The first recorded version of Dirlada by Pandelis Ghinis

Click here to download the first recorded "DIRLADA KAI TEZA OLOI" by PANDELIS GHINIS
The following description comes from the "Lykeion ton Hellnidon" CD. You can see the 1st page and the 2nd page of the description in pictures.

24. O DIRLADA KAI TEZA OLOI (couplets)
The song which is superbly rendered by "Captain" Pandelis Ghinis, is based on the well known "Dirlada" (see CA A no. 4), that it has been popular on Kalymnos for a very long time.

However the verses of this particular version are - as is generally admitted - the singer's own. "Dirlada", which we encounter in several versions and in a number of variants, is a work song, which might be sung oil-press to hearten the workers tolling at the hand-press of the time, or in the boats during the processing of sponges, or when pulling the oars.

The tune but also the name, seem to be related to similar songs of the peoples of North Africa, with whom the Kalymnians long maintained - and still maintain - close relations, owing to the islanders' sponge-diving activities along the coasts of Egypt and Cyrenaica.The musicologist Samuel Baud-Bovy speaks of tunes that are common to the peoples of the Mediterranean. We encounter such tunes in Kalymnos, as well (see the Smuggler's Song. CD Lyceum Club of Greek Women, Kalymnos Annex).

In the years after the last world war, it began to be danced on Kalymnos in a manner reminiscent of Arabic dances, "arapika", as they were called; that is, it was danced by couples, as a face-to-face, and the steps were quick and springy. The song is begun by one singer, the rest of the group joining in at the "break" and repeating the words.

"Kapetan Pandelis" Ghinis was discovered in the '60s by Domna Samiou, under whose directions were recorded the outstanding songs, the "Aghanda Yialessa' and the "Dirlada", which were recorded by Polygram. Today, as Domna Samiou herself confesses, she no longer remembers the names of the musicians who accompanied the song. Vivid in her memory, on the other hand, remains the extraordinary personality and fine voice of the late lamented "Kapetan Ghinis". P.M.

(translator note): The lyrics are practically impossible to translate, as they are mostly of a topical nature. The place-names mentioned, the mocking references to certain individuals and events can only be understood and appreciated by an audience who is "in the know".

Song: Captain Pandelis Ghinis and a group of men directed by Domna Samiou.

The DIRLADA Translation - Our effort to translate and explain the Lyrics of the Pandelis Ghinis version of Dirlada.

The "DIRLADA - DIRLADADA" is a sponge diver's song and PANDELIS GHINIS was a captain on a sponge diver's boat.
Thus, to understand the lyrics even if you know Greek, you have to know a few things about sponge divers' life and their working conditions

Sponge divers started their trip to the South African coasts (so called "Barbaria") at Easter time and returned at the end of October.
They used a big boat called "Rezerva" as a storage for supplies and sponges and as the meeting place for dinner, which was the only meal they had during a day. The sponge diving was done with smaller boats most of which were operated by oars.

So sponge divers were working under the hot African sun all day, with very little hot and rusty water, with nothing around them but the open sea.
It was normal that after a while they had little courage to continue working. Their mind was at home, at food and of course at sex that hey missed for months.The purpose of Dirlada was to encourage sponge divers and to give them the rhythm while oaring. This was done by imaginary returning them to Kalymnos and offering visions of what they mostly desired at these difficult times.

Lyrics in Greeklish	Translation	Explanation
Eh! dirlada dirladada, da da dirladada	Eh! dirlada dirladada, da da dirladada	no translation
Oh! dirlada ke teza oli	Oh! dirlada everybody exhausted	exhausted from the work
vre gia na paroume tin Poli,	courage to get the Poli (Constantinople)	the expression "to get Constantinople" also means "to conquer woman"
Oh! dirlada dirladada, apo tin Poli tin Chali	Oh! dirlada dirladada, from the Poli the Chali	From the inexpugnable Chali. Chali is a cape at the East side of Kalymnos. It belonged to the Municipality of Kalymnos who sold it to Nikolas Vouvalis the most famous and rich sponge trader. He made it his summer resort. With the money from this sale, the old port was built. It does not exist any more.
tin Atsaina tin Kali, Oh! dirlada dirladada	The Kali of Atsa, Oh! dirlada dirladada	The Calliope daughter or wife of Atsas - probably another captain
Oh! dirlada ke teza plates vre gia xanthes gia mavromates.	Oh! dirlada keep your back tight for blondes and black-eyed	women of course
Oh! dirlada dirladada, choro ton go pou den trava i aderfi tou me ta mas	Oh! dirlada dirladada, I can see this guy not roaring, well his sister is with us	This is a very insulting expression for a Kalymnian man.
Oh! dirlada vre levedonia vre ke tis Barbarias glaronia Oh! dirlada dirladada	Oh! dirlada you upstanding man you seagull of Barbaria Oh! dirlada dirladada
vre dirlada, vre ke vradiazi, vre ki i kouverta 'nestenazi vre ke o mageras fonazi, Oh! dirlada dirladada	vre dirlada, the night is coming, the deck is overcrowded and the cook is screaming, Oh! dirlada dirladada
Oh! dirlada ke teza oli vre gia na paroume tin Poli, apo tin Poli tin Chali tin Atsaina tin Kali	Oh! dirlada everybody tight to get the Poli, from the Poli the Chali the Kali of Atsas	repeating previous lyrics
vre ti Chali to limionari, vre ti Maria tou Lisgari ke pano sto aspro tis podari tha pa na deso palamari	then the little port of Chali, then Maria of Lisgaris and on her white foot I am going to belay a cable.	Maria is the daughter or wife of Lisgaris (another captain probably), while the word cable is also used to describe the male sex
Oh! dirlada dirladada,Oh! dirlada ki irten o kombos vre sto lemo ndos ton archondo	Oh! dirlada dirladada,Oh! dirlada and the bend has reached the lords' throats	The meaning of this lyric is not quite obvious. It might mean that we are ready to kill the lords or that the lords make so much money from us that they filled their stomach and reached their throat.
irthen o kombos to Kombali, i Katerina tou Tsagari, vre tha ti valo mes sti plori ke tha tis kamo gio ke kori	Kombali the bend arrived, Katerina of Tsagaris, well, I am going to put her in the bow and I am going to make her a girl and a boy	Kombali and Tsagaris are probably captains. The meaning of the rest is quite obvious.
Oh! dirlada dirladada,Oh! dirlada vre sis levendes vre tha sas kopso 'go violendes, vre olonon 'po ena dyo vre ke tou Giorgou den tou dino.	Oh! dirlada dirladada,Oh! dirlada you upstanding man I am going to cut violets for you, one or two for each one, but I will not give none to George

Click here to download the first recorded "DIRLADA KAI TEZA OLOI" by PANDELIS GHINIS

Confirmations

Hello Nikolas

I have discussed the part of the song kobali with my father Ioannis and uncles George and Panormiti.

George and Panormiti confirm that Ginis was referring to my Grandfather Kapitanios Manolis Theodosiou (and indeed changed his version when my grandfather walked in when Ginis was singing this song.

My grandafathers nickname was Kombali. You are correct when referring to Kombali as a Captain this was my grandfather. We are proud Kalymnians and honour our grandfather and our heritage.

I was in Kalymnos in 2004 and many of the older folk recognised me as being tou Kombali. Younger people remembered my grandfather as the man who employed their grandfather.

Kind regards,
Emmanuel Theodosiou MAICD
Managing Director

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