Learning Greek with the Help of Greek Music

This page is part of the author’s set of pages on Learning Greek with Music, which in turn is part of the Greek language

If the reader landed on this page directly, and is unfamiliar with the project of learning the Greek language with the help of Greek music, they are advised to follow the previous link first, and learn the general issues (and caveats!) behind this idea.

A note on copyright issues:

To avoid violating copyrights, no whole songs are included, but excerpts only; specifically, only excerpts that contain whole stanzas. You will not be able to reconstruct the songs by stitching end-to-end their pieces — sorry! — due to the way I present the beginning and end of each piece (fade-in, fade-out). I apologize for having to do that, but without such precautions this page would not exist.

Song #7: I Gave You Rose Water to Drink — Σε πότισα ροδόσταμο

Year: < 1959

Composer		Poet		Singer	Bouzouki performer
Mikis Theodorakis Μίκης Θεοδωράκης (1925 – )		Nikos Gatsos Νίκος Γκάτσος (1911 – 1992)		Mary Linda Μαίρη Λίντα (1936 – )	Manolis Chiotis Μανώλης Χιώτης (1921 – 1970)

1st stanza

Music:

Lyrics:		*Pronunciation: ()**	Meaning:
Στον άλλο κόσμο που θα πας		ston álo gózmo pu θa pas	In the other world that you’re about to go
κοίτα μη γίνεις σύννεφο		cíta mi Jíñis sínefo	behold, don’t turn into a cloud
κοίτα μη γίνεις σύννεφο		cíta mi Jíñis sínefo	behold, don’t turn into a cloud
κι άστρο πικρό της χαραυγής		c ástro pikró tis xaravγís	or a bitter star of dawn
και σε γνωρίσει η μάνα σου		ce se γnorísi i mána su	and your mother recognizes you
που καρτερεί στην πόρτα.		pu karterí stin bórta	who’s awaiting by the door.

Σε πότισα ροδόσταμο		se pótisa roδóstamo	I gave you rose water to drink
με πότισες φαρμάκι		me pótises farmáci	you watered me with poison
της παγωνιάς αητόπουλο	x 2	tis paγoñás aitópulo	you eaglet of the bitter cold
της ερημιάς γεράκι.	x 2	tis erimñás Jeráci	you falcon of the wilderness.

2nd stanza

Music:

Lyrics:		*Pronunciation: ()**	Meaning:
Πάρε μια βέργα λυγαριά		páre mña vérγa LiγarJá	Take the cane of an osler
μια ρίζα δεντρολίβανο		mña ríza δendroLívano	a root of rosemary
μια ρίζα δεντρολίβανο		mña ríza δendroLívano	a root of rosemary
και γίνε φεγγαροδροσιά		ce Jíne feNgaroδrosCá	and turn into moonlit dew
να πέσεις τα μεσάνυχτα		na pésis ta mesáñixta	to descend at midnight
στη διψασμένη αυλή σου.		sti δipsazméñi avLí su	on your thirsty garden.

Σε πότισα ροδόσταμο		se pótisa roδóstamo	I gave you rose water to drink
με πότισες φαρμάκι		me pótises farmáci	you watered me with poison
της παγωνιάς αητόπουλο	x 2	tis paγoñás aitópulo	you eaglet of the bitter cold
της ερημιάς γεράκι.	x 2	tis erimñás Jeráci	you falcon of the wilderness.

(*) For an explanation of the pronunciation symbols, see this page. The only deviations, for the sake of avoiding confusion, are:

the symbol L (instead of K) is used for the palatal lateral approximant,
ñ is used instead of #,
δ is used instead of D,
θ is used instead of T,
γ is used instead of +, and
G is used instead of ].

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