A Lazarus Song

Άσπρο τραντάφυλλο φορώ

Listen

I’m wearing a white rose I am, I dearly wish to dye it
and if I’m lucky with the dyes, how many hearts I’ll kindle.
I’ll kindle lasses young and old, I’ll kindle stalwart laddies,
I’ll kindle even a young priest, so he’ll lose the Gospel-book.
I’ll kindle too the village head, so he’ll lose the village rolls,
I’ll kindle that young cowherd lad, so he’ll lose his herd of cows.
We welcome Lazarus who brings along with him good tidings,
the harbinger of Easter Day and cries of ‘Christ is Risen!’.

Translated by John Leatham

Άσπρο τραντάφυλλο φορώ

Άσπρο τραντά- τραντάφυλλο φορώ
ν-άσπρο τραντάφυλλο φορώ βολιούμι να το βάψω
βολιούμι να το βάψ’
κι αν τ’ απιτύχω ρούσα μ’ στις μπογιές
κι αν τ’ απιτύχω στις μπογιές πολλές καρδιές θα κάψω.
Θα κάψω νιες, θα κάψω γριές, θα κάψω παλικάρια
πολλές καρδιές θα κάψ’.
Θα κάψω κι έναν νιο παπά, να χάσει τα ευαγγέλια,
θα κάψω και τον πρόεδρο, να χάσει τα τιφτέρια,
θα κάψω και το γιλαδάρ’, να χάσει τα γιλάδια.
Καλώς μας ήρθ’ ο Λάζαρος με τον καλό το λόγο
με την καλή την Πασκαλιά, με το Χριστός Ανέστη.

Information

Collaborators

  • Singer: Women's Group from Agia Paraskevi (Kozani)

Albums

Notes

The dance is part of the ceremony “Lazarines” in Agia Paraskevi, Kozani, performed on Lazarus Saturday. It is danced by the “Lazarines” around a decorated basket.

Recording information

Domna Samiou taped the song in Agia Paraskevi, Kozani, in 1996.

Member Comments

0 Comments

Post a comment


up to 2000
Login to post a comment

See also

d20_06_badge_aiani
Song
It is the feast of Lazarus
Lazarus Saturday Carol It is the feast of Lazarus, the feast of Palms is nigh. – Where were you, Lazarus, where did you hide yourself? – Why, I wa...
d20_badge
Song
A Teacher Seated Himself Down
Lazarus Saturday Carol A teacher seated himself down upon a block of marble and started writing with his pen, and knocked his ink-well over, the i...
d20_09_badge_sarakina
Song
Good Women Bearing Palms
Lazarus Saturday Carol Come, Holy Virgin, come along and see these women bearing palms, good women bearing palms, good souls, bend down a little wa...
dvd2_badge
Song
Three Beardless Gents
Three beardless gents down from the City, five hairs between them, what a pity. Then bré bré bré a fourth sailed in, from ...
d25_18_badge
Song
A Great Command
And the king did command and ’twas a great command: fleet and admiral were to quit the land. By the Lord’s command and the...
d26_15_badge
Song
I Climbed up the Cherry-Tree
I climbed up the cherry-tree Marie, Maria, Marigo, to pick a cherry vái tzigitzéla, vái tzigitzó. The couple just now joi...
d24_badge
Song
Little White Bird A-Sitting
There sits my little white bird, my fair white bird, sitting on a green branch. A white bird sitting on a green branch gro...
d26_36_badge
Song
May Is Come
May is come and bids me reap but for his sake I shall not go and darken in the sun. May, dear May with the flowers and s...
d40_badge
Song
My Love Is to Wed
My love is to wed and marry my rival, but it’s not that that pains me so, it pains me that she's asked me to be their best ...
d20_badge
Song
Now Hear Me,…
Easter Dance Song Now hear me, you who leads the dance and you who twists and tangles direct the dance along a course resembling reeds a-swayi...
d26_badge
Song
So Many Lies
We’ve told so many lies, a truth now let us tell, we loaded forty pumpkins on a mouse’s tail. The pumpkins full of water, ...
d25_04_badge--2
Song
They Took the City
They took the City, they took Salonika and they took Haghia Sophia along with it. And they took Haghia Sophia, the Great Mo...