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

Μάνα Μου Είναι Η Ανατολή
(Mana Mou Einai I Anatoli)

(My Mother Is Anatolia)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Mana Mou Einai I Anatoli" (Μάνα Μου Είναι Η Ανατολή), which was sung by Glykeria Kotsoula. Another way of spelling the song title is "Mana Mou Ine Ee Anatoli". 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 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.

Glykeria

About Panos Falaras

Born in 1951, Panos Falaras has been a very prolific lyricist on the Greek music scene, having created over 1,500 songs. At age 17, he took a correspondence course via mail in how to write song lyrics. A lyrics competition in 1974 co-sponsored by the Columbia record company and the magazine Tahidromos resulted in his submission being chosen as one of 12 to be set to music and recorded. From that beginning, he moved into working with many prominent Greek recording artists, and has enjoyed a vibrant musical career.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: The photo shows the lyricist, Panos Falaras.

About Domenikos Vamvakaris

Domenikos Vamvakaris is the son of the legendary musician Markos Vamvakaris, one of the fathers of rebetiko music.

Song: Mana Mou Ine Ee Anatoli (My Mother Is Anatolia), 1986

Lyrics: Panos Falaras

Music: Domenikos Vamvakaris

Original Artist: Glykeria Kotsoula

Dance Style: Belly Dancing

Τραγούδι: Μάνα Μου Είναι Η Ανατολή, 1986

Στίχοι: Πάνος Φαλάρας

Μουσική: Δομένικος Βαμβακάρης

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Γλυκερία Κοτσούλα

Άλμπουμ: Μάτια Μου

 

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Lyrics

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

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation
Η νύχτα μεθυσμένη ee nihta methismeni The night is drunk,
η νύχτα μεθυσμένη ee nihta methismeni the night is drunk
με ταξίμια me taximia with taxims. (1)
κaι ανάβει το λυχνάρι ο Αλαντίν ke anavi to lihnari o Aladin And Aladdin is lighting the lamp
προτού να γίνουν όλα τα βλαστήμια protou na yinoun ola ta vlastimia before all the swearing happens.
βαθιά μου σμίγω το αμάν και το αμήν vathia mou smigo to aman kai to amin Deep down, I'm mingling the aman (2) and amen.
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Μάνα μου είναι η Ανατολή mana mou ine ee Anatoli My mother is Anatolia, (3)
κι η μοίρα μου Ρεμπέτισσα ke ee mira mou Rebetisa and my fate is [that of a] rebetisa. (4)
κaι όλη τη' πονεμένη μου ζωή ke oli ti' ponemeni mou zoi And all of my painful life,
με το ταξίμι κέντησα me to taximi kendisa I knitted with the taxim. (1)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Μάνα μου είναι η Ανατολή mana mou ine ee Anatoli My mother is Anatolia, (3)
κι η μοίρα μου Ρεμπέτισσα ke ee mira mou Rebetisa and my fate is [that of a] rebetisa. (4)
κaι όλη τη' πονεμένη μου ζωή ke oli ti' ponemeni mou zoi And all of my painful life,
με το ταξίμι κέντησα me to taximi kendisa I knitted with the taxim. (1)
     
Μαγεύουν οι αγάπες mayevoun ee agapes The lovers are capturing,
μαγεύουν οι αγάπες το μυαλό μου mayevoun ee agapes to mialo mou the lovers are capturing my brain.
και οι Ρεμπέτες όλοι στη' γραμμή ke ee Rebetes oli sti' grami And the rebetes (4) are all in line,
ταξίδι για το μέλλον τ' όνειρό μου taxidi ya to mellon t' oniro mou traveling into the future of my dream,
κaι αυτοί να βρίσκονται μπροστά μου μια ζωή ke afti na vriskonde brosta mou mia zoi

and them constantly ending up in front of me on my entire journey through life.
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Μάνα μου είναι η Ανατολή mana mou ine ee Anatoli My mother is Anatolia, (3)
κι η μοίρα μου Ρεμπέτισσα ke ee mira mou Rebetisa and my fate is [that of a] rebetisa. (4)
κaι όλη τη' πονεμένη μου ζωή ke oli ti' ponemeni mou zoi And all of my painful life,
με το ταξίμι κέντησα me to taximi kendisa I knitted with the taxim. (1)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Μάνα μου είναι η Ανατολή mana mou ine ee Anatoli My mother is Anatolia, (3)
κι η μοίρα μου Ρεμπέτισσα ke ee mira mou Rebetisa and my fate is [that of a] rebetisa. (4)
κaι όλη τη' πονεμένη μου ζωή ke oli ti' ponemeni mou zoi And all of my painful life,
με το ταξίμι κέντησα me to taximi kendisa I knitted with the taxim. (1)
     

Instrumental

Instrumental

Instrumental
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Μάνα μου είναι η Ανατολή mana mou ine ee Anatoli My mother is Anatolia, (3)
κι η μοίρα μου Ρεμπέτισσα ke ee mira mou Rebetisa and my fate is [that of a] rebetisa. (4)
κaι όλη τη' πονεμένη μου ζωή ke oli ti' ponemeni mou zoi And all of my painful life,
με το ταξίμι κέντησα me to taximi kendisa I knitted with the taxim. (1)
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Μάνα μου είναι η Ανατολή mana mou ine ee Anatoli My mother is Anatolia, (3)
κι η μοίρα μου Ρεμπέτισσα ke ee mira mou Rebetisa and my fate is [that of a] rebetisa. (4)
κaι όλη τη' πονεμένη μου ζωή ke oli ti' ponemeni mou zoi And all of my painful life,
με το ταξίμι κέντησα me to taximi kendisa I knitted with the taxim. (1)
  1. "Taxim" is a musical term that refers to an improvised instrumental solo, typically played on a traditional instrument. It means the same as the Arabic word taqsim. The taxim was a very common feature of the Rebetiko music that arose within the Anatolian refugee community. (See footnote 3 below for more information about the word "Anatolia". For more information about therebetiko style of music, see Introduction to Laiko / Rebetiko Music elsewhere on this web site.) Where the lyrics say she's knitting with the taxim, it means the taxim music was always there, always part of her life.
  2. "Aman" is a Greek exclamation that can mean "Oh!" or "Oh my!" or "Oh boy!"
  3. Literally, "Anatolia" means "the East". Greeks use it to refer to the eastern part of the areas populated by Hellenic people, particularly the land mass of Asia Minor where modern-day Turkey resides. It is also used as a female name, mostly among the Anatolian Greek communties. We refer to the Middle East as Mesi Anatoli (Μέση Ανατολή). The term Anatoliki (Ανατολική) is also used to reference any eastern area within any country, all over the world, just as in English we might say "the South" or "the North".
  4. The word "rebetisa" is the female equivalent of the word "rebeti" which applies to men. A rebetisa is a free spirit, a singer and a dancer.  She is generally not considered to be proper according to the standards of the early 20th century in Greece.

 

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Translations of
Glykeria's Songs On This Site

Other translations on this web site for songs performed by Glykeria Kotsoula include:

 

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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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