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

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Kegome, Kegome" (Καίγομαι, Καίγομαι), which was originally sung by Sotiria Leonardou and later recorded by Glykeria. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like.

The song whose lyrics appear on this page is a different song from another released in 1951 which was also named "Kegome, Kegome". That one was sung by Stella Haskil and Takis Binis. It's also a different song from the one released in 1995 by Lefteris Pantazis.

About this Song

This beautiful, deep and sad song debuted in the 1983 Greek movie Rembetiko. In the movie, as Sotiria Leonardou's character Marika takes the stage to perform, she sees images of her husband beating her. The stage is typical of the legendary Greek nightclub Café Aman, which was where all Greeks, Turks, Armenians, Arabs, Jews gathered peacefully for entertainment and socializing.

The Rembetiko movie which featured this song was inspired and created by the life of one of the greatest Greek-Armenian Rebetises, Evangelia Atamian. Even though Evangelia was of Armenian decent, she still captured the hearts of Greeks and enjoyed a successful career. Her second husband, Niko (Ninos) Nikolaidis, was an entertainer and acrobat. Evangelia adopted the stage name Marika Ninou and performed with her husband as Duo Nino. They also collaborated with several other great artists of that time.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This photo shows Sotiria Leonardou, the original artist, in a performance.

For belly dancers thinking of using this song in a performance, Panayiota offers this perspective:

This song has a special meaning to Greeks that dancers need to be aware of. Although the lyrics mention a backstabbing lover, the song also refers to the fall and burning of Smyrna (known today as Izmir, Turkey) in September 1922. Many songs of this era that sing about burning and fires typically refer to this tragedy.

I have seen this song used in belly dance shows. I would not recommend it for a fun, happy performance. "Kegome, Kegome" is extremely intense and sorrowful. It could be appropriate as a veil piece. I would not use this for any Greek celebratory event.

This song could make your audience cry. I personally can’t get half way through the lyrics without crying.

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 Sotiria Leonardou

Sotiria Leonardou, the original artist for this song, was born in Athens, Greece. She learned to sing and dance at an arts school. Her rise to fame occurred as a result of her appearing in the 1983 motion picture Rembetiko, a role which earned her the award for Best Actress at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This photo shows actress/singer Sotiria Leonardou.

About Nikos Gatsos

Nikos Gatsos, the lyricist for this song, was born in southern Greece in 1911. He attended the University of Athens for two years, where he studied history, literature, and philosophy. He became a published poet, with his work featured in magazines.

After World War II, Gatsos began writing lyrics for songs. His body of work explores the human condition, with songs about sacrifice, injustice, evil, and the pains of love. He also wrote about Greek-specific issues such as the sorrows of exile.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This photo features lyricist Nikos Gatsos.

About Stavros Xarhakos

Stavros Xarhakos, the composer of this song, was born in 1939 in Athens. Beginning around 1963, he began composing music for theater and cinema. He studied in Paris for four years, then studied at the Juilliard School of Music. He is known worldwide for composing the musical score for the 1983 motion picture Rembetiko.

About Glykeria

Another artist who recorded this song was Glykeria Kotsoula. She 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 Haris Alexiou

Haris Alexiou is the professional name for Hariklia Roupaka (Χαρίκλεια Ρουπάκα). She was born in 1950 in Greece. She became successful as a rebetiko singer in the 1970's, and today is considered one of the most popular vocalists in Greece. She has recorded more than 30 albums of her own, and more than 20 of those have achieved either gold or platinum status.

About Melina Aslanidou

Melina Aslanidou was born to Greek parents as Symela Aslanidou in 1974 in Stuttgart, Germany. Her family later moved to Greece. She started with music at an early age, singing with the Paralimni Choir, which exposed her to the music of Pontus, Thrace, and Byzantium.

Aslanidou began her musical career in 2000 with th.e band Oi Apenanti and released an album with them. After leaving the band, she released her first solo album in 2003, with the second following in 2005. Additional releases followed, along with concert tours. In 2014 and 2015, she served as a coach for the musical competition television show The Voice of Greece, which further boosted her popularity.

In January 2017, Aslanidou and Michalis Kouinelis released their collaboration on the song "Nero Ke Homa", and it became one of the biggest hits of the year.

About Eleftheria Arvanitaki

Eleftheria Arvanitaki, one of the artists to record this song, is a Greek folk singer known for singing rebetiko, laiko, and jazz musical styles. Born in 1957, she started her singing career as a member of the ensemble Opisthodromiki Kompania (Retrograde Company) that performed rebetiko music. She then spun off to launch a solo singing career in 1984 with an album that bore her name. She has toured extensively to perform at festivals and other live music events. Arvanitaki performed in the closing ceremony for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens.

Lyrics: Nikos Gatsos

Music: Stavros Xarhakos

Original Artist: Sotiria Leonardou

Has Also Been Sung By:

• Glykeria
• Haris Alexiou
• Eleftheria Arvanitaki
• Maria Soultatou
• Melina Aslanidou

Στίχοι: Νίκος Γκάτσος

Μουσική: Σταύρος Ξαρχάκος

Πρώτη εκτέλεση: Σωτηρία Λεονάρδου

Άλλοι Ερμηνευτές:

• Γλυκερία
• Χάρις Αλεξίου
• Ελεύθερια Αρβανιτάκη
• Μαρία Σουλτατου
  
• Μέλινα Ασλανίδου

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

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• Bournovalia

• Kegome, Kegome

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.