Jing-reed's Musings from Thailand

Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου - Don't be angry with me

 

The story of this beautiful song told by the composer's wife, Emilia Kougioumtzi. Edited and subtitled footage from the documentary series "Tragoudia pou egrapsan istoria" ("Songs that made history").

   Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου που φεύγω για τα ξένα

   πουλί θα γίνω και θα ρθω πάλι κοντά σε σένα

   Άνοιξ' το παραθύρι σου ξανθέ βασιλικέ μου

   και με γλυκό χαμόγελο μια καληνύχτα πες μου

   Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου τώρα που θα σ' αφήσω

   κι έλα για λίγο να σε δω να σ' αποχαιρετήσω

   Άνοιξ' το παραθύρι σου ξανθέ βασιλικέ μου

   και με γλυκό χαμόγελο μια καληνύχτα πες μου

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An English translation of the song

   Don't be angry with me, dear, for leaving abroad.

   I'll become a bird and come back to you.

   Open your window, my blonde basil,

   and wish me goodnight with a sweet smile on your face.

   Don't be angry with me, dear, now that I'll go away from you.

   Come out for a moment to see you and tell you goodbye.

   Open your window, my blonde basil,

   and wish me goodnight with a sweet smile on your face.

Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου - The story (English subs) 

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And then the wonderful rendition by George Dalaras

Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου - Γιώργος Νταλάρας 

George Dalaras [Γιώργος Νταλάρας]

 

George Dalaras [Γιώργος Νταλάρας] has long been a favorite Greek singer.  Recently found several YouTube video clips of him singing and playing with the Ossipov Russian Orchestra, part of a concert in the ancient theater of Delphi [June, 2001].  

Although he sings in Greek, the balaika instrumentation seems a perfect background. During this concert they primarily performed songs by the great Greek composer Theodorakis, although the first one below is a tradtional song from Anatolia. 

S' agapo giati ise orea  - Σ'αγαπώ γιατί είσαι ωραία...σ'αγαπώ γιατί είσαι εσύ.   [I love you because you're beautiful ... I love you because you are you].

Dromoi palioi 

Στρώσε το στρώμα σου για δυό

Στρώσε το στρώμα σου για δυό-Make your bed (mattress) for two.

Haris Alexiou sings this famous song at the closing ceremony of the Athens Olympics in 2004. Mikis Theodorakis, who  was born on the Greek island of Chios in 1925, but his origins are from the island of Crete, composed this song, which became familiar to all from the 1964  film 'Zorba, The Greek'.  It carries very special memories for me — χάθηκα μες στα μάτια σου, και στη δική σου μοίρα [I got lost in your eyes, and in your destiny ...].

Ο δρόμος είναι σκοτεινός
ώσπου να σ'ανταμώσω
ξεπρόβαλε μεσοστρατίς
το χέρι να σου δώσω

Στρώσε το στρώμα σου για δυο
για σένα και για μένα
ν'αγκαλιαστούμε απ'την αρχή
ναν' όλα αναστημένα

Σ'αγκάλιασα μ'αγκάλιασες
μου πήρες και σου πήρα
χάθηκα μες στα μάτια σου
και στη δική σου μοίρα.

Στρώσε το στρώμα σου για δυο
για σένα και για μένα
ν'αγκαλιαστούμε απ'την αρχή
ναν' όλα αναστημένα.

Dark is the road of my journey
until I get to meet you
come show yourself halfway to me
my hand to you I'll offer.

Make your bed(mattress) for two
for you and for me
and let us fall in each other's arms
to resurrect it all again.

I hugged you and you hugged me too
you took from me and I took from you
I got lost in your eyes
and in your destiny.

Make your bed(mattress) for two
for you and for me
and let us fall in each other's arms
to resurrect it all again.