Dalaras: Be not angry with me, my precious-Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου

In translating love songs from Greek to English we have to cope with a bewildering array of often-used Greek terms of endearment that unfortunately have no exact equivalents in English:
Μάτια μου- Matia mou: literally means my eyes. It is used like my darling, my dearest in the sense that nothing is more precious to me.
Ξανθέ- Xanthe: means golden or by extension blonde.
Βασιλικέ -Vasilike: in this vocative case raises the person that you are addressing to the level of royalty (Βασιλικός-Vasilikos: means Royal). But it also associates them with the basil plant (βασιλικός-vasilikos) that is a favourite in every Greek flower pot and window box.

Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου
Στίχοι - Μουσική: Σταύρος Κουγιουμτζής
Lyrics - Music: Stavros Kouyioumtzis
Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου
που φεύγω για τα ξένα
πουλί θα γίνω και θα ρθω
πάλι κοντά σε σένα

Άνοιξ' το παραθύρι σου
ξανθέ βασιλικέ μου
και με γλυκό χαμόγελο
μια καληνύχτα πες μου

Μη μου θυμώνεις μάτια μου
τώρα που θα σ' αφήσω
κι έλα για λίγο να σε δω
να σ' αποχαιρετήσω

Άνοιξ' το παραθύρι σου
ξανθέ βασιλικέ μου
και με γλυκό χαμόγελο
μια καληνύχτα πες μου.

____________________________________________
Images from the Greek Ionian islands of Kefallonia, Ithaca, Lefkada and Zakynthos.

[alchemist]

I am from Serbia. I even dont understand greek langugae but even before i found out translation for some reason I always had teary eyes when listening to this song and than recently I found out that this song became from love story between serbain soldier and a greek girl in 1916. I dont know if that story is true or not I am still crying when hear this song lol but I think it would be best movie ever with this song as background and the story I heard!

[Rudolf.Aigner]

One of Dalaras' greatest songs that he sing.

[rubylerue]

Growing up this song always played in the background...as a child i never grasped the nature of the song, or why it always touched my mother. Now as a married woman with a child i find it hard to hold back tears when listening to this song...for so many reasons.
The nostalgia of being a 5 year old girl without a care in the world, or only now grasping WHAT my mother must have endured as a 16 year old girl leaving Greece and coming to a unknown country raising 3 children without any family.

[vasever]

Ώστε αυτό πάει να πει ομορφιά.... και ΟΠΤΙΚΗ και ΑΚΟΥΣΤΙΚΗ!!!!

[sterrenlogos]

Mpavo Yiota,
efgaristo para poli.
I saw Yiorgos Ntalaras 28 th of june in Amsterdam together with Maria Farantouri (my idol).
This song moves me, fili mou.

[nixter]

Υπεροχο βιντεο!!!.Υπεροχο τραγουδι!!!.Υπεροχος Νταλαρας!!!

[megansspark]

lovely as can be... thank you as always for these precious gems. :)

[despovas]

υπεροχο τραγουδι!!! και η οπτικοποιηση σου οπως παντα καταπληκτικη!!!!
πολλα πολλα αστερακια!!!

[CorneliaCernusca]

Bravo zeena61! Dalaras the best singer! I love this beautiful song!

[Alicia]

Absolutely harmony of music and images! Very well done & good taste. 5* and thank you dear Yiota.

[treliyiaellinika]

Truly amazing video and sound, bravo and thank you, Zina

[eleninefeli]

ah ah ah !!! Je l'avais mise de côté pour te l'envoyer! :-))
excellent, merci Zeena, toujours aussi performante dans vos envois de vidéos.

[htoyryla]

Thank you for explaining "xanthe vasilike", can now appreciate something of the multiple associations in the text,

[treliyiaellinika]

Zeena...this is such a great song, but video is super and brings tears to my eyes, very beautiful and emotional with the girl there... +5**** Mbravo, Zina

[moxsen]

Εκπληκτικό...Ελληνικότατο!! Εύγε !! Ευχαριστούμε Γιώτα για το ταξίδι :Ο)

[FondOfGreekMusic]

Greek words belong to Greek sounds, Greek musical instruments, they are born from the Greek soil, water, mountains, sun, history, culture, so so so rich, it is in the expressions of the voice, the sou the mou the x for ch, Dalaras, zeena, you tou mou agapi mou .... and no other language can say the same, not even when they would have the exact
It is therefore that I am who I am... FondOfGreek...

[goldis]

s'agapo this song, s'agapo dalaras,
thank you yiota - 5 * * * * *

[Iliodromion]

Το μόνο για το οποίο "θυμώνουμε" είναι που τελείωσε το βίντεο γρήγορα! Αλλά, αφού κατάφερες να φτιάξεις ένα βίντεο για το Ιόνιο με διάρκεια 4¨44΄ λεπτά, υποκλίνομαι και σωπαίνω για τα περαιτέρω... Φυσικά,

[SalveSelena]

@POLYMNIACHANNEL
euxaristw gia to share tou yperoxou tragoudiou
polla asteria sti Zeena pou to stolise me omorfes eikones*