Before I heard Sofi’s “Ah mo vilo”, I didn’t know, that I like Gipsy music. I even would have said, that I dislike it. But it is one of the most beautiful songs, I know. I would be very very glad if someone could translate the Roma version of Sofi Marinova into English.
Sofi Marinova – Ah mo vilo: (Lyrics in ?Roma)
PALATUTE ME PIRAVAV,
ME YAKENDAR ASVA PERENA…
TU DA MANGEQ TERE TE OVAV,
BALASHUNEQ TERE MANUSHA...
Refrain:
AH MO VILO, AH MO VILO,
DUKHAL MAN SAR TORO,
BIZI TUTE DUKHAL MAN MO VILO! / 2x/
CELO RAT BESHEQ, NASHTI SOVEQ,
ME VOSHTA MANGEQ TE CHUMINEQ...
CELO RAT BESHEQ, NASHTI SOVEQ,
PO TELEFONI MANGE MAN TE SHUNEQ...
Refrain /2x/
Refrain /2x/
First I heard this melody a few months ago, sang by Sofi Marinova from Bulgaria (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_C4OOD1E0M ). Now I heard a very similar melody, sang in Spanish by Amel Mathlouthi (http://www.myspace.com/amelmathlouthi).
Some internet informations:
- “The song "Nací en Palestina" is based on "Nací en Alamo" (lyrics by Tony Gatlif, music by Dionisis Tsaknis, Gritos de Guerra, and Tony Gatlif), which was performed by Remedios Silva Pisa for the film Vengo. (http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2009...thi030109.html)
- Some say, “it's originally a very old Sephardic Jewish song” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmHLRmu4QQM),
- some (http://www.nme.com/awards/video/id/f...p4/search/naci) say, “it is an Spanish gypsy song” which is “actually an adaptation of a Greek version called 'Balamo' composed by Dionysis Tsaknis, which is based on a Gypsy song.” (http://www.zyntag.com/tags/video/j3Fply9xJ-w/ )
Remedios Silva Pisa – Naci en Alamo: (Spanish lyrics and “loose” English translation)
no tengo lugar
I have no place
y no tengo paisaje
I have no countryside
yo menos tengo patria
I have less of a homeland
con mis dedos hago el fuego
With my fingers, I make fire
y con mi Corazon te canto
With my heart, I sing to you
las cuerdas de mi Corazon lloran
And my heartsstrings cry
naci en Alamo
I was born in Alamo
naci en Alamo
I was born in Alamo
no tengo lugar
I have no place
y no tengo paisaje
I have no countryside
yo menos tengo patria
I have no homeland
naci en Alamo
I was born in Alamo
naci en Alamo
I was born in Alamo
ay cuando canta(s)
When they sing,
y con tus Dolores
with your sorros
nuestras mujeres te hechizan
our women enchant you
naci en Alamo
I was born in Alamo
naci en Alamo
I was born in Alamo
no tengo lugar
I have no place
y no tengo paisaje
I have no countryside
yo menos tengo patria
I have less of a homeland
For the version of Amel Mathlouthi I only could find the English interpretation, not the Spanish lyrics in original.
Amel Mathlouthi - Nací en Palestina / Born in Palestine:
I have no place
I have no country
I have no homeland
With my finger I make fire
and with my heart I sing for you
my heartstrings weep
I was born in Palestine
I was born in Palestine
I have no place
I have no country
I have no homeland
Eleni Vitali - Balamo (Roma lyrics from Greece and English translation):
Den eho topo, den eho elpida
I don't have a place, I don't have a hope
de tha me hasi, kamia patrida
no homeland will ever lose me
ke me ta heria mou ke tin kardia mou
and with my hands and my heart
ftiahno tsantiria sta onira mou
I make chadir (arabic-gypsy tent) in my dreams
Nas balamos, nas balamos
go away outsider(non gypsy), leave outsider
kai to loumno to afentiko
and the mean boss
nagia domles atze I balamo
does not accept the outsider (non-gypsy = white)
Ke ta ganikia mas otan chorevoun
and when our women dance
ne chastaromata pou se magevoun
with perfums and colours that put a spell on you
kounoune somata kai ta pite tous
they move their bodies and their jewels
mesa se klinoune stis agalies tous
they take their arms around you..
Note: Instead of "Naglia domles atze," Eleni uses different words in this version.
commentary from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_C4OOD1E0M: "Based on a Gypsy Greek folk song, this Dionysis Tsaknis composition is the basis of Tony Gatlif's Spanish Gypsy song Naci en Alamo in his film Vengo. Gatlif used the Spanish phrase "naci en Alamo" (meaning "born in Alamo"), which sounds like "Nas Balamo" (meaning "Leave outsider" in Greek/Gypsy). It is an example of how great music transcends languages, geography and cultures."