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

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the Greek song "Mesa Stin Agalia Sou" (Μέσα Στην Αγκαλιά Σου), which was sung by Konstantinos Tsahouridis and Melina Aslanidou. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like.

Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source.

A Personal Note from the Translator

When I first saw the music video for this song while I was at the nail salon, I was shocked, and I thought I was hearing things. But... my ears didn't lie. I saw on a Greek mainstream music television channel a beautiful music video featuring a new song performed by two major Pontian Anatolian Greek musicians!

The singers and the songwriters for this song all are of Pontian descent, and all occupy a respected place in our ethnic community. In my opinion, the commercial success of this song is significant for Pontians, because our musical style is rarely found in the mainstream Greek music industry. Of course, some of our popular laiko style artists have crossed over to include the kemence sound in their recordings… but it has been a while.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Panayiota wears a Pontian costume and poses with a musician holding a kemence.

Despite the beauty of this song, it has caused major controversy within the Pontian Anatolian Greek community. Many traditionalists and folklorists are not pleased with the modernization of our traditional music and rhythms. They feel that this modernization is an insult to our heritage. On the other hand, many people of Pontian heritage love it. Of course, I fall on the spectrum of loving it!

Being a Greek from the diaspora, I can understand the concern of the traditionalists, to some extent. Perhaps they are correct that by mixing the Pontian musical style with other musical styles and trends, we may eventually lose our identity. They make a valid point that we must respect the artists that came before us.

On the contrary, I feel such crossover can only bring good. It introduces our beautiful music to many others outside of our ethnic communities. It draws interest and curiosity. Tradition, tradition… can never truly be lost. There are many of us who will keep everything in place. I feel that the world has enough room for both traditional and new styles to exist and spread across borders. Not all of the younger generations of Pontians speak or even understand the Pontian language. Perhaps newer music will attract the younger crowd and spark their interest to dig deeper into their own traditions and heritage. Or even, non-Pontians!

In our communities, until maybe after 2004 or so, you would rarely see non-Pontians in our cultural centers or even parties. It was very rare. You would have to be married to a Pontian or be invited. You would rarely see non-Pontians in our dance companies. We were a very tight and exclusive tribal community. It is only natural, considering our grandparents experienced hell and racism upon arrival as refugees to the Greek mainland. I lived this and saw it, being always involved in my Pontian community centers and gatherings.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Panayiota wears a Pontian costume and poses with two musicians. The stringed instrument she is holding is a kemence. The traditional Pontian drum in the photo is a daouli

Things have taken a turn and things have changed. I have many dance colleagues who became professional dancers of the Pontian dance genre. I believe in any measures necessary to spread the history and arts of our ancient culture.

Obviously, the song translated on this page is not a belly dance song. However, in Turkish music and in Greek music, we have many songs that feature segments of kemence instrumentals with Black Sea rhythms. It's best to be able to distinguish this rhythmically in order to incorporate the necessary movements that fit with the specific rhythm. There definitely are specific steps for each rhythm.

I would never select a traditional fully Pontian song for a belly dance show! There is plenty of modern Turkish music that crosses over into Oriental Black Sea style, and there is in modern Greek popular music as well. As to whether or not we have "belly dance" as a social dance style, I will not answer because it could enrage the traditionalists!  There are many theories, different dance names, different Anatolian Greek regions, and answers. Maybe in the next lifetime we can open that discussion!

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 the 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 Babis Kemanetzidis

Babis Kemanetzidis is a renowned celebrity Pontian Anatolian Greek musician who has mastered the clarino (clarinet) and the kemence (Pontian lyre), known as kemençe in Turkish. He was raised in western Germany. He comes from a musical family — his father also played kemence, and his brother plays keyboard.

Today, Kemanetzidis enjoys a successful career as an artist, performing at nightclubs in Athens and Thessaloníki, and he has collaborated with most of the other Pontian musicians. In addition to traditional Pontian music, he plays popular Greek music, accompanying many of the great names in Greek music today.

In addition to this song, Babis Kemanetzidis also composed the music for renowned Pontian singer Pela Nikolaidι (Πελαγία Πέλα Νικολαΐδη), daughter of the legendary Stathis Nikolaidis Στάθης Νικολαϊδης). In 2013 she released a gorgeous hit song in the Pontian language called "Gourpan Se Son To Theleman" (Γουρπάν Σε Σον Το Θέλεμαν). Many try to compare this song with "Mesa Stin Agalia Sou", noting there are similarities in the music. Well, of course there are similarities! First, both were created by the same composer! Also, both share the Pontian musical rhythm.  Both songs are beautiful, and well worth the time to hear them or even learn how to dance to them!

Song: Mesa Stin Agalia Sou (Inside Your Embrace), 2019

Lyrics: Ibrahim Ibraimoglou

Music: Babis Kemanetzidis

Original Artists: Konstandinos Tsahouridis and Melina Aslanidou

Dance Style:

• Fusion of Black Sea, Oriental, and Flamenco Flair
• Omal

Album: Mesa Stin Agalia Sou (single)

Τραγουδι: Μέσα Στην Αγκαλιά Σου, 2019

Στίχοι: Ιμπραημ Ιμπραήμογλου

Μουσική: Μπαμπης Κεμανετζίδης

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Κωνσταντίνος Τσαχουρίδης & Μελίνα Ασλανίδου

Άλμπουμ: Μέσα Στην Αγκαλιά Σου (single)