Listen
Now a foreign land watches him grow -my precious one
my life's sweet-smelling blossom -silently and humbly.
God, I was the one who sent him there -my precious one
't was my own will- humbly I'm stepping on my land.
Damn you foreign lands, your winds lured him away,
your promises for promised lands -silently and humbly.
How could you take my lad away, foreign land,
and lure him to be yours -humbly I'm stepping on my land.
Τζιβαέρι
Aχ, η ξενιτιά το χαίρεται, τζιβαέρι μου,
το μοσχολούλουδό μου,
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά και ταπεινά.
Aχ, εγώ ήμουνα που το ’στειλα, τζιβαέρι μου,
με θέλημα δικό μου,
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά πατώ στη γη.
Αχ, πανάθεμά σε ξενιτιά, τζιβαέρι μου,
εσέν’ και το καλό σου,
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά και ταπεινά,
αχ, που πήρες το παιδάκι μου, τζιβαέρι μου,
και το ’κανες δικό σου,
σιγανά, σιγανά, σιγανά πατώ στη γη.
This is a very popular song nowadays. It is a Dodecanese song that deals with the suffering and hardships of the Greek immigrants abroad. I remember that the first time I’ d heard it, it was sung by Amalia Papastephanou, a local singer from the Dodecanese, who had recorded a number of albums including traditional songs of her land. I had taken active part in the preparation and release of these albums at the time. The song in question was originally sung by her but I liked it so much that I also sang it myself.
