Vassilis Lekkas / Βασίλης Λέκκας

Like an old movie, and like Scheherazade
who talks with the children
I am hiding from you the truth
and allowing from my breast, to escape
fairy tales for those who love, about

Mysterious moments, magical lights
arousing embraces, glittering nights

I embrace you in the dark
I wrap you in a caress
now I am naked,
I resemble a god
shining and strong
you may love me
you may set alight one moment for me
my body is just an excuse for

Mysterious moments, magical lights
arousing embraces, glittering nights

If you get tired of the people
and everything around you is ruined
don’t leave on a journey in other places
come to me,come to me

And if the night falls upon you
with its despairing stars
don’t be afraid of the dark
come to me, come to me

Come and lean your head
in my affectionate hands
so that you live the dream again
come to me, come to me

And if you see boats bound to break ground
and if you see trains setting off
don’t tell them to take you with them
come to me, come to me

I have an emerald sea
embroidered with love and sunlight
for your empty heart
come to me, come to me

Come and sit on my right
as a forgotten brother
to share my loneliness
to give you some light

Έλα και κάθισε δεξιά μου
σαν ξεχασμένος αδερφός,
να μοιραστείς την μοναξιά μου
και να σου δώσω λίγο φως.

Bolivar, until you came it was darkness.
In the valleys now are spreading the caresses of the fire.

You are the child of Rigas Ferraiou,
of Antonis Economou,
and the brother of Pasbantzoglos.
You are the liberator of South America.
Only one thing is known,
that I am your son.

Bolivar, you are not a dream, you are the truth.
Bolivar, you are handsome like a Greek.

You are the child of Rigas Ferraiou,
of Antonis Economou,
and the brother of Pasbantzoglos.
You are the liberator of South America.
Only one thing is known,
that I am your son.

And if he was lost, if ever is lost a Bolivar! Who
like Apollo has mounted the heavens,
Shining like a sun he set, in unimaginable glory,
behind polite mountains of Attica and Morea.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

* * * * * * *

For a free human being
(Begins at 4:30 in this video)
lyrics & music: Manos Hatzidakis
vocals: Vassilis Lekkas

You sing a different tune:
you cannot belong to us.
Get drunk with the wine.
I learned to love you,
even if you are the opposite of us.
Learn this well, you, too:

whether a few, or many
it is a shame, our soul
for them to melt like a candle.
Let us look together
to kill a monster
which threatens us everywhere.

Because, truly, Freedom
born from earthquakes
is outside of governments
and outside of institutions.
it has something of the sun about it
and of the constellations.

It is wrong for the many
to despise my flying.
Let me be a bird.
Neither is it to my benefit
to burn you with my fire.
Extinguish me with a kiss.

It is wrong for the many
to despise my flying.
Let me be a bird.
Neither is it to my benefit
to burn you with my fire.
Extinguish me with a kiss.

Because, truly, Freedom
born from earthquakes
is outside of governments
and outside of institutions.
it has something of the sun about it
and of the constellations.

Because, truly, Freedom
born from earthquakes
is outside of governments
and outside of institutions.
it has something of the sun about it
and of the constellations.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

A magic city
in which we two beloveds live together
a city like that
dies, lives
and changes, enchanted.

When darkness falls
my breath
will be joined with the breeze
then the city will appear
lonely and desolate
like my beloved star.

Σαν πέσει η σκοτεινιά
η αναπνοή μου
θα σμίξει με τ’ αγέρι
τότες η πόλη θα φανεί
μονάχη ερημική
σαν τ’ ακριβό μου αστέρι.

Love of mine, girl of mine
which night will bring you
to these sacred lands
so I may find you at dawn

I endeavoured to become a Lord
and you, my Queen
but my wings got cut off
and I was lost on the earth

Girl of mine, woman of mine
time will take me
but it will not do any favours
in passion I will be lost

And you will become my star
and I, will be your shadow
ever following your orbit
sacred light, that I love

Και συ θα γίνεις άστρο μου
και ‘γω θα ‘μαι η σκιά σου
παντοτινή τροχιά σου
φως άγιο που αγαπώ.

I see a crowd of people flowing by
but not a soul smiles at me
in the beds the sickly children
and in the trees the branches are dry.

I threw love away into the deeps
and I made a bed of my fear to sleep on.
I find tombs and a world
which feels no pain.
Wherever I go a mistake
tyrannizes me.

Which prophet will now be heard
like a voice in a closed cistern?
In a world empty and orphaned
what cry from the sky?

I left the birds in the desert
and I wasted the light in the neighborhoods
I don’t want it and I fear
the return.
See who I am that I am going
to be lost.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

You are never going to get out of my life,
my own life you are and twice life of mine,
joy to my sadness and sadness to my joys
how to forget, how to forget…

The big eyes that caressed me tenderly,
your warm hands that touched me
and all the words that I didn’t make to say
I shall voice to a deep well, how much I love you

You will never get out of my body,
oh my own body and body of mine twice
joy to my pain and wound to my joy,
how to forget, how to forget…

Like a little sea, make your waves
and like the wind, rise;
make me dizzy, scatter me
and do not pity my life

Become flame to cool me
and at noon may I be blinded;
marked by love
in your two eyes may I be wrecked.

Like an empty house, open me
and don’t fear my silence
Whisper your name
and sleep in my coolness.

That like a tree I may wing my way
like a waterfall spend myself,
marked by love
in your two eyes may I be wrecked.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

I have no house to come back
Or bed to sleep
I have no street or neighbourhood
To have a walk on First May

The big liar words
Were those you told me with your first milk

But not when snakes have woken up
You wear your old ornaments
And you never cry, my motherland, Greece
That you have sold your children as slaves

The big liar words
Were those you told me with your first milk

But then when I talked to your destiny
You had got dressed with your old fineries
And in the bazaar you took me like a monkey, gypsy woman
Greece, Greece, sorrow mother

The big liar words
Were those you told me with your first milk

But now that fire flares up again
You look at your old beautiesε
And on the world’s arenas, my motherland, Greece
You’re always carting the same lie

Μα τώρα που η φωτιά φουντώνει πάλι
εσύ κοιτάς τα αρχαία σου τα κάλλη
και στις αρένες του κόσμου μάνα μου Ελλάς
το ίδιο ψέμα πάντα κουβαλάς.