Never On Sunday Song Download
This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song 'Ta Pedia Tou Pirea', which was sung by Melina Merkouri and later Nana Mouskouri. The song is often referred to in English as 'Never on Sunday' because it was the Academy Award winning song from the motion picture of that name. This was the first time a foreign-language film won the Oscar for Best Song. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like. Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source. About Melina MerkouriBorn in 1920, Melina Merkouri was the daughter of a member of Greek parliament. She graduated from the National Theater's drama school in 1944. She began her acting career on the theatrical stage. Later, in 1955, she was cast in her first motion picture role, the Greek film Stella. In 1960, her starring role in Never on Sunday brought her the Best Actress award at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival, along with an Oscar nomination. |
About Giorgos ZampetasGiorgos Zampetas is renowned as one of the greatest bouzouki artists of the rebetiko era of Greek music. Although he didn't compose 'Ta Pedia Tou Pirea', he contributed the bouzouki solo sections in the song. In 1932, as a self-taught 7-year-old child, he won his first prize, playing his first song in a school competition. At 13, Giorgos met his idol Vassilis Tsitsanis, one of the greatest figures in Greek music. His career as a songwriter began around 1952. The height of his career was in the 1950's and 1960's. |
Watch the video for Never on Sunday from The Four Seasons's The Very Best of The Four Seasons for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Never On Sunday is a English album released on Jun 2010. Never On Sunday Album has 10 songs sung by Ramsey Lewis. Listen to all songs in high quality & download Never On Sunday songs on Gaana.com.
| Song: Ta Pedia Tou Pirea – The Guys of Pirea, 1961 Lyrics: Manos Hatzidakis Music: Manos Hatzidakis Bouzouki Instrumentals: Giorgos Zampetas Original Artist: Poly Panou Has Also Been Recorded By:
Dance Style: Hasapiko | Τραγούδι: Τα Παιδία Του Πειραιά Στίχοι: Μάνος Χατζιδάκις Μουσική: Μάνος Χατζιδάκις Μπουζούκι: Γιώργος Ζαμπέτας Πρώτη εκτέλεση: Μελίνα Μερκούρη Άλλες ερμηνείες:
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Listen to MP3 Clips of This Song
| Sung by Melina Merkouri |
| Instrumental version on the Never on Sunday soundtrack |
| Sung by Anastasia with the Bouzouki Kings |
| Sung by Connie Francis (in English) |
:format(jpg)/http://s3-ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wynk-music-cms/music/1440685982845/srch_saregama_INH100620759.jpg "Never On Sunday Song Download")
Lyrics
Greek Lyrics | Pronunciation | English Translation |
Verse | Verse | Verse |
| Απ’ το παράθυρο μου στέλνω | ap’ to parathiro mou stelno | From my window I send |
| Ένα, δυο και τρία | ena, dio ke tria | one, two and three |
| και τέσσερα φιλιά | ke tesera filia | and four kisses |
| που φτάνουν στο λιμάνι | pou ftanoun sto limani | which reach/come to the port |
| Ένα και δυο και τρία | ena ke dio ke tria | one and two and three |
| και τέσσερα πουλιά | ke tesera poulia | and four birds |
| Πώς ήθελα να έχω | pos ithela na eho | How I wish I had |
| Ένα και δυο και τρία | ena ke dio ke tria | one and two and three |
| και τέσσερα παιδιά | ke tesera pedia | and four kids. |
| που σαν θα μεγαλώσουν όλα | pou san tha megalosoun ola | And when they grow older |
| να γίνουν λεβέντες | va ginoun levendes | they will become levendes [men who are honest, have courage, handsome, knows how to handle life] |
| για χάρη του Πειραιά | ya hari tou Pirea | as a favor or pride to Pirea. |
Chorus | Chorus | Chorus |
| Όσο κι αν ψάξω | Osso kai an psaxo | no matter how much I search [around the world] |
| δεν βρίσκω άλλο λιμάνι | den vrisko alo limani | I can’t find another port |
| τρελή να με ΄χει κάνει | treli na me ‘hi kani | that has made me crazy |
| όσο τον Πειραιά | oso ton Pirea | as much as Pirea |
| που όταν βραδιάζει | pou otan vradiazi | and when it's late at night |
| τραγούδια μ’ αραδιάζει | tragoudia m’ aradiazi | various songs |
| και τις πενιές του αλλάζει | ke tis penies tou alazi | and it changes its strike [echo from Bouzouki] |
| γεμίζει από παιδιά | gemizi apo pedia | becomes full of guys (1) |
Verse | Verse | Verse |
| Από την πόρτα μου σαν βγω | apo tin porta mou san vgo | as I come out through my door |
| Δεν υπάρχει κανείς | den iparxi kanis | there is no one |
| που να μην τον αγαπώ | pou na min ton agapo | that I don’t love |
| και σαν το βράδυ κοιμηθώ | ke san to vradi kimitho | and at night as I sleep |
| ξέρω πως, ξέρω πως | xero pos, xero pos | I know that, I know that |
| θα τον ονειρευτώ | tha ton onirefto | I will dream of him |
| Πετράδια βάζω στον λαιμό | petradia vazo sto lemo | gems I put on my neck |
| και μια χα | ke mia haaa | and one bead (2) |
| και μια χάντρα φυλαχτό | ke mia handra filahto | and a bead for protection (3) |
| γιατί τα βράδια καρτερώ | yati ta vradia kartero | because in the nights I have endurance |
| στο λιμάνι σαν βγω | sto limani san vgo | as to the port I go |
| κάποιον άγνωστο να βρω | kapion agnosto na vro | to find some unknown person |
Chorus | Chorus | Chorus |
| Όσο κι αν ψάξω | Osso kai an psaxo | no matter how much I search [around the world] |
| δεν βρίσκω άλλο λιμάνι | den vrisko alo limani | I can’t find another port |
| τρελή να με ΄χει κάνει | treli na me ‘hi kani | that has made me crazy |
| όσο τον Πειραιά | oso ton Pirea | as much as Pirea |
| που όταν βραδιάζει | pou otan vradiazi | and when it's late at night |
| τραγούδια μ’ αραδιάζει | tragoudia m’ aradiazi | various songs |
| και τις πενιές του αλλάζει | ke tis penies tou alazi | and it changes its strike [echo from Bouzouki] |
| γεμίζει από παιδιά | gemizi apo pedia | becomes full of guys |
Footnotes:
- In Greek, the word 'pedia' can mean different things. Possible translations can be 'children', 'kids', 'guys', or 'men.' She is singing about the 'pedia' coming out at night, and in Greece all ages might do that. However, in the movie, Melina Merkour's character is a lady of the evening. When she mentions that Pirea becomes full of guys, she's thinking professionally about the business opportunity that presents.
- In the Greek, the word 'ha' is sung at the end of a line of the song, and is drawn out. It's actually the beginning of the word 'handra', which means 'bead', but the way the song is constructed this line doesn't finish the word. Its meaning is clarified in the next line of the song, which references a handra filahto (see next footnote)
- In Greece, the word filahto means wearing something protective to avoid evil eye, avoid spirits, or bring luck. Handra filahto refers to the evil eye bead or just wearing a blue or turquoise bead around a bracelet/necklace. There is also religious filahto which resembles a tiny pillow that is blessed and typically is pinned under your clothes. The Greek Orthodox church does not believe in the evil eye; however, many Greeks continue to wear these beads either for fashion or belief.
Lyrics for the English Version
After the movie Never on Sunday and its hit song Ta Pedia Tou Pirea became popular, many musicians recorded their own versions of it. An English version with lyrics by Billy Towne became popular, and was sung by Connie Francis, Eartha Kitt, Petula Clark, and others.
This is the version by Connie Francis. Hers includes a few lines of chorus from the original Greek, then moves into Billy Towne's English lyrics:
Chorus
La la la laaaaaa la
La lala laaaaaa la laaaaa la
La lala laaaaaa la laaaaa la
La lala laaaaa lala
Όσο κι αν ψάξω (no matter how much I search)
δεν βρίσκω άλλο λιμάνι (I can't find another port)
τρελή να με ΄χει κάνει (that has made me crazy)
όσο τον Πειραιά (as much as Pirea)
Verse
Oh, you can kiss me on a Monday, a Monday, a Monday, it's very, very good.
Oh, you can kiss me on a Tuesday, a Tuesday, a Tuesday, in fact I wish you would!
Oh, you can kiss me on a Wednesday, a Thursday, a Friday, and Saturday is best
But never, never on a Sunday, a Sunday, a Sunday, 'cause that's my day of rest.
Chorus
Come any day and you'll be my guest,
Any day you say, but my day of rest.
Just name the day that you like the best
Only stay away on my day of rest!
Final Chorus
Come any day and you'll be my guest,
Any day you say, but my day of rest.
La la la laaaaaa la
La lala laaaaaa la laaaaa la
La lala laaaaaa la laaaaa la
La lala laaaaa lala!
Never On Sunday Movie
Where to Get Recordings of this Song
Artist: Melina Merkouri |
Artist: Manos Hatzidakis |
| Artist: Bouzouki Kings CD Title: Greek Musical Odyssey |
| Artist: Eartha Kitt CD Title: Soul Sisters - Classic Female Black Performers, Vol. 2 |
| Artist: Connie Francis CD Title: Connie |
About the Translator
This page was contributed by Panayiota Bakis Mohieddin, who is happy to share her culture and music she grew up with! Here's how Panayiota describes her background:
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Never On A Sunday
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Never on Sunday, or as it is mostly known in Greek “Ta Paidia tou Pirea” which translates in English as “Children of Piraeus” , is a very popular Greek songsung by Melina Mercouri in the homonym movie. Never on Sunday is a movie directed by Jules Dassin, starring himself and Melina Mercouri. The song was written by Manos Hadjidakis and it is, till today, the only Greek Song that has ever won an Academy Award.
The song was introduced in the movie with Melina singing and dancing, although later, Melina sang the same song with English Lyrics in a musical called Ilya Darling, played in the UK and Broadway. Ilya is the female protagonist of both the movie and the musical, a prostitute that lives in Piraeus.
Her life, loves and work are related to Piraeus and its sailors – thus the Children of Piraeus. The title Never on Sunday was given to the movie, as Ilya never “worked” on Sunday.
The original Greek Lyrics of the song have nothing to do with Sunday though, but later, when the song was translated in English, French and German, the lyrics contained references to Sunday as well. The song Never On Sunday hit the charts all over the world and is the second most recognizable Greek Song after Zorba the Greek. Both songs were featured in Muppet Show, with Miss Piggy singing and Greek pigs playing bouzouki, dancing and smashing plates, as Greeks do.