For sheet music for these lyrics, click: https://folkdancefootnotes.org/music/sheet-music/tsakonikos-sheet-music/
In this TV documentary about Tsakónikos, http://www.tsakonianarchives.gr/info/dance/ several songs are listed for accompanying the dance (Google translation): “Today we dance with the songs: “Supa mana pontrepshe me…” marry me [make me a] housewife, take care of me, and in foreign countries do not [send] me, mother, you will regret it…”. Of course, such a thing cannot be accidental since the content of the specific song refers to the exile and the separation of the daughter from the mother and her place (Cheilari 2015). It is a given that exile had sealed Tsakonia not only in the 19th century, with the transition to a better fortune in America, but historical sources report relocations of Tsakonians to Constantinople even from medieval times.
Other songs include “Kinisan ta tsanopoula…”, “Mantas”, “Birbilomata”, “Simeris vgika na haro…”, “Apatza to Marasia…” (i.e. opposite the Fennel). In the past, we used to meet other songs, such as: “Your tiles are dripping…”, “Down in the holy orchard…”, “My vine is a broad leaf…”, “Fegki will live to get married…”. According to local informants, the songs that accompanied the much-loved “Tsakonian” dance were sung in the Tsakonian dialect, but over time and the introduction of new songs, they were forgotten.”
Su ipa mana, pandrepse me
This is the clearest transliteration/translation:
// Su ipa, mana, kale mana
su ipa mana, pandrepse me //
// su ipa, mana, pandrepse me
spitoniko kirepseme //
// Yeron andra, kale mana
yeron andra mi mu dhosis, //
// yeron andra mi mu dhosis,
yati tha to metaniosis //
// Yati o yeros, kale mana
yati o yeros ta ‘ksetazi //
// yati o yeros ta ‘ksetazi,
sto psilo ta loghariazi //
//I told you, mother
to marry me to someone,//
//to marry me to someone,
so that I would become a housewife.//
//But on no account
marry me to an old man,//
//marry me to an old man,
because you’ll regret it.//
//Because an old man
is always examining everything,//
//is always examining everything,
and has nothing but words.//
An alternate translation: “Because an old man, oh mother, is petty
And bothered by little things.”
Original Greek: ΣΟΥ ΕΙΠΑ ΜΑΝΑ Μ' (Στίχοι) Σου είπα μάνα μ' καλέ μάνα μ' σου είπα μάνα πάντρεψε με, σου είπα μάνα πάντρεψε με σπιτονοικοκύρεψέ με. Γέρον άντρα καλέ μάνα μ' γέρον άντρα μη μου δώσεις, γέρο άντρα μη μου δώσεις γιατί θα το μετανιώσεις. Γιατί ο γέρος καλέ μάνα μ' γιατί ο γέρος τα λογιάζει, γιατί ο γέρος τα λογιάζει και τα διπλολογαριάζει. Και στα ξένα καλέ μάνα μ' και στα ξένα μη με δώσεις και στα ξένα μη με δώσεις γιατί θα το μετανοιώσεις. 'κει στα ξένα καλέ μάνα μ' 'κει στα ξένα αν 'ρωστήσω 'κει στα ξένα αν 'ρωστήσω ποιόν θα δω ποιόν θα μιλήσω. (Που 'ν' ο στούπος καλέ μάνα μ' που 'ν' ο στούπος που 'ν' τ' αλάτι, που 'ν' ο στούπος που 'ν' τ' αλάτι που 'ν' η κότα η λαθουράτη. Που 'ν' τ' αυγά της καλέ μάνα μ' που 'ν' τ' αυγά της εβδομάδος, που 'ν' τ' αυγά της εβδομάδος τ' αποκούμουσα της τάβλας.) Another transliteration & translation: Sou ipa mana ‘m, kale mana ‘m Sou ipa mana ‘m, pantrepse me Sou ipa mana ‘m, pantrepse me Spitoniko-kirepse me Gero (n) antra, kale mana Gero (n) antra, mi mou dosis Gero (n) antra, mi mou dosis Giati tha to, metaniosis Giati (o) geros, kale mana Giati(o) geros, ta xetazi Giati(o) geros, ta xetazi Sto psilo ta, logariazi
I TOLD YOU MOTHER I told you mother with good mother I told you mother marry me, I told you mother marry me housewife with me. Old man, good mother old man do not give me, old man do not give me because you will regret it. Because the old man is a good mother to me because the old man thinks so, because the old man thinks so and doubles them. And in foreign countries my good mother and in foreign countries do not give me and in foreign countries do not give me because you will regret it. 'there in the foreign good mother with' 'there in foreign countries if I ask 'there in foreign countries if I ask who will I see who will I talk to. (Where is the stupid good mother to me? που 'ν' ο στούπος που 'ν' τ 'αλάτι, που 'ν' ο στούπος που 'ν' τ 'αλάτι where the hen is wrong. Where are her eggs, dear mother? where 'n' the eggs of the week, where 'n' the eggs of the week I was cutting the board.)
Kinísan ta Tsamópoula.
Kinísan ta – ki amán amán. Kinísan ta tsanópoula. Kinísan ta tsamópoula ki’ óla ta Tsakonópoula. Kai pán’ ston – pe ki amán amán Kai pán’ ston péra Machalá. Kai pán’ ston péra Machalá, pou ein΄ ta korítsia ta kalá. Ki ekeí tous piá – ki amán amán. Ki ekeí tous piánei mia vrochí. Ki ekeí tous piánei mia vrochí, mia siganí, mia tapeiní. Kai vráchikan ta tsámika** kai ta áspra ta poukámisa [Eléni máse tsáchala*** na stegnothoún ta tsámika na kátsoun gýro sti fotiá me t' áspra ta poukámisa.]"
They moved - and aman aman. They moved the bags. The tsamopoulos and all the Tsakonopoulos moved. And all in all - pe and aman aman And all over Mahala. And all over Mahala, where the girls are good. And there they are - and aman aman. And there a rain catches them. And there a rain catches them, a slow, a humble one. And the tsamika ** and the white shirts got wet [Eleni, chew gum *** to dry the tsamika to sit around the fire in white shirts.] "
Folkdance Footnotes 