Sari Gelin (, سارؽ گلین; ) or Sari Aghjik is the name for a number of folk songs popular among the people of Iran, the southern Caucasus (most prominently present-day Azerbaijan and Armenia) and in eastern Anatolia in present-day Turkey. All versions of the song use the same melody and are written in the Bayati makam or mode, but are sung with different lyrics. The consensus about its country of origin is contested. Sari Gelin is either a blond bride or a girl from the mountains, depending on the respective lyric language. What the versions have in common, is a boy complaining to/about a girl he loves but cannot achieve.

Etymology

In Armenian, the song is known as Sari Aghjik, where the word sari (սարի) means "of the mountain", and the word "aghjik", with an equal syllable number, means "girl". Together they mean "girl/bride from the mountains". In Azerbaijani and Turkish the song is known as Sari Gelin, sarı as a Turkic adjective means "yellow". The word gelin or gəlin means someone who comes to the family (i.e. a bride). Thus Sarı Gelin can mean "golden/blond/fair-skinned bride."

Versions

All versions of Sari Gelin-Sari Aghjik use the same melody and are written in the literary genre known as Bayati, which is one of the most popular forms of poetry in most of the Middle East. Bayati poetry is known for its reflective and introspective prose. Generally, Bayati poetry consists of lines of seven syllables written in a simple rhythm. However, There are many different lyrical interpretations of Sari Gelin among Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Persians, and Turks. The song is a subject of contention and accusations of plagiarism among the countries where it is popular. At the moment, there is no consensus about its country of origin.

Armenian Sari Aghjik

The Sari Aghjik (Mountain Girl) version uses the same melody with the Armenian word for the girl (aghjik աղջիկ) as in the song Vard Siretsi ("I loved a rose"). Both Armenian versions, are about the boy complaining that the unkind girl has rejected him. In Armenian Sari Aghjik, the girl has chosen someone else over him. The lyrics translate to: The phrase "Don't pour poison into (salt on) my wound" is an idiom that means "don't make my troubles worse".

Azerbaijani Sarı Gəlin

In Azerbaijan, Sarı Gəlin (Blond Maiden) is a legend that symbolizes the love between a Muslim Azerbaijani and a Christian Armenian girl who are kept apart. The Azerbaijani version of the song was processed and pitched by Azerbaijani composer Asaf Zeynally (1909–1932). The text of the song in the Azerbaijani language was published in 1982 in Baku under the edition of Hamid Arasly. In 2001 the Azerbaijani text of the song was published by Rafik Babayev.

Azerbaijani long version

DayIrMan sings a longer Azerbaijani version, which translates to:

Turkish Sarı Gelin

Kurdish Ser Le Ser Ranî

There are versions of this song in Sorani, the Kurdish language that is predominantly spoken in Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan. One of these versions was performed by Mohammad Mamle, a well-known Kurdish singer.

Persian Dāman Kešān

The Persian version is entitled Dāman Kešān (دامن کشان) or Sāqi e Mey Xārān (ساقی می خواران).

Greek Απ΄ τον Έρωτα στον Αχέροντα (Ap ton Erota ston Akheronta)

The composer of the music is anonymous. The Greek lyrics were written by Christos C. Papadopoulos.

Parallels

While the Persian version is completely different, there are notable similarities between Armenian, Azerbaijani and Turkish version: If the statements are taken as complementary rather than just similar, the Muslim Turk (language of both Azerbaijan and Turkey) boy has fallen in love with a Christian Armenian/Kipchak blond maiden from the mountains and valleys, probably close to Palandöken; But they are kept apart, and the unkind girl is taken away, causing the boy to lament and curse frequently.

Cultural impact

In Armenia

In Azerbaijan

In Iran

In Turkey

International