Hello my lovely Greek music enthusiasts!
And yes, I really mean enthusiasts. Every time I share a post about Greek music, you welcome it with such warmth. And that makes me happy, not only because you engoy my country’s music, but because you’ve realized something important. You can learn Greek through lyrics. And you can do it in a fun and creative way.
After I shared the latest Anna Vissi song, Se periptosi pou, on both my facebook page and group, I asked you a simple question. Which song should we analyze next? And oh, boy! The response was amazing! So many beautiful suggestions! Maybe I should write about songs more often?
Discovering Ayeli, Penelope Sergounioti
But one suggestion got my attention. Why? Because I had never heard it before…
So I started listening to it and …wow.
It was pure greek laiko (λαϊκό). Raw, intense and full of emotion.
With the incredible voice of Penelope Sergounioti (Πηνελόπη Σεργουνιώτη) in music and lyrics by Orestis Ntantos (Ορέστης Ντάντος).
Right away, I could tell this song isn’t just beautiful. It’s also the kind of song that’s perfect for learners, with clear storytelling and language that sticks.
The song is called Αγέλη (ayeli) which means pack or herd.
And just from the title you already sense that this song is about something strong.
But before we dive into the lyrics, take a moment to listen to the song and feel it.
What do you think? Did you like it? Did you notice how the voice of Penelope is suitable for a laiko song like this?
About Penelope Sergounioti
Πηνελόπη Σεργουνιώτη is not only a singer but she is also an actress. That background shows clearly in her music. She doesn’t just sing lyrics, seh inhabits them. Her songs fell more like lived stories than performances, which is why Αγέλη hits so deeply and feels so real.
Now let’s slow things down and understand what she is actually saying.
Exploring the Lyrics
Below you’ll find the lyrics broken down line by line, with a clear English translation. Don’t rush. Read them slowly. This is Greek as it’s leved and felt.
| Greek Lyrics | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Πήγα και χάραξα βαθιά το πρόσωπό μου | I went and carved my face deeply |
| για να κατέβω μέχρι κάτω στον πυρήνα | to go all the way down to the core |
| Έφτασα μόνη μπουσουλώντας στην Αθήνα | I arrived alone, crawling, in Athens |
| αφού είχα κάψει πρώτα όλο το χωριό μου | after I had first burned down my whole village |
| Ψάχνω για σήμερα να βρω ένα κρεβάτι | I’m looking for a bed just for today |
| για να στεγνώσουν λίγο οι αποσκευές μου | so my luggage can dry a little |
| Εγώ ‘ξηγήθηκα και αν είσαι εντάξει πες μου | I was clear, so if you’re okay, tell me |
| γιατί ίσως αύριο στα κάνω όλα στάχτη | because maybe tomorrow I’ll turn everything into ashes |
| Τρελή δεν είμαι εγώ μα ο κόσμος που έτσι θέλει | I’m not crazy, but the world is, for wanting this |
| να μπούμε όλοι στη μεγάλη του αγέλη | for all of us to enter its big pack |
| Ενώ εγώ ζητάω να στέκω μακριά του | While I ask to stand far away from it |
| και να χαζεύω πώς φουντώνει η φωτιά του | and watch how its fire grows stronger |
| Εσύ ζητάς να είσαι ολότελα δικός μου | You ask to be completely mine |
| λες και δεν έχεις κάπου αλλού για να ανήκεις | as if you don’t belong somewhere else |
| μέσα στη χώρα των θαυμάτων της Αλίκης | inside Alice’s Wonderland |
| και στα αμέτρητα ενδεχόμενα του κόσμου | and the countless possibilities of the world |
| Κι εσύ που τόσα στη ζωή σου έχεις κερδίσει | And you, who have gained so much in life |
| όλο ρωτάς τι απ’ όλα αυτά είναι δικό μου | keep asking which of all this is mine |
| Δικό μου είναι το απέραντο του δρόμου | Mine is the endless road |
| και όλα τα χρώματα που βγαίνουνε στη δύση | and all the colors that appear at sunset |
| Τρελή δεν είμαι εγώ μα ο κόσμος που έτσι θέλει | I’m not crazy, but the world is, for wanting this |
| να μπούμε όλοι στη μεγάλη του αγέλη | for all of us to enter its big pack |
| Ενώ εγώ ζητάω να στέκω μακριά του | While I ask to stand far away from it |
| και να χαζεύω πώς φουντώνει η φωτιά του | and watch how its fire grows stronger |
The Meaning Behind Ayeli
Αγέλη is not a typical love song.
It’s a song about freedom and the refusal of being absorbed.
The narrator isn’t lost or confused. She is clear.
Τρελή δεν είμαι εγώ μα ο κόσμος που έτσι θέλει
να μπούμε όλοι στη μεγάλη του αγέλη
I’m not crazy, but the world is, for wanting this
for all of us to enter its big pack
Αγέλη represents society, expectations, relationships that demand ownesrship and rules.
But she choses distance and preferes to stand back and watch the fire instead of being swallowed by it.
Ενώ εγώ ζητάω να στέκω μακριά του
και να χαζεύω πώς φουντώνει η φωτιά του
While I ask to stand far away from it
and watch how its fire grows stronger
What this really mans is that Αγέλη is about claiming your own space, even if that space is lonely, ucertain or misunderstood. And that’s deeply human.
Why Ayeli is Ideal for Learning Greek with Music
This song is especially good for you that want Greek that feels real.
Here’s why it works so well:
– You hear natural, spoken Greek, not polished textbook sentences.
– It’s full of metaphors Greeks use all of the time: fire, roads, ashes.
– You practice useful sructures like: δικό μου, ζητάω να, δεν είμαι εγώ.
– The repetition helps your ear and pinelopi’s clear and emotional voice makes the words stick.
This is Greek you don’t just memorize. You absorb it.
Key Vocabulary
Here are some useful words from the song with their articles and pronunciation.
Try to spot them in the song and say them out loud. it’s a great way to practice and remember them!
Η αγέλη (i ayéli) – Pack / herd
Ο κόσμος (o kósmos) – World / people
Το χωριό (to chorió) – Village
Η φωτιά (i fotiá) – Fire
Η στάχτη (i stáchti) – Ashes
Ο δρόμος (o drómos) – Road
Η δύση (i dýsi) – Sunset / west
Το κρεβάτι (to kreváti) – Bed
Οι αποσκευές (i aposkevés) – Luggage
Ο πυρήνας (o pyrínas) – Core
Τρελή / τρελός / τρελό (trelí / trelós / treló) – Crazy
Ανήκω (aníko) – To belong
Μακριά (makriá) – Far away
Φουντώνω (fountóno) – To flare up, grow stronger
The Last Note
Αγέλη is a song about people who feel that they don’t quite fit in, who resist being pulled into the crowd and who quietly insist on thei own path.
If you want to learn Greek beyond rules and exercises, songs like this are gold. They show you how Greeks think, feel, resist and choose.
If you have another Greek song you’d love to explore, leave it in the comments.
I’ll break it down and hel you learn Greek through music.
You want more Greek song to explore? I’ve got you!
– Θέλω να γυρίσω, Μαζωνάκης
– Το τραγούδι του φεγγαριου, Αλεξίου
– Ταξίδι, Σπανού
– Αν θυμηθείς τ’ονειρό μου, Θεοδωράκης
– Συννεφιασμένη Κυριακή, Τσιτσάνης
– Αστερομάτα, Κλαύδια
