Listen
It’s in May the partridge sings,
in May the nightingale bursts into song,
’tis in May the turtledove takes to the wing
and to the brook flies down.
Dearest May with your flowers,
with your gaiety and your songs.
I was born in May and have no fear of magic,
unless the spell is cast as I’m asleep in bed.
Dearest May, with your tender shoots,
how you beguile the striplings.
May has the name and April the flowers,
’tis youth and beauty songs should praise.
I’ve lost my mind to a May bloom.
She stole my mind and was gone.
Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Το Μάη λαλούν οι πέρδικες
Το Μάη λαλούν οι πέ- οι πέρδικες,
το Μάη λαλούν, το Μάη λαλούν τ’ αηδόνια,
το Μάη κατεβαί- κατεβαίνουνε
στις βρύσες τα, στις βρύσες τα τρυγόνια.
Μάη μου με τα λουλούδια,
με χαρές και με τραγούδια.
Το Μάη ν-εγεννήθηκα και μάγια δε φοβούμαι,
εξόν και μου τα ρίξουνε στην κλίνην που κοιμούμαι.
Μάη μου με τα χορτάρια
που πλανάς τα παλικάρια.
Ο Μάης έχει τ’ όνομα κι Απρίλης τα λουλούδια,
στα νιάτα και στην εμορφιά αξίζουν τα τραγούδια.
Το γαρίφαλο του Μάη
μου πήρε το νου και πάει.
Studio recording, 2006.
Domna Samiou taped the song in Skyros Island, sung by Efrosyni Tsakami in 1974.
It's in May the Partridge Sings
Efrosyni Tsakami. Skyros 1974
© Domna Samiou Archive
In the same tape there is another song from Skyros Island, the 'Song of May' sung by Yiorgos Dapfnoulis.
The Song of May
Yiorgos Daphnoulis. Skyros 1974
© Domna Samiou Archive
In the Domna Samiou's Archive there is a third recording of the song, sung by Skyrian Faltaina Alexandrou, born in 1921. It is not known when and by whom the recording was made.
It's in May the Partridge Sings
Faltaina Alexandrou. Skyros 1980s
© Domna Samiou Archive
