabic version of this song, the chorus refers to dark-skinned beauties as small dark chocolate. It's sung in half Arabic and half Greek, with the chorus being Romani.

About Giorgos Xanthiotis

Born in Thrace in 1962, Giorgos Xanthiotis grew up in a family of Greek Romani musicians. His father, a clarinet player, had created a band. During one of their gigs, his father handed the microphone to 12-year-old Giorgos and he has embraced music ever since. He is known as both a singer and a composer of tsifteteli and laiko music.

Song: Chiculata, 2004

Lyrics: Panayiotis Kourebeles

Music: Giorgos Xanthiotis

Original Artist: Giorgos Xanthiotis

Dance Style: Belly Dance

Has Also Been Recorded By:

  • Ziynet Sali, 2005, in Greek
  • Samer Gabro, 2011, in Arabic ("Chocolata Chikita"), on album La La.

Τραγούδι: Τσικουλάτα, 2004

Στίχοι: Παναγιώτης Κουρεμπελές

Μουσική: Γιώργος Ξανθιώτης

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Γιώργος Ξανθιώτης

Χορός: Οριεντάλ, Χορό Της Κοιλιάς, Ανατολίτικο Χορό, Τσιφτετέλι, Χανούμικο, Κελικός Χορός

Άλλοι Ερμηνευτές:

  • Ζινετ Σαλι, 2005, Στα Ελληνικά
  • Σαμερ Γκαμπρο, 2011, Στα Αραβικά, on album Λα Λα

 

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Lyrics

Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation
Ναι ne Yes
     
Με ζαλίζει η ομορφιά σου me zalizi ee omorfia sou Your beauty is making me dizzy —
το καυτό το φόρεμα σου to kafto to forema sou Your hot dress. (1)
και στο μπαρ όταν χορεύεις ke sto bar otan horevis And when you dance on the bar, (2)
μάτια μου γλυκά, με τρελαίνεις matia mou glika, me trelenis my sweet eyes, you make me crazy!
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     
Έρωτά μου, ομορφιά μου erota mou, omorfia mou My love, my beauty,
μου 'χεις κάψει τη' καρδιά μου mou 'his kapsi ti' kardia mou you have burned my heart.
κάνε κάτι, κινδυνεύω kane kati, kindinevo Do something, I'm in danger!
πώς να σου το πω, σε λατρεύω pos na sou to po, se latrevo How can I tell you? I adore you!
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Instrumental

Instrumental

Instrumental
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     
Άιντι, άιντι aidi, aidi Come, come. (5)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
άιντι μάλε haidi male Come with us, get up! (3)
τσικουλατα, τσίκι τακ tsikoulata, tsiki ta Chocolate, choco lat, (4)
τσίκι τσίκι τσίκι τακ tsiki tsiki tsiki, tak choco choco choco, lat. (4)
  1. The word "kafto" can also mean short.
  2. Greeks always dance on bars, tables, and chairs!
  3. In Romanes (the Romani language).
  4. According to a Roma who was consulted for input on the Romani lyrics, "tsiki", "ta", and "tak" are nonsense syllables like "tra la la". Since these syllables appear in the word for chocolate, it makes sense to translate them into English using the syllables in the English word chocolate.
  5. In Greek, "ande" or "ainde" means "come".

 

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Related Translations on this Web Site

  • Chocolata Chikita (Small Piece of Chocolate). By Samer Gabro. Uses the same melody as this song.

 

 

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Translations of
Giorgos Xanthiotis' Songs On This Site

 

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About the Translator

This page was contributed by Panayiota Bakis, who is happy to share her culture and music she grew up with! Here's how Panayiota describes her background:

I always love engaging with intelligent like-minded people, especially artists. I love sharing anything and everything about my Hellenic culture and upbringing, especially music and dance. A conversation with me will bring you back to America's favorite Greek-American movie by Nia Vardalos called My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

I love investigating Greek culture, history, music, and dance. Speaking of investigating, I think I missed my calling, I probably should have been an investigator. Instead, I use those skills to dig and dig and dig tirelessly, often times falling asleep on my laptop... just to find the truth. But, most importantly, accurate truth. For me personally, and other respectable folklorists, my culture and accuracy are very important. Each generation of ethnic born artists has a duty to do the best it can to pass down our traditions as was taught to us. We have been given this artistic gift to be the gatekeepers of our heritage and culture.

Panayiota

 

 

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