Easter Dance

Όλοι πάνε στην εκκλησά

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All attend –for sake of Christ– all attend at church
to exclaim that ‘Christ is Risen!’ and to hear the Word.

As for me, they send me to the shore to guard some sailing vessels.
I can see some sailing ships approach and boats are in the offing.
I took my kerchief from my pocket and signalled them at sea.
Good vessels, come and anchor here, I want to question you.
Now, that young man you’ve gone and seized, you’re not to treat him roughly.
And if he’s up for ransom now, I want to ransom him.
A thousand florins for his hands, a thousand florins for his feet.
As for his slender body, now no one can ransom that.

Translated by John Leatham

Όλοι πάνε στην εκκλησά

Όλοι πάνε, για το Χριστό, όλοι πάνε στην εκκλησά
για το Χριστόν Ανέστη και στον καλό το Λόγο.

Και μένα στέλνουν στο γιαλό καράβια να φυλάξω.
Βλέπω καράβια νά ’ρχονται, βαρκούλες ν’ αρμενίζουν.
Το μαντιλάκι μ’ έβγαλα και διανεμό τους κάνω.
Καράβια μ’ ’ράχτε κι ως εδώ, κάτι θα σας ρωτήσω.
Αυτόν τον νιο που πιάσατε να μη τον τυραννάτε.
Κι αν είναι για ξαγόρασμα θέλω ν-τον ξαγοράσω.
Χίλια φλωριά ’ν’ τα χέρια του -χίλια φλωριά ’ν’ τα πόδια
το λυγερό του το κορμί, ξαγορασμό δεν έχει.

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Notes

Easter dance, danced mostly by women in the steps of “syrtos sta tria”.

Recording information

Studio recording, 1997.

Katerina Seferli taped the song in Gymno, Euboea, sung by village women, in 1997.

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