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Φέτο το καλοκαιράκι
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Lyrics
This lovely summer that is past,
this lovely summer that is past,
áde, this lovely summer that is past
I hunted for a little bird.
I hunted it, I yearned for it,
I could not stand it any more,
áde, I put my bird-lime out for it,
and then the bird came close to me.
My joy was such I dearly wished
that I might fly into the air,
áde, that I might fly into the air
and reach out for the sky itself,
and reach out for the sky itself,
and bring an angel back with me,
áde, and bring an angel back with me
and drain the sea until it’s dry.
And drain the sea until it’s dry
and make a garden out of it,
áde, and plant some little lemon trees
and pretty little rose shrubs, too.
I put them in the ground on Monday,
and I prune them all on Tuesday,
áde, on Wednesday they are in leaf,
on Thursday they produce fine apples.
On Friday eve there comes a thief,
who comes to make away with them.
áde, good thief, mind you don’t steal the apples
or dare to nip off all the leaves.
The master’s counted them in fives,
and one by one he’s counted them,
áde, and so in fives and one by one
they’re all recorded in his ledger.
Translated by John Leatham
Original Lyrics
Φέτο το καλοκαιράκι
Φέτο το καλοκαιράκι,
φέτο το καλοκαιράκι
άντε, φέτο το καλοκαιράκι,
κυνηγούσα ’να πουλάκι.
Κυνηγούσα, λαχταρούσα
να το πιάσω δεν μπορούσα
κι έστησα τα ξόβεργά μου
κι ήρθε το πουλί κοντά μου.
Από την πολλή χαρά μου
ήθελα για να πετάξω
και στους ουρανούς να φτάσω.
άγγελο να κατεβάσω
και τη θάλασσα ν’ αδειάσω,
να την κάνω περιβόλι
να φυτέψω λεμονίτσες,
όμορφες τριανταφυλλίτσες.
Τη Δευτέρα τις φυτεύω
και την Τρίτη τις κλαδεύω
την Τετάρτη βγάζουν φύλλα
και την Πέμπτη κάνουν μήλα,
Την Παρασκευή το βράδυ
ήρθε κλέφτης να τα πάρει.
Κλέφτη μου μη κλέφτεις μήλα,
μη κορφολογάς τα φύλλα,
τα ’χει αφέντης μετρημένα,
πέντε-πέντε κι ένα-ένα
στο τεφτέρι του γραμμένα.
Information
- Region: Eastern Aegean
- Area: Lesvos, Mandamados
- Categories: Love Song
- Rhythm: 9 beats
- Duration: 04:16
Collaborators
- Singer: Domna Samiou
- Constantinopolitan lute: Socrates Sinopoulos
- Saz: Perikles Papapetropoulos
- Lute: Kostas Philippidis
- Goblet drum: Yiorgos Gevgelis
- Informant (source of the song): Stratis Chiropaídis
Albums
Recording information
Studio recording, 1995.
Domna Samiou taped the song in Mandamados, Lesvos, sung by Stratís Chiropaídis, in 1968 in the office of the community of Mandamados.
Stratís Chiropaídis sang good and was the soul of the village feasts. He wore the traditional folk costume until the end. He took off his breeches and fez when, very old, was transferred to Athens to be taken care of by his children.

Stratis Chiropaídis (1927)
Stavros Chiropedis (the father) and his wife Eleni are sitting holding their grandchildren. Standing in the center, Stratis and his two sisters, Elizabeth and Rodothea. Photo of 1927. Photo courtesy of St. Apostolellis.
© Domna Samiou Archive