Itane mia fora – Nikos Xilouris

Posted on 23. Jan, 2010 in Greek Songs

Nikos Xilouris sings Itane mia fora, a Greek song which translates to “Once upon a time” in English. Itane mia fora is a very popular song, probably the most characteristic song by Nikos Xilouris, who has marked it with his voice. Although the song has been sung by other singers and performers throughout time, it never compares.

The song Itane mia fora was heard for the first time  in 1973, at a TV show – adaptation of the novel “Emporoi ton ethnon” which means “Merchants of Nations”, made by Kostas Ferris. The story behind the song is quite interesting:  Xilouris had no idea about the song and he was brought to the studio to sing it without any rehearsals or second recording. The first recording was the one that is known and played till today.

It is said that Nikos Xilouris noticed later that he made a couple of mistakes when singing and asked the composer Stavros Xarhakos to sing it again, but he denied, saying “the way you sung it the first time cannot be repeated! It stays as it is!”. Xarhakos was obviously right, since it is one of the marking songs of Greek music, the trademark of Nikos Xilouris himself.

Lyrics: Kostas Ferris
Music: Stavros Xarhakos
Performed by: Nikos Xilouris

Itane mia fora – Nikos Xilouris – English Lyrics

Once upon a time, my dear,
there was a beautiful lady queen.

A fair girl, married young
awaiting her lord, night and day.

And on a Saturday evening, my precious, on a Sunday
she pleads with the sun, my precious, she pleads with the moon.

My sun, shine on him, my moon
go and talk to him, for the love of me.

He wanders and sails, my precious, across the high seas
He mows down the pirates, my precious, and unmakes them.

Under the sun, the moon and the rain
And he leaves me all alone.

A galley sailed, my dear, with the north wind
and launched itself into battle, my dear, into fight.

Within a pirate trade
I saw fire burning and killing.

Itane mia fora – Nikos Xilouris – Greek Lyrics

Ητανε μια φορα – Νικος Ξυλουρης – Ελληνικοι Στιχοι

Ήτανε μια φορά μάτια μου κι έναν καιρό
μια όμορφη κυρά αρχόντισσα να σε χαρώ

Μια μικροπαντρεμένη κόρη ξανθή
τον κύρη της προσμένει βράδυ πρωί

Ένα Σαββάτο βράδυ καλέ μια Κυριακή
τον ήλιο το φεγγάρι, καλέ, παρακαλεί

Ήλιε μου φώτισέ τον φεγγάρι μου
πάνε και μίλησέ του για χάρη μου

Γυρίζει κι αρμενίζει καλέ στα πέλαγα
τους πειρατές θερίζει καλέ και τους χαλά

Στον ήλιο στο φεγγάρι και στη βροχή
και μένανε μ’ αφήνει έρμη και μοναχή

Γαλέρα ανοίχτηκε μάτια μου με το βοριά
στη μάχη ρίχτηκε μάτια μου και στον καυγά

Μέσα σ’ ένα σινάφι πειρατικό
είδα φωτιά ν’ ανάβει και φονικό

Tags: Xarhakos, Xilouris