|
Πορτ Σάιντ Και Σκεντερία
|
This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Port Said Ke Iskenteria / Zaharenio Hanoumaki" (Πορτ Σάιντ Και Σκεντερία / Ζαχαρένιο Χανουμάκι), which was sung by Stelios Perpiniadis. The song title is sometimes spelled "Port Said Ke Skenderia". 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 Stelios PerpiniadisStelios Perpiniadis, nicknamed Stellakis, was a Greek rebetiko musician. He was born on the Greek island of Tinos, grew up in Constantinople (Istanbul) and moved to Piraeus in 1923. There he came in contact with rebetiko musicians who were refugees from Anatolia (what we know today as Turkey) and embraced the musical genre. His career was at its height from 1930 to 1950 as he collaborated with many of the top rebetiko artists of his day. |
 |
About Panayiotis ToudasPanayiotis Toudas is Anatolian Greek (where modern-day Turkey lies), in the city of Smyrna (now known as Izmir). He started playing the mandolin as a child. After the Great Fire of Smyrna he went to Athens where he worked with all the major record labels of Greece. He also studied music in Egypt. He died of rheumatism in 1942. |
 |
Song: Port Said Ke Skenderia / Zaharenio Hanoumaki (Port Said and Alexandria / Sugary Belly Dancer), 1937 Lyrics: Giorgos Derebeis (Sofer) Music: Panayiotis Toudas Original Artist: Stelios Perpiniadis (Stellaki) Dance Style: Hasapikos |
Τραγούδι: Πορτ Σάιντ Και Σκεντερία / Ζαχαρένιο Χανουμάκι, 1937 Στίχοι: Γιώργος Δερέμπεης (Σωφέρ) Μουσική: Παναγιώτης Τούντας Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Στυλιανός Στέλιος Περπινιάδης (Στελλάκι) Χορός: Χασάπικος |
Lyrics
Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.
Greek Lyrics |
Pronunciation |
English Translation |
| Εταξίδευα Συρία | etaxideva Syria | I was traveling to Syria, |
| Πόρτ Σαιντ και Σκεντερία | Port Said ke Skenderia | Port Said, and Alexandria, |
| και έμπλεξα με μια μικρούλα | ke eblexa me mia mikroula | and I got involved with a little (1) |
| καστανή Φελαχοπούλα | kastani Felahopoula | brown-haired peasant girl. (2) |
| Ζαχαρένιο Χανουμάκι | zaharenio Hanoumaki | Sugary belly dancer, |
| σαν μικρό μελανουράκι | san mikro melanouraki | like a little dark one, (3) |
| το φιλώ και πάλι θέλει | to filo ke pali theli | I kiss [her] and [she] wants more. |
| Χανουμάκι μου για λέλι | Hanoumaki mou ya leli | My belly dancer, O night, (4) |
| Χανουμάκι μου για λέλι | Hanoumaki mou ya leli | My belly dancer, O night, (4) |
| το φιλώ και πάλι θέλει | to filo ke pali theli | I kiss [her] and [she] wants more. |
| Μια βραδιά που το φιλούσα | mia vradia pou to filousa | One night, when I was kissing [her], |
| και γλυκά του τραγουδούσα | ke glika tou tragoudousa | and I was singing sweetly [to her], |
| πέντε Mαύροι θυμωμένοι | pende Mavri thimomeni | five angry Black [men] |
| και με ξύλα αρματωμένοι | ke me xila armatomeni | armed with sticks |
| Μου το 'πήραν με το ζόρι | mou to 'piran me to zori | took [her] by force. |
| και με 'βάλαν στο βαπόρι | ke me 'valan sto vapori | And they put me on the steamship, |
| και έφυγα απ' τη' Σκεντερία | ke efiga ap' ti' Skenderia | and I left Alexandria, |
| να μην έχω φασαρία | na min eho fasaria | so I wouldn't have any trouble, |
| να μην έχω φασαρία | na min eho fasaria | so I wouldn't have any trouble, |
| έφυγα απ' τη' Σκεντερία | efiga ap' ti' Skenderia | I left Alexandria. |
| Τώρα είμαι στην Αθήνα | tora ime stin Athina | Now I'm in Athens, |
| και αγαπάω μια τσαχπίνα | ke agapao mia tsahpina | and I love a feisty [woman], |
| μια κουκλίτσα με βραβείο | mia kouklitsa me vravio | a prize doll, |
| και περνάω μεγαλείο | ke pernao megalio | and I'm living big. |
| Μα όσο και αν καλοπερνάω | ma oso ke an kalopernao | But no matter how much I'm having a good time, |
| μέρα νύχτα δεν ξεχνάω | mera nihta den xehnao | day and night I haven't forgotten |
| το μικρό μου Χανουμάκι | to mikro mou Hanoumaki | my little belly dancer: |
| το γλυκό μελανουράκι | to gliko melanouraki | the sweet dark one, (3) |
| το γλυκό μελανουράκι | to gliko melanouraki | the sweet dark one, (3) |
| το μικρό μου Χανουμάκι | to mikro mou Hanoumaki | my little belly dancer. |
| Ζαχαρένιο Χανουμάκι | zaharenio Hanoumaki | Sugary belly dancer, |
| σαν μικρό μελανουράκι | san mikro melanouraki | like a little dark one, (3) |
| το φιλώ και πάλι θέλει | to filo ke pali theli | I kiss [her] and [she] wants more. |
| Χανουμάκι μου για λέλι | Hanoumaki mou ya leli | My belly dancer, O night, (4) |
| Χανουμάκι μου για λέλι | Hanoumaki mou ya leli | My belly dancer, O night, (4) |
| το φιλώ και πάλι θέλει | to filo ke pali theli | I kiss [her] and [she] wants more. |
- Here, the word "little" could refer to either her body size or her age.
- The word "fellaha" in the original Greek lyrics comes from Arabic. It is the female version of "farmer", and refers to a rural or village woman.
- This can mean either dark hair or dark skin.
- "Ya leli" in the original Greek lyrics comes from Arabic and means "O night". In Arabic, "leleli" is derived from the word "leil" for "night", but Arabic-speaking singers often improvise using the syllables "leleli" in the same way an English-language song might use nonsense syllables such as "tra la la".
Translations of
Stelios Perpiniadis' Songs On This Site
|
|
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:
|
 |
Copyright Notice
This entire web site is copyrighted. All rights reserved.
All articles, images, forms, scripts, directories, and product reviews on this web site are the property of Shira unless a different author/artist is identified. Material from this web site may not be posted on any other web site unless permission is first obtained from Shira.
Academic papers for school purposes may use information from this site only if the paper properly identifies the original article on Shira.net using appropriate citations (footnotes, end notes, etc.) and bibliography. Consult your instructor for instructions on how to do this.
If you wish to translate articles from Shira.net into a language other than English, Shira will be happy to post your translation here on Shira.net along with a note identifying you as the translator. This could include your photo and biography if you want it to. Contact Shira for more information. You may not post translations of Shira's articles on anybody else's web site, not even your own.
If you are a teacher, performer, or student of Middle Eastern dance, you may link directly to any page on this web site from either your blog or your own web site without first obtaining Shira's permission. Click here for link buttons and other information on how to link.
Explore more belly dance info:
Top >Belly Dancing >
Middle Eastern Culture >
Index to Middle Eastern Music Section
Share this page!
On Facebook