“Μάγα Μ’ Έκαψες” – Ρόζα Σχινάζη & Στελλάκης Περπινιάδης (1932)

A wonderful duet between rebetiko legends Stellakis Perpiniadis and Roza Eskenazi from 1932 Athens composed by Iakovos Montanaris (Ιάκωβος Μοντανάρης).

I had to chuckle when I first translated the title of this one, “Μάγα Μ’ Έκαψες” one translation app called it “MAGA you burned me”, which seems quite apropos at the moment here in the U.S.

As it turns out, Μάγκα is a Greek slang term meaning a “tough guy” or “cool dude” – a streetwise man with swagger who is possibly involved with the underworld in some way. The song is a fun back-and-forth between Stellakis (playing the role of the Μάγκα) and Roza (who is rejecting his advances).

– – –

Lyrics
Τα ματάκια σου, κυρά μου
έχουν κάψει την καρδιά μου
ό,τι έχω θα πουλήσω
Ρόζα μου, να σ’ αποκτήσω
(Your little eyes, my lady, have burned my heart.
I’ll sell everything I own, Rosa, just to have you)

Σύρε, φύγε, βρ’ εσύ μάγκα
έμαθα πως είσαι μάρκα
μάρκα φίν’ από τις πρώτες
κι απ’ αυτές που κλείνουν πόρτες
(Beat it, tough guy – I’ve heard you’re a real piece of work
a top-class player – the kind that slams doors shut)

Το ντουνιά μην τον πιστεύεις
κι από με ό,τι γυρεύεις
στα μετάξια θα σε δούνε
και τα μάτια τους θα βγούνε
(Don’t believe the world – and whatever you ask of me
they’ll see you dressed in silks and their eyes will pop out)

Σύρε, φύγε, βρ’ εσύ μάγκα
και δεν πιάνει η ματσαράγκα
είσαι μάρκα φίνα, πρώτη
κι απ’ τον καφενέ του Φώτη
(Go away, tough guy – your tricks don’t work on me
you’re a top-notch big shot straight out of Foti’s café)

Θα σου βάλω βραχιολάκια
και ολόχρυσα γοβάκια
σα χορεύεις να γυαλίζουν
και τους μάγκες να ζαλίζουν
(I’ll put bracelets on you – and golden little shoes
so they shine when you dance – and dazzle all the other tough guys)

Στρίβε, φύγε, βρ’ εσύ μάγκα
βρε, έμαθα πως είσαι μάρκα
μάρκα μ’ έκαψες στην τρίχα
και γι’ αυτό κόψε το βήχα
(Turn around and leave, tough guy – I heard you’re a real smooth operator
a playa that burned me to the core – so cut the sweet talk)

Άντε βρε Στελλάκη είσαι μάρκα μ’ έκαψες!
(Come on, Stellakis, you’re a real hotshot — you burned me!)

– – –

This disc looked pretty beat – lots of scuffs and laminate cracking – but it played like a dream – these laminated royal blue Columbias from the early 1930s really hold up well.

Recorded in Athens, Greece in 1932.
Dubbed and released as Columbia G-56328-F in 1933.
Originally released in Greece as Parlophon Β.21656.

Credits:
Stellakis Perpiniadis – vocals, guitar
Roza Eskenazi – vocals
Unknown Artist – bouzouki