Vangelis Korakakis / Βαγγέλης Κορακάκης

Heavy night, hard night,
night full of pain,
how can the sorrows fit,
Heavy night, hard night,
in just one body,
how can the sorrows fit,
Heavy night, hard night . . .

To bear you, who can do it,
you darken all of creation-
tears fall like rain. . .
To bear you, who can do it-
how much sorrow do you share-
To bear you, who can do it,
Heavy night, hard night

You came again tonight, sad
on the road, in my glance
a little hope, where to find-
that you came again, sad, tonight
my orphaned heart
you came again tonight, sad
Heavy night, hard night

(translation: Eva Johanos)

It was chance that you birthed me
and gave life to me
in the most difficult time
Ma, that I live

The little boat that is bringing me across
flipped upside down and is turning
tell me where I can hold on
where can I stand

Our hope is lost
and our fate is written
in the devil’s notebook
may he lose his eye

Such a character
mother of mine, where did I get it
to whom do I resemble
that I suffer

Everything around bothers me
and they call me grumpy
all that I see wounds me
Ma, that I live

Our hope is lost. . .

Their game is rigged
manufactured for their taste
It takes us on a trip and returns
and sets limits on us

I take roads and leave them
and with my own laws
and a forgotten star
that I have as my companion

Our hope is lost . . .

(translation: Eva Johanos
*πού ~ the use of this word creates a double meaning: it could mean “that I live / am alive” and can also mean “where I live / am alive.”)

There was once a country…
a good time, like now…
where there were palikaria*…
strong like lions…

But foreigners envied her…
and this country they robbed…
they loaded her into their holds…
and took her to the markets…

And these robbers were not enough…
new pawns arrived…
they wanted to govern…
and to erase her from the map…

This evil was not enough, though…
Spies appeared…
they worshipped the thieves…
and together they are on the take…

All together now united…
they robbed the poor country…
every day she was bleeding…
and moaning from her suffering…

And thus they reduced her to ashes…
all those within reach of her…
but from her ashes she gave birth…
and blessed brave children…

There was once a country…
a good time, like now…
which always had sunshine. . .
because it is called** . . .

(translation:Eva Johanos
*plural of palikari, young man- with a connotation of strength, bravery, good character and good looks
**the missing word is understood to be Greece: the song is written in rhyming couplets, and the last word of the previous line in Greek, “sunshine” is “‘liakada (heliakada) which rhymes with “Ellada,” Greece)

Each person’s truth is his path
His cross and his mountain
Each person’s truth is his lie
Which he has made to appear true

There isn’t one truth in life
It’s a lie
There isn’t one truth in life
Each person sets out to find a certain end
That his mind and soul defines

Like two knives seems truth in life and it scares me
Like two knives seems truth in life
One cuts and divides bread and the other slaughters
One gives disaster, the other breath

Σαν δυο μαχαίρια μοιάζει η αλήθεια στη ζωή και με τρομάζει
Σαν δυο μαχαίρια μοιάζει η αλήθεια στη ζωή
Το ένα κόβει και μοιράζει το ψωμί και το άλλο σφάζει
Το ένα δίνει συμφορά, το άλλο πνοή