Akhtamar [feat. Kinan Azmeh]

from Saltless Sea by Anna Garano and Anaïs Tekerian

/

about

This song is based on a Kurdish melody that I discovered and loved. The story is the legend of Akhtamar:
The story goes that Tamar, the daughter of a king on an island in the middle of Lake Van, refuses all suitors because she has fallen in love with a commoner. In order for the lovers to meet in secret, at night she builds a fire on the shore of the lake, the light of which guides the young man to her. One day, jealous men sent by her father extinguish the fire, thus wiping out the young swimmer’s only point of reference, and he dies, calling out, “Akh, Tamar!” The island is named for this dying sigh.

lyrics

Salt-less sea, rained upon by salted tears
Love’s refugee tastes salt as he disappears as he disappears

She lit a fire to lead him to her side
They quenched the fire to take away his guide, to take away the light

Tell me oh tell me
what’s now my story
my flames no longer
thirst for the sky

Night closes in, I
can’t peel’t away, it
clings like a shroud, it
darkens the day

Tell me oh tell me
after my story
how do I leave my
island of stone

Named for his sadness
endlessly echoed
this island holds me,
maiden turned crone

Give me a story
one that will lead me
out of the echo
of one lone cry

How many places
hold as their namesake
only the pain of
one dying sigh

Tell me oh tell me
endlessly echoed
what’s now my story’s
shroud-darkened day

After my story
my flames still thirst for
only the pain of
his sadness named

Give me a story
out of the echo
named for the dying
thirst for the light.

Tell me oh tell me
tell me oh tell me
what’s now the story
of my lone cry

Give me a story
after my story
tell me oh tell me
tell me oh tell me

credits

from Saltless Sea, released May 28, 2018
Anaïs Tekerian: music, lyrics, vocals
Anna Garano: arrangement, guitar
Kinan Azmeh: clarinet

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Anaïs Tekerian image

Anaïs Tekerian New York, New York

Anaïs Alexandra Tekerian is one of the co-founders of Zulal, an Armenian a cappella trio, with whom she has performed in venues around the world. She has also performed widely and recorded two albums with guitarist Anna Garano: Ansahman, and Saltless Sea. Her original theater pieces have been produced in Europe and the United States. A native of San Francisco, she now resides in New York City. ... more

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