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Περασμένα Ψεχασμένα
(Perasmena Xehasmena)

(Past, Forgotten)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Perasmena Xehasmena" (Περασμένα Ψεχασμένα), 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 this Song

Keti Garbi's song shares the same melody as "Wana Amel Eh" (وأنا أعمل إيه), also sometimes called "Wana Wana"), which was released in 1994 by the Egyptian singer Hisham Abbas (Χισαμ Αμπας), featuring Alia (Αλια). His version's lyrics were written by Hasan El Sayed (Χασαν Ελ Σαγεντ), and the composer who is credited for it is Ibrahim Fahmy (Ιμπραχιμ Φαχμη). It appeared on the 1994 album Taala.

Some Greeks say the melody was originally a traditional song from Jordan, and show the composer as "unknown".  Often, the composition is credited to a renowned Lebanese composer named Romeo Lahoud. There is also a similar Hindu version of the song.

As for the Greeks, the story doesn't end just yet! It took almost two decades for the truth to come out. Typically, record labels license music from one of their star singers, including lyrics and composition, for recording by other artists. A large record company typically owns different labels, in different countries; however, there is one main umbrella company that owns the others, and therefore owns the song. In the case of this song; however, it didn't actually work out that way! We have Youtube and their battleground comments to thank for revealing more about the song's history!

It's common for Greeks, Turks, and Arabic-speaking people to argue over who owns which music. In reality, the record companies decide when different versions of a song will be released, and often these different versions appear within a few months of each other.

So, who originally wrote the music for "Perasmena Xehasmena"? On the video clip featuring Keti Garbi, it is listed as a traditional Jordanian song. But, is it? From my knowledge, growing up exposed to Turkish, Arabic, Greek, and Armenian music, I knew this song as both Egyptian and traditional Jordanian.

A few years ago, the lyricist revealed how this music came into Greek hands. It turns out he brought a bootleg cassette tape back to Greece with him after a recent trip he had taken to Jordan. The bootleg cassette showed no details of composers or lyricists. Despite this, they moved forward with releasing a Greek version! They claimed that well, there was no internet in the mid-1990's to aid with searching for the origins of the song. They were prepared to follow through properly once the creator eventually came forward.

I now assume it was incorrect to identify it as a traditional Jordanian song. I'm not an expert in Jordanian folk music, so I can't say for sure. Maybe the Greeks just assumed so since it was purchased in Jordan? Up until now, I always believed this was a traditional Jordanian song whose origins did not lie in Egypt. However, maybe I was wrong.

About Keti Garbi

Keti Garbi, the artist performing the version of this song with Greek lyrics, has been considered a queen of Laiko & Greek pop styles of music. She also 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: Perasmena Xehasmena (Past, Forgotten), 1996

Greek Lyrics: Yianis Doxas

Music: *** See notes in above section "About this Song"

Original Artist of Greek Version: Keti Garbi

Dance Style: Belly dancing

Album: Arhizo Polemo (I'm Starting a War)

Τραγούδι: Περασμένα Ψεχασμένα, 1996

Στίχοι: Γιάννης Δόξας

Μουσική: Παραδοσιακό Ιορδανίας

Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Καίτη Γαρμπί

Άλμπουμ: Αρχίζω Πόλεμο

 

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Lyrics

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

Greek Lyrics

Pronunciation

English Translation

Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten
και όλα καλά ke ola kala and all is good.
μα να προσέχεις ma na prosehis Well, be careful
που κοιτάς, και μην ξεχνάς pou kitas, ke min xehnas [what] you're looking [at], and don't forget (1)
θα μιλάς μόνο για μένα tha milas mono ya mena you will speak only of me
όπου βρεθείς opou vrethis anywhere you find yourself.
σε πειρασμούς μην ξαναμπείς, για θα καείς se pirasmous min xanabis, ya tha kais Don't let yourself give in to temptation, because you will be burned. (2)
     
Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten.
πάμε μπροστά pame brosta Let's move forward,
και αυτά που αφήνεις μη' κοιτάς ke afta pou afinis mi' kitas and don't look at what you're leaving behind.
και να κρατάς τις θυσίες μου για σένα, ke na kratas tis thisies mou ya sena, And write down what I have sacrificed for you (3)
σ' άσπρο χαρτί s' aspro harti on white paper
με τη' δικιά σου υπογραφή me ti' dikia sou ipografi with your signature,
υπογραφή ipografi signature.
     
Τα τόσα λάθη ta tosa lathi All the mistakes
που 'χεις κάνει pou 'his kani that you have made,
ας τα πάρει το ποτάμι as ta pari to potami may the river wash them away (4)
στη' θάλασσα να τ' ακουμπήσει sti' thalasa na t' akoubisi into the ocean (5)
να χαθούν, μακριά na hathoun, makria to become lost, far away.
     
Ανοίγω τα χέρια anigo ta heria I open my arms,
αχ τα χέρια ah ta heria oh, my arms!
και πέφτουν τα αστέρια ke peftoun ta asteria And the stars are falling,
αχ τα αστέρια ah ta asteria oh, the stars!
ανοίγω τα μάτια anigo ta matia I open [my] eyes,
αχ τα μάτια ah ta matia oh, [my] eyes!
και βλέπω παλάτια ke vlepo palatia And I see palaces,
αχ παλάτια ah palatia oh, palaces,
στους ουρανούς stous ouranous in the heavens
που εσύ με στέλνεις pou esi me stelnis that you send me to
μ' ένα σου φιλί m' ena sou fili with one of your kisses!
     
Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
κaι είμαι χαρτί ke ime harti and I'm a [sheet of] paper
που ζωγράφισαν εσένα pou zografisan esena that you were drawn on, (6)
κaι έχω καεί ke eho kai and I've been burned.
περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
κaι είμαι καπνός ke ime kapnos and I'm smoke
μεσ' στα μάτια σου που ανοίγει mes' sta matia sou pou aniyi in your eyes that opens
ο ουρανός o ouranos the sky.
     

Instrumental

Instrumental

Instrumental

     
Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
να 'σαι καλά na 'se kala be good. (7)
μα να θυμάσαι ma na thimase Well, remember,
μου χρωστάς mou hrostas you owe me
πάρα πολλά para pola a lot.
με τη' Mάνα μου, για σένα me ti' mana mou, ya sena Because of you, my Mother
έχω χαθεί eho hathi and I are estranged. (8)
κaι ας σ' έχει ke as s' ehi She even believes you (9)
για καλό παιδί, μα τι παιδί ya kalo pedi, ma ti pedi are a good guy, (wow) and what a guy!
     
Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
και όλα καλά ke ola kala and all is good.
που σ' αγαπώ pou s'agapo That I love you,
και μ' αγαπάς ke m' agapas and you love me,
απ' την αρχή ap' tin arhi from the beginning.
σαν πουλιά φυλακισμένα san poulia filakismena Like imprisoned birds
που 'χουν κλειδί pou 'houn klidi that have a key,
δεν είναι η αγάπη φυλακή, φυλακή den ine ee agapi filaki, filaki love is not a prison, prison.
     
Τα τόσα λάθη ta tosa lathi All the mistakes
που 'χεις κάνει pou 'his kani that you have made,
ας τα πάρει το ποτάμι as ta pari to potami may the river wash them away (4)
στη' θάλασσα να τ' ακουμπήσει sti' thalasa na ta' akoubisi into the ocean (5)
να χαθούν, μακριά na hathoun, makria to become lost, far away.
     
Ανοίγω τα χέρια anigo ta heria I open my arms,
αχ τα χέρια ah ta heria oh, my arms!
και πέφτουν τα αστέρια ke peftoun ta asteria And the stars are falling,
αχ τα αστέρια ah ta asteria oh, the stars!
ανοίγω τα μάτια anigo ta matia I open [my] eyes,
αχ τα μάτια ah ta matia oh, [my] eyes!
και βλέπω παλάτια ke vlepo palatial And I see palaces,
αχ παλάτια ah palatial oh, palaces,
στους ουρανούς stous ouranous in the heavens
που εσύ με στέλνεις pou esi me stelnis that you send me to
μ' ένα σου φιλί m' ena sou fili with one of your kisses!
     
Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
κaι είμαι χαρτί ke ime harti and I'm a [sheet of] paper
που ζωγράφισαν εσένα pou zografisan esena that you were drawn on, (6)
κaι έχω καεί ke eho kai and I've been burned.
περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
κaι είμαι καπνός ke ime kapnos and I'm smoke
μεσ' στα μάτια σου που ανοίγει mes' sta matia sou pou aniyi in your eyes that opens
ο ουρανός o ouranos the sky.
     
Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
που ζωγράφισαν εσένα pou zografisan esena that you were drawn on. (6)
περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
μεσ' στα μάτια σου που ανοίγει mes' sta matia sou pou aniyi in your eyes that open.
     
Περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
κaι είμαι χαρτί ke ime harti and I'm a [sheet of] paper
που ζωγράφισαν εσένα pou zografisan esena that you were drawn on, (6)
κaι έχω καεί ke eho kai and I've been burned.
περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
κaι είμαι καπνός ke ime kapnos and I'm smoke
μεσ' στα μάτια σου που ανοίγει mes' sta matia sou pou aniyi in your eyes that opens
ο ουρανός o ouranos the sky.
     
περασμένα, ξεχασμένα perasmena, xehasmena [What's] past [is] forgotten,
  1. Literally, "where you're looking".
  2. Literally, "in temptation, don't get into". The reference to getting burned is not literally having one's skin burned.
  3. Literally, "and hold onto my sacrifices for you".
  4. Literally, "may the river take them", like water under the bridge.
  5. Literally, "on the beach to place upon"; i.e., place them upon the beach.
  6. Literally, "that drew you".
  7. This is another way of saying thank-you.
  8. Literally, "I've been lost" or "I disappeared" or "I left".
  9. Literally, "and even if she has you in her mind" (or belief).

 

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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.

 

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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

 

 

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