CIULEANDREA LYRICS

What She's Singing
What it Means
What it Sounds Like She's Singing
Information about the Dance

What She's Singing

Foaie verde siminoc,
Tzinetzi Ciuleandra pe loc,
Shi-nc-odata mai baietzi,
Hop-sh-asha-sh-asha

Tzinetzi-o flacai asha,
Pina n-ajunge puica,
Shi-nc-o-data, mai baietzi,
Hop-sh-asha-sh-asha.

Intaritzi-o nitzelush
c-ajunge acush-acush,
Shi-nc-o-data, mai baietzi
Hop-sh-asha-sh-asha.

Mai intaritzi-o de-un pas
C-ajuns si n-a ramas
Shi-nc-o-data, mai baietzi
Hop-sh-asha-sh-asha.

Doua fire, doua paie,
Luatzi Ciuleandra la bataie
Shi-nc-o-data, mai baietzi
Hop-sh-asha-sh-asha.

Tot asha ca nu ma las,
Ca sint cu puica pe-un pas,
Shi-nc-o-data, mai baietzi
Hop-sh-asha-sh-asha.

Doua fire, doua paie,
Ia Ciuleandra la bataie
Shi-nc-o-data, mai baietzi
Hop-sh-asha-sh-asha.

What it Means

Green leaf of 'siminoc',
Keep the circle in place,
One more time,boys,
Hop-and-so-and so.

(Note: siminoc = everlasting flower, xeranthemum. The name of the flower is not essential; 'foaie verde de..' is the usual starting verse of Romanian folk songs, the flower or tree varying from song to song for rhyming purposes.)

Keep it like that, lads,
Until my darling catches up to me,
One more time,boys,
Hop-and-so-and so.

(Note: puica, puico = my darling (fem.) -- means, in the initial sense, pullet, female chicken; it does not, however, have the negative connotations that its American exact translation has; it is also used in its masculine form 'puiule' = my darling.

Strengthen it (fasten it) just a little,
She ('puica') is close to catch up with me,
One more time,boys,
Hop-and-so-and so.

Fasten it one more step,
she caught me up, but didn't stay,
One more time,boys,
Hop-and-so-and so.

Two straws, two grains,
Let's stomp* the Ciuleandra,
One more time,boys,
Hop-and-so-and so.

{a more exact translation than stomp would be beat up , in Romanian the same verbal form is used to describe the action against a person}

Keep it like that, don't let it down,
'Cause I'm on same step with my darling,
One more time,boys,
Hop-and-so-and so.

Two straws, two grains,
Stomp the Ciuleandra now,
One more time,boys,
Hop-and-so-and so.

Not many people realize that the words to Ciuleandra are actually English. Apparently, the singer had had a few too many drinks, and wasn't enuciating as clearly as she might have been. However, if you listen closely, you will realize that the words are as follows.

While there be sheep enough, soon as Ciuleandra pays off. She forgot the baby eggs (or to lay the eggs), Oh! sha sho sho sho

Soon as off the curb I shot, ruined a match and Jeffrey's car. She forgot the...

Underneath Zaristra's nose, smashed a chair and smooched a goose. She forgot the...

My daddy's soldier's boss. Ah, shoot! She bought a bus. She forgot the...

Dough feet and dough pie, lost Ciuleandra's love, but aye. She fogot the...

(Sorry, the words for this verse are missing. Apparently the transcriber had a little too much to drink also. We do know, however, that Jeffrey's car is involved).

Dough feet and dough pie, ah, Ciuleandra, I'm a guy. She forgot the...

Thanks to the Lawrence, Kansas, International Folk Dance Group, who first introduced me to this English transcription.

Information about the dance

Ciulin (Romanian) = tumble weed. Ciuleandra (Romanian) = (approx.) the tumble weed dance

The name probably comes from the rhythm of the dance, which speeds toward the end. Also the air and dust moved by a closed circle of good dancers during the end of the dance resemble too well the movements of a tumbleweed wheel.

The dance used to be done in the South part of Romania, in the times of the ox-and-horse propelled agricultural machines. The region is a large, flat plane, with very fertile soil (that is ,'if Good Lord grant us rain'). In the drought periods, at the smallest breeze, dust and tumbleweeds started flying. The introduction of the mechanized agriculture, added to the development of an intensive irrigation system, eradicated the tumbleweeds and their dance altogether. The dance can be found today only in the performance groups repertory. The song however is still very popular (due mainly to Maria Tanase's beloved version). There is also a novel (Liviu Rebreanu, ca. 1930) and a movie (ca. 1985) roughly inspired by the music.

I would like to thank Raluca Rosca for the lyrics and translation of the dance and the dance information.