Never on a Sunday - Ta Pedia Tu Pirea

Connie Francis



Melina Mercouri

Oh, you can kiss me on a Monday a Monday a Monday
is very very good
Or you can kiss me on a Tuesday a Tuesday a Tuesday
in fact I wish you would
Or you can kiss me on a Wednesday a Thursday a
Friday and Saturday is best
But never ever on a Sunday a Sunday a Sunday
cause that's my day of rest

Most any day you can 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

Oh, you can kiss me on a cool day a hot day a wet day
which ever one you choose
Or try to kiss me on a gray day a May day a pay day
and see if I refuse

And if you make it on a bleak day a freak day or a week day
Well you can be my guest
But never ever on a Sunday a Sunday the one day
I need a little rest
Oh, you can kiss me on a week day a week day a week day
the day to be my guest

TA PEDIÁ TU PIREÁ (Transcription of Greek Lyrics)

Ap’ to paráthiro mu stélno éna dío
Ke tría ke tésera filiá
Pou ftánun sto limáni éna ke dío
Ke tría ke tésera puliá,
Pos thá thela na íha éna ke dío
Ke tría ke tésera pediá.
Ótan tha megalósun óla na gínun
Levéndis giá hári tu Pireá.

Óso ki an psáhno
Den vrísko álo limáni,
Tréli na m’éhi káni
Apó ton Pireá,
Pu ótan vradiázi,
Tragedia m’aradiázi
Ke tis peniés tu alázi.
Gemízi apó pediá.

Apó tin pórta mu san vgo
Den ipárhi kanís
Pu na min ton agapó,
Ke san to vrádi kimithó
Kséro pos, kséro pos
Pos tha ton onireftó.
Petrádia vázo sto lemó
Ke miá ha-, ke mia ha-,
Ke miá hándra filahtó
Giatí ta vrádia karteró
Sto limáni san vgo
Kápion ágnosto na vro.

Óso ki an psáhno
Den vrísko álo limáni,
Tréli na m’éhi káni
Apó ton Pireá,
Pu ótan vradiázi,
Tragedia m’aradiázi
Ke tis peniés tu alázi.
Gemízi apó pediá.

Pos thá thela na íha éna ke dío
Ke tría ke tésera pediá.

Ta Pediá Tu Pireá (Literal English Translation)

Out my window, I send one, two
And three and four kisses,
Where one and two and three and four
Birds reach the port.
How I wish I had one and two
And three and four boys.
All would grow up and become
Fine lads for the joy of Piraeus.

However much I search,
I don’t find another port.
I’m crazy to have moved
From Piraeus,
Where when it becomes evening,
Song follows song for me,
And the bouzouki plectrums are changed,
And the place fills up lads.

From my door when I go
There is no one
I don’t love.
And when I am sleeping in the evening
I know how, I know how, how to dream.
On my neck I put a charm of beads,
Of beads, of beads,
So that when I wait around on the port in the evening,
When I go out I won’t see anyone I don’t know.

However much I search,
I don’t find another port.
I’m crazy to have moved
From Piraeus,
Where when it becomes evening,
Song follows song for me,
And the bouzouki plectrums are changed,
And the place fills up lads.

How I wish I had one and two
And three and four boys.

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About the author Thomas Keyes: I have written two books: A SOJOURN IN ASIA (non-fiction) and A TALE OF UNG (fiction), neither published so far.

I have studied languages for years and traveled extensively on five continents.

Email: udikeyes@yahoo.com



Never on Sunday
The music was written by Manos Hadjidakis, with original Greek lyrics also by Manos Hadjidakis. The original Greek title is Τα Παιδιά του Πειραιά (Ta Paidiá tou Peiraiá) which translates as "The Children of Piraeus", and is the title commonly used in Greece. The original Greek lyrics do not make any mention of Sunday anywhere in the song.
The song was published in 1960, and introduced in the movie of the same name, directed by Jules Dassin and starring his wife Melina Mercouri.
The original Greek lyrics and also the foreign translations in German, French and Italian are true to the character of the Illya, the female main character of the movie. Illya is a jolly woman who loves life and the town and the people of her native Piraeus. And although she earns her money as a prostitute, she longs to find some day a man who is just as full of joie de vivre as Illya herself is.
The English lyrics written by Billy Towne were written especially to match the title of the film, but they don't match the movie's spirit at all.
The original version in Greek was recorded by Melina Mercouri, who also played the leading part of Illya in the movie. The song was a hit in the USA by Don Costa, whose orchestral version hit the charts in both 1960 and 1961, and The Chordettes, whose vocal cover just missed the Top Ten list in 1961.
This song was sung on the Muppet Show by Miss Piggy and Greek pigs, complete with smashing plates.
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