Greek song: Mahairi ...

hi, i am new here! just thought you could help me, i am searching for a greek soon, smth about TO MAHAIRI,,,there was a man, who is telling the story, how that knife, has brought unhappiness to many people, and begging the other person, not to buy it, saying that it is cursed, and will kill him as well...but the guy didnt listen to him, and bought the mahairi, and then he started loosing his mind, as a result, he killed himself...

i know , its strange to explain, but i dont remember the words exactly...may be smb can help, thanksss

hi Tory, I'll move your request to its own thread in Identify it, the place for song searches with your own thread the chance to get an answer is higher.

Originally Posted by Tory

hi, i am new here! just thought you could help me, i am searching for a greek soon, smth about TO MAHAIRI,,,there was a man, who is telling the story, how that knife, has brought unhappiness to many people, and begging the other person, not to buy it, saying that it is cursed, and will kill him as well...but the guy didnt listen to him, and bought the mahairi, and then he started loosing his mind, as a result, he killed himself...

i know , its strange to explain, but i dont remember the words exactly...may be smb can help, thanksss

Hi Tory,
you are right, there is such a song in Greek, and here're the lyrics.
The lyrics were written by Nikos Kavvadias, which was kind of a sailor, while at the same time he was writing poems (he started publishing poems at the age of 18), most of which have as a topic, stories about the sea and the sailor's lives and experiences.

Στίχοι: Νίκος Καββαδίας / Lyrics
Μουσική: Θάνος Μικρούτσικος / Music
Πρώτη εκτέλεση: Βασίλης Παπακωνσταντίνου / Initially performed by
Άλλες ερμηνείες: Θάνος Μικρούτσικος || Γιάννης Κότσιρας / Generally performed by

Απάνω μου έχω πάντοτε στη ζώνη μου σφιγμένο
I always carry with me, tightened on my waistband
ένα παλιό αφρικάνικο ατσάλινο μαχαίρι
an old african, made out of steel, knife
-όπως αυτά που συνηθούν και παίζουν οι αραπάδες-
- like the ones (knives) the negros are used to play with -
που από έναν γέρο έμπορο αγόρασα στ' Αλγέρι.
that I have bought, from an old man dealer, at Algeria.

Θυμάμαι, ως τώρα να 'τανε, το γέρο παλαιοπώλη,
I remember, as if it was yesterday, (literally as if it was right now) the old-man secondhand dealer,
όπου έμοιαζε με μια παλιά ελαιγραφία του Γκόγια,
who looked like an old oil painting of Goya's,
ορθόν πλάι σε μακριά σπαθιά και σε στολές σχισμένες,
standing next to big swords and torn battle dresses,
να λέει με μια βραχνή φωνή τα παρακάτου λόγια:
speaking, in a hoarse voice, the following words:

«Ετούτο το μαχαίρι, εδώ, που θέλεις ν' αγοράσεις
"About this very knife, which you want to buy
με ιστορίες αλλόκοτες ο θρύλος το 'χει ζώσει,
(you should know that) the legend has haunted with weird stories,
κι όλοι το ξέρουν πως αυτοί που κάποια φορά το 'χαν,
and everybody knows that those ones who once upon a time owned it,
καθένας κάποιον άνθρωπο δικό του έχει σκοτώσει.
each one of them, has killed (with the knife) some person, close to him.

Ο Δον Μπαζίλιο σκότωσε μ' αυτό τη Δόνα Τζούλια,
Don Basilio used it, so as to kill Dona Julia,
την όμορφη γυναίκα του γιατί τον απατούσε.
who was his beautiful wife, because she was cheating on him.
ο Κόντε Αντόνιο, μια βραδιά, τον δύστυχο αδελφό του
Count Antonio, one evening, his poor brother
με το μαχαίρι τούτο εδώ κρυφά δολοφονούσε.
secretly, was murdering, with this very knife.

Ένας αράπης τη μικρή ερωμένη του από ζήλεια
A negro, (killed) his sweet lover, out of jealousy
και κάποιος ναύτης Ιταλός ένα Γραικό λοστρόμο.
and some Italian sailor, (killed) a Greek boatswain.
Χέρι με χέρι ξέπεσε και στα δικά μου χέρια.
hand-in-hand, it drifted in my own hands as well,
Πολλά έχουν δει τα μάτια μου, μα αυτό μου φέρνει τρόμο.
My eyes have seen so many things, but this one, really gives me the creeps.

Σκύψε και δες το, μια άγκυρα κι ένα οικόσημο έχει,
Watch closely, have a look, there's an anchor and a blazon upon it,
είναι αλαφρύ για πιάσε το δεν πάει ούτε ένα κουάρτο,
it's light-weighted, go on, hold it, it doesn't weight not even 1/4, (κουάρτο is rather a poetic word)
μα εγώ θα σε συμβούλευα κάτι άλλο ν' αγοράσεις.»
but I would advise you to buy something else."
-Πόσο έχει; - Μόνο φράγκα εφτά. Αφού το θέλεις πάρ΄το.
- How much is it? (how much does it cost?) - Just seven francs. Here, take it, since you wish so.

Ένα στιλέτο έχω μικρό στη ζώνη μου σφιγμένο,
Upon my waistband, I have tightened a small stiletto,
που η ιδιοτροπία μ' έκαμε και το 'καμα δικό μου,
that peculiarity made me make it mine,
κι αφού κανένα δε μισώ στον κόσμο να σκοτώσω,
and, since I hate noone in the world so as to kill,
φοβάμαι μη καμιά φορά το στρέψω στον εαυτό μου...
I'm afraid that sometime I will point it to myself...

You can listen to the song here.

hı! you cant imagine, how much happy you made me now!!! i was reading the words and nearly started crying.....i have been searching for it for such a long time! thank you very much,...

but unfortuntately i coudnt listen to it, in the link you gave,,,is there any chance for me to listen it from anywhere>


thank you once again
wish you all the best
Tory

Originally Posted by boubou

Hi Tory,
you are right, there is such a song in Greek, and here're the lyrics.
The lyrics were written by Nikos Kavvadias, which was kind of a sailor, while at the same time he was writing poems (he started publishing poems at the age of 18), most of which have as a topic, stories about the sea and the sailor's lives and experiences.

Στίχοι: Νίκος Καββαδίας / Lyrics
Μουσική: Θάνος Μικρούτσικος / Music
Πρώτη εκτέλεση: Βασίλης Παπακωνσταντίνου / Initially performed by
Άλλες ερμηνείες: Θάνος Μικρούτσικος || Γιάννης Κότσιρας / Generally performed by

Απάνω μου έχω πάντοτε στη ζώνη μου σφιγμένο
I always carry with me, tightened on my waistband
ένα παλιό αφρικάνικο ατσάλινο μαχαίρι
an old african, made out of steel, knife
-όπως αυτά που συνηθούν και παίζουν οι αραπάδες-
- like the ones (knives) the negros are used to play with -
που από έναν γέρο έμπορο αγόρασα στ' Αλγέρι.
that I have bought, from an old man dealer, at Algeria.

Θυμάμαι, ως τώρα να 'τανε, το γέρο παλαιοπώλη,
I remember, as if it was yesterday, (literally as if it was right now) the old-man secondhand dealer,
όπου έμοιαζε με μια παλιά ελαιγραφία του Γκόγια,
who looked like an old oil painting of Goya's,
ορθόν πλάι σε μακριά σπαθιά και σε στολές σχισμένες,
standing next to big swords and torn battle dresses,
να λέει με μια βραχνή φωνή τα παρακάτου λόγια:
speaking, in a hoarse voice, the following words:

«Ετούτο το μαχαίρι, εδώ, που θέλεις ν' αγοράσεις
"About this very knife, which you want to buy
με ιστορίες αλλόκοτες ο θρύλος το 'χει ζώσει,
(you should know that) the legend has haunted with weird stories,
κι όλοι το ξέρουν πως αυτοί που κάποια φορά το 'χαν,
and everybody knows that those ones who once upon a time owned it,
καθένας κάποιον άνθρωπο δικό του έχει σκοτώσει.
each one of them, has killed (with the knife) some person, close to him.

Ο Δον Μπαζίλιο σκότωσε μ' αυτό τη Δόνα Τζούλια,
Don Basilio used it, so as to kill Dona Julia,
την όμορφη γυναίκα του γιατί τον απατούσε.
who was his beautiful wife, because she was cheating on him.
ο Κόντε Αντόνιο, μια βραδιά, τον δύστυχο αδελφό του
Count Antonio, one evening, his poor brother
με το μαχαίρι τούτο εδώ κρυφά δολοφονούσε.
secretly, was murdering, with this very knife.

Ένας αράπης τη μικρή ερωμένη του από ζήλεια
A negro, (killed) his sweet lover, out of jealousy
και κάποιος ναύτης Ιταλός ένα Γραικό λοστρόμο.
and some Italian sailor, (killed) a Greek boatswain.
Χέρι με χέρι ξέπεσε και στα δικά μου χέρια.
hand-in-hand, it drifted in my own hands as well,
Πολλά έχουν δει τα μάτια μου, μα αυτό μου φέρνει τρόμο.
My eyes have seen so many things, but this one, really gives me the creeps.

Σκύψε και δες το, μια άγκυρα κι ένα οικόσημο έχει,
Watch closely, have a look, there's an anchor and a blazon upon it,
είναι αλαφρύ για πιάσε το δεν πάει ούτε ένα κουάρτο,
it's light-weighted, go on, hold it, it doesn't weight not even 1/4, (κουάρτο is rather a poetic word)
μα εγώ θα σε συμβούλευα κάτι άλλο ν' αγοράσεις.»
but I would advise you to buy something else."
-Πόσο έχει; - Μόνο φράγκα εφτά. Αφού το θέλεις πάρ΄το.
- How much is it? (how much does it cost?) - Just seven francs. Here, take it, since you wish so.

Ένα στιλέτο έχω μικρό στη ζώνη μου σφιγμένο,
Upon my waistband, I have tightened a small stiletto,
που η ιδιοτροπία μ' έκαμε και το 'καμα δικό μου,
that peculiarity made me make it mine,
κι αφού κανένα δε μισώ στον κόσμο να σκοτώσω,
and, since I hate noone in the world so as to kill,
φοβάμαι μη καμιά φορά το στρέψω στον εαυτό μου...
I'm afraid that sometime I will point it to myself...

You can listen to the song here.

Have a look in your other thread.