Based on a Gypsy Greek folk song, is the basis of Tony Gatlif’s Spanish Gypsy song “Naci en Alamo” in his film Vengo. Composed by Dionysis Tsaknis. Performed here by Eleni Vitali
Den eho topo, den eho elpida de tha me hasi, kamia patrida ke me ta heria mou ke tin kardia mou ftiahno tsantiria sta onira mou
Nas balamos, nas balamos kai to loumno to afentiko nagia domles atze I balamo
Ke ta ganikia mas otan chorevoun ne chastaromata pou se magevoun kounoune somata kai ta pite tous mesa se klinoune stis agalies tous
Translation
I don’t have a place, I don’t have any hope no homeland will ever lose me and with my hands and my heart I make chadir (arabic-gypsy tent) in my dreams
go away outsider(non gypsy), leave outsider and the mean boss does not accept the outsider (non-gypsy = white) and when our women dance with perfums and colours that put a spell on you, they move their bodies and their jewels they put their arms around you..
Note: Eleni uses different words instead of “Naglia domles atze” in this version.
Song from the movie Transylvania, where pregnant Zingarina travels to Transylvania to explore the region and find her lost lover Milan, a musician who left her without a word of explanation. Singed by Bea Playa.
Tchiki tchiki
Adjatok egy szalmaszálat Égessem el a világot! Adjatok egy szalmaszálat, Hadd fújjam fel ezt a házat!
Lábam termett a táncra, Szemem a kacsintásra. Ha táncolok, szikrát szórok, A világra fittyet hányok!
ay tchiki tchiki, ay ke te merav ay tchiki tchiki, ay ke te merav ay tchiki tchiki, ay ke te merav mejakaf mejadinaf
ay tchiki tchiki il m’apelle come ça ay tchiki tchiki il meure pour moi ay tchiki tchiki il m’apelle come ça Avec moi il va ou je vais
Vesz ő nékem selyem ruhát, Gyöngyöt,láncot,piros szoknyát, Reám költi a vagyonát, Lopja-lopja édesanyját.
Bolondítom, hevítem, Kiáltozza a nevem… Tchiki, Tchiki, így hív engem, Megöllek én szép szerelmem…
ay tchiki tchiki, ay ke te merav ay tchiki tchiki, ay ke te merav ay tchiki tchiki, ay ke te merav mejakaf mejadinaf
ay tchiki tchiki il meure pour moi ay tchiki tchiki il m’apelle come ça ay tchiki tchiki il m’apelle come ça avec moi il va ou je vais
ay tchiki tchiki… ay tchiki tchiki… ay tchiki tchiki… (x2)
Lábam termett a táncra, Szemem a kacsintásra, Ha táncolok szikrát szórok, A világra fittyet hányok!
Bolondítom, hevítem, Kiáltozza a nevem: Tchiki, Tchiki – így hív engem – Megöllek én, szép szerelmem!
Aj Chiki-Chiki, aj ke te merav, Aj Chiki-Chiki, aj ke te merav, Aj Chiki-Chiki-Chiki, aj ke te merav, Me zhanav me ka zhivav
Aj Chiki-Chiki, aj ke te merav Aj Chiki-Chiki, il meurt pour moi, Aj Chiki-Chiki, il m’appelle comme ça, Avec moi il va où je veux
Translation
Give me a piece of straw to set the world on fire give me a piece of straw to blow up this house
My feet were made for dancing my eyes were made for winking when i dance I spread sparkles all around and don’t give a damn about the world
Ai,Tchiki-Tchiki, i should die Ai,Tchiki-Tchiki, i should die Ai,Tchiki-Tchiki, i should die I know I’m going to live
Ai,Tchiki-Tchiki, he dies for me Ai,Tchiki-Tchiki, this is how he calls me Ai,Tchiki-Tchiki, this is how he calls me, With me, he go where I want
He will buy me a dress of silk, necklace of pearls, red skirt, he’ll spend his fortune on me he will steal his mother again and again and I make him crazy, I set him on fire
He only shouts my name tchiki tchiki – that’s what he calls me I will kill you my beautiful love !
A version of the traditional song ‘Kéren Chave’ performed by Hungarian Gypsies of the group Csókolom. Also apearing in the film ‘Everything is illuminated’.
Amari szi, amari Amari si, amari, amari cini bori. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj. Amari si, amari, amari cini bori. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj.
Duj, duj, dešuduj, čumidav me lako muj. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj. Duj, duj, dešuduj, čumidav me lako muj. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj.
Lako muj si rupuno, puške trubula dino. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj. Lako muj si rupuno, puške trubula dino. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj.
Keren, šavořale, drom, te khêlel o phuro řom. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj. Phuro řom te khêlela biš taj jek džes malavla*. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj.
Hoi, te merav te na čačipan** phenav! Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj. Hoi, te merav te na čačipan phenav! Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj.
Amari si, amari, amari cini bori. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj. Amari si, amari,
amari cini bori. Aj, lalalalala la la laj laj.
Translation
She is ours, she is ours Our little daughter in law
Two two twelve I kiss her mouth
Her mouth is made of silver she has to be shot
Make way children, let the old man dance
When the old man dances he taps on for twenty one days.
I’ll slap away at my boot-legs, That you’ll hear it even in the morning.
Oh let me die If I don’t tell the truth
She is ours, she is ours Our little daughter in law
From the film ‘Transylvania’ by Tony Gatlif. Mamaliga is also a traditional romanian dish. Singing in the video, the singer of Nadara Gypsy band, Alexandra Beaujard.
Mamaliga
Mamaliga branzali, *Ai Devla,te merau!* So kerel o barvali? *Ai te merau!* x2
Chorus: Aai mo Rromal!e Aaai mo chaval!e Aai Rromalenca, Aai chavalenca!
*Ai te merau: “Oh Lord may I die!” “this is a genuine gypsy expression, they also say “may my mother die!”, and it’s used to emphasize the truthfulness of one’s afirmation (like ‘I swear to God’). It is actually an abreviation of the phrase “May the Lord let me die if I’m lying to you!”
Song from the film ‘Gadjo Dilo’ by Toni Gatlif . The translation of the lyrics is “Oh my God, what am I going to do?”. In this video: Charlotte Terlutte (singer), José Navas (guitar), Piotr Odrekhivskyy (accordion), Ronald Grün (Clarinette). Filmed at the concert “Petites Prières d’Entendre”.
Nora Luca
Ay devlah so te keraw Ah Roma lala lalo madalo Ah roma roma
Ah roma lale lale laleee
Ah roma roma da Ah roma lale lale laleee Ah roma romaya
From Tony Gatlif’s movie ‘Gadjo Dilo’ or The crazy extranger. The story is about a french guy who travells arround Romania looking for the singer Nora Luca, whos voice charmed his dead father when he was alive. In the clip: Adrian Simionescu singing, Rona Hartner dancing and the actor Romain Duris.
Tutti frutti
Tutti frutti te khelas te khelas te giľavas te khelas te giľavas le romenca demadjas/ e Romencar te pagjas (2x)
Chorus: Chi zhanav so te kerav pala late me merav (4x)
Sa o Roma Daje kelenav sa o Roma Daje on pijelav (2x)
Kako Uvil to pamato, a man Marga korkoro. A garavla kaj geli, tilatari za vogi. (3x)
miri rromni si shukar da se lo longi dai bar miri rromni si bruneto da shi mai bari talento miri rromni si shukar da se lo longi dai bar miri rromni si bruneto da shi mai bari talento
Translation:
With tutti frutti soft drink we’re dancing and singing and living it up we’ll smash the bottles.
Chorus: I don’t know, what can i do? I’ll die anyway.
All the Roma, mother, are dancing, all the Roma, mother, are drinking (?) Uncle Uvil is “lid drunk”. His wife Marga is afraid because she thinks he’ll go off with someone else.
This song is form the movie ‘Tabor ukhodit v nebo’ or Gypsie’s camp goes to sky. This melodrama based on early stories by Maxim Gorky tells the fatal love story between the beautiful and rebellious girl Rada and the handsome horse thief Zobar
Loly phabay
Andro verdan drukos nane Man pirani shukar nane Loli phabay precinava Hop, hop, hop Yek pash tuke, yek pash mange Hop, hop, hop.
The red apple (Translation)
In the caravan there is no floor I have no sweet lover I will cut this red apple Half for you, half for me