57. Me queres matar mancebo (Mlle Rosa)

No other version of these lines is known so far. The complaint of the lover that the beloved wants to take her life with a knife (or a gun) and the motif of getting up in the morning are common in Ladino songs. The recording opens with an uncommonly extended instrumental version of the entire song and ends rather abruptly. This is the only Ladino song (perhaps a cover of a Greek song) recorded by this singer named “Mlle. Rosa” on the label. According to Kalyviotis (2015, p. 87) she was active in Salonica under the stage name “The queen.” In his opinion, she is not to be confused with Rosa Eskenazi.

Me queres matar mancebo

con cuchillo de marfil [?]

ande me queres la mano

que no se desmayí [?].

M’alevanto la mañana

alzo los ojos al Dio,

en diciend’ a las estrellas

que ya no veren sin amor.