Dicho me habían dicho que el mi amor está en Venecia tratando y baratando con una nave inglesa. Madre, demeš la lecencia, que lo quero ir a servir: con mi amor yo me quero ir. Con mi amor me quero ir, madre, con aquel que amaba yo. Viva él y lo veiga yo. La que debe de ser casada no conviene a ser morena sino blanca y colorada, hermosa como la estrella. Madre, demeš la lecencia, que lo quero ir a servir: con mi amor yo me quero ir. Con mi amor me quero ir, madre, con aquel que amaba yo. Viva él y lo veiga yo. Aunque so morenica un poco las mis gracias me acompanian, los mis cabellos son rubios que a los mancebos engaño, a los locos meto sejel, a los bobos hago riír. Con mi amor yo me quiero ir. Con mi amor me quero ir, madre, con aquel que amaba yo. Viva el y lo veiga yo.
They told me
that my love is in Venice
trading and bargaining
with an English ship.
Mother, give me grace,
for I want to go and serve him:
with my love I want to go.
With my love I want to go, mother,
with the one I loved.
Long live he and I will see him.
She who must be married
is not suited to be dark-skinned
but white and red,
beautiful as the star.
Mother, give me permission,
for I want to go and serve him:
with my love I want to go.
With my love I want to go, mother,
with the one I loved.
Long live he and I will see him.
Although I am a little dark-skinned,
my charms accompany me,
my hair is blond
that I deceive the young,
I trick the mad,
I make the foolish laugh. With my love, I want to go.
With my love, I want to go, Mother,
with the one I loved.
Long live him and may I see him.
From Morenika Izmirlia - Judeo-Spanish songs from Smyrna, 2020
A song of parting of the bride from her family. This is a widely spread song in the congregations of Turkey, Saloniki, Sarayevo and Rhodes. This may be true due to the commercial recordings of the well known Rabino Isaac Algazi (1889-1950).
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025