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A brave young lad set out for Macedonia,
where Pavlos men was gathering,
men in whom the spirit of Twenty One lived on.
– Boys, Kastoria is calling for our help,
Kastoria and all of Macedonia.
Grevena has bid us come.
I’d bridge every gorge and every stream
for Pavlos and his army to cross.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Λεβέντης εξεκίνησε

Του Παύλου Μελά

Λεβέντης εξεκίνησε για τη Μακιδουνία,
τα παλικά- τα παλικάρια ο Παύλος σύναξε,

τα παλικάρια σύναξε κι όλο το Εικοσιένα.
− Παιδιά μάς κράζει η Καστοριά κι όλη η Μακιδουνία,
μας προσκαλούν τα Γρεβενά.
− Γέφυρα θε να φκιάξω σ’ όλα τα ρέματα
για να περάσ’ ο Παύλος με τα στρατεύματα.

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Notes

The Pavlos of the song is Pavlos Melas (1870-1904), a Greek officer who played a leading role in organizing and fighting in the Greek struggle for Macedonia between July and October, 1904. The ‘spirit of ’21’ is a reference to the Greek War of Independence of 1821, which led to the establishment of the modern Greek state. Miranda Terzopoulou (2007)

Recording information

Studio recording, 2005.

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

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