Sürüler İçinde Sürmeli KoyunThe Pretty-Eyed Sheep in the Flock

The song is sung most likely from the perspective of a wedding player who is witnessing the wedding of a girl he loves. When he says, "they played a trick on me when I was young," this means she was promised to someone else instead of him I suppose. Thus, he asks what side she is on in one last hope that she will come be with him instead.

The word "sürmeli" means "with kohl around the eyes," but metaphorically it means someone who has big, beautiful eyes with big dark lashes. I've just translated it as "pretty-eyed" to convey this general meaning. He refers to her as a sheep and lamb principally because this is an animal that is seen to have this kind of eyes.

The video is a live rendition of the song by Şukriye Tutkun, however, you'll notice the lyrics do not match up. The lyrics I've used are from the Ahmet Kaya version because it's my favorite one, and although some lines will be different (for example many versions do not use the word "soyun (undress)"), the meaning is principally the same. Of course I have put other versions below as well. To see a complete discussion of different variations click here.

This song is associated with the Keskin region of Turkey.

Sürüler İçinde Sürmeli Koyun

Am                  Dm
Sürüler içinde sürmeli koyun
The pretty-eyed sheep of the flock (this means she is exceptionally pretty)
 F7                 Am
Şafaklar atıyor gel yarim soyun
The dawn is breaking/Some things are dawning upon me (dual meaning intended here I think)
Come my love and get undressed
Am                       Dm
Gencecikken ettiler bana bir oyun
When I was young they played a trick on me
         F7
Ne yandasın sürmeli palazım
What side are you on my pretty-eyed lamb?
   Am          F7    Am
Ne yanda A canım, ne yanda
What side, my dear, what side?
Dm
Ellerim saz çalar göğnüm
My hands play the saz (stringed instrument similar to a lute)
F7    Am          F7    Am
Ne yanda A canım, ne yanda
What side, my dear, what side?

Am                  Dm
Aşağıdan gelir gelinin göçü
A bridal procession coming from below
                  F7   Am
Gelin mi ettiler canımın içi
Have they made you a bride, my soul?
Am                     Dm
Koynumda sakladım verdiğin saçı
In my chest I've kept the lock of hair you'd given me
         F7
Ne yandasın sürmeli palazım
What side are you on my lamb?
Am          F7    Am
Ne yanda A canım, ne yanda
What side, my dear, what side?
Dm
Ellerim saz çalar göğnüm
My hands play the saz
F7    Am          F7    Am
Ne yanda A canım, ne yanda
What side, my dear, what side?

Here is the aforementioned Ahmet Kaya version

This one is performed by Okan Murat Öztürk



This is a music video of a rock rendition by Oğuz Boran



Some guys performing it in a living room I guess they call themselves Psikobirlik



A version by Celal Sezer

Çarşambayı Sel AldıThe Flood Took Çarşamba

Çarşambayı Sel Aldı is a türkü originating from the area of Samsun near the Black Sea. The storyline is as follows. A boy and a girl secretly fall in love in a town called Çarşamba. Unfortunately, the boy must leave for military service. In the meantime, the jealous town mayor's son steals the girl away with the help of some friends and carries her off to the mountains. When her lover hears about this, he deserts the army to go looking for her. Suddenly, torrential rains come causing flooding. When the flood subsides, the corpses of the boy and girl are found, holding hands. If you read Turkısh, you can find a similar, more detailed version of this story here.

There are a few lyrical features that I will point out. First of all, the Turkish/Persian word "yar" means "a lover" or "companion," but in the song I have translated it as "girl" so as to sound more natural in English. Also, the repeated phrase "aman aman" is a common expression of grief meaning something like "oh lord have mercy," so I've just left it out of the translation.

The video is a live rendition of the anonymously authored folk song performed by Zara, however, below I have included some other versions that might be of interest.

Çarşambayı Sel Aldı

E                Am
Çarşambayı sel aldı
The flood took Charshamba
    E      F    E            Am      E      F    E
Bir yar sevdim el aldı aman aman bir yar sevdim el aldı
I loved a girl, someone else took her away
E                Am
Keske sevmez olaydım
If only I had not loved
 E     F     E            Am   E     F     E
Elim koynumda kaldi aman aman elim koynumda kaldı
I was left completely helpless (literally: I was left with my hand on my chest)

Am     E   F   E
Oy neyimiş neyimiş aman aman
Oh what happened?
Am  E      F   E
Kaderim böyle imiş
Apparently this is my fate
Am    E     F    E
Gizli sevda çekmesi aman aman
Suffering the pangs of a secret love
Am  E      F    E
Atesten gömlek imiş
Is an ordeal (litearally: is a shirt of fire)

E                Am
Çarşamba yollarında
In the road to Charshamba
 E     F    E            Am   E     F    E
Kelepçe kollarında aman aman kelepçe kollarında
Her hands handcuffed
E              Am
Allah canımı alsın
May God take my soul!
E      F    E            Am  E      F    E
O yarin kollarinda aman aman o yarin kollarında
In the arms of that girl

Turkish lyrics transcription and chords from this site

Here is a video that with audio and photos of the modern town of Çarşamba



Sung by an old woman on a camera phone



This is a video of a kid who calls himself Last Lithium playing the song with a sort of flamenco take



A version made by DJ Kardech into a beat