# Βρε πώς μπατιρίσαμε που σαρανταρίσαμε (for SBE)



## Theseus (Nov 9, 2017)

Below is my attempted translation. It needs lots of corrections:-

Βρε πώς μπατιρίσαμε Dude, how we've gone downhill 
που σαρανταρίσαμε we've reached our forties
Τι γοργά περνούν τα χρόνια how quick the years are passing
μήτε που καλά το ξέρεις and you don't realise it
πάει έσπασε ο Γρηγόρης Gregoris has fallen apart
να που σπάει κι ο Λευτέρης Lefteris too is falling apart
κι ο Βασίλης ρε μαράζι and Vasilis poor sod
τηνε βγάζει δεν τη βγάζει	is hovering between life & death.

Βρε πώς μπατιρίσαμε Dude, how we've gone downhill
που σαρανταρίσαμε. we've reached our forties 
Στο νεφρό του ο Νικολάκης. In his kidney Nikolakis 
οικονόμησε μια πέτρα has got a stone
ο Ηλίας έχει στρώσει Elias has covered up
μια φαλάκρα δύο μέτρα a bald patch two metres wide
κι ο αφράτος ο Σωτήρης and chubby Sotiris
έχει φέξει σαν φακίρης has lost weight like a fakir

Βρε πώς μπατιρίσαμε Dude, how we've gone downhill 
που σαρανταρίσαμε we've reached our forties
Ο Κωστάκης πήρε σπίτι Kostakis has taken home 
Γερμανίδα νοσοκόμα a German nurse
ο Γιωργάκης ο τσαχπίνης the live wire Giorgakis 
κλείστηκε στη γεροκόμα has been shut in an old folks' home
κι ο σπαθάτος ο Αντρέας and lanky Andreas
έγινε ένα μάτσο κρέας is a mass of fat & flab

Βρε πώς μπατιρίσαμε Dude, how we've gone downhill 
που σαρανταρίσαμε we've reached our forties
Του Γιαννάκη τα δυο μάτια Giannakis' two eyes 
εκρεμάσανε σακούλες have hung in bags
ο Μιχάλης είναι τίγκα Michalis is all 
με κοιλιές και με προγούλες stomach & dewlaps
κι έτσι στο παλιό μας στέκι. and so in our hang-out
μόνο ο Χρήστος καλοστέκει only Christos is in good shape. Phew:)


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## Theseus (Nov 9, 2017)

I should have added in the last verse in our 'old' hang-out & perhaps '*stomachs*' & 'dewlaps'.

Here Is the song:-


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## nickel (Nov 9, 2017)

I've made some minor corrections to the Greek of the original (plus a few of the names in English). Note the accent in "πώς".

I leave the corrections of the translation to the younger generation. :)


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## Theseus (Nov 9, 2017)

Younger generation indeed! I've worked hard for my wrinkles. Have you made the corrections above to the proper names? I don't seem to be able to find them...:)


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## nickel (Nov 9, 2017)

Theseus said:


> Have you made the corrections above to the proper names?



Just Lefteris and Sotiris, I think. Gregoris could also become Grigoris. These are modern transliteration methods, nothing like the transliteration of ancient names, where Άλκηστις would become Alcestis. Now she's plain Alkistis.


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## Theseus (Nov 10, 2017)

Nowadays, Nickel, some pedantic (?) academics have started to write Alcestis as Alkestis, and so on with all the familiar spellings: Aischylos, Sophokles, Euripides (as normal!) and Sokrates.:)


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## AoratiMelani (Nov 10, 2017)

The intermediate generation thinks your translation is just fine, Theseus. :)

I took a quick look and except maybe for "covered up" which should probably be "laid out" or something of the sort, and σπαθάτος which is more like proud-standing than lanky, I think the rest is more or less accurate.


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## Theseus (Nov 10, 2017)

Thanks, AoratiMelani. I value the help of all generations but, after I had taken quite a time to translate the above '50s song, it is heartening to receive this praise from the intermediate generation. :)

So I would now translate "lanky" Andreas to "slim Andreas standing proud/has become a mass of fat and flab":up:


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## SBE (Nov 11, 2017)

Ι would also correct σπάζω (first verse) , because it means to develop wrinkes. Σπάζει το πρόσωπο as they say, and for people who have suddenly started to look old, and especially very old all of a sudden, the expression is έσπασε. 

PS I am assuming that this song, with lyrics by Alekos Sakkelarios, refers to actual people and may contain inside jokes. I don't quite get the German nurse reference. Ι also think there is another song that parodies the lives of the same group of friends, with references to the women in the group, too. And since we have now moved firmly to the early 50s, here's two clips from films (with songs). In the late 40s/ early 50s this particular group of actors appeared in several comedies that dealt with the lives of Athenians, usually the better off ones. Note in the second clip that the protagonist is giving away gold sovereigns, which at the time had become a currency in Greece (because inflation made drachmas useless). Also note the neckline of the dress in the first clip. Our grandparents would tell you of how people were more modest in their days. Yeah, right.


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## Theseus (Nov 11, 2017)

Thanks, SBE. Alterations noted. In the first amusing song I'm not quite sure what this verse is about. Questions seem ridiculous :twit: but what exactly 'does the anger of her rooster burst out in her white feathers' mean? What does the Greek idiom mean and why the anger?:lol:

Να μην πολυλογώ, φιλάκι με φιλάκι
εβγήκε απ’ τ’ αυγό μαύρο κοτοπουλάκι
*Κι ο θυμός του κόκορά της ξέσπασε στ’ άσπρα φτερά της
ξέσπασε στ’ άσπρα φτερά της ο θυμός του κόκορά της*


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## Theseus (Nov 11, 2017)

Ι think I understand it now. The genitive after θυμός is objective i.e. her anger against her rooster lover flared up in her white feathers/wings'. She didn't want a black chick but a white.......:):) :lol:

BTW. SBE, what are the actual video clips that appear. They change each time I enter them. The rooster song has disappeared and now it's Μάμπο Μπραζιλέιρο. :)


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## Earion (Nov 11, 2017)

No, it's the anger of HER rooster against HER, for giving birth to a black chick rather than the expected white. And this anger was directed against her plumage.


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## Theseus (Nov 11, 2017)

Thanks, Earion. It was only this bit of the song I found obscure.


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## SBE (Nov 12, 2017)

Ι am not sure what's happening with your link, Theseus. Maybe they are all songs in a playing list and every time you click it moves to the next one?
I remembered the other song I was talking about. Here.


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## Theseus (Nov 12, 2017)

Thanks, SBE. I have it now. Can you check my translation. I found the occasional difficulty.

Όμορφη που ήτανε η παλιοπαρέα μας [reunion]
με τα καυγαδάκια μας [spats] και με τα ωραία μας [the good bits we enjoyed]
καλαμπούρι [banter], αλητεία [*letting our hair down*], κατοστάρι *[a 100g bottle of ouzo*]
κανταδίτσα [a love song] στο κορίτσι με φεγγάρι, 
τσακωμοί και φασαρίες [rows & fuss] κάπου κάπου
και τα βράδια ραντεβού στου Φιλοπάππου.

Την παλιοπαρέα τη γλεντούσαμε
όμορφα κι ωραία τα περνούσαμε [we experienced], 
όμορφα κι ωραία τα περνούσαμε, 
την παλιοπαρέα τη γλεντούσαμε.

Όμορφη που ήτανε η παλιοπαρέα μας
με τα καυγαδάκια μας και με τα ωραία μας, 
ο Γιαννάκης με τη Ρούλα να μαλλώνει [arguing with], 
ο Σωκράτης *θυληκό* να μη σταυρώνει [*shouldn't pester the ladies*]
ο Αντρέας πάντα στεναχωρημένος
κι ο Μιχάλης διαρκώς ερωτευμένος.

Την παλιοπαρέα τη γλεντούσαμε
όμορφα κι ωραία τα περνούσαμε, 
όμορφα κι ωραία τα περνούσαμε, 
την παλιοπαρέα τη γλεντούσαμε.

Όμορφη που ήτανε η παλιοπαρέα μας
με τα καυγαδάκια μας και με τα ωραία μας, 
με τη Μαίρη γρι γρι γρι[*grunting away*?!] ο Θοδωράκης
και μπουκάλα [*loner*] συνεχώς ο Βαγγελάκης, 
ο Νικόλας σαν ελέφαντας να τρώει
και ο Γιώργος να μας κάνει, όλο, το γόη [always playing the charmer with us]

Την παλιοπαρέα τη γλεντούσαμε
όμορφα κι ωραία τα περνούσαμε, 
όμορφα κι ωραία τα περνούσαμε, 
την παλιοπαρέα τη γλεντούσαμε.


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## SBE (Nov 12, 2017)

η παλιοπαρέα μας= our group of friends

τα ωραία μας 
καλαμπούρι = jokes
κατοστάρι : not a 100g bottle of ouzo but a 100 dram of wine, which according to google it is 360ml, so about six glasses (wine glasses in those days were small). 
κανταδίτσα στο κορίτσι με φεγγάρι = serenading the girl on a bright night
όμορφα κι ωραία τα περνούσαμε = περνούσαμε όμορφα = we were having a good time
δεν σταυρώνω Χ = I have no luck with X, for example (again from google) for a footballer: δεν μπορούσε να σταυρώσει παιχνίδι = he could not win a game, so in this case, Socrates had no luck with the ladies. 
με τη Μαίρη γρι γρι γρι ο Θοδωράκης = no idea what this means, but I assume it means he was always trying to win her over by flirting. 
και μπουκάλα συνεχώς ο Βαγγελάκης = always left alone - έμεινε μπουκάλα = έμεινε μόνος


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## Theseus (Nov 12, 2017)

Thanks, SBE, for all this. I found τα ωραία μας difficult to translate, not quite knowing what ωραίο means as a noun. So I take it that you mean that it means the same as καλαμπούρι: 'with our spats & jokes'. 
Ι couldn't find anythihg in any dictionary remotely helpful in translating this γρι γρι γρι. The nearest I could come up with was 'grunting away' [snogging/ speaking indistinctly?!] which could mean anything but the pig's sound in modern Greek doesn't seem to be γρῦ.


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## Neikos (Nov 12, 2017)

Γρι γρι γρι ίσως είναι η γκρίνια, όπως στο τραγούδι του Γενίτσαρη :

"Σταμάτησε τη γκρίνια"

Σταμάτησε την γκρίνια πριν στο θυμό ξεσπάσω
Άλλαξε τη κουβέντα και στρώσε να πλαγιάσω
Γιατί με το γρί-γρι σου το κέφι μου θα χάσω

Με κρεβατομουρμούρα πάει η βραδιά χαμένη
εμείς οι δυο μας πρέπει να ζούμε αγαπημένοι
Το γρί-γρι-γρι να πάψεις και σε καλό δεν βγαίνει

Σταμάτησε την γκρίνια και το ψιλό γαζί σου
Ξηλώνεις ότι ράβεις κι είναι ζημιά δική σου
Το φως χαμήλωσε το να κοιμηθώ μαζί σου.


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## Theseus (Nov 12, 2017)

Thanks, Neikos, for your help in everything that I send you in my private messages, and here, of course.You always turn up trumps. In English I think we would say 'moan, moan, moan'.:)


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## Theseus (Nov 12, 2017)

Does Το γρί-γρι-γρι να πάψεις και σε καλό δεν βγαίνει mean 'you should stop your moaning: it doesn't help matters'? Literally, 'it doesn't turn out for the good'.


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## Neikos (Nov 13, 2017)

Ναι, Θησέα, σωστά το κατάλαβες.


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## SBE (Nov 15, 2017)

ωραίος= που προκαλεί ένα συναίσθημα ευαρέσκειας, ευχαρίστησης, ικανοποίησης κτλ. (from here, it's δ)
therefore
τα ωραία= όσα προκαλούν συναίσθημα ευαρέσκειας, ευχαρίστησης, ικανοποίησης κτλ. 
I never thought I'd need to use a dictionary for that, but that's Lexi for you. 
Here's another occasion where the same word is used in the same way: έλα να νιώσεις πώς είν'η ζωή, κι όλα τα ωραία μέχρι το πρωί. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiKXdzloBrw

whereas here they talk about τα όμορφα (same difference)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMgFwwNMhQ


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## Theseus (Nov 15, 2017)

Thanks, SBE. I have already looked up the references you here suggested but still hummed and hawed about the best way to render these terms into English. That's why I translated τα ωραία as "the good things in our life". Can you suggest a better and more accurate rendering? :)


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## SBE (Nov 15, 2017)

Τhe good things in life are things like family etc. The "good things" they talk about here are the things you do to have fun.


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## Earion (Nov 15, 2017)

SBE said:


> Τhe good things in life are things like family etc.



Not necessarily :inno:

Plus, as we already know, the best things in life are free ...


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