Abrími, galanica, que ya va a amanicer.
Abrir ya vos abro, me lindo amor.
La noche yo non durmo pensando en vos.
Mi madre sta cusiendo, mos intira
a robale algujica, olai si durmir .
Abrími, galanica…
Mi hermano sta scribiendo, nos oira .
a robale la pendolica, olai si durmira ..
Abrími, galanica….
Mi padre sta meldando mos oira
Amataldi la lucecica, olai si durmir .
Abrími, galanica…
Open up to me, little beauty, for it’s almost dawn.
Open to you I shall, my handsome love,
the whole night I do not sleep, thinking of you.
My mother is sewing, she might hear us.
Steal her little needle, and she might fall asleep
Open up to me, little beauty….
My brother is writing, he might hear us.
Steal away the pen, and he might fall asleep
Open up to me, little beauty….
My father is reading, he might hear us.
blow out his little candle, he might fall asleep
Open up to me, little beauty….
From Arboleras - De las altas mares, Ecos Sefardies de la isle de Rodas, cd1, 2009
The text of this well known lyrical song consists of a dialogue in which the bride heaps difficulties when her lover asks to be let in into his beloved's house: to every inconvenience that she mentiones a problem, to which he responds with a solution. In this version, the word "Ulai" - maybe, is used several times.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025