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I see some ships approaching port, how beautiful they seem to me,
ships that sail across the waters,
rending my faint heart asunder.

The one sails on a south wind, help, o Christ and Holy Mary,
another on a north wind, white sails filled and fully stretched.
The third, the smallest of them all, is by far the loveliest;
my beloved’s aboard that vessel and he’s shouting, ‘Slack away there’
‘I’ve slacked away, my love, slacked away.
You were young and I seduced you.
I’ve slacked away and changed my tack, love is fickle, fancy free.’

Translated by John Leatham

Βλέπω καράβια κι έρχονται

Bλέπω καράβια κι έρχονται, ωραία που μου φαίνονται
καραβάκια π’ αρμενίζουν
την καρδούλα μου ραγίζουν.

To ’να αρμενίζει με νοτιά, βόηθα Xριστέ και Παναγιά
τ’ άλλο με τραμουντάνα, άσπρη μου παχιά σουλτάνα.
Tο τρίτο το μικρότερο απ’ όλα εμορφότερο
έχει το πουλί μου μέσα και φωνάζει εγιαλέσα.
Έλεσα μάτια μ’ έλεσα, μικρή ’σουν και σε γέλασα
έλεσα και τιραμόλα η αγάπη ’ναι μαργιόλα.

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Notes

Local dance danced during the Carnival period called “apokriatikos”.

Recording information

Studio recording, 1980. Domna Samiou taped the song in Skiathos, sung by Yannis Parisis and Diamantis Myrodis, in 1975.

Watch the song by a group of men in Skiathos

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