Con la cuba y la furcha apregonando un 'ncalador, salió una madama. Aj, bre, fijo, me queres encalarme, por eso salí, madam, por la contentar. Quero que me encales bueno el barandado y la udá, Osmanagá. Quero que me des dos manos, antes que venga el balabay, mos tope en este hal.
With the bucket and the brush,
announcing a whitewasher,
a lady came out. Ah, hey boy, you want to whitewash me,
that is why I came out, sir,
to please you. I want you to whitewash well
the railing and the room,
Osman Agha. I want you to give me with both hands,
before the master of the house comes,
let him find us in this state.
From Arboleras vol. 3, Sephardic songs from the 20th century, 2000 Among the trades, this song presents a character: the whitewasher, who is an ironic figure, since the lyrics say: "The whitewasher has dirty arms and dirty face, the one who comes out washed is the whitewasher's wife." The reference is to a popular job in Salonika: the one who whitened walls with lime. This song was sung during Purim festivities, the flirtatious undertones are clear. (The interpretation is based on what was recorded by Bienvenida Menu, at the Residence of Elderly Sephardim (Yerakoni Moadiano) in Salonika, in 1992.)
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