Grigoris Bithikotsis / Γρηγόρης Μπιθικώτσης, Rebetika

The flowers in the vase are wilted
the cherubs in a frame are sad.
Next to them the faucet drips to a horrible rhythm
the door creaks and the house is open.

A woman is leaving, a proper lady,
her footsteps erase a sad story.
It is cold and the rain has frozen on the roof
a woman is leaving, a woman is leaving.

A letter has been thrown on the table
the clock has been stopped at eight o’clock.
Time passes and yesterday is dead
Fate closes down this bitter romance.

At Belami’s ouzeri
he drank his ouzos dry
the fine young man, pale and bitter
like I myself, some time
when they betrayed me cruelly
and since then with drink I slowly die

At Belami’s ouzeri
bitter words, dead bodies
extinguished glance
My livelihood, lying and hard
you showed me a dark path
and mistaken

My fine young man, pale, listen to me also, what I shall tell you
a man must not shed tears for a woman.
Forget her and find another love
Stop drinking and crying
look at my finale and tell me if it is worth it

At Belami’s ouzeri
bitter words, dead bodies
extinguished glance
My livelihood, lying and hard
you showed me a dark path
and mistaken

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Στου Μπελαμή το ουζερί
Λόγια πικρά, κορμιά νεκρά
Βλέμμα σβησμένο
Ζήση μου ψεύτρα και σκληρή
Μου ‘δειξες δρόμο σκοτεινό
Και λαθεμένο

At the Arab’s underground tavern
I went in alone to drink
to forget a love
who broke me in two

Arab friend, my wise tavern-keeper
sit with me and keep me company so we can drink, brother.
You who have seen so many situations,
tell me what a person who has been betrayed does.

And the Arab, a fine man
gave me two words of advice:
“If a lily leaves you
the garden has others.”

Arab friend, my wise tavern-keeper
sit with me and keep me company so we can drink, brother.
You who have seen so many situations,
tonight you saved me from destruction.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Φίλε Αράπη, ταβερνιάρη μου σοφέ
κάτσε παρέα να τα πιούμε, αδερφέ.
Εσύ που τόσες περιπτώσεις έχεις δει
απόψε μ’ έσωσες απ’ την καταστροφή.

Throw a good roll of the dice for me, too, life
Give me a pair of sixes, I’ve had enough fours and twos
It’s enough, now, so many heartbreaks
Give me a pair of sixes, I’ve had enough fours and twos
It’s enough, now, so many heartbreaks

Throw a good roll of the dice for me, too, life
For me, too, life, throw a good roll of the dice

A friend and a stab in the back, and my love is a fire
To whom can I tell my troubles, to whom can I tell my secrets
the ones that burn my heart

Throw a good roll of the dice for me, too, life
For me, too, life, throw a good roll of the dice

I am not a bad kid; why do you want me to suffer
That’s enough of living on the edge, with one more roll of one and two
I will vanish from the world

Throw a good roll of the dice for me, too, life
For me, too, life, throw a good roll of the dice

(translation: Eva Johanos)

A great song which calls to mind the omnipresence of “tavli” or backgammon in the old-time meeting-places, cafes and ouzo joints…

It is raining, the sky, and I am getting wet
but I am coming to you.
I find the house deserted,
the windows secured,
the door I see locked
and your lights are out.
It is raining, the sky, and I am getting wet
but I am coming to you.

You barred your door
and wounded my heart.
The frost hits me
The bad weather hits me
so that I will get sick and die,
to make your heart glad.
It is raining, the sky, and I am getting wet
but I am coming to you.

It is raining, the sky, and I am getting wet
but I am coming to you.
At dawn the passersby
will find me on your steps
and they will say, look there, how they die
the young people who love.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Βρέχει ουρανός και βρέχομαι
μα εγώ σε σένα έρχομαι.
Το ξημέρωμα οι διαβάτες
στα σκαλιά σου θα με βρουν
και θα πουν να πώς πεθαίνουν
τα παιδιά που αγαπούν.

Moon, you put a spell on me
and I walk in foreign lands
the house is an orphan
unbearable the dusk
and the mountains have been crying
Send my sky a bird
to take patience to the mother

Send my sky a bird
a little swallow
to go and build its nest
in the garden in the plum-tree
next to the little balcony
Send my sky a bird
to take patience to the mother

To take patience to the mother
tied up in a the kerchief
a dowry to my little sister
and to the daughter of my neighbor
a sweet kiss on the lips

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Down in Peiraeus
in Caminia
poverty good heart
but also complaining
I summoned one night
the clever ones
and I came in secret
to tell you
my old desire.

Misty eyes
full of complaint
without love and pain
no one can live
Misty eyes
take me as well
take me now to get
together to the world

Down in Peiraeus
in the quay
I attempted suicide-
in the name of the saints-
but I got patient
and courageous
and I came in secret
to tell you
my old desire