Ο χορός της νύφης

[Theseus]

Can I ask what some words in this song mean?:-

Ένα τραγούδι θα σας πω απάνω στο ρεβίθι [on top of the chickpea]
Χαρά στα μάτια του γαμπρού που διάλεξαν την νύφη

Γαμπρέ πως τα κατάφερες και μπήκες στο μπαξέ μας [who has managed to come into our garden]
και διάλεξες και έκοψες τον ωραίο μενεξέ μας

Την νύφη μας την είχαμε σε κόλλα διπλωμένη
και τώρα σας την δίνουμε, άξια και τιμημένη

Ένα τραγούδι θα σας πω απάνω στο κεράσι
τ’ ανδρόγυνο που γίνεται να ζήσει να γεράσει

Η νύφη είναι όμορφη, επίσης κι γαμπρός μας
αν πεις για τον κουμπάρο μας, είναι ο λεβεντονιός σας

Ένα τραγούδι θα σας πω απάνω στο πεπόνι
να ζήσει η νύφη κι ο γαμπρός κι οι συμπεθέροι όλοι

Ωραία είν’ η νύφη μας, ωραία τα προικιά της
Ωραία κι η παρέα της που κάνει την χαρά της

I think there is a version on my question in Discussing Everything under the Sun in the third song after Κάτω στον Άη Γιώργη,
at the performance of ο Χορός της Νύφης. I can't hear the words there at all.:

 

[SBE]

Κόλλα (χαρτί)= a sheet of paper
Σε κόλλα διπλωμένη= wrapped in a sheet of paper, or as they would say in English, wrapped in wool.
Απάνω στο ρεβύθι/ απάνω στο κεράσι/ απάνω στo πεπόνι = on a chickpea/ on a cherry / on a melon. Not sure of it means something that I don't understand, but it looks more like embellishment.
Γαμπρέ πώς τα κατάφερες και μπήκες στο μπαξέ μας
και διάλεξες και έκοψες τον ωραίο μενεξέ μας
Groom, how you managed to come into our garden and chose and picked our beautiful violet.

 

[SBE]

Την νύφη μας την είχαμε σε κόλλα διπλωμένη
και τώρα σας την δίνουμε, άξια και τιμημένη
Our bride was well taken care of and now we give her to you, worthy and honourable (it means αξιέπαινη και έντιμη)

 

[Theseus]

Thanks so much, SBE. I loved the song as soon as I first heard it, but, as expected, i have found many variations.

 

[Earion]

Απάνω στο ρεβύθι/ απάνω στο κεράσι/ απάνω στo πεπόνι = At the instant when the participants in the (marriage) feast consume chickpeas, cherries, melons. Not to be taken literally; the name of the food serves only as an excuse for a nice rhyme.

 

[daeman]

Απάνω στο ρεβύθι/ απάνω στο κεράσι/ απάνω στo πεπόνι = At the instant when the participants in the (marriage) feast consume chickpeas, cherries, melons. Not to be taken literally; the name of the food serves only as an excuse for a nice rhyme.

απάνω στο ρεβίθι
που διάλεξαν τη νύφη

απάνω στο κεράσι
να ζήσει να γεράσει

απάνω στο πεπόνι
κι οι συμπεθέροι όλοι
Say what?

Άλλο τραγούδι θα σας πω απάνω στο πεπόνι
να ζήσει η νύφη κι ο γαμπρός κι οι συμπεθέροι μόνοι

Κι άλλο τραγούδι θα σας πω τώρα που πήρα φόρα
από παλιά κι από ψηλά, απά στην ανηφόρα:

Στης Πάργας τον ανήφορο,
κανέλα και γαρίφαλο!

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
For she once was a true love of mine

Now, find me an English rhyme with banana -not Anna, mind you- another one for mango without Django or Rango, and a third one for papaya, while I go get my ya ya, find my thrill on blueberry hill.

---

Palin: Oh, you promised you wouldn't do fruit this week.
Sgt.: What do you mean?
Jones: We've done fruit the last nine weeks.
Sgt.: What's wrong with fruit? You think you know it all, eh?
Palin: Can't we do something else for a change?

Sgt.: Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well I'll tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me! Now, the passion fruit. When your assailant lunges at you with a passion fruit...
All: We done the passion fruit.
Sgt.: What?
Chapman: We done the passion fruit.
Palin: We done oranges, apples, grapefruit...
Jones: Whole and segments.
Palin: Pomegranates, greengages...
Chapman: Grapes, passion fruit...
Palin: Lemons...
Jones: Plums...
Chapman: Mangoes in syrup...
Sgt.: How about cherries?
All: We did them.
Sgt.: Red *and* black?
All: Yes!
Sgt.: All right then, bananas.
Sgt.: We haven't done them, have we? Right. Bananas. How to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana.

 

[Theseus]

For rhymes with banana, mango & papaya peruse & browse:-
http://www.rhymezone.com/r/rhyme.cgi?&typeofrhyme=perfect&loc=moreideas&Word=banana.

 

[Theseus]

O χορός της νύφης

In the entry of Η ρούγα Κέρκυρας in this forum, there occur three dances, two with lyrics. The dances are η Περαντζάδα, η Ρούγα, κάτω στον Αι-Γιώργη και ο Χορός της Νύφης. I have the Greek lyrics to Κάτω στον Άη Γιώργη & several versions of ο χορός της νύφης but none of them matches the lyrics to ο χορός της νύφης in this video. Can anyone give me this version of the lyrics since I cannot for the life of me puzzle them out. I should be very grateful. First, it would be a good exercise for me in translation & second - more importantly - an exercise in listening & relistening for me to hone my limited comprehension skill. Despite working through Teach Yourself Greek Courses, the aspect of comprehension is still eluding me! :lol:mg::blush:

 

[Theseus]

I realise I have entered two threads with the same name. My mistake. The second & more recent is under 'Discussing anything under the Sun'. I need help there in that different site.

 

[daeman]

In the entry of Η ρούγα Κέρκυρας in this forum, there occur three dances, two with lyrics. The dances are η Περαντζάδα, η Ρούγα, κάτω στον Αι-Γιώργη και ο Χορός της Νύφης. I have the Greek lyrics to Κάτω στον Άη Γιώργη & several versions of ο χορός της νύφης but none of them matches the lyrics to ο χορός της νύφης in this video. Can anyone give me this version of the lyrics since I cannot for the life of me puzzle them out. ...

Η Ομάδα Ελληνικών Χορών της Μητρόπολης Κέρκυρας χορεύει Ρούγα στην εκδήλωση Νεότητας στην πάνω πλατεία της Κέρκυρας 2.5.2010

«... την Περαντζάδα, τη Ρούγα, τον Αι-Γιώργη και το Χορό της Νύφης».

... νύφη σήμερα ... ασημένιες ...
κι όπου περάσει και διαβεί, μοσχοβολάν οι ... στράτες;

Στην εκκλησιά που 'πες θα πας ...
θα κατεβεί ένας άγγελος να σου κρατάει τη ... φούστα;

Σαν τη μαρμαροκολόνα μπαίνεις μες στην εκκλησιά
και μαραίνεις και τρελαίνεις γέρους, νέους και παιδιά
ξεμωραίνεις; και τρελαίνεις γέρους, νέους και παιδιά


Not sure if it matches but that's what my ear catches. Αυτά βγάζω με τ' αφτί. Όποιος άλλος προαιρείται...

 

[Theseus]

Thanks so much, 'Man. If you catch that much, it's fine for me. There doesn't seem to be a Corfiot specialist In Lexilogia who would know the words by heart. But I love the tune. It seemed to me it would be nice to have the words too. You have helped me very much.:blink:

 

[Earion]

Ετούτη η νύφη σήμερα έχει ασημένιες πλάτες
κι όπου περάσει και διαβεί, μοσχοβολάν οι στράτες (x2)

Στην εκκλησιά που θε να πας και θε να φας τη σούπα
θα κατεβεί ένας άγγελος να σου κρατάει τη κούπα (x2)

Σαν τη μαρμαροκολόνα μπαίνεις μες στην εκκλησιά
και μαραίνεις και τρελαίνεις γέρους, νέους και παιδιά (x2)

 

[Theseus]

As to Daeman, so to you, Earion, I give my profound thanks. The words of the song in ο χορός της νύφης are quite clear now. I've been looking for this version of the words of the song for ages. The folk singing in Greece is so different to what we are used to here, for, no matter how good are our folk singers, the culture behind them is often mid-Atlantic and standardised. Without over-romanticising these Greek songs, they can be so different in tune & words from island to island and, of course, in all areas of the mainland and rooted in a culture that often predates Christianity, though the Church wisely adopted that more ancient culture and 'baptised' it into Christian belief.
I shall do you both the honour of trying to translate the words for you to emend.:)

 

[Earion]

Well, there's a couple of things I don't get in these lyrics. 1) Why does the bride have silver shoulders? I expected golden ones, i.e. a rich golden hair reaching down the back, or the girl wearing a richly ornamented gown. Normally only an old person has silver shoulders.
2) Eating a soup during the marriage ceremony sounds totally absurd. Surely what is meant here is drinking the sacramental wine; with the angel descending from heaven and holding the cup.

 

[drsiebenmal]

και μαραίνεις should also be ξεμωραίνεις imho.

 

[drsiebenmal]

ασημένιες πλάτες could be because the στέφανα του γάμου and the lace binding them are usually made of silver.

 

[Theseus]

Ετούτη η νύφη σήμερα έχει ασημένιες πλάτες
κι όπου περάσει και διαβεί, μοσχοβολάν οι στράτες (x2)

Στην εκκλησιά που θε να πας και θε να φας τη σούπα
θα κατεβεί ένας άγγελος να σου κρατάει τη κούπα (x2)

Σαν τη μαρμαροκολόνα μπαίνεις μες στην εκκλησιά
και μαραίνεις και τρελαίνεις γέρους, νέους και παιδιά (x2)


This bride today has silver plates(?)
And wherever she goes & passes [the exact same phrase is used in a Cretan Mantinada about αγάπη], the streets smell beautiful.

And in the church where you want(?) to go & eat the soup
An angel will descend to hold the cup for you.

Like the marble column, you will go into the Church
And infatuate the young men, the old men & the children.

 

[drsiebenmal]

ασημένιες πλάτες = silver back

θε να πας = you will go (today's θα evolved from 16-17th century's θε να, which evolved from appr. late Byzantine ήθελε να, turning the single-word future form of Ancient Greek to the two words form of today.)

The translation is good. :)

 

[Theseus]

Thanks, good Doctor for your help. I also need it here. There is a Chaniot (?) mantinada, which reads & seems similar in language to the above:-
• “Αϊτέ μου χρυσοπράσινε, με τις ασημένιες πλάτες,
Όταν περνάς στη γειτονιά μοσχοβολούν οι στράτες”.
This is used of a type of eagle, as in the above, is it not? I've heard it sung by Βασίλης Σερμπέζης. But there is a story behind it too. I should like to hear more about it.

 

[Theseus]

I think, Earion, that the soup referred to is as you have said. In the chalice of our Orthodox Church the bread, the wine & warm water are mingled in a commixture. This could be described very loosely as 'the soup'. There is also the desire to find an easy word rhyming with 'the cup'. In English I can imagine a couplet where 'sup' easily rhymes with 'cup'. In fact, the word 'soup' was originally Middle English: from Old French soupe ‘sop, broth (poured on slices of bread)’, from late Latin suppa, of Germanic origin. At a stretch, σούπα could be used as a description of the contents of the Holy Cup. Just a thought.