6. Cantiga de Hanum Dudún (Jacob Algava)

A very popular wedding song of Greek origin, known mainly in Salonica (CMP AA63, AA65; Attias 1961, no. 113; Molho 1950, pp. 33-34; Weich-Shahak 2014, I, nos. 32- 33). In most versions that survived in oral tradition, the song starts from the second stanza. It was also recorded by the CES (see below, no. 38) and partially by the choir La Gloria from Sarajevo (see below, no. 69) The erotic opening lines of the third stanza (“The apron that you wear / what’s under it is mine”) are unique to the Salonican early recordings. Algava ends the recording with exclamations in Turkish.

Una noche yo me armí

por vuestro vecindado.

Deješme la puerta ‘bierta

y el candil amatado.

Tirilaila op tirilaila opa,

tirilaila op tirilaila opa.

Ventanas altas tienes

tu con velas amarillas.

Esta noche arrog’al Dio

que me subaš arriba.

Tirilaila op…

El devantal que tu llevaš,

lo d’en el bajo’s mio.

Si es por el harem, Dudú,

mañana de mañana.

Tirilaila op…

El anillo que tu llevaš,

el diamante es mio.

El kuyumği que me lo dió

es primo amigo mio.

Tirilaila op…