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Οταν χορεύεις μάτια μου
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This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Otan Horevis Matia Mou" (Οταν χορεύεις μάτια μου), which was sung by Manolis Aggelopoulos. 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 Manolis AggelopoulosManolis Aggelopoulos was a Greek legend. He was born in 1939 in northern Greece, to a Romany family. As a child, he traveled throughout Greece with his family's caravan selling everything from carpets to watermelons. The caravan trucks contained a microphone, so young Aggelopoulos broadcast his singing over the loudspeakers along the way. His big break came in 1959 when he recorded his first 45 rpm vinyl record, bringing the mix of Greek-Gypsy-Arabic fusion into the Greek music scene. For Greeks and Greek-Romany he was a superstar. His funeral in 1989 was massive, and people cried for 3 days. |
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About Christos NikolopoulosAccording to imdb.com, Christos Nikolopoulos (Χρήστος Νικολόπουλος) was born on July 11, 1947 in Kamohori, Imathia, Greece. His first taste of learning to play music as a child came when his cousin showed him how to play a few things on the accordion. Later, he borrowed his older brother's bouzouki and learned to play that. Eventually, he attended music school, learning to read music and play by ear. To help out his family financially, Nikolopoulos began to play professionally at the age of 14 years old. At age 16, he relocated to Athens to advance his musical career, often playing for just a meal. In 1968, his compositions came to the attention of famous singer Marinella. She introduced his songs to her ex-husband Stelios Kazantzidis. These connections helped Nikolopoulos achieve his first major hit song as a composer, "Νυχτερίδες κι αράχνες" ("Bats and Spiders"). He went on to compose many songs which have become part of Greece's cultural legacy. ABOUT THE PHOTO: Christos Nikolopoulos plays his bouzouki. |
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Song: Otan Horevis Matia Mou (When You Are Dancing, My Eyes!), 1986 Lyrics: Lefteris Hapsiadis Music: Hristos Nikolopoulos Original Artist: Manolis Aggelopoulos Dance Style: Belly Dance Album: Tragoudia Ya Tous Filous Mou (Songs for My Friends) |
Τραγούδι: Οταν Χορεύεις Μάτια Μου, 1986 Στίχοι: Λευτέρης Χαψιάδης Μουσική: Χρήστος Νικολόπουλος Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Μανώλης Αγγελόπουλος Χορός: Οριεντάλ, Χορό Της Κοιλιάς, Ανατολίτικο Χορό, Τσιφτετέλι, Χανούμικο, Κελικός Χορός, Συρτος, Συρτοτσιφτετέλι Άλμπουμ: Τραγούδια Για Τους Φίλους Μου |
Lyrics
Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.
Greek Lyrics |
Pronunciation |
English Translation |
| Ποιος σε έμαθε εντέλει | pios se emathe endeli | Who taught you after all |
| να χορεύεις τσιφτετέλι | na horevis tsifteteli | to dance tsifteteli? (1) |
| μήπως ήσουν στα Μπολσόι | mipos isoun sta Bolsoi | Maybe you were [a ballerina in] the Bolshoi (2) |
| μπαλαρίνα από σόι | balarina apo soi | from a family of ballet dancers. (3) |
| μήπως ήσουν στα Μπολσόι | mipos isoun sta Bolsoi | Maybe you were [a ballerina in] the Bolshoi (2) |
| μπαλαρίνα από σόι | balarina apo soi | from a family of ballet dancers. (3) |
Chorus |
Chorus |
Chorus |
| Όταν χορεύεις μάτια μου | otan horevis matia mou | When you are dancing, my eyes! (4) |
| ζηλεύουν οι γοργόνες | zilevoun ee gorgones | The mermaids are jealous. |
| κι απ' το χορό σου τρέμουνε στην πίστα οι κολώνες | ke ap' to horo sou tremoune stin pista ee kolones | And your dance is shaking the columns on the stage! |
| Όταν χορεύεις μάτια μου | otan horevis matia mou | When you are dancing, my eyes! (4) |
| ζηλεύουν οι γοργόνες | zilevoun ee gorgones | The mermaids are jealous. |
| κι απ' το χορό σου τρέμουνε στην πίστα οι κολώνες | ke ap' to horo sou tremoune stin pista ee kolones | And your dance is shaking the columns on the stage! |
| Ποιος σου δίδαξε το τρόπο | pios sou didaxe to tropo | Who taught you the way |
| να ταρακουνάς τον τόπο | na tarakounas ton topo | to shake up the world? (5) |
| μήπως πήρες το πτυχίο | mipos pires to ptihio | Maybe you got your diploma |
| στου Νουρέγιεφ το σχολείο | stou Noureyief to sholio | at Nureyev's school! (6) |
| μήπως πήρες το πτυχίο | mipos pires to ptihio | Maybe you got your diploma |
| στου Νουρέγιεφ το σχολείο | stou Noureyief to sholio | at Nureyev's school! (6) |
Chorus |
Chorus |
Chorus |
| Όταν χορεύεις μάτια μου | otan horevis matia mou | When you are dancing, my eyes! (4) |
| ζηλεύουν οι γοργόνες | zilevoun ee gorgones | The mermaids are jealous. |
| κι απ' το χορό σου τρέμουνε στην πίστα οι κολώνες | ke ap' to horo sou tremoune stin pista ee kolones | And your dance is shaking the columns on the stage! |
| Όταν χορεύεις μάτια μου | otan horevis matia mou | When you are dancing, my eyes! (4) |
| ζηλεύουν οι γοργόνες | zilevoun ee gorgones | The mermaids are jealous. |
| κι απ' το χορό σου τρέμουνε στην πίστα οι κολώνες | ke ap' to horo sou tremoune stin pista ee kolones | And your dance is shaking the columns on the stage! |
| Κι ο Αλέν Ντελόν ακόμα | ke o Alen Delon akoma | And even Alain Delon (7) |
| θα ποθούσε τέτοιο σώμα | tha pothouse tetio soma | would lust for such a body! |
| κι άμα ζούσε ο Βαλεντίνο | k ama zouse o Valentino | And if Valentino (8) were alive |
| θα τον τρέλαινες κι εκείνο | tha ton trelenes ke ekino | you would have made him crazy as well! |
| κι άμα ζούσε ο Βαλεντίνο | k ama zouse o Valentino | And if Valentino (8) were alive |
| θα τον τρέλαινες κι εκείνο | tha ton trelenes ke ekino | you would have made him crazy as well! |
Chorus |
Chorus |
Chorus |
| Όταν χορεύεις μάτια μου | otan horevis matia mou | When you are dancing, my eyes! (4) |
| ζηλεύουν οι γοργόνες | zilevoun ee gorgones | The mermaids are jealous. |
| κι απ' το χορό σου τρέμουνε στην πίστα οι κολώνες | ke ap' to horo sou tremoune stin pista ee kolones | And your dance is shaking the columns on the stage! |
| Όταν χορεύεις μάτια μου | otan horevis matia mou | When you are dancing, my eyes! (4) |
| ζηλεύουν οι γοργόνες | zilevoun ee gorgones | The mermaids are jealous. |
| κι απ' το χορό σου τρέμουνε στην πίστα οι κολώνες | ke ap' to horo sou tremoune stin pista ee kolones | And your dance is shaking the columns on the stage! |
- The word "tsifteteli" is one of the Greek words for both belly dancing and the folkloric dance it comes from, and it also refers to a musical style that is appropriate to use for belly dancing.
- This is a comparison to a dancer of the Bolshoi ballet in Russia. This could be taken as either a compliment or as sarcasm.
- The Greek word "soi" means family and extended family.
- This is a term of endearment similar to the Arabic expression "Ya ayouni!" which means "O, my eyes!" It's an exclamation that means something like, "I'd give my eyes for you!"
- The word "topo" doesn't exactly mean "world", but here its meaning is similar. "Topo" can be region or area as well. Another way to translate it might be "shake up the place".
- Rudolph Nureyev was a famous Russian ballet dancer from the 1960's through the 1980's, often regarded as the greatest male ballet dancer of his generation.
- Alain Delon was a French movie star and sex symbol in the 1960's.
- This is a reference to Rudolph Valentino, an immensely popular actor of the 1920's, particularly known for his performance in the silent film The Sheik. He was known as "the great lover".
Translations of
Manolis Aggelopoulos' Songs On This Site
Translations of songs performed by Manolis Aggelopoulos on this web site 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:
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