Sari Galin (7:38)

Sari Gelin, Azerbaijani for either “Fair-haired Maiden” or “Blonde Bride”, is a folk song popular in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, Kurdistan, Iran and Iraq. Whether the name “Sarı Gelin” refers to the blondness of the bride or the colour of her wedding garments, is unexplained. The source of the song is uncertain, though it is believed to have an Armenian origin. The song is known in Turkey to be based on a story similar to Romeo & Juliet, where a Muslim Turkish man falls in love with a Christian Armenian girl.The history and precise origin of many folk songs such as Sarı Gelin are difficult to determine as they originally belonged to oral folk traditions. Sarı Gelin has many different lyrical interpretations, in many languages, but the melody remains unchanged. Here is a portion translated from the Azerbaijani version:

You don’t braid the end of your hair,
They will not let me marry you.
I wish I had the chance to see
The face of my beloved
Oh, what can I do?
Oh, what can I do?
Golden Bride

A controversial documentary with the same title as the song (due to it being linked to Armenians in Turkey) was distributed in Turkish schools which shows the official Turkish version of the Armenian Genocide.

Etymology: