Sari Gelin, a traditional Central Asian song (Azeri version)

Sung by Leon Shernoff, with the University of Chicago’s Middle Eastern Music Ensemble (a 35-piece orchestra)
Arranged by Leon Shernoff for the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble

Sari Gelin is about 1000 years old. Its words are different in each of the many languages that it is sung — Persian, Turkish, Azeri, Armenian — but it always concerns a man’s troubles being in love with his “sari gelin,” who comes from a different ethnic group.

“Gelin” means bride, and “sari” means yellow. It’s not always clear what the “yellow” means; it is usually translated as blond or fair. However one source I’ve seen hypothesizes that it may mean that she comes from the yellow horde (of Genghis Khan).

Saçın ucun hörmezler, gülü sulu dermezler, Sarı Gəlin. Bu sevda nei sevdadır, seni mene yai! vermezler; neynim aman, aman, Sarı Gəlin. Bu derenın uzunu, çoban gaytar guzunu, guzunu Ne ola bir gün görem, nazlı yarın ai! üzünü; neynim aman, aman, Sarı Gəlin.

No one braids the end of your hair, No one picks a dewy flower, Yellow bride. What kind of love is this love? They don’t give you to me, What should I do? – sigh, Yellow bride. This long stream (valley) , The shepherd returns with his lamb I wish that one day I could see, Your charming face, What should I do? – sigh, Yellow bride.