Μισιρλού“‘Egyptian girl’”in English
Michalis Patrinos · 1930
A slower Athens rebetiko (ρεμπέτικο) / tsifteteli (τσιφτετέλι) take, circulated as Mousourlou (Μισιρλού) — the Greek life of the tune a few years after Demetriades’s New York 78.
Michalis (Mike) Patrinos recorded the tune in Greece around 1930 as “Mousourlou,” a slower rebetiko intended for tsifteteli; a New York side followed in 1931 on Orthophonic. Some later credits in Greece name him instead of Roubanis. The YouTube transfer we play is a labeled 1930 Patrinos upload.
Song lyrics for “Misirlou,” with an English translation under each line. Each version is one entry: the recording, and the words it sings.
Folk / rebetiko (ρεμπέτικο) words as printed on the Greek Wikipedia article. English is a line-by-line gloss, not a singable rewrite.
Μισιρλού μου, η γλυκιά σου η ματιά
Misirlou mou, i glykia sou i matia
My Misirlou, your sweet glance
Φλόγα μου 'χει ανάψει μες στην καρδιά.
Floga mou 'chei anapsei mes stin kardia.
has lit a flame in my heart.
Αχ, για χαμπίμπι, αχ, για λε-λέλι, αχ,
Ach, gia habibi, ach, gia le-leli, ach,
Ah, ya habibi, ah, ya le-leli, ah,
Τα δυο σου χείλη στάζουνε μέλι, αχ.
Ta dyo sou cheili stazoune meli, ach.
your two lips drip honey, ah.
Refrain
Αχ, Μισιρλού, μαγική, ξωτική ομορφιά.
Ach, Misirlou, magiki, xotiki omorfia.
Ah, Misirlou, magical, exotic beauty.
Τρέλα θα μου 'ρθει, δεν υποφέρω πια.
Trela tha mou 'rthei, den ypofero pia.
Madness will come over me; I cannot bear it any longer.
Αχ, θα σε κλέψω μέσ' απ' την Αραπιά.
Ach, tha se klepso mes' ap' tin Arapia.
Ah, I will steal you out of Arabia.
Μαυρομάτα Μισιρλού μου τρελή,
Mavromata Misirlou mou treli,
Black-eyed Misirlou of mine, wild one,
Η ζωή μου αλλάζει μ' ένα φιλί.
I zoi mou allazei m' ena fili.
my life changes with one kiss.
Αχ, για χαμπίμπι ενα φιλάκι, άχ
Ach, gia habibi ena filaki, ach
Ah, ya habibi, one little kiss, ah
Απ' το γλυκό σου το στοματάκι, αχ.
Ap' to glyko sou to stomataki, ach.
from your sweet little mouth, ah.
Lyrics are reproduced briefly for commentary and teaching, with attribution and a link to the source. They are not a substitute for the publisher’s edition.