No Soul Without Fault (Hatasız Kul Olmaz) -- Orhan Gencebay

Lyrics and music: Orhan Gencebay, a Turkish musician, bağlama virtuoso, composer, singer, arranger, music producer, music director, and actor. This is Wikipedia's description, not mine! Yet, it is not far from the truth. I liked this piece since the first time I heard it. I just did not confess it. Now, I do. Whoever complains that this is "arabesque" should be put to torture by music.

I know, I know, it is too melancholic. Well, then, you should drink and then listen. It makes sense then. A lot of sense! I translated this from a recording "as is'. There is actually one more stanza. But, what is here is enough!

Yes, there is the music. I loved the music much more than I liked the lyrics:

• Orhan Gencebay: /www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnsF3DSPLrY
• Tarkan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K71t5cxZFRE

Original lyrics:

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Hatasız kul olmaz, hatamla sev beni

Dermansız dert olmaz, dermana sal beni
Kaybettim kendimi, ne olur bul beni
Yoruldum halim yok, sen gel de al beni.

Feryada gücüm yok, feryatsız duy beni
Sevenlerin aşkına, ne olur sev beni
Sev beni …

Bu feryat, bu hasret, öldürür aşk beni
Uzaktan olsa da, razıyım sev beni
Razıyım sev beni …

Ümitsiz yaşanmaz; sevmemek elde mi?
Can demek, sen demek; gelde gör bende mi?
Sözümde sitem var; kalptemi dilde mi?
Tez elden haber ver; o gönlün elde mi?
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Don't Sing Nightingale (Ötme Bülbül Ötme -- Pir Sultan Abdal)

Lyrics and music: Anonymous, attributed to Pir Sultan Abdal, the legendary Turkish poet. As a dissident and activist, he was executed for his views. This is one of the earliest cases of freedom of speech matters in the world documented in this way. Here are the musics:

• Zulfu Livaneli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDpz9g1D9Ko
• Erdal Akkaya and friends: www.youtube.com/watch?v=btQUTAzjZYs
• Musa Eroğlu-Hasret Gültekin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSYFQ32tsNE
• and, an attempt from me with other friends: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uQmVzufK9g

Original lyrics:

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Ötme bülbül ötme şen değil bağım

Dost senin derdinden ben yana yana

Tükendi fitilim eridi yağım

Dost senin derdinden ben yana yana

Deryaya yönelmiş sellere döndüm

Vakitsiz açılan güllere döndüm

Ateşi kararmış küllere döndüm

Dost senin derdinden ben yana yana

Haberim duyarsın peyikler ile

Yaramı sarsınlar şehitler ile

Kırk yıl dağda gezdim geyikler ile

Dost senin derdinden ben yana yana

Abdal Pir Sultan’ım doldum eksildim

Yemeden içmeden sudan kesildim

Zülfün kemendine kondum asıldım

(Hakkı pek sevdiğim için asıldım)

Dost senin derdinden ben yana yana

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Your Honor (Hakim Bey -- Sezen Aksu)

Lyrics and music: Sezen Aksu, the prolific singer and song-writer, producer, and activist. This piece voices her resentment toward one-time ubiquitous judicial measures of the Turkish state in an effort to curb the right to exercise the freedom of speech.

Here are two beautiful musical interpretations:

• Mehmet Erdem: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy8mCKQnzWU
• O. Zulfu Livaneli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9loy0vCh2A

Original lyrics:

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Şikayetim var cümle yasaktan

Dillerimi Hakim Bey bağlasan durmaz

Gelsin jandarma polis karakoldan

Fikrim firarda mahpusa sığmaz eyvah

Gün olur yerle yeksan olurum

Gün olur şahım devri devranda

Kanun üstüne kanun yapsalar

Söz uçar yazı iki cihanda eyvah

Sussan olmuyor susmasan olmaz

Dil dursa Hakim Bey tende can durmaz

Yazsan olmuyor yazmasan olmaz

Kaleme tedbir koma tek durmaz

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I just read the Wikipedia Turkish article about Mehmet Erdem. Some details of his life bear an eerie resemblance to mine. Apparently, we are both mechanical engineers by education; probably, both of us went to boarding schools; we are both interested in mathematics and physics; the first instrument we ever played was mandolin (Well, this was common to most high-school kids of that time. However, very few really mention this.); we both play baglama (Despite the fact that I like Greek culture, I have to point out that this is a Turkish music instrument, not Greek ... OK, I may start a blog about this.). There, you have it!

Reality check:

Actually such resemblances, or coincidences, are statistically quite common, given the size of the population. Thus, there is nothing surprising, except the fact that coming across such occurrences, meaning "finding them at random" is highly unlikely. Hence, I was "lucky", and that is that.