MY PRECIOUS RUBY AND SAPPHIRE
At the top windows (table song from Asia Minor)*
At the top windows a girl sits
With a mirror in her hands admires herself.
My beauty, eyebrows like a painting
Who enjoys you, who kisses you.
Yannis is far away, away in a foreign land
Looking for a bride
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
Wake up my diamond and ruby (from Dodecanese)
Wake up my diamond and ruby, precious gold
Listen to my moan
At your windows two hoopoes
Sing and praise your brunette beauty
Wake up as love passes by your way
And brings golden braids for your hair.
The sun sets at your windows
Your hair fair, your eyebrows black.
As many as the stars around the moon in the night sky
I send you greetings every night.
Give me your cheek for a kiss
And I won’t let the other unkissed.
Oh my precious, my gold jewel
You are my love, the first and forever
The sun sets at your windows
Your hair fair, your eyebrows black
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
I’ll jump off the rails*
I’ll jump off the rails, I‘ll jump to kill myself
And my love cries “Stop him in the name of God”
You are snowy white, red as fire
You’re like the marbles of Constantinople, in St. Sofia’s church.
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
Instrumental*
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
I crave to leave this world (funeral song [miroloi] from West Pontos)*
I crave to leave this world
And cloister in a mountain
Lie down upon the earth
And let the sky tuck me in
Have the green grass as my food
And lions as my companions.
And after all the hardships and pains
Me, the poor orphan will pass away.
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
From your sweet eyes*
From your sweet eyes springs the water of eternal life
I asked you for some but you didn’t indulge me.
You don’t do what you say, oh! you don’t
You make me suffer, oh! how cruelly you do.
You are a sight for my sore eyes
When I see you my heart finds solace.
You don’t do what you say, oh! you don’t
You make me suffer, oh! how cruelly you do.
You have the merits of the girls from Mytilini and Lesvos
Oh! I’ll die for you – you are only to blame.
You don’t do what you say, oh! you don’t
You make me suffer, oh! how cruelly you do
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
Who was the match -maker ? (Wedding table song from Asia Minor)*
Who was the match-maker climbing up the stair - Oh, climbing up the stair?
And matched the proud eagle with our sultana - Oh, with our sultana
Alatsatian wind,
Blowing strong, day and night
My Chesmelian girl,
Famous far and wide.
Your mother is to blame for bringing you to the wedding – oh, to the wedding,
I can’t take my eyes off you - Oh, no, I can’t.
My Chesmelian flower
With your white blooms
Girl from Kato Panayia
You stole my heart.
Oh, Bridegroom, I beg you for this favor - oh, please indulge us
To treat our bride with love and care - Oh, never to hurt her.
Alatsatian wind,
Blowing strong, day and night
My Chesmelian girl,
Famous far and wide.
The starry sky in the middle - oh, in the middle
The swords of Barbaria, Constantinople with its towers.
My Alatsatian girl
With your white blooms
Chesmelian wind
Blowing strong, day and night
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
Three ships sail (table song from Makra Gefira)*
Three ships are to sail for Smyrna and then to Kordelio
Oh, never have my eyes seen a place like Aivali
Whoever wants to learn about Aivali
Ask me, I know, for there I’ve been.
The doors are silver, the keys are gold
The girls are lovely, like water from a cool spring
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
Haven ’t I done what you told me ? (Syrtos dance)*
Haven’t I done what you told me?
But you left me burning in the hell of love.
You lower your eyes and drop your scarf
I haven’t heard a truth from your lips.
Whoever kisses your eyes and tastes the honey
Let them be slaves in Barbaria.
You lower your eyes and drop your scarf
I can’t make you change your heart
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
I told you again and again (table song from Asia Minor)*
I told you again and again not to go to the shore
For the sea is rough and will carry you away
And if it carries me down in the deep
I’ll make myself the boat and my hands the rows
My scarf the sail – in and out on the shore.
I told you again and again not to write letters
For I don’t know how to read and I burst into tears.
And if you don’t know, have no care, I’ll tell you
With my eyes and my lips, oh my heart, I love you
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
Birds are singing (serenade [patinada] from Propontida)*
The birds are singing, the night is gone
Only my woes are nestled in my heart.
Birds, I beg of you, sing my grief
Earnestly and sorely.
And you, plains, sing and moan with me
Earnestly and sorely.
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
This sweet night
This sweet night, crowned with blooms
Let the lad sing, with his sad heart.
Why don’t you confide in us and not cry?
All you, stars shining in the night
Tell my love that I am back.
Why don’t you confide in us and not cry?
Roses and paradise flowers
Is what you are made of
Why don’t you confide in us and not cry?Copyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
My precious ruby and sapphire*
My ruby and sapphire, my precious pure gold
Like an August night with a full moon.
My morning loving star, don’t wake me if you love me.
You are so precious my little nightingale,
Sweet cuddle for my nights and longing for the days.
Everyone says you love me but I can’t help my doubts.
Translation copypyright 2013 - Thomas Venakis
*Tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 come from Simonas Karas’ collection
