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

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Mia Fotia" (Μια Φωτιά), which was sung by Manolis Aggelopoulos. 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 this Song

Those of us from regions that speak Greek, Arabic, and Turkish have exchanged countless songs with each other through licensing the music and creating lyrics in our own languages. These include both current pop music and classics. The song translated on this page is an example of one – it originally appeared in Lebanon "Nassam Alayna el-Hawa" (Νασαμ Αλαινα Αλ Χαουα), sung in Arabic by Fairouz. It appeared in the movie Bint el-Hares, which was released in 1967.

Fairouz (Φαιρουζ), of Assyrian Lebanese descent, is the stage name of Nouhad Wadie Haddad (Νουχαντ Ουαντι Χανταντ). She has been referred to as "Ambassador to the Stars", and her music is popular throughout the Arabic-speaking world.

The composer and lyricist for the original song were Assi and Mansour Rahbani. Both brothers composed music, and both created lyrics, and they collaborated on both when they wrote songs. For that reason, they are typically credited as "The Rahbani Brothers" for both music and lyrics. Assi Rahbani and Fairouz got married to each other in 1954.

About Manolis Aggelopoulos

Manolis Aggelopoulos was the multi-talented artist who adapted "Nassam Alayna Al Hawa's" music for the Greek version, wrote the Greek lyrics, and recorded the song.

Manolis Aggelopoulos was a Greek legend. He was born in 1939 in northern Greece, to a Romany family. As a child, he traveled throughout Greece with his family's caravan selling everything from carpets to watermelons. The caravan trucks contained a microphone, so young Aggelopoulos broadcast his singing over the loudspeakers along the way.

His big break came in 1959 when he recorded his first 45 rpm vinyl record, bringing the mix of Greek-Gypsy-Arabic fusion into the Greek music scene. For Greeks and Greek-Romany he was a superstar. His funeral in 1989 was massive, and people cried for 3 days.

Song: Mia Fotia (A Fire), 1975

Lyrics for Greek Version: Manolis Aggelopoulos

Music Modifications for Greek Version: Manolis Aggelopoulos

Original Artist of Greek Version: Manolis Aggelopoulos

Dance Style: Belly dancing

Album: Mia Fotia

Τραγούδι: Μια Φωτιά, 1975

Στίχοι: Μανώλης Αγγελόπουλος

Μουσική: Μανώλης Αγγελόπουλος

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Μανώλης Αγγελόπουλος

Άλμπουμ: Μια Φωτιά

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.