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

Καταστροφή
(Katastrofi)

(Destruction)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Katastrofi" (Καταστροφή), which was sung by Paola Foka. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like.

This song, "Katastrofi", has a rock Oriental beat.

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 Paola Foka

Paola Foka is a Greek singer with a Romani father and a Greek mother, both musicians. Her birth name is Pagona Karamitriou. She was born in 1982 in Thessaloniki, and began singing at age 14 at the suggestion of a shopkeeper. By age 19, she had a job singing at a nightclub. In 2005, she released her first album, then moved to Athens to continue her career. In the years that followed, she released five additional albums. Her fourth album went platinum within 3 days.

Today, Foka remains a very popular Greek Romany singer who specializes in the laiko style of Greek music! Usually, any song she releases is a big hit.

Song: Katastrofi (Destruction), 2019

Lyrics: Vasilis Yianopoulos & Yiorgos Natsios

Music: Yiorgos Natsios

Original Artist: Paola Foka

Dance Style: Belly Dance

Album: Katastrofi (Single)

Τραγούδι: Καταστροφή, 2019

Στίχοι: Βασίλης Γιαννόπουλος k Γιώργος Νάτσιος

Μουσική: Γιώργος Νάτσιος

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Πάολα Φωκά (Παγώνα Καραμήτσου)

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

Άλμπουμ: Καταστροφή (Single)

 

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Lyrics

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

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

Chorus #1

Chorus #1

Chorus #1
Καταστροφή ζητάς katastrofi zitas You are asking for destruction,
και τσαμπουκά πουλάς ke tsabouka poulas and you are putting up a tough outer shell. (1)
έρχεσαι στο μυαλό erhese sto mialo You come into my mind,
και μου φέρνεις πανικό ke mou fernis paniko and you bring panic to me.
     
Κάτι μου συμβαίνει kati mou simveni Something is happening to me,
κάτι μ΄ αρρωσταίνει kati m' arosteni something [is] making me sick.
νιώθω που σε χάνω niotho pou se hano I feel that I'm losing you.
και δεν ξέρω τι να κάνω ke den xero ti na kano I don't know what to do.
κάτι έχεις πάθει kati ehis pathi Something has happened to you,
ρόδο μου και αγκάθι rodo mou ke agathi my rose and thorn.
πώς να ησυχάσω pos na isihaso How can I relax myself?
θα τα πιω tha ta pio I will drink,
και θα τα σπάσω ke tha ta spaso and I will break everything. (2)
     

Chorus #1

Chorus #1

Chorus #1
Καταστροφή ζητάς katastrofi zitas You are asking for destruction,
και τσαμπουκά πουλάς ke tsabouka poulas and you are putting up a tough outer shell. (1)
έρχεσαι στο μυαλό erhese sto mialo You come into my mind,
και μου φέρνεις πανικό ke mou fernis paniko and you bring panic to me.
     

Chorus #2

Chorus #2

Chorus #2
μη' μου τηλεφωνείς mi' mou tilefonis Don't call me,
μη' ψάχνεις να με βρεις mi' psahnis na me vris don't try to find me.
σου το ΄πα μια και δυο sou to 'pa mia ke dio I told you once and [I told you] twice —
τρίτη δεν θα σου το πω triti den tha sou to po [the] third time I won't tell you.
     
Μεσ' στα δυο σου μάτια mes' sta dio sou matia In your two eyes,
κάστρα και παλάτια μέτραγα θυμάμαι kastra ke palatia metraga thimame I remember I was counting castles and palaces
κάθε βράδυ να κοιμάμαι kathe vradi na kimase every night [while] you were sleeping.
τώρα η σελήνη tora ee selini Now the moon
μόνη έχει μείνει moni ehi mini has been left alone,
και μου λέει για ΄σένα λόγια παραπονεμένα ke mou lei ya 'sena loyia paraponemena and it's complaining to me about you (3)
     

Chorus #1

Chorus #1

Chorus #1
Καταστροφή ζητάς katastrofi zitas You are asking for destruction,
και τσαμπουκά πουλάς ke tsabouka poulas and you are putting up a tough outer shell. (1)
έρχεσαι στο μυαλό erhese sto mialo You come into my mind,
και μου φέρνεις πανικό ke mou fernis paniko and you bring panic to me.
     

Chorus #2

Chorus #2

Chorus #2
μη' μου τηλεφωνείς mi' mou tilefonis Don't call me,
μη' ψάχνεις να με βρεις mi' psahnis na me vris don't try to find me.
σου το ΄πα μια και δυο sou to 'pa mia ke dio I told you once and [I told you] twice —
τρίτη δεν θα σου το πω triti den tha sou to po [the] third time I won't tell you.
     

Instrumental

Instrumental

Instrumental
     

Chorus #1

Chorus #1

Chorus #1
Καταστροφή ζητάς katastrofi zitas You are asking for destruction,
και τσαμπουκά πουλάς ke tsabouka poulas and you are putting up a tough outer shell. (1)
έρχεσαι στο μυαλό erhese sto mialo You come into my mind,
και μου φέρνεις πανικό ke mou fernis paniko and you bring panic to me.
     

Chorus #2

Chorus #2

Chorus #2
μη' μου τηλεφωνείς mi' mou tilefonis Don't call me,
μη' ψάχνεις να με βρεις mi' psahnis na me vris don't try to find me.
σου το ΄πα μια και δυο sou to 'pa mia ke dio I told you once and [I told you] twice.
     

Chorus #1

Chorus #1

Chorus #1
Καταστροφή ζητάς katastrofi zitas You are asking for destruction,
και τσαμπουκά πουλάς ke tsabouka poulas and you are putting up a tough outer shell. (1)
έρχεσαι στο μυαλό erhese sto mialo You come into my mind,
και μου φέρνεις πανικό ke mou fernis paniko and you bring panic to me.
     

Chorus #2

Chorus #2

Chorus #2
μη' μου τηλεφωνείς mi' mou tilefonis Don't call me,
μη' ψάχνεις να με βρεις mi' psahnis na me vris don't try to find me.
σου το ΄πα μια και δυο sou to 'pa mia ke dio I told you once and [I told you] twice —
τρίτη δεν θα σου το πω triti den tha sou to po [the] third time I won't tell you.
  1. Literally, "you are selling an attitude". The word "poulas" means "to sell", and in this song it is used to mean the person is projecting or putting up another face, another front.
  2. Breaking things is a common Greek expression and action! It's mentioned in many songs, both old and new.
  3. Literally, "it's telling me about you, complaining words".

 

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Translations of
Paola Foka's Songs On This Site

Translations on this web site of songs performed by Paola Foka include:

  • Ftes (Blame). 2012.

 

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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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