Ti se melei esenane

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At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.

Τhe song “Ti se melei esenane” is one of the most popular songs in the Greek repertoire. A detailed presentation of the series of recordings can be found in Aristomenis Kalyviotis' book Ta tragoudia tis Smyrnis 2 (The songs of Smyrna 2, 2023: 285 – 297), in which fourty six performances have been recorded between 1926 and 2009, eight of them in 78rpm discography.  For example:

– "Ti se melei esenane", Giorgos Vidalis,
Odeon Gο 278 – GA 1153 – A 154256, Athens, 1926, present recording.
– "Ti se melei esenane", Marika Papagkika, Columbia W 205569 – 56061-F, New York, April 1927.
– "Ti se melei esenane", Kostas Karipis, 5419ar – V-50202, Athens, 1927.
– "Ti se melei esenane", Antonis Ntalgkas, His Master's Voice BF 1812-1 – AO 279, Athens, June 22, 1928.
– "Kordelio", Kostas Karipis, Edison Bell SA111 – 1016A, Athens, September 1929.
– "Ti se melei esenane apo pouthe eimai ego", Angeliki Karagianni,
Balkan Records No 820-B, America, around 1948.

In the Balkan Records performance, the introduction of the song is different from its older recordings.

We note that Panagiotis Tountas uses the music of the introduction of the song "Ti se melei esenane" in the song "Aeroplano tha paro" (Odeon GO 1942 – 31032B, Athens, 1933), for which he also borrows the musical theme from the beginning of the lyrics of "Telegrafin tellerine". It is impressive how Tountas uses and arranges popular and wandering tunes, often taking small forms and structuring, based on them, new compositions.

The tune, however, interacts with the Turkish-speaking Armenian repertoire that was recorded in the US. Specifically, in the 1940s, the Armenian Mary Vartanian recorded in New York the song "Hojan aman hojan" (Kaliphon D-723-B) in Turkish.

Τhe song is also found in the American Jazz repertoire. In 1945 the Slim Gaillard Quartet recorded it in Hollywood, in Greek, as "Tee Say Mallee" (
Atomic A-231-1). Based on his own accounts, around 1928, when he was twelve years old, the American Jazz composer, singer and musician (piano, guitar, vibraphone, saxophone) Slim Gaillard (Bulee Gaillard, 1916-1991) was left in Crete, where he probably heard the song in question (for more about Galliard see Fontas Trousas' article in Lifo magazine here).

Another live recording of “Tee Say Mallee” has been found. It comes from Galliard's performances at Billy Berg's Jazz Club in Hollywood, circa June 1946. Galliard (vocals, piano, guitar) is accompanied by Tiny "Bam" Brown, on the bass, and Leo Watson, on the drums (see for example the CD "Slim Galliard and His Friends – The Absolute Voutest! '46", Hep Records - HEP CD 28, which released in 1998).

Around seventy years later, in May 2014, the Greek instrumental ensemble Afrodyssey Orchestra recorded the song "Ti se mellei" (LP "In the Land of Aou Tila") at the Subway Studio in Athens.

In 2020, the Greek band Sugar Factory released the album "Home", which included an instrumental adaptation of the song under the title "Ti se melei".

Notable appearances of the melody in contemporary discographies from other countries include the following:

In 2015, the Serbian band The Cyclist Conspiracy released "A Night at Café 'Constantinople'", a live recording featuring adaptations of four Greek songs. Among them was "Ti se melei esenane (Why do you care)", performed in Greek by Katarina Brčarević. 

In February 2016, the Antoine Karacostas Trio, led by Antoine Karacostas (of Greek origin) on the piano, and Anders Ulrich (bass) and Simon Bierner (drums), recorded at the Aéroneff studio in Paris recorded an instrumental version of "Ti se melei" (CD "Trails", Parallel Records PR005).

In 2020, Swiss musician Roland Meinwolf, who releases his work under the name Melancore, recorded the instrumental "Τi se melei esenane". It was included in the album "Natare".

In 2024, the Kombos Collective, based in San Francisco, California, and led by Greek-Croatian flutist Ellie Falaris Ganelin, recorded the album "Uproot: Greek Refugee Songs from Asia Minor" as part of the Uproot program. Featuring a multinational team of musicians and vocalist Katerina Clambaneva, the album includes thirteen songs, among which is "Ti se melei esenane".


Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and
Nikos Ordoulidis

Author (Composer):
Lyrics by:
Unknown
Singer(s):
Vidalis Giorgos
Orchestra-Performers:
Violin, santur, guitar
Recording date:
1926
Recording location:
Athens
Language(s):
Greek
Dance / Rhythm:
Karsilamas
Publisher:
Odeon
Catalogue number:
GA-1153/A 154256
Matrix number:
Gο 278
Duration:
3:06
Item location:
Kounadis Archive Record Library
Physical description:
10 in. (25 cm)
Source:
Kounadis Archive
ID:
Odeon_GA1153_TiSeMeleiEsenane
Licensing:
cc
Reference link:
Kounadis Archive, "Ti se melei esenane", 2019, https://vmrebetiko.aegean.gr/en/item-en?id=10386
Lyrics:
Τι σε μέλει εσένανε από πού 'μαι εγώ
απ’ το Καρατάσι, φως μου, ή απ’ το Κορδελιό

Τι σε μέλει εσένανε κι όλο με ρωτάς
από ποιο χωριό 'μαι εγώ αφού δεν μ’αγαπάς

— Ωπ, ωπ, άιντε!

Απ’ τον τόπο που 'ρθα εγώ ξεύρουν ν’ αγαπούν
ξεύρουν τον καημό να κρύβουν, ξεύρουν να γλεντούν

— Άιντε, γεια σου Σμύρνη!

Απ’ τη Σμύρνη έρχομαι να βρω παρηγοριά
να βρω μες στην Αθήνα μας αγάπη ή αγκαλιά

— Ώπ, άιντε, άιντε, ωπ!
— Γεια σου Κορδελιό! Ωπ, άιντε, άιντε!

At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.

Τhe song “Ti se melei esenane” is one of the most popular songs in the Greek repertoire. A detailed presentation of the series of recordings can be found in Aristomenis Kalyviotis' book Ta tragoudia tis Smyrnis 2 (The songs of Smyrna 2, 2023: 285 – 297), in which fourty six performances have been recorded between 1926 and 2009, eight of them in 78rpm discography.  For example:

– "Ti se melei esenane", Giorgos Vidalis,
Odeon Gο 278 – GA 1153 – A 154256, Athens, 1926, present recording.
– "Ti se melei esenane", Marika Papagkika, Columbia W 205569 – 56061-F, New York, April 1927.
– "Ti se melei esenane", Kostas Karipis, 5419ar – V-50202, Athens, 1927.
– "Ti se melei esenane", Antonis Ntalgkas, His Master's Voice BF 1812-1 – AO 279, Athens, June 22, 1928.
– "Kordelio", Kostas Karipis, Edison Bell SA111 – 1016A, Athens, September 1929.
– "Ti se melei esenane apo pouthe eimai ego", Angeliki Karagianni,
Balkan Records No 820-B, America, around 1948.

In the Balkan Records performance, the introduction of the song is different from its older recordings.

We note that Panagiotis Tountas uses the music of the introduction of the song "Ti se melei esenane" in the song "Aeroplano tha paro" (Odeon GO 1942 – 31032B, Athens, 1933), for which he also borrows the musical theme from the beginning of the lyrics of "Telegrafin tellerine". It is impressive how Tountas uses and arranges popular and wandering tunes, often taking small forms and structuring, based on them, new compositions.

The tune, however, interacts with the Turkish-speaking Armenian repertoire that was recorded in the US. Specifically, in the 1940s, the Armenian Mary Vartanian recorded in New York the song "Hojan aman hojan" (Kaliphon D-723-B) in Turkish.

Τhe song is also found in the American Jazz repertoire. In 1945 the Slim Gaillard Quartet recorded it in Hollywood, in Greek, as "Tee Say Mallee" (
Atomic A-231-1). Based on his own accounts, around 1928, when he was twelve years old, the American Jazz composer, singer and musician (piano, guitar, vibraphone, saxophone) Slim Gaillard (Bulee Gaillard, 1916-1991) was left in Crete, where he probably heard the song in question (for more about Galliard see Fontas Trousas' article in Lifo magazine here).

Another live recording of “Tee Say Mallee” has been found. It comes from Galliard's performances at Billy Berg's Jazz Club in Hollywood, circa June 1946. Galliard (vocals, piano, guitar) is accompanied by Tiny "Bam" Brown, on the bass, and Leo Watson, on the drums (see for example the CD "Slim Galliard and His Friends – The Absolute Voutest! '46", Hep Records - HEP CD 28, which released in 1998).

Around seventy years later, in May 2014, the Greek instrumental ensemble Afrodyssey Orchestra recorded the song "Ti se mellei" (LP "In the Land of Aou Tila") at the Subway Studio in Athens.

In 2020, the Greek band Sugar Factory released the album "Home", which included an instrumental adaptation of the song under the title "Ti se melei".

Notable appearances of the melody in contemporary discographies from other countries include the following:

In 2015, the Serbian band The Cyclist Conspiracy released "A Night at Café 'Constantinople'", a live recording featuring adaptations of four Greek songs. Among them was "Ti se melei esenane (Why do you care)", performed in Greek by Katarina Brčarević. 

In February 2016, the Antoine Karacostas Trio, led by Antoine Karacostas (of Greek origin) on the piano, and Anders Ulrich (bass) and Simon Bierner (drums), recorded at the Aéroneff studio in Paris recorded an instrumental version of "Ti se melei" (CD "Trails", Parallel Records PR005).

In 2020, Swiss musician Roland Meinwolf, who releases his work under the name Melancore, recorded the instrumental "Τi se melei esenane". It was included in the album "Natare".

In 2024, the Kombos Collective, based in San Francisco, California, and led by Greek-Croatian flutist Ellie Falaris Ganelin, recorded the album "Uproot: Greek Refugee Songs from Asia Minor" as part of the Uproot program. Featuring a multinational team of musicians and vocalist Katerina Clambaneva, the album includes thirteen songs, among which is "Ti se melei esenane".


Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and
Nikos Ordoulidis

Author (Composer):
Lyrics by:
Unknown
Singer(s):
Vidalis Giorgos
Orchestra-Performers:
Violin, santur, guitar
Recording date:
1926
Recording location:
Athens
Language(s):
Greek
Dance / Rhythm:
Karsilamas
Publisher:
Odeon
Catalogue number:
GA-1153/A 154256
Matrix number:
Gο 278
Duration:
3:06
Item location:
Kounadis Archive Record Library
Physical description:
10 in. (25 cm)
Source:
Kounadis Archive
ID:
Odeon_GA1153_TiSeMeleiEsenane
Licensing:
cc
Reference link:
Kounadis Archive, "Ti se melei esenane", 2019, https://vmrebetiko.aegean.gr/en/item-en?id=10386
Lyrics:
Τι σε μέλει εσένανε από πού 'μαι εγώ
απ’ το Καρατάσι, φως μου, ή απ’ το Κορδελιό

Τι σε μέλει εσένανε κι όλο με ρωτάς
από ποιο χωριό 'μαι εγώ αφού δεν μ’αγαπάς

— Ωπ, ωπ, άιντε!

Απ’ τον τόπο που 'ρθα εγώ ξεύρουν ν’ αγαπούν
ξεύρουν τον καημό να κρύβουν, ξεύρουν να γλεντούν

— Άιντε, γεια σου Σμύρνη!

Απ’ τη Σμύρνη έρχομαι να βρω παρηγοριά
να βρω μες στην Αθήνα μας αγάπη ή αγκαλιά

— Ώπ, άιντε, άιντε, ωπ!
— Γεια σου Κορδελιό! Ωπ, άιντε, άιντε!

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