Giorgos Giasemis - Aspres Avles

ΣΕ ΑΣΠΡΕΣ ΑΥΛΕΣ
ΜΙΑΣ ΓΕΙΤΟΝΙΑΣ
ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΚΑΤΩΤΕΡΗΣ ΓΕΝΙΑΣ
ΤΟΝ ΠΟΝΟ ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΗΣΑΝΕ
ΜΙΚΡΑ ΚΕΡΑΚΙΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΒΡΟΧΗ
ΦΩΤΙΣΑΝΕ ΓΙΑ ΜΙΑ ΣΤΙΓΜΗ
ΚΑΙ ΟΙ ΣΤΕΝΑΓΜΟΙ ΜΑΣ ΣΒΥΣΑΝΕ

(Not full lyrics, all I found)

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Giorgos Giasemis - Aspres Avles / white yards

Εγώ που λες καρδιά μου, στα αζήτητα μεγάλωσα / I grew up as an unclaimed remainder my dear (my heart)
(alternate translation suggested by a member: "I grew up on the wayside (on the margins) my dear (my heart))
και σε σκληρά κρεβάτια, τα όνειρά μου χάλασα / and i wasted my dreams on hard beds (on unyielding mattresses)
Πως δεν αξίζω κάτι καλύτερο με πείσανε / They convinced me that i don't deserve something better
και για να αναπνέω, αντάλλαγμα ζητήσανε / and they asked for an exchange to let me breath

Σε άσπρες αυλές μιας γειτονιάς / At the white yards of a neighborhood
παιδιά κατώτερης γενιάς / children of an inferior God
τον πόνο τραγουδήσαμε / we sang for the pain
Μικρά κεράκια στη βροχή / little candles in the rain
φωτίσαμε για μια στιγμή / we shined for a moment
κι οι στεναγμοί μας σβήσανε / and our groans faded out. (x2)

Εμένανε καρδιά μου οι άνθρωποι μ' αγάπησαν / I was loved by the people my dear (my heart)
και οι δυστυχισμένοι το χέρι τους μου άπλωσαν / and the miserable laid their hands to me
Πέτρες βαριές τα χρόνια, τα πρόσωπα χαράξανε / The years (were) heavy stones, they marked the faces
και τα ονόματά τους, σε μαύρες λίστες γράψανε / and wrote their names in black lists.

Σε άσπρες αυλές μιας γειτονιάς / At the white yards of a neighborhood
παιδιά κατώτερης γενιάς / children of an inferior God
τον πόνο τραγουδήσαμε / we sang for the pain
Μικρά κεράκια στη βροχή / little candles in the rain
φωτίσαμε για μια στιγμή / we shined for a moment
κι οι στεναγμοί μας σβήσανε / and our groans faded out. (x2)


Aspres Avles / white yards : explanation.

Decades ago, as a result of the almost continuous wars Greece had (WWI, WWII, Greek war of independence), there were a lot of poor neighborhoods all around Greece. Houses at those neighborhoods were small, detached ones and, used to have a small, usually paved, yard.

Owners were used to whitewash those yards (and the houses as well) as a measure against the strong sun during the summer (reflective white color)...

It's still happening at most of the Greek islands. But now it's mostly happening for cosmetic reasons (to give a traditional look...).

The song refers to those "white" (whitewashed) yards of those poor neighborhood houses of that era.