The Grasses of the Earth

Listen

Wake up my black eyed one I’ve come to your neighbourhood,
I have brought you a golden tress to plait your hair.

Your black eyes and your white neck
will make me lose my mind.

Black eyed one of the neighbourhood bear this in mind;
I come here for you and not for your parents.

The grasses of the earth and its dandelions
it is her black eyebrows I want to kiss.

I pass by and I don’t greet you, I lower my eyes;
I do this for the neighbours but I take pride in you.

You have stabbed me, no wound is apparent
and apart from you no doctor avails.

I say good evening to someone, I won’t mention the name
Because if I utter the name I will sit and weep.

You torment me but what can I say?
I bear everything because I love you.

Translated by Mania Seferiades

Ξύπνα μαυροματούσα μου

Tης γης τα χορταράκια

Ξύπνα μαυροματούσα μου κι ήρτα στη γειτονιά σου,
χρυσά μπλεξούδια σ’ έφερα να μπλέξεις τα μαλλιά σου.
Τα μάτια σου τα μαύρα κι ο άσπρος σου λαιμός,
αυτά ’νι που μι κάνουν κι γένουμου λουλός.

Μαυροματού της γειτονιάς βάλτου καλά στο νου σου,
ιγώ για σένα έρχομου, όχι για τους γονιούς σου.
Της γης τα χορταράκια και τα ραδίκια της,
να τα φιλήσου θέλου τα μαύρα φρύδια της.

Πιρνώ κι δε σι χαιριτώ, τα μάτια χαμηλώνου,
του κάμου για τη γειτουνιά μα ’γω σι καμαρώνου.
Μαχαιρουμένου μ’ έχεις πληγή δε φαίνιτι
κι άλλους απού σένα γιατρός δε γένιτι.

Καλησπερίζου μια ψυχή κι τ’ όνομα δε λέου,
γιατί αν πω του όνομα, θα κάθουμου να κλαίου.
Ισύ μι βασανίζεις μα τι μπουρώ να πω,
ούλα τα υποφέρνου γιατί σι αγαπώ.

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Recording information

Studio recording, 1984.

In Domna Samiou’s music archive there is a recording of the song by Nikos Karageorgiou in 1982 in Nea Makri, Attica.

Wake up My Black Eyed One
Nikos Karageorgiou. 1983 © Domna Samiou Archive

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