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Cold settles over the forest; the hunting party is getting ready to set out.
Nikola wants to go, but his mother won't let him.
“Don't go, son Nikola, because you have enemies among them.”
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2. |
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“Hey, miller, would you mill my grain?”
Refrain: “I can’t, Lenche, I can’t, my soul, because I don’t have water.”
“I’ll give you my fair eyes.” [Ref.]
“I’ll give you my fair face.” [Ref.]
“I’ll give you my slim body.” “I’ll find some water.”
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3. |
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Go down to the garden, young girl, pick a bouquet and give it to me!
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4. |
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Radi says to Rada, Dear Rada,
Make up the bed with brightly colored sheets.
[Refrain] Set out the beautiful cushions,
Sweep the courtyard, and braid a rose into your hair
I'll be coming to see you!
It’s time to leave the dance!
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5. |
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Are you fatigued, is your soul tired?
Come to the Balkan (mountains), the nightingale sings sweetly
To Dragiev’s spring, your sorrow/heaviness will dissipate.
Come to see this extraordinary area
How the water flows, the trout bite
Grass grows and red wine flows
Climb the high peaks
Look at the view, fill your glass
Take a free (deep) breath, hug your love.
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6. |
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Mother said to Jane, “Son, aren’t you weary of carrying a rifle on your shoulder?
Jane said to his mother: “Mother, I cannot bear to see this evil Turkish slavery.”
Jane did not obey his mother, he shouldered his rifle, and thrust a pair of pistols in his belt, and headed into the green forest of the Pirin mountains to be with his fighting band. Jane said to his fighting band: “Oh, my fighting band, united and loyal, let us go and fight the Turks!”
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7. |
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All the wedding guests are like a green mountain
And the bride is like a red rose
The best girl is a loyal friend
The bride’s brother is like green rosemary.
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8. |
Adio querida (Sephardic)
03:50
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When your mother gave birth to you
and brought you into the world
she didn’t give you two hearts
to love with.
Refrain: Farewell, farewell my love
I don’t want this life
You’ve taken it away from me.
You’ve made it so bitter for me.
Go on, look for another love
knock on other doors
wait for a new flame
you’re dead to me now.
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9. |
Jvarsa shensa (Georgia)
01:45
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We worship the cross of yours, Lord
And honor and sing praises of your sacred resurrection.
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10. |
Mela e Doine (Bulgaria)
02:32
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Doina swept her father’s courtyards,
Refrain: Doinele, good one, young maiden.
As she swept, she watched [for] the bridegrooms
Where will they come from?
They have appeared from the East, led by a gray-white hawk
He is winding, at times to the left and at times to the right.
[We will not give Doina away] for too little or too much, but for three glasses, strong wine.
The first glass is strong wine,
Second glass, white milk
Third glass, tinsel-gold [braid].
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11. |
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We rejoice as we arrive
For this beautiful woman,
beautiful as the full moon.
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13. |
Chastushki (Russia)
02:39
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Your boyfriend is like a calf. Except a calf doesn’t bathe!
I fell in love with a filthy tractor driver. I'm such an idiot. I forgot to buy perfumed soap!
A star has fallen from the sky - my darling has left me.
Sandals - what am I going to do with you? Every time a boy appears you run after him!
Lucky the man with only one leg – he doesn’t need a lot of shoes, and only one pants leg!
Sing girls, have fun! No offense, but you're worth one kopek.
They told me in the marketplace boys are cheap. Even the best are ten for a kopek.
What kind of village is this? Everything's backwards. What kind of girls are these? Nobody's going to marry them.
Girls, when you get married don't bother with the trunk. Just take a suitcase. It's quicker to pack when you leave him!
We've sung our chastushki and stomped our feet. Now we'll ask for your applause.
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14. |
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"So, are you tired of being in the army,
or is your horse sick?"
"My horse is fine, he's not afraid to serve,
he's healthy and happy, he neighs loudly!
Whenever a Cossack goes off to his service,
He has his horse beside him!"
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15. |
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They are inviting me to a heavy/weighty/distressing wedding
To be the best man at the wedding
to be the best man to my first love
My first love, my first passion.
Tell me, old mother -
How am I to be best man to my first love?
With what eyes am I to look at her,
With what lips am I to speak?
Listen to your old mother, son,
It’s not possible to be best man to your first love
For if you do, the earth will open
And swallow you both.
You may not be best man to your first love
To your first love, your first passion.
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16. |
Eleno k'erko (Macedonia)
03:27
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Elena, my only daughter, why do you stand lost in thought?
Why are you always writing in that book?
I’m writing a letter to my love in Adrianopolis,
Asking him to buy me a hat that costs 300 groschen.
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17. |
Zaspo Janko (Croatia)
02:17
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Janka sleeps beneath the poplar.
Oh, my dear one, look at me.
I broke off a golden branch.
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18. |
Ergen Deda (Bulgaria)
03:31
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Bachelor Grandfather
tilted his hat up, then down,
headed off to the village, to the dance
to see the girls. But they all ran away.
The only one left was the youngest, Angelina.
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19. |
Duvni, vetre (Macedonia)
03:06
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Blow, wind, along the Vardar River,
Over seven mountains and seven seas,
Carry my thoughts to my love, far away in a foreign land.
You nightingale, heavenly bird,
You sweet Macedonian song,
Carry my thoughts to my love.
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20. |
Gusta mi magla (Kosovo)
01:05
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A thick fog settles over the broad Kosovo plain.
Nothing can be seen except one tall tree.
Under it sits a tailor; he’s sewing me a wedding vest.
He’s sewing on as many sequins as there are stars in the sky!
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21. |
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“Stojna, I asked you to go to the spring for water last night. Who broke the water pitchers?”
“I don't know, mom, there were a lot of people there and it was dark.
But maybe it was my boyfriend! Let me go ask him! I can go by myself!”
“Wait just a minute, dear daughter! You're not going unless your (brother, father) goes with you!”
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22. |
Makja Jana (Bulgaria)
01:43
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Jana's mother is marrying her off (to a family) far away in the city, in Sofia.
Jana doesn't want to go far away...
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23. |
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The moon shines
Which horo (dance line) is the best?
The young girl’s horo is the best.
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24. |
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The red light of dawn no longer glows,
The rustle of leaves is no longer heard,
The sound of the nightingale no longer heralds the dawn.
The voice of the soft breeze is no longer heard,
Nor the shepherd’s tune,
Silence is all around, everything living is at rest.
Let the flowers bloom in the dew,
Let others gather bouquets in the spring.
I'll no longer gather them
Because I have no one to give them to.
The earth has covered the one I once gave them to.
The grass tells me to be joyful,
But joy has fled far from me.
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25. |
Verila, verila (Russia)
03:55
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[From the point of view of a woman]
A little house stands over the river, by the dock.
A boy kisses a girl, asks for her right hand.
Refrain: I believed, I believed, I still believe
. . . but I’ll never believe that you’ll stop loving me.
The white rose of meeting, the red rose of love,
The yellow rose of parting; I’m dying of sadness.
I pick the white rose, I give the red rose away,
but the yellow rose of parting I stamp under my feet.
You love [me], you don’t love [me], don’t bother. I’m still young.
The time will come when you’ll love me, and then it’ll be too late!
The youthful years have passed, wrinkles have covered my face,
My hair has become gray, and I no longer need anyone.
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Planina: Songs of Eastern Europe Denver, Colorado
Planina is a group of singers and instrumentalists specializing in traditional music from Eastern Europe. We sing songs from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Georgia, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Lithuania, Turkey and Ukraine, and Jewish and Rom traditions. The word Planina means "mountain" in several Slavic languages. ... more
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