Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

θέλω στη' θερμή σου αγκάλη

Χρόνια λαχταρώ, γιαβρί μου

οη γιαλα γιαλα οχ

1. The Greek word feredzes could be translated as either niqaab or yashmak. Niqaab is an Arabic term, and yashmak is a Turkish term for a face veil that covers the entire face except the eyes.
2. The endearment "yavri mou" is a Pontian term. Turks say yavrum. Pontus is a region on the south side of the Black Sea that historically was populated by Greek people, located in the nation known today as modern-day Turkey.
3. The Greek word meraklis refers to someone who lives with passion, love, feeling, loves to enjoy, living life to the fullest. In Turkish, the word is "merakli", and in Arabic it's "merak". It's a special way of saying the person's intensity of enjoying life is much deeper than this explanation can articulate. Some people say the original root word was Turkish. The meaning of the word meraklis can vary, depending on how it's used in a sentence. In general, it's a word in the Rebetiko dialect that refers to feeling.
4. The Greek word "sevdali" means someone with yearning or love. There is a similar Arabic term "sawda".
5. A laterna is an old portable Greek music box instrument that was similar to a portable player piano. In English, it would be called a portable piano barrel. These instruments were very iconic to the era when this song originally appeared! The word "laterna" is also used to refer to someone who looks or is dressed like a laterna ("san laterna ise"). It means that the person's attire looks gaudy, a fashion faux pas. Calling someone a laterna suggests that they are wearing too much jewelry and too many accessories, causing them to look like a heavily decorated laterna instrument. The photo to the right shows what a laterna looks like.
6. "Aman" is a Greek exclamation that can mean "Oh!" or "Oh my!" or "Oh boy!"
7. The word kislar comes from Turkish. In Turkish, it can means "girls", but another meaning is that it's the eunuch who guards the girls of the harem. In this song, it refers to the eunuch.

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

Φερετζέ φορώ, γιαβρί μου

αχ μάγια μου `κανες

Instrumental

Instrumental

Instrumental

1. The Greek word feredzes could be translated as either niqaab or yashmak. Niqaab is an Arabic term, and yashmak is a Turkish term for a face veil that covers the entire face except the eyes.
2. The endearment "yavri mou" is a Pontian term. Turks say yavrum. Pontus is a region on the south side of the Black Sea that historically was populated by Greek people, located in the nation known today as modern-day Turkey.
3. "Aman" is a Greek exclamation that can mean "Oh!" or "Oh my!" or "Oh boy!"
4. The Greek word meraklis refers to someone who lives with passion, love, feeling, loves to enjoy, living life to the fullest. In Turkish, the word is "merakli", and in Arabic it's "merak". It's a special way of saying the person's intensity of enjoying life is much deeper than this explanation can articulate. Some people say the original root word was Turkish. The meaning of the word meraklis can vary, depending on how it's used in a sentence. In general, it's a word in the Rebetiko dialect that refers to feeling.
5. The Greek word "sevdali" means someone with yearning or love. There is a similar Arabic term "sawda".
6. A laterna is an old portable Greek music box instrument that was similar to a portable player piano. In English, it would be called a portable piano barrel. These instruments were very iconic to the era when this song originally appeared! The word "laterna" is also used to refer to someone who looks or is dressed like a laterna ("san laterna ise"). It means that the person's attire looks gaudy, a fashion faux pas. Calling someone a laterna suggests that they are wearing too much jewelry and too many accessories, causing them to look like a heavily decorated laterna instrument. The photo to the right shows what a laterna looks like.

• Agapi Hioni (in duet with Natacha Atlas)
• Apo Xeno Topo (From Foreign Lands). Traditional Anatolian song. Same melody as the Turkish song Üsküdar'a Giderken.
• Boufedzis (Buffet). A Greek song which uses the music from the refrain "How dry I am" from Irving Berlin's song "The Near Future".
• Bournovalia
• Feredze Foro
• Hamopoulia
• Kanis Edo Den Tragouda (same song as Ragizi Apopse ee Kardia, just a different title)
• Kegome Kegome (Rebetiko version)
• Mana Mou Einai I Anatoli
• Me Bounatses Ke Boforia
• Mesa Sto Erimo Spitaki (Inside the Deserted Little Home). Duet with Giorgos Dalaras, 1984.
• Mi Mou Lete Ya Afti
• Mia Melaxrini
• Misirlou (includes translations of 8 Greek versions, including the one Glykeria recorded in 1998)

• Na Xanarthis (Come Back)
• Pare Me Apopse Pare Me
• Piga se Magisses (I Went to Witches)
• Ragizi Apopse ee Kardia (same song as Kanis Edo Den Tragouda, just a different title)
• Sti Mayemeni Arapia
• Ta Pentoxiliara

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.