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

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".

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.

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

Στίχοι: Ευάγγελος Τασσόπουλος (Φοίβος)

Μουσική: Ευάγγελος Τασσόπουλος (Φοίβος)

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Δέσποινα Βανδή

Αλμπουμ: Γειά

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

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Instrumental Section

Instrumental Section

Instrumental Section

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Chorus

• Deste Mou Ta Matia (Blindfold My Eyes)
• Hristouyena (Christmas)
• Ipofero (I'm Suffering)
• O Peritos (Unnecessary)

• Pote Voudas Pote Koudas (Sometimes Buddha, Sometimes Koudas)
• Ti Kano Moni Mou (What I'm Doing Alone)
• Tis Kardias Mou Giatria (My Heart's Cure)

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.