Born in Thessaloniki in 1918, Stella's voice was heard on a series of class… Read Full Bio ↴Born in Thessaloniki in 1918, Stella's voice was heard on a series of classic post-war recordings she made with veterans such as Markos Vamvakaris, Apostolos Hatzichristos, and Stellakis Perpiniadis. However, she is best know for her work with younger composers like Vasilis Tsitsanis and Apostolos Kaldaras. Perhaps her most enduring song is the 1947 recording of Kaldaras' Nichtose horis fengari (Night fell, moonless). Written during the bitter Civil War that tore Greece apart until the end of the decade, the original title of this song was 'Nichtose sto Gendi' ('Night fell in Gendi' - the prison in Thessaloniki in which political prisoners were held). Although certain verses were changed to suit the demands of the censors, always on the lookout for any suspect political references, the song was such a success that, after a few days, it was withdrawn from circulation and it's performance was banned.

Stella Haskil died on 27 February, 1954, in Athens.

Bir Allah
Stella Haskil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Σαν βγαίνει ο χότζασ στο τζαμί
Αργά σαν σουρουπώνει
Κι όταν θα πει το Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Το στήθοσ μου ματώνει
Κι όταν θα πει το Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Το στήθοσ μου ματώνει

Τέτοια στιγμή σε γνώρισα
Στα μακρινά τα ξένα
Κι όταν ακούω Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Μπιρ Αλλάχ ο νουσ μου πάει σε σένα
Κι όταν ακούω Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Μπιρ Αλλάχ ο νουσ μου πάει σε σένα

Στα βάθη τησ ανατολήσ
Στη μαύρη ερημιά μου
Όταν ακούω Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Μπιρ Αλλάχ ματώνει η καρδιά μου

Όταν ακούω Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Μπιρ Αλλάχ ματώνει η καρδιά μου

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Stella Haskil's song Bir Allah are expressing the emotional turmoil that arises within the singer upon hearing the call to prayer, specifically when the muezzin utters the name of Allah during the Muslim call to prayer. The lyricist describes the physical pain felt upon hearing the call and the emotions it stirs within them. The first verse describes the moment when the muezzin comes out to the mosque, and the air is hazy with the approaching dusk. The lyricist expresses that at the moment when the muezzin proclaims the name of Allah, their chest bleeds. The second verse is reflective of a time when the lyricist was in a foreign land far away, and upon hearing the call to prayer, their mind was transported back to a loved one. The final verse speaks to the deep emotional pain felt by the lyricist when they're in their lonely desert, far from civilization, and the sound of the call to prayer echoes. The heart is bleeding at the mention of the holy name of Allah.

Line by Line Meaning

Σαν βγαίνει ο χότζασ στο τζαμί
When the hodja goes to the mosque

Αργά σαν σουρουπώνει
Late as dusk falls

Κι όταν θα πει το Μπιρ Αλλάχ
And when he says Bir Allah

Μπιρ Αλλάχ
Bir Allah

Το στήθοσ μου ματώνει
My chest bleeds

Τέτοια στιγμή σε γνώρισα
It was then that I met you

Στα μακρινά τα ξένα
In distant foreign lands

Κι όταν ακούω Μπιρ Αλλάχ
And when I hear Bir Allah

Μπιρ Αλλάχ ο νουσ μου πάει σε σένα
Bir Allah, my thoughts go to you

Στα βάθη τησ ανατολήσ
In the depths of the East

Στη μαύρη ερημιά μου
In my black desert