A Ballad for Chanakkale

A Ballad for Chanakkale (Çanakkale türküsü) is a Turkish folk song about the Battle of Gallipoli which occurred during World War I on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

It was arranged by Muzaffer Sarısözen, with the lyrics of a local bard, İhsan Ozanoğlu, of Kastamonu.[1]

Lyrics

Lyrics in Turkish

English translation

Çanakkale içinde aynalı çarşı Ana ben gidiyom düşmana karşı, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale içinde bir ağaç selvi Kimimiz nişanlı, kimimiz evli, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale içinde bir kırık testi Analar babalar ümidi kesti, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale üstünü duman bürüdü On üçüncü fırka harbe yürüdü, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale elinde toplar kuruldu Vay bizim uşaklar orda vuruldu, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale köprüsü dardır geçilmez Al kan olmuş suları bir tas içilmez, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale'den çıktım yan basa basa Ciğerlerim çürüdü kan kusa kusa, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale'den çıktım başım selamet Anafarta'ya varmadan koptu kıyamet, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale içinde vurdular beni Ölmeden mezara koydular beni, off, gençliğim eyvah! Çanakkale içinde sıra söğütler Altında yatıyor aslan yiğitler, off, gençliğim eyvah!

In Çanakkale stands the Mirror Bazaar. Mother I set forth against the enemy, oh, my youth, alas! In Çanakkale there's a cypress tree. Some of us are engaged, some of us married, oh, my youth, alas! In Çanakkale there's a broken jug. Mothers and fathers abandoned hope, oh, my youth, alas! Çanakkale's heights are shrouded with smoke. The thirteenth division marched to war, oh, my youth, alas! In Çanakkale the cannonballs landed. Ah, our comrades fell wounded together, oh, my youth, alas! Çanakkale's bridge is narrow, impassable. Its waters have become red blood, not a cup can be drunk, oh, my youth, alas. From Çanakkale I barely escaped My lungs rotted from vomiting blood, oh, my youth, alas! From Çanakkale I escaped, my head is safe Doomsday came before I reached Anafarta, oh my youth, alas In Çanakkale they shot me. They buried me before I died, oh, my youth, alas! In Çanakkale are rows of willows Brave lions rest beneath them, oh, my youth, alas.

External video
ΤΣΑΝΑΚΑΛΕ ΠΑΠΑΓΚΙΚΑ ΜΑΡΙΚΑ 1923 (Turkish Lyrics)
ΤΣΑΝΑΚΑΛΕ, Ν. ΥΟΡΚΗ 1940, ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΓΚΑΝΤΙΝΗΣ

References

1. Ramazan Eren, Çanakkale Savaş Alanları Gezi Günlüğü, Çanakkale 2003.