Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

Ντέρτι
(Derti)

(Longing)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Derti" (Ντέρτι), which was sung by Keti Garbi. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like.

Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source.

About Keti Garbi

Keti Garbi is the stage name for Ekaterini Garbi, the artist who recorded the version of this song with Greek lyrics. She has been considered a queen of Laiko & Greek pop styles of music. She robbed the cradle by marrying her younger colleague Dionisis Shinas (Διονύσης Σχοινάς).

Keti Garbi rose to fame in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest, taking ninth place. She became one of the most successful Greek artists of the 1990's. She achieved great commercial success with the album To Kati, which was released in 2000. She has won 11 Pop Corn Music Awards (including 3 for Album of the Year) and one Arion Music Award.

To this day all her work is phenomenal.

Keti Garbi

Song: Derti (Longing), 1993

Greek Lyrics: Evi Droutsa

Music: Şehrazat Kemali Söylemezoğlu

Original Artist: Keti Garbi

Dance Style: Belly Dance

Has Also Been Recorded By:

  • Emel Müftüoğlu, 1992, in Turkish ("Faka Bastın") with Turkish lyrics by Şehrazat Kemali Söylemezoğlu

Album: Os Ton Paradiso (All the way to Paradise)

Τραγούδι: Ντέρτι, 1993

Στίχοι: Ευη Δρούτσα

Μουσική: Σεχραζάτ Σοϊλεμέζογλου

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Καίτη Γαρμπή

Άλμπουμ: Ως Τον Παράδεισο

Άλλοι Ερμηνευτές:

  • Εμελ Μουφτουογλου, 1992, Στα Τουρκικά ("Φακα Μπαστιν") with Turkish lyrics by Σεχραζάτ Σοϊλεμέζογλου

 

---------------

Lyrics

Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

Παααα, πααααα, απα πααααα

 Paaaa, paaaaa, apa paaaaa Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my! (1)
Παααα, πααααα, απα πααααα Paaaa, paaaaa, apa paaaaa Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my! (1)
     
Μαύρη ματιά mavri matia Black look (2)
και μια πέτρινη καρδιά ke mia petrini kardia and a heart of stone.
σβήνω κάθε βράδυ svino kathe vradi Every night I erase
του κορμιού σου τη' φωτιά tou kormiou sou ti' fotia your body's fire.
μοίρα πληγή, ψεύτρα φυγή mira pliyi, pseftra fiyi Fateful wound, lying escape,
νύχτα εκτός νόμου nihta ektos nomou outlaw night,
μια παράνομη ζωή mia paranomi zoi a lawless life,
κλέφτρα βράδια kleftra vradia a stolen night.
δίνεις κόκκινα φιλιά dinis kokina filia You give passionate kisses. (3)
πάθος που τελειώνει pathos pou telioni A passion that ends
με τον ήλιο στα μαλλιά me ton ilio sta malia with the sun in the hair.
μια εποχή, σαν ενοχή mia epohi, san enohi A time, like guilt,
κaι άρωμα γνωστό ke aroma gnosto and a familiar perfume
απ' το δικό σου το κορμί ap' to diko sou to kormi from your body.
     
ααααααααχχχ αχχχχχχχχχ aaaaaaaahhh ahhhhhhhhh Aaaaaaaahhh, ahhhhhhhhh!
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
ωχ και έλιωσα oh ke eliosa Oh, and I have melted.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
και όλα στα `δωσα ke ola sta 'dosa And I have given everything to you.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
ωχ και θα χαθώ oh ke tha hatho Oh, and I will be lost.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
σβήνω απ' τον καημό svino ap' ton kaimo I die (5) from the grief.
     

Παααα, πααααα, απα πααααα

 Paaaa, paaaaa, apa paaaaa Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my! (1)
Παααα, πααααα, απα πααααα Paaaa, paaaaa, apa paaaaa Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my! (1)
     
Κλαίει η βραδιά klei ee vradia The night is crying,
και η ώρα που περνά ke ee ora pou perna and the time that passes,
σκίζει σαν μαχαίρι skizi san maheria rips like a knife
τα δικά μου σωθικά ta dika mou sothika [at] my insides.
είσαι καυτός, πόθος χαμός ise kaftos, pothos hamos You are hot, a lost desire,
μια πολιορκία mia poliorkia a siege,
και παράνομος λυγμός ke paranomos ligmos and a forbidden sob,
σκόρπια ζωή skorpia zoi a life scattered,
που τελειώνει το πρωί pou telioni to proi that ends in the morning.
σάρκα π' άγγελοι σε δένουν sarka p' ageli se denoun Flesh [that] angels tie you
κάθε μια στιγμή kathe mia stigmi every moment.
πως να στο πω pos na sto po How to tell you
φταίω, αγαπώ fteo, agapo it's my fault, I love.
πως να πάω να πατήσω σ' άλλο ουρανό pos na pao na patiso s' allo ourano How can I go step onto another heaven?
     
ααααααααχχχ αχχχχχχχχχ aaaaaaaahhh ahhhhhhhhh Aaaaaaaahhh, ahhhhhhhhh!
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
ωχ και έλιωσα oh ke eliosa Oh, and I have melted.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
και όλα στα `δωσα ke ola sta 'dosa And I have given everything to you.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
ωχ και θα χαθώ oh ke tha hatho Oh, and I will be lost.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
σβήνω απ' τον καημό svino ap' ton kaimo I die (5) from the grief.
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
ωχ και έλιωσα oh ke eliosa Oh, and I have melted.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
και όλα στα `δωσα ke ola sta 'dosa And I have given everything to you.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
ωχ και θα χαθώ oh ke tha hatho Oh, and I will be lost.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
σβήνω απ' τον καημό svino ap' ton kaimo I die (5) from the grief.
     
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
ωχ και θα χαθώ oh ke tha hatho Oh, and I will be lost.
Ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι, έχω ντέρτι derti, eho derti, eho derti Longing, I have longing, I have longing. (4)
σβήνω απ' τον καημό svino ap' ton kaimo I die (5) from the grief.
  1. We say either "pa pa" or "poooooh poooh" for "oh my". Sometimes "aman" is used this way as well. People might also say "apapa", but "apapa" can also mean "no".
  2. Literally, "black eye", but here it means a look with dark emotions.
  3. Literally, "kokina" means "red". Here, where the word "red" is used to describe the kisses, it refers to passion.
  4. The Greek word "derti" can mean either "passion" or "longing". In the context of this song, the word "longing" seems to fit better.
  5. Literally "erase", as in erasing oneself.

 

---------------

Translations of
Keti Garbi's Songs On This Site

Translations on this web site of lyrics for songs performed by Keti Garbi include:

  • Τin Kardia Sou Rota (Ask Your Heart). A duet with Burak Kut that is partly in Greek, partly in Turkish. The Turkish title is "Kalbine Sor".
  • To Narkotiko Mou (My Drug). The same melody was later used for the Turkish song "Zordur Oğlum".
  • Ton Hristouyenon Kabanes (The Christmas Bells). A version of the song "Silver Bells" with Greek lyrics
  • Touli Gia To Hristouli (Veil for the Christ Child). A version of the song "Adeste Fideles" with Greek lyrics
  • Zilia (Jealousy). A version of Amr Diab's "Kalast Feek Kol al Kalam" with Greek lyrics.

 

---------------

About the Translator

This page was contributed by Panayiota Bakis, who is happy to share her culture and music she grew up with! Here's how Panayiota describes her background:

I always love engaging with intelligent like-minded people, especially artists. I love sharing anything and everything about my Hellenic culture and upbringing, especially music and dance. A conversation with me will bring you back to America's favorite Greek-American movie by Nia Vardalos called My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

I love investigating Greek culture, history, music, and dance. Speaking of investigating, I think I missed my calling, I probably should have been an investigator. Instead, I use those skills to dig and dig and dig tirelessly, often times falling asleep on my laptop... just to find the truth. But, most importantly, accurate truth. For me personally, and other respectable folklorists, my culture and accuracy are very important. Each generation of ethnic born artists has a duty to do the best it can to pass down our traditions as was taught to us. We have been given this artistic gift to be the gatekeepers of our heritage and culture.

Panayiota

 

 

---------------

Copyright Notice

This entire web site is copyrighted. All rights reserved.

All articles, images, forms, scripts, directories, and product reviews on this web site are the property of Shira unless a different author/artist is identified. Material from this web site may not be posted on any other web site unless permission is first obtained from Shira.

Academic papers for school purposes may use information from this site only if the paper properly identifies the original article on Shira.net using appropriate citations (footnotes, end notes, etc.) and bibliography. Consult your instructor for instructions on how to do this.

If you wish to translate articles from Shira.net into a language other than English, Shira will be happy to post your translation here on Shira.net along with a note identifying you as the translator. This could include your photo and biography if you want it to. Contact Shira for more information. You may not post translations of Shira's articles on anybody else's web site, not even your own.

If you are a teacher, performer, or student of Middle Eastern dance, you may link directly to any page on this web site from either your blog or your own web site without first obtaining Shira's permission. Click here for link buttons and other information on how to link.

 
 

Explore more belly dance info:

Top >
Belly Dancing >
Middle Eastern Culture >
Index to Middle Eastern Music Section

 

Share this page!

On Facebook
 

 

 Top > Belly Dancing > Middle Eastern Culture > Index to Middle Eastern Music Section

| Contact Shira | Links | Search this Site |