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In Saloniki I sold my boat
but when I got home to Chios, I didn’t have a groat.

Heave ho once, man the sails
Heave ho twice, to the village
Heave ho thrice, maid come to see my face.

Off Diachori our nets we cast,
hauling in bushels of fish, octopus unsurpassed.

Our boat needs oars and strong men, too,
to cast and haul the fish out of the blue.

Our boat needs sails and two maids, too,
to cast and haul the sardines out of the blue.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Ηπούλησα τη βάρκα μου

Ηπούλησα τη βάρκα μου εις τη Θεσσαλονίκη
κι ωσότου νά ’βγω μες στη Χιος, δεν είχα μεταλίκι.1

Ε, βίρα μια, στα πανιά
ε, βίρα δυο, στο χωριό
ε, βίρα τρεις, έβγα κόρη όξω να με δεις.

Πήγαμε και καλάραμε2 κάτω εις το Διαχώρι,
ψάρια πολλά επιάσαμε, μαζί κι ένα χταπόδι.

Η βάρκα μας θέλει κουπιά, θέλει και παλικάρια
να πάμε να καλάρομε, να βγάλομε τα ψάρια.

Η βάρκα μας θέλει πανιά, θέλει και δυο κοπέλες
να πάμε να καλάρομε, να βγάλομε σαρδέλες.

1δεν είχα μεταλίκι: ήμουν απένταρος. Μεταλίκι είναι τουρκικό νόμισμα δέκα παράδων
2καλάραμε: ρίξαμε τα δίχτυα

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Recording information

Studio recording, 2005.

Based on Simon Karas' recording which belongs to the Association for the Dissemination of Greek National Music.

See also Our fishing-boat a battered hulk (Trikeri, Thessaly), Our poor broken fishing boat (Euboea).

In Domna Samiou's Archive, there is another version of the song recorded in Euboea in 1976.

Our Tráta All Tattered
Song Panagiotis Millas, group of men. Panagiotis Millas, violin, Antonis Verouchis, lute. Mylos Euboea 1976 TV program 'Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou'

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