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

Τι Κάνω Μόνη Μου
(Ti Kano Moni Mou)

(What I'm Doing Alone)

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Ti Kano Moni Mou" (Τι Κάνω Μόνη Μου), which was sung by Despina Vandi. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It would probably be a bad idea to use this song for a belly dance performance, because its lyrics talk about masturbation!

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 Despina Vandi

Despina Vandi (birth name Δέσποινα Μαλέα) was born in Germany in 1969 to Pontian (Anatolian) Greek parents. (Pontus was a region of Turkey on the southern coast of the Black Sea populated by Greeks. Pontian people suffered from genocide policies of the Ataturk government after World War 1, and many fled Turkey as refugees.)

Vandi's family moved back to Greece when she was a child. She launched her singing career in Athens in the mid-1990's. In 2000, she released the single "Ipofero", which became the best-selling single of all time in Greece. She has won numerous awards, and today is known as the "queen of Greek music".

Despina Vandi

About Fivos (Phivos, Phoebus)

Fivos is the stage name for Evangelos-Phoebus Tassopoulos (Ευάγγελος Τασσόπουλος), the prominent Greek songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for this song. His name is sometimes written as "Phivos" or "Phoebus". He is one of the most successful Greek songwriters of the 1990's and early 2000's.

Fivos was born in 1971. During his school years, he drummed in a band. He started writing songs while studying music at a conservatory, and signed his first contract with a record label at age 22. Over the next 10 years, his songs enjoyed spectacular success in Greece and Cyprus. He began to gain international recognition starting in 2001. In 2004, he signed a deal with Coca Cola to write the music that would be featured in Coca Cola's ads as part of their Olympics sponsorship, and in 2005 he created a new anthem for the Athens football team.

Song: Ti Kano Moni Mou (What I'm Doing Alone), 2001

Lyrics: Fivos

Music: Fivos

Original Artist: Despina (sometimes spelled Despoina) Vandi

Has Also Been Sung By: Dilek Pınar (in Turkish, as "Son Şansın"), 2004

Album: Gia

Τραγούδι: Τι Κάνω Μόνη Μου, 2001

Στίχοι: Ευάγγελος Τασσόπουλος (Φοίβος)

Μουσική: Ευάγγελος Τασσόπουλος (Φοίβος)

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Δέσποινα Βανδή

Αλμπουμ: Γειά

 

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Lyrics

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

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

Αυτή είναι η ιστορία aftee eeneh ee eestoria This is a story
για μια κοπέλα ya meeia kopela about a girl [or woman]
που το αγόρι της pou to agoree tees whose boyfriend [or husband]
την άφηνε μόνη της teen afeeneh monee tees would always leave her alone
συνέχεια μόνη της seeneheea monee tees constantly alone
τόσο πολύ, που τελικά tosoh polee, pou teleeka so much so, that eventually
βρήκε τον τρόπο να περνάει καλά vreekeh ton trohpoh na pernaee kala she found a way to pleasure herself (1)
ακόμα και μόνη της akoma keh monee tees even alone
     
Σπίτι μου speetee mou at my house
Ξεχνάω τη λύπη μου xehnao tee leepee mou I forget my sorrows
Και μένω μόνη μου keh menoh monee mou and I'm by myself (2)
Λείπεις μα leepees mah You are away, but
Δεν έχω πρόβλημα den eho provleemah I have no problem
Μ' αρέσει μόνη μου m'aresee monee mou because I like [being] alone
     
Κάθομαι kathomeh I'm sitting
Για σένα βάφομαι ya sena vafomeh For you I put makeup on
Και όμορφη γίνομαι keh omorfee yinomeh and I become beautiful for you
Με το νου meh to nou With my awareness (3)
Σ' ακολουθώ παντού s'akolouthoh pandou I follow you everywhere
κοντά σου βρίσκομαι konda sou vriskomeh and I am near you
κοντά σου βρίσκομαι konda sou vriskomeh and I am near you
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Ούτε φαντάζεσαι oute fandazeseh You can't even imagine
Τι κάνω μόνη μου tee kanoh monee mou what I'm doing alone
Μες στο σαλόνι μου mes sto salonee mou in my living room.
Σε σκέφτομαι έντονα se skeftomeh endonah I'm thinking about you intensely.
Δεν πάω πουθενά den pao pouthenah I'm not going anywhere
Πολύ καλά περνώ polee kala pernoh really enjoying myself (4)

Στον καναπέ μου εγώ ston kanapeh mou egoh as I'm on my couch
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Ούτε φαντάζεσαι oute fandazeseh You can't even imagine
Τι κάνω μόνη μου tee kanoh monee mou what I'm doing alone
Μες στο σαλόνι μου mes sto salonee mou in my living room.
Σε σκέφτομαι έντονα se skeftomeh endonah I'm thinking about you intensely.
Δεν πάω πουθενά den pao pouthenah I'm not going anywhere
Πολύ καλά περνώ polee kala pernoh really enjoying myself (4)
Στον καναπέ μου εγώ ston kanapeh mou egoh as I'm on my couch
     
Λείπεις μα leepees ma You are away,
Δε μοιάζει να' ναι πια deh meeazee na'neh peea doesn't seem to be
Και τόσο φοβερό keh tosoh foveroh that scary.
Λείπεις μα leepees ma You are away,
Σα να μη λείπεις πια san na mee leepees peea but it's as if you're not away
Αισθάνομαι εγώ ehsthanomeh ego I feel.
     
Σπίτι μου speetee mou At my home,
Βρήκα τη λύση μου vreeka tee leesee mou I found my solution.
Για να περνάω καλά ya na pernoh kala In order to have a good time
Κάθομαι kathomeh I'm sitting
Και σε φαντάζομαι keh se fandazomeh and fantasizing about you (5)
Και νιώθω υπέροχα keh neeotho eeperoha and I feel great!
Και νιώθω υπέροχα keh neeotho eeperoha and I feel great!
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Κι όταν εργάζεσαι keh otan ergazeseh And when you're working,
Ούτε φαντάζεσαι oute fandazeseh you can't even imagine
Τι κάνω μόνη μου tee kanoh monee mou what I'm doing alone
Μες στο σαλόνι μου mes sto salonee mou in my living room
Σε σκέφτομαι έντονα se skeftomeh endonah I'm thinking about you intensely
Δεν πάω πουθενά den pao pouthenah I'm not going anywhere
Πολύ καλά περνώ polee kala pernoh really enjoying myself (4)
Στον καναπέ μου εγώ ston kanapeh mou egoh as I'm on my couch
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Κι όταν εργάζεσαι keh otan ergazeseh And when you're working,
Ούτε φαντάζεσαι oute fandazeseh you can't even imagine
Τι κάνω μόνη μου tee kanoh monee mou what I'm doing alone
Μες στο σαλόνι μου mes sto salonee mou in my living room
Σε σκέφτομαι έντονα se skeftomeh endonah I'm thinking about you intensely
Δεν πάω πουθενά den pao pouthenah I'm not going anywhere
Πολύ καλά περνώ polee kala pernoh really enjoying myself (4)
Στον καναπέ μου εγώ ston kanapeh mou egoh as I'm on my couch
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Κι όταν εργάζεσαι keh otan ergazeseh And when you're working,
Ούτε φαντάζεσαι oute fandazeseh you can't even imagine
Τι κάνω μόνη μου tee kanoh monee mou what I'm doing alone
Μες στο σαλόνι μου mes sto salonee mou in my living room
Σε σκέφτομαι έντονα se skeftomeh endonah I'm thinking about you intensely
Δεν πάω πουθενά den pao pouthenah I'm not going anywhere
Πολύ καλά περνώ polee kala pernoh really enjoying myself (4)
Στον καναπέ μου εγώ ston kanapeh mou egoh as I'm on my couch
     

Instrumental Section

Instrumental Section

Instrumental Section

     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Κι όταν εργάζεσαι keh otan ergazeseh And when you're working,
Ούτε φαντάζεσαι oute fandazeseh you can't even imagine
Τι κάνω μόνη μου tee kanoh monee mou what I'm doing alone
Μες στο σαλόνι μου mes sto salonee mou in my living room
Σε σκέφτομαι έντονα se skeftomeh endonah I'm thinking about you intensely
Δεν πάω πουθενά den pao pouthenah I'm not going anywhere
Πολύ καλά περνώ polee kala pernoh really enjoying myself (4)
Στον καναπέ μου εγώ ston kanapeh mou egoh as I'm on my couch
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Κι όταν εργάζεσαι keh otan ergazeseh And when you're working,
Ούτε φαντάζεσαι oute fandazeseh you can't even imagine
Τι κάνω μόνη μου tee kanoh monee mou what I'm doing alone
Μες στο σαλόνι μου mes sto salonee mou in my living room
Σε σκέφτομαι έντονα se skeftomeh endonah I'm thinking about you intensely
Δεν πάω πουθενά den pao pouthenah I'm not going anywhere
Πολύ καλά περνώ polee kala pernoh really enjoying myself (4)
Στον καναπέ μου εγώ ston kanapeh mou egoh as I'm on my couch
  1. Can mean "enjoy herself" or "have fun on her own".
  2. Literally says "I live alone," but could also mean "I remain alone."
  3. Literally, "with my thoughts" or "with my consciousness"
  4. Literally, "having a great time"
  5. Literally, "imagining you"

 

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Translations of Songs by Despina Vandi

Other translations of songs performed by Despina Vandi 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:

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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