(MUSIC VIDEO) SASMOS CYCLE - "THE MANLY HEART"
And now for something different that may or may not become a special project*. As readers may be aware, under the pressure of various 'woke' social undercurrents, the concept of masculinity has come under pressure in recent years. We have dedicated a few postings to the issue of manly virtues (link). It is also cited as the main reason why many Western young men are finding their way to the Eastern Orthodox Church in the recent years (link). It would seem that the Orthodox faith has now become the sole custodian of virtuous manliness in the Western world. Therefore it is perhaps not entirely a coincidence that I came across a Greek song composed by Nikos Terzis, lyrics written by Yannis Kotsiras and performed here by Christos Thevaios on the subject of the manly heart. It's just too good to pass up without an effort of making the content available to a wider audience.
* We continue the project on the blog "Greek Songs Into English" as most of the texts have no specific bearing on the themes of this blog. If we come across some that do, we will of course post them in these pages.
* We continue the project on the blog "Greek Songs Into English" as most of the texts have no specific bearing on the themes of this blog. If we come across some that do, we will of course post them in these pages.
June 22, 2023 PanikRecordsTube: Χρήστος Θηβαίος - Αντρική Καρδιά - Official Lyric Video. (Christos Thevaios - The Manly Heart). Details in the description.
Before we proceed, a word on translating. Having run into serious trouble translating Greek songs into English, I vowed not even try anymore and just provide the Greek text with a Latin transcription, which does not lead to any better understanding of a reader not familiar with Greek. So what to do?
As a mere translator you can't very well run off with the text and give it your own personal interpretation. So there will have to be a trade off. Thankfully the song about the manly heart does not contain too many surrealistic connotations. But whatever you do, it never does full justice to the original.
Αντρική Καρδιά
Από μικρό παιδί στους δρόμους
Παιχνίδι κλέφτες κι αστυνόμους
Αγόρι και αλήτης
Κρυφά τσιγάρο στο ένα χέρι
Και στο άλλο τατουάζ μαχαίρι
Pink Floyd και Ελύτης
Ελεύθερη ζωή
Καπνός κι αναπνοή
Το μέλλον στην αρένα
Κι αν σβήνει η φωτιά
Η αντρική καρδιά
Είναι γεμάτη αίμα
Κι ας την ποτίζουν ψέμα
Μια στρατό και μια σχολείο
Ψυχή μου άγριο θηρίο
Δεν έχω μεγαλώσει
Αγάπη μου εριστική
Δεν πάει ο νους μου φυλακή
Η ορργή θα με σκοτώσει
Χαμένη μου ζωή
Δεν μπαίνω σε κελί
Δεν έχει η ελπιδα φρένα
Κι αν σβήνει η φωτιά
Η αντρική καρδιά
Είναι γεμάτη αίμα
Κι ας την ποτίζουν ψέμα
Από μικρό παιδί στους δρόμους
The manly heart
From young kid on the street
Playing copper and thief
Boy and brat
A cigarette hidden in one hand
A knife tattoo in the other
Pink Floyd and Elytes*
Pink Floyd and Elytes*
Life is free
Breath and smoke
A future in the arena
And when the fire fades
The manly heart
Is filled with blood
Even if watered by deceit
An army and a school
My mind a wild beast
I have not grown up
My love petulant
My soul won't be jailed
Rage is killing me
My wasted life
Refusing a cell
Hope has no brakes
And when the fire fades
The manly heart
Is filled with blood
Even if watered by deceit
From young kid on the street...
*More on the poet Odysseus Elytes in Eternal Hellenism (1): The Cosmic Story (link).
YouTube Playlist.
For an introduction, notes, the genesis of the cycle and links to watch episodes of Sasmos, check the link list.
- More Greek-English lyrics -
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