Lyrics, traditional; melody, arrangement by Flory Jagoda
In The Flory Jagoda Songbook Flory wrote, “Weddings were not simply a matter of falling in love; family, position, prospects, and dowry were all important ingredients. This usually required the services of los kazamenteros (matchmakers), who zeroed in on any eligible male for immediately offering their services. Learning all they could about what he was looking for in a wife, they then usually arranged a party with a good selection of eligible girls. If the young man found a girl whose looks he liked, that was fine; but it helped if his family like the looks of her dota (dowry). The kazamenteros liked it as well, because though many may have acted out of love, most did so because they got a portion of the bride’s dota. It was said that sons were easier to have, because as soon as a daughter was born, you had to start working on her dowry.”
We performed this humorous dialogue song with Flory many times, and she usually started it off with a roll and tap on her panderiko (tambourine). She loved to tell the story and we loved to hear her charming accent as she quoted the opening lines: “I am handsome, you are beautiful…so let’s get married!” She described this song as “very Balkan” in flavor. Like many other song arrangements she made, we start with guitars playing a scale in parallel thirds. The chorus includes repetition of the word “aman,” which translates to “mercy!” or “alas!” as an expression of exasperation similar to the Yiddish “oy vey.”
Listen to Flory’s recording of Yo Hanino
Susan, vocals, guitar; Howard, guitar, backup vocals; Tina, bass viol, backup vocals
Shane Shanahan, darabuka, tambourine
LYRICS + TRANSLATIONS
| Yo hanino, tu hanina; | I am handsome, you are beautiful, |
| Moz tomaremos los doz; | Let us join hands in marriage. |
| Loz ijikos ke moz nasen | Children will be born to us |
| Komo la luna i el sol; | Like the moon and the sun. |
| Aman . . . komo la luna i el sol. | Aman … like the moon and the sun. |
| Muchas grasyas, manseviko, | Many thanks, young man |
| Ke mandates koredor; | For giving me this opportunity, |
| Muchas liras me demandas; | But you ask for too many liras; |
| Non mi acheta mi sinyor; | My father will not accept it. |
| Aman … non mi acheta mi sinyor. | Aman … my father will not accept it. |
