Η σκιά μου κι εγώ
Greek
Η σκιά μου κι εγώ, κάθε βράδυ πικρό σε ζητάμε
και ρωτάμε αν ζεις
αν σε είδε κανείς, και πονάμε
Μες στον ύπνο να 'ρθεις, όνειρό μου γλυκό
σε προσμένω
κι απ’ αγάπη τρελή
να σε σφίξω αγκαλιά περιμένω
Ποιες μάγισσες τρελές σε κρατούν μακριά, μαγεμένο
τις ώρες τις πικρές, κάθε βράδυ μετρώ
και πεθαίνω
γιατί να φύγεις να χαθείς, αγάπη μου
περιμένω πότε
θα ξαναρθείς
Νυχτερίδες, πουλιά, μας κρατούν συντροφιά
στο σκοτάδι
όταν κλαίμε πικρά, η σκιά μου κι εγώ
κάθε βράδυ
μες στον ύπνο να 'ρθεις
όνειρό μου γλυκό, σε προσμένω
κι απ’ αγάπη τρελή
να σε σφίξω αγκαλιά περιμένω
English
My shadow and I, seek you every bitter night
and we ask if you’re alive
if anyone saw you, and we’re aching
I'm expecting you, my sweet dream
to come into [my] sleep
and I'm waiting to hold you tight
out of frenzied love
What mad witches are keeping you away, enchanted
I count the bitter hours, every night
and I die
why did you have to leave [and] vanish, my love
I'm waiting [for the time] when
you will come [back] again
Bats [and] birds, keep us company
in the dark
when we cry bitterly, my shadow and I
every night
I'm expecting you, my sweet dream
to come into [my] sleep
and I'm waiting to hold you tight
out of frenzied love
προσμένω
The verb προσμένω has similar meaning and structure to περιμένω. However, προσμένω is rather poetic, and includes the notion of hope, i.e., to wait while hoping for something. Therefore, in the song, it shows that the protagonist is expecting someone to show up, while their heart is aching for that person. This difference can also be reflected in the way προσμένω and περιμένω are formed, since περιμένω features περί ‘around’ + μένω ‘to stay’ – literally meaning ‘to stay around’ – whereas προσμένω features προς ‘towards’, indicating a kind of inclination or leaning towards what is being expected.
σφίγγω
According to some sources, the origin of the word Sphinx, is the verb σφίγγω ‘to tighten, to hold tight, to clench, to constrict’ – in which case Sphinx would mean ‘strangler’. The noun σφιγκτήρας – Ancient Greek: σφιγκτήρ – has given English sphincter, which is the muscle of the anus, and the Greek name of the snake boa constrictor is βόας σφιγκτήρας.
τις ώρες τις πικρές
A very common phenomenon in Greek syntax is the reduplication of the definite article when speakers want to emphasise the adjective and/or wish to place it after the noun. Here, instead of saying τις πικρές ώρες – which would also not serve the song’s metre –, the lyrics say τις ώρες τις πικρές, which emphasises the nature of the noun ώρες.
This may be applied to any [noun – adjective] structure, for example: το γαλάζιο φόρεμα can become either το γαλάζιο το φόρεμα, or το φόρεμα το γαλάζιο, primarily in an informal context. The same can happen to Greek full names, they belong to a person that is or feels familiar to the speaker – i.e., either an acquaintance or someone well-known. This should not come as a surprise, considering that the word επίθετο can mean both ‘surname’ or ‘adjective’.
e.g.
Είδα την Αναστασία την Κόντου χτες. – I saw Anastasia Kontou yesterday.
Η Σοφία η Χρονοπούλου είμαι. – It’s me, Sofia Chronopoulou. [on the phone]
Βγήκαν με τον Γιώργο τον Λιόντο. – They went out with Yorgos Liontos.