Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

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

Σήκω χόρεψε κουκλί μου
(Siko Horepse Koukli Mou)

(Get Up and Dance, My Doll)

also sometimes called

Nina Nai Nai

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Siko Horepse Koukli Mou" (Σήκω χόρεψε κουκλί μου, which was originally released by Stelios Kazantzidis (Στέλιος Καζαντζίδης). It is listed on some album covers under the title "Nina Nai Nai" because those words are used in the chorus. Also included below is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like. This song is also very popular as a Turkish song.

For more information about the laiko and rebetiko styles of music, see Introduction to Laiko / Rebetiko Music elsewhere on this web site.

About Stelios Kazantzidis

The legendary Stelios Kazantzidis was born August 29, 1931 in Athens Greece, specifically Nea Ionia. He is among the most beloved musicians of our time. His music and words never get old. He was of Asia Minor and Pondian (Greek Anatolian) descent. Stelios or, as many love to call him, Stelara, was also loved due to his character and simplicity in life. Sadly, he did not make much from profit from his career as others took advanatage of him.

Stelios' music is all about love, immigration, pain, refugee, and poverty as is most music of this time. He is considered one of the fathers of Laiko music. Stelara has touched many people's lives. He remained so humble and simple until cancer took his last breath in 2001.

“I sing for the poor, the immigrants and the suffering people… generally for the lower social classes. They can’t go to the expensive night clubs. They buy my discs and they regard them as their Gospels.” – Stelios Kazantzidis

Personal notes by the translator:

The music of Stelios Kazantzidis is very dear to my heart. My grandmother and grandfather were often referred to as the young Kazantzidis and Marinella, while singing at family gatherings. Marinella was Stelios' first wife, and his biggest love.

If you want to impress Greeks, you need to remember Stelios' name. As much as Princess Diana was loved, so was Stelios. People cry black tears to his music.

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

Stelios Kazantzidis

About Marinella

Marinella was one of the original artists for this song, in a duet with her partner Stelios Kazantzidis.

Marinella's real name was Kyriaki Papadopoulou. She was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, the daughter of refugees from Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). The famous singer-songwriter Tolis Harmas discovered this rising star at a young age in the 1950s, and gave her the stage name Marinella, inspired by his song of that title. It was during this time when Stelios Kazantzidis saw her and fell in love with her. Marinella later joined Stelios on tours. They eventually got married, and in the eyes of many they were the greatest duet in Greece, unsurpassed even today.

Unfortunately, the marriage didn't last, and they divorced in 1966. Marinella then went on to launch a solo career.

Marinella is one of the greatest living legends of Greece still actively performing, popular, and still very relevant in the Greek music scene.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Stelios Kazantzidis and Marinella on their wedding day.

Stelios and Marinella

About Eleftheria Arvanitaki

Eleftheria Arvanitaki, one of the artists to record this song, is a Greek folk singer known for singing rebetiko, laiko, and jazz musical styles. Born in 1957, she started her singing career as a member of the ensemble Opisthodromiki Kompania (Retrograde Company) that performed rebetiko music. She then spun off to launch a solo singing career in 1984 with an album that bore her name. She has toured extensively to perform at festivals and other live music events. Arvanitaki performed in the closing ceremony for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens.

Song: Siko Horepse Koukli Mou – Get Up and Dance, My Doll, 1958

Lyrics: Stelios Kazantzidis

Music: Stelios Kazantzidis

Original Artists: Stelios Kazantzidis & Marinella

Has Also Been Recorded By:

  • Eleftheria Arvanitaki

Dance Styles:

  • Belly Dance
  • Syrtos
Τραγούδι: Σήκω χόρεψε κουκλί μου, 1958

Στίχοι: Στελιου Καζαντζιδη

Μουσική: Στέλιος Καζαντζίδης

Πρώτη εκτέλεση: Στέλιος Καζαντζίδης &  Μαρινέλλα

Άλλοι Ερμηνευτές:

  • Ελεύθερία Αρβανιτάκη

 

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

Listen to MP3 Clips of This Song

Note

Sung by Harry Saroyan

 

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

Lyrics

Note: Greeks have a social dance called tsifteteli which is different from the rhythm with the same name. This social dance is referenced in the lyrics below.

Neenahnahee is an expression, an exclamation, like saying Opa! It appears in the lyrics below.

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

Verse

Verse

Verse

Σήκω χόρεψε κουκλί μου See-koh ho-rre-ps-eh kou-klee mooh Get up and dance, my doll.
να σε δω να σε χαρώ Nah se doh nah se hah-rroh (se= like you say sentence) So I can see you become happy.
τσιφτετέλι Τούρκικο Tsee-fteh-teh-lee Touhrr-kee-koh Dance the Turkish tsifteteli.
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

νιναναη γιαβρουμ νιναναη ναηνα Nee-nah-nahee / yeeah-vroum Nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee-nah Nina nai! My love, nina nai! Nina!
Όπα νινα νιναναη νιναναη ναη Oh-pah nee-nah / nee-nah-nahee / nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee Opa nina nina nai nina nai nai!
νιναναη γιαβρουμ νιναναη ναηνα Nee-nah-nahee / yeeah-vroum Nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee-nah Nina nai! My love, nina nai! Nina!
Όπα νινα νιναναη νιναναη ναη Oh-pah nee-nah / nee-nah-nahee / nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee Opa nina nina nai nina nai nai!
     

Verse

Verse

Verse

Θα σου τραγουδήσω πάλι Thah sou trrah-gou-dee-soh pah-lee I will sing to you again
στον ασίκικο χαβά Sto-hn ah-see-kee-koh hah-vah in the lovers' melody*
κούνα λίγο το κορμί σου Kou-nah lee-goh toh kohr-rmee-sou Shake your body!
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

νιναναη γιαβρουμ νιναναη ναηνα Nee-nah-nahee / yeeah-vroum Nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee-nah Nina nai! My love, nina nai! Nina!
Όπα νινα νιναναη νιναναη ναη Oh-pah nee-nah / nee-nah-nahee / nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee Opa nina nina nai nina nai nai!
νιναναη γιαβρουμ νιναναη ναηνα Nee-nah-nahee / yeeah-vroum Nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee-nah Nina nai! My love, nina nai! Nina!
Όπα νινα νιναναη νιναναη ναη Oh-pah nee-nah / nee-nah-nahee / nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee Opa nina nina nai nina nai nai!
     

Verse

Verse

Verse

Μια φορά μονάχα ζούμε Me-eah foh-rrah moh-nah-hah zoo-meh We only live once
μες στον ψεύτικο ντουνιά Mehs stoh-n pseh-ftee-koh dou-niah In this fake world.
πρέπει λίγο να χαρούμε Prreh-pee lee-goh nah hah-rrou-meh We must enjoy ourself a bit.
     

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

νιναναη γιαβρουμ νιναναη ναηνα Nee-nah-nahee / yeeah-vroum Nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee-nah Nina nai! My love, nina nai! Nina!
Όπα νινα νιναναη νιναναη ναη Oh-pah nee-nah / nee-nah-nahee / nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee Opa nina nina nai nina nai nai!
νιναναη γιαβρουμ νιναναη ναηνα Nee-nah-nahee / yeeah-vroum Nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee-nah Nina nai! My love, nina nai! Nina!
Όπα νινα νιναναη νιναναη ναη Oh-pah nee-nah / nee-nah-nahee / nee-nah-nahee / nah-ee Opa nina nina nai nina nai nai!

* This line can have a couple of different meanings. In this part of the lyrics, it is referring to the melody of the song. It can also mean you are in your own world: esi sto hava sou

 

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

Where to Get Recordings of this Song

Saroyan Sings Cairo Album Cover

Note

Listen to Clip

Artist: Harry Saroyan
Album Title: Saroyan Sings "Cairo"

 

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

Translations of
Stelios' Kazantzidis' Songs on This Site

Translations on this web site of songs performed by Stelios Kazantzidis include:

 

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

Translations of Songs Recorded by
Eleftheria Arvanitaki On This Site

Translations on this web site of songs performed by Eleftheria Arvanitaki include:

 

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

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 |