Oso Varoun Ta Sidera

Oso Varoun ta Sidera

I've been searching on the internet on and off for the English translation to this beloved Greek song for a couple of years (many have sung it; Dalaras IMO is the best). Anyway, I now ask if anyone here has the English lyrics to Oso Varoun ta Sidera.

I have posted the youtube link for anyone who wants to watch one version (of many) of this song.

I am most thankful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwbum...eature=related

I found the lyrics and a translation on stixoi.info This is one of my favourites too, I like to hear Nikos Ksilouris singing it.



Όσο βαρούν τα σίδερα

Όσο βαρούν τα σίδερα αμάν αμάν
βαρούν τα μαύρα ρούχα
γιατί τα φόρεσα κι εγώ κόσμε ψεύτη
για μια αγάπη που ‘χα

Αμάν είχα και υστερήθηκα το μωρό μου
θυμούμαι και εστενάζω
άνοιξε γης μέσα να μπω κόσμε ψεύτη
κόσμο να μην κοιτάζω


As the irons bars clash

As heavy as the irons, aman aman
so the black garments weigh me down
Because I wore them too - world of lies! -
for a love I used to have.

Aman, I once had and then I lost my baby
I remember and I moan.
Split open, earth! let me inside - world of lies! -
that I may never see any people again.

Euxaristo para poli!! My Greek is fractured (I was born in the U.S.), but I knew that the words were anguish.

It brought tears to my eyes.

I will listen to the Nikos Ksilouris version.

Thank you.

You're welcome Poulaki, although I've heard this song so many times, I have to confess that it's the first time I've seen the translation myself

Thank you for asking, now I understand it too

Catherini, I listened to the Ksilouris version. Very nice; there are two versions; an older one accompanied by the sandouri, and a more modern version. Alas, he doesn't rip my heart out like Ntalaras does. (Hmm, is that a good thing? Or a bad thing...)

Then there's a tsiftetelli tempo version, which I don't think the Greek players and singer quite understand what the song is about. Yeeks! They play it with a happy tempo! I went to the Greek website you used. Totally Greek. Hard for me to navigate, but I did find Stou Thoma. Translated into German and Italian only. I can't search it because I don't have a Grik font installed.

Only IF you feel like it, would you, if possible, give me the lyrics (in English; not German, Urdu or Japanese) to O Xaros (the devil). It's rare. It's a man having a conversation with the devil. A REAL old rebetika song. Such world-weary songs sung mostly by weary men.

I'm going to forever relish your translation of Oso Varoun.

What a lovely website this is, with lovely posters. Puppies and rainbows.

Most sincerely,

Poulaki

Hi Poulaki

I found the Greek lyrics for you of Stou Thoma ans O Xaros, I will post them here and hopefully someone will translate them for you.

Στου Θωμά

Έλα απόψε στου Θωμά να σου παίξω μπαγλαμά
να κατέβουν οι αγγέλοι να χορέψουν τσιφτετέλι
κι αν μερακλωθείς πολύ και σ' αρέσει το βιολί
με βιολί σαντουροβιόλι θα χορέψουν οι διαβόλοι

Στου Θωμά το μαγαζί θα τη βρούμε όλοι μαζί
μα στο νόημα για να 'μπεις θα σου εξηγήσει ο Μπάμπης
του Γιωργάκη η δοξαριά θα σου κόψει τη μιλιά
κι η Μαρίκα με το ντέφι θα γελάει και θα σου γνέφει

Ο Χάρος

Τον Χάρο βρήκα μια βραδιά
βαρή κι αγριεμένο
μ' ένα σπαθί στο χέρι του
στο αίμα βουτηγμένο.

Στης Κρήτης τ' όμορφο νησί
πήγε να πάρει μια ψυχή
και βγήκε πληγωμένος

Με κοίταξε, τον κοίταξα
μες στ' αγριά του μάτια
και μούπε λάθη έκανε
σ'αυτά τα μονοπάτια

Στης Κρήτης τ' όμορφο νησί
πήγε να πάρει μια ψυχή
μα γίνηκε κομάτια

Τον είδα για στερνή φορά
τα μάτια του πρίν κλείσει
κι είπε στης Κρήτης το νησί
δεν θα ξαναπατήσει.

Στης Κρήτης τ' όμορφο νησί
όποις θα πάρει μια ψυχή
εκεί θα ξεψυχήσει

I found a translation of Στου Θωμά for you

At Thomas's place

Come to Thomas' place tonight and I'll play the baglamas for you
and the angels will come down and do the belly dance

And if you really get into the mood
and if you like the violin
the devils will dance to the violin and the santouri

At Thomas' place we'll all get drunk together,
but it'll be Babis who tells you what it's really all about

Yorgakis' stroke of the bow
will leave you lost for words
and Marika with her tambourine
will laugh and wave to you

It seems very difficult to me, but I will try.
Prior to this, I will post a few information about Charon, retrieved from wikipedia.
In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon (in Greek, Χάρων — the bright) was the ferryman of Hades who carried souls of the newly deceased across the river that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin to pay Charon for passage, usually an obolus or danake, was sometimes placed on or in the mouth of a dead person. Those who could not pay the fee, or those whose bodies were left unburied, had to wander the shores for one hundred years.

Ο Χάρος
Charon

Τον Χάρο βρήκα μια βραδιά
One night, I ran into Charon
βαρή κι αγριεμένο
(and he was) heavy and fiercing
μ' ένα σπαθί στο χέρι του
holding a sword in his hands
στο αίμα βουτηγμένο.
(which was) deep in blood

Στης Κρήτης τ' όμορφο νησί
At the beautiful island of Crete
πήγε να πάρει μια ψυχή
he went so as to take (with him) a soul
και βγήκε πληγωμένος
and he got out (meaning somehow "of the battle") wounded

Με κοίταξε, τον κοίταξα
He looked at me, I looked at him
μες στ' αγριά του μάτια
deep inside his fiercing eyes
και μούπε λάθη έκανε
and he told me that he did mistakes
σ'αυτά τα μονοπάτια
on these very pathways

Στης Κρήτης τ' όμορφο νησί
At the beautiful island of Crete
πήγε να πάρει μια ψυχή
he went so as to take a soul (with him)
μα γίνηκε κομάτια
but he was shuttered into pieces

Τον είδα για στερνή φορά
I saw him for the last time
τα μάτια του πρίν κλείσει
before he would close his eyes
κι είπε στης Κρήτης το νησί
and he said that at the island of Crete
δεν θα ξαναπατήσει.
he would never go again

Στης Κρήτης τ' όμορφο νησί
At the beautiful island of Crete
όποις θα πάρει μια ψυχή
the one that will take a soul (with him)
εκεί θα ξεψυχήσει
there, he will stop breathing