Album Review: Tarkan – Ölürüm Sana (1997)

Daf – Sedat Güvenir
Goblet Drum – Cengiz Ercümer
Guitar – Erdem Sökmen
Lyrics By – Sezen Aksu
Music By – Ozan Çolakoğlu, Sezen Aksu, Tarkan Tevetoğlu
Strings – Mustafa Süder, Mustafa Süder Grubu
Vocals – Levent Yüksel, Tarkan Tevetoğlu

Tarkan’s song ‘Şımarık’ is about a spoiled, love-making girl who plays with the feelings of other suitors in a cheeky way. In the text the author uses phrases to express intense emotions and jealousy when he sees the girl go arm in arm with other men. ” Seni gidi fındıkkıran” translates as “Hey, you breaking nuts!”. The Turkish phrase is a colloquial expression that refers to someone who is cheeky, daring or who dares to do something unexpected, just like breaking nuts with their hands or with an object. The expression is intended to convey the idea of someone who oversteps boundaries or breaks conventions. ” Yılanı deliğinden çıkaran” is: “the one who pulls out the snake from his lair” or “the one who solves a difficult situation”.
The Turkish phrase “Yılanı deliğinden çıkaran” is a way of saying that describes a person able to face and solve complex problems or intricate situations, just as if he had to pull out a snake from a lair, an action that requires cunning and courage. The phrase Püsküllü belam- “Püsküllü” means “with fringes” or “fringed” in Turkish.
“Belam” is a possessive form that means “my problem” or “my annoyance”. Thus, the phrase as a whole refers to a situation or something that causes discomfort due to the presence or characteristic of fringes.

English translation of the lyrics Şımarık – Spoiled

Muah!
She goes arm in arm with another man, I’m crazy of jealousy.
She makes balls out of chewing gum and then smashes them shamelessly. Maybe that’s why I fell in love with you, but I can’t have you. How can a man bear you spoiled girl?
Has this world changed?
She drew her eyebrows and put on eyeliner. Her fiery red lips are sulking. She even stood in front of me without shame. He’s smiling on purpose, just to make me angry.
Is this what we have learned from our father?
Day after day we became ridiculous.
New customs have arrived in the old village. Oh my friends, we are ruined.
My destiny, which crushes the nuts and pulls out the snake from its lair is my problem with the fringes… If I catch you!
I fell into your fire, baby.
I fell into your arms, baby.
I fell in your heat, pup.
Have mercy on me!

Link video Şımarık

Bass Guitar – Murat Ejder
Clarinet – Bülent Altınbaş
Drums – Hamdi Akatay
Guitar – Erdem Sökmen
Strings – Şenyaylar Yaylı Grubu
Written-By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu, Sezen Aksu

The song is one of Tarkan’s most touching ballads. “İkimizin Yerine” is not just a song, but pure emotion that unfolds note after note. With his unmistakable voice, Tarkan guides us through the depths of the heart, exploring themes of love, loss and melancholy with a unique delicacy and power. A true masterpiece that will remain in your soul.

English translation of the lyrics of the song İkimizin Yerine – I’ll cry for both

I loved, I loved so much
that I have known the purest form of love.
I have smelled for whole nights
The things you left behind and the empty house.
I went back and forth but my hand could not reach the phone.
I gave up.
In my own way I thought it was pride. I actually realized that you were my despair.
I realized you were gone forever.
You were right and it was my fault.
Don’t be sad, my love, don’t feel hurt, my life. Don’t be upset, my eyes.
Give me a gift. Let me mourn all the pain for both of us.
I’ll cry for both.

Link Video İkimizin Yerine

Acoustic Guitar – Erdem Sökmen
Drums – Hamdi Akatay
Electric Guitar – David Matos
Strings – Şenyaylar Yaylı Grubu
Written-By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu

Tarkan’s song “Ölürüm Sana” gives us a hymn to passionate and all-encompassing love. This song is an explosion of energy and feeling. It is a song that has made you and will make you dance and dream. The text captures the essence of an unconditional devotion. The unmistakable voice of Megastar Tarkan and its unique sound have conquered entire generations.

English translation of the lyrics of the song Ölürüm Sana – I would die for you

At last the love has opened my door.
Slowly he approached me
and has sunk into my essence.
Where were you before?
I have been intoxicated in your arms,
in your fire.
How did I not know you like this?
I am renewed on your lips
No, no and in you too.
You’re as reckless as I am.
My love wandering, crazy and carefree
He must get us back in line.
I would die for you, I die, shhh, crazy.
You burned me, traitor.
I have become your slave. My love, you have stolen me from myself.
I have fallen into your net, cruel!
I surrendered to you, knowing well what I was up against I was caught again, even knowing it.
Ah! my head turns
My blood is boiling…
I would die for you

Link Video Ölürüm Sana

Bass Guitar – James Cruz
Guitar – Erdem Sökmen
Percussion – Aydın Karabulut
Strings – Şenyaylar Yaylı Grubu
Written-By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu

The song Salına Sinsice is one of Tarkan’s most charismatic tracks. This song envelops with its impelling rhythm and its captivating melody, transporting the audience into a journey of desire and mystery. With his unmistakable voice, Tarkan captures the essence of a sensual and compelling courtship, making it an irresistible experience. The magnetic charm of lyrics and music has won millions of fans.

English translation of the lyrics of the song Salına Salına Sinsice – With elegant step, you snuk into my blood

It was an ordinary afternoon on a quiet Sunday.
While I wandered sad and idle,
Suddenly there was a great noise
who invaded the neighborhood.
My eyes had never seen such a thing.
I was impressed by its beauty, a delight.
My God, am I dreaming?
You are a beauty that brings trouble. The brunette is the cure for all evil.
With elegant step, you snuck into my blood.
Your beauty brings trouble. A brunette is the cure for all evil.
With elegant step, you snuck into my blood.
I’ll be the belt on your waist
I’ll be the clip in your hair
I will be your breath and wrap you around me. Let me be the road on which you walk.
Without you I have become the enemy of days gone by.
I am finished, destroyed, love. My mad heart is ruined.
Stretch out your hand, I am lost on the road of love.
I’m on everyone’s lips, give me a hope, I’m melting, love.

Link Video Salina Salina Sinsice

Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Can Şengün
Kemenche – Ahmet Kadri Rizeli
Lyrics By – Turgut Berkes
Music By – Ozan Çolakoğlu, Tarkan Tevetoğlu, Turgut Berkes
Vocals – Aycan Dağıstanlı, Elif Ersoy, Tarkan Tevetoğlu, Turgut Berkes

Tarkan’s song “Gecenin Ürkek Kanatlarında” (On the timid wings of the night) is a melancholy ballad. The song explores the theme of loneliness and fragility of the soul when darkness comes down. The text focuses on the sense of vulnerability that emerges in the silence of the night, when the most intimate thoughts and hidden fears take over, pushing to a deep inner reflection. Tarkan, with his evocative voice, perfectly captures this intimate and reflective atmosphere, making the song an emotional journey into the heart of the night.

English translation of the lyrics Gecenin Ürkek Kanatlarında – On the timid wings of the night

Every night without you
I go to bed in silence
and the night covers me… every night
Every night without you (Without you)
I fall asleep without color (Without you)
On the timid wings of the night, every night, every night.
Darkness envelops me as i look for myself, in the impasse of my enigma.
Even the moon falls from the clouds, while angels tear my chest… every night
Every night without you, when you enter my blood (Restless), my scream pierce the night… every night, every night.
Darkness envelops me as i look for myself, in the impasse of my enigma.
Even the moon falls from the clouds as angels pierce my chest… every night.

Guitar – Erdem Sökmen
Written-By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu

“Kır Zincirlerini (Bu Gece),” which means “Break Your Chains (Tonight),” is an iconic track by the renowned Turkish pop singer Tarkan. This song, brimming with energy and passion, is far more than just a dance tune; it’s an anthem of personal liberation and self-expression.
The lyrics explicitly invite listeners to let go, to free themselves from inhibitions, fears, and social constraints that often prevent us from being truly ourselves. “Tonight,” as the title suggests, is the opportunity to break down those invisible barriers and shatter the metaphorical “chains” that keep us prisoners of external expectations or internal insecurities.
It’s an encouragement to dance, to live in the moment without worries, to express individuality, and to rediscover joy through music and movement. The song conveys a strong sense of urgency, urging us to seize the moment to free our souls and spirits.

English translation of the lyrics Kır Zincirlerini (Bu Gece) – Break your chains (Tonight)

Tonight, tonight…
This is our last night with you.
This could be our last night making love, let your body catch fire… Be yourself tonight, tonight.
Let’s play all the games, one by one.
Let’s get dirty, incessantly, with sin.
Stay silent, don’t speak, don’t ask any questions.
Discover my secrets tonight, tonight.
Break your chains, come on
Let’s run towards love.
Close your eyes
Let’s fly breathlessly in the sky.
Break your chains, come on
Let’s run towards love
Close your eyes
Let’s fly breathlessly in the sky.
Tonight, tonight…
The countdown has begun,
The moment of separation is very near.
Let your body catch fire
Let’s enjoy every minute.
Let’s break all the rules
Let’s drink love sip by sip… tonight.

Link Video Kır Zincirlerini (Bu Gece)

Bass Drum – Shawn Pelton
Bass Guitar – İsmail Soyberk
Guitar – David Matos, Erdem Sökmen
Oud – İlyas Tetik
Written-By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu

The lyrics of Tarkan’s song “İnci Tanem (Sabret)” focus on an invitation to patience and waiting, with the promise of a return.

The core message is conveyed through these repeated lines:

“Sabret, sabret, inci tanem, bekle beni.”
(Be patient, be patient, my pearl, wait for me.)

“Döneceğim mutlaka, sabret.”
(I will definitely return, be patient.)

“Ağlama ne olur, vazgeçme, bekle beni.”
(Please don’t cry, don’t give up, wait for me.)

“Döneceğim mutlaka, sabret.”
(I will definitely return, be patient.)

The song reiterates these verses, strengthening the message of hope and resilience. “İnci tanem” translates to “my pearl,” an affectionate term used to address a loved one. The central theme is the promise of coming back and the plea to endure the absence, overcoming sadness and the temptation to give up.

English translation of the lyrics İnci Tanem (Sabret) – My Pearl (Be Patient)

I’m hopeless, this farewell is inevitable.
Your scent is on me, I’m going far away.
Taking refuge in memories, we’ll endure this longing. Our hope will come true, be patient. Taking refuge in memories, we’ll endure this longing. Our hope will come true, be patient. Be patient, be patient, my pearl. Wait for me, I’ll definitely return. Be patient. Please don’t cry, don’t give up, wait for me. I’ll definitely return, be patient. Mountains, seas, foreign lands mean nothing (they roll off me). Distances are not an obstacle to love (distances).
This separation is temporary, imagine it as if it were a dream. In the end, victory will be ours, be patient. This separation is temporary, imagine it as if it were a dream.
In the end, victory will be ours, be patient. Be patient, be patient, my pearl.
Wait for me, I’ll definitely return. Be patient. Please don’t cry, don’t give up, wait for me. I’ll definitely return, be patient.

Link Video İnci Tanem (Sabret)

Bendir – Bongos – Castanets – Daf – Drum [Hollo] – Seyfi Ayta
Goblet Drum – Celal Bağlan
Guitar – Erdem Sökmen
Kanun – Tamer Pınarbaşı
Oud – Hüseyin Bitmez
Strings – Şenyaylar Yaylı Grubu
Vocals – Can Erkencigil, Nazire Yağız, Nalan, Sabri Tüfekçi, Seda Tüfekçi
Written-By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu

“Başına Bela Olurum” is an iconic track by Tarkan, one of the most influential artists in Turkish pop music. This song, with its overwhelming energy and driving rhythm, conceals a message of intense and almost obsessive love behind its catchy melody.
The song’s core meaning revolves around a passionate warning. The lyrics express the lover’s awareness that their love is so profound and all-encompassing that it could become a kind of “trouble” or “problem” for the beloved. It’s not a threat, but rather a declaration of a love so powerful it’s almost overwhelming, potentially disrupting the life of the person who receives it. There’s a sense of inevitability: once one falls in love, there’s no turning back, and their presence will become an inextricable part of the other’s life. Essentially, “Başına Bela Olurum” is an explosion of passion that declares an uncompromising love—a love that promises to be as captivating as it is unforgettable, however “problematic” it might be due to the intensity with which it’s experienced.

English translation of the lyrics Başına Bela Olurum – I’ll be a trouble for you

Mountains, hills, the earth all smell of love. Friends, step aside, my beloved is coming. This grace, this coquetry is worth a lifetime. Her charm, her flirtation drive me crazy. I’m not tired, I haven’t given up,
I’m on her trail again and I’m not weary.
I couldn’t hold you, my flower, I’m never full of you. I dedicated my life, but I couldn’t please you (or win your favor).
I dance and jump to the right and to the left. I’ll become your servant and your slave, I’ll be your moth, I’m crazy about you, but I’ll be trouble for you.
I feel strange, something’s happening to me,
I almost seem drunk, my body trembles.
This grace, this coquetry is worth a lifetime.
Her charm, her flirtation drive me crazy.
I dance and jump to the right and to the left. I’ll become your servant and your slave,
I’ll be your moth, I’m crazy about you, but
I’ll be trouble for you.

Bass Drum – Shawn Pelton
Bass Guitar – James Cruz
Guitar – David Matos, Erdem Sökmen
Written-By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu

“Unut Beni,” meaning “Forget Me,” is a poignant and melancholic track from the repertoire of Tarkan, the “Prince of Turkish Pop.” Far from the energetic and festive sounds of his other hits, this song delves into the depths of pain and resignation that follow the end of a relationship, while still maintaining a powerful declaration of love. The central meaning of “Unut Beni” is a heart-wrenching paradox: despite the explicit request to be forgotten, the lyrics reveal an intense awareness that this will be impossible. The singer, while accepting the separation, knows that the imprint left on the other’s life is so profound it cannot be erased. It’s a declaration of love made through the pain of farewell, an affirmation of an indissoluble bond that, despite distance or the end of the relationship, will continue to exist in memories and in the soul. The song expresses dignity in suffering and the strength of a love that transcends the physical end of a relationship, transforming into an indelible memory. It’s an anthem to memory and to the fact that certain loves, however painful, are destined to remain an integral part of who we are.

English translation lyrics Unut Beni – Forget me

I’m in the middle of a boundless desert, I can’t stand it, I’m at a dead end. Step by step, my loneliness is right behind me. Is it fair that my loves are always broken?

Ah, my dreams, my wandering loves, I have no strength left. My hopes are bitter… Ah, I always burn for my ruined memories. The pain has never left me alone, and my prayers are useless.

Give up before it’s too late. Leave me, don’t even look back, go and forget me.

Forget, forget, forget me. My sadness will hurt you, you won’t be able to bear it. Forget, forget, forget me. You won’t get used to my darkness, it will make you shiver. Forget, forget, forget me. My sadness will hurt you, you won’t be able to bear it. Forget, forget, forget me. You won’t get used to my darkness, it will make you shiver.

Hear my cry, my God, I’m in trouble. This road can’t be walked, I’m at a dead end. My brazen loneliness has knocked on my door again. Is it fair that my loves always hang their heads?

Forget, forget, forget me. My sadness will hurt you, you won’t be able to bear it. Forget, forget, forget me. You won’t get used to my darkness, it will make you shiver. Forget, forget, forget me. My sadness will hurt you, you won’t be able to bear it. Forget, forget, forget me. You won’t get used to my darkness, it will make you shiver.

Bass Drum – Shawn Pelton
Bass Guitar – James Cruz
Electric Guitar – David Matos
Lyrics By – Tarkan Tevetoğlu
Music By – Anonymous

“Delikanlı Çağlarım” is a track that offers a melancholic yet affectionate look back at the past. With this song, Tarkan takes us on a journey through the memories of his youth, a period marked by carefree living, rebellion, and the first intense experiences of life and love.

The song’s meaning centers around the nostalgia for an unrepeatable era: adolescence and early adulthood, when one is full of energy, makes mistakes, challenges rules, and experiences every emotion with maximum intensity. It’s a call back to those times when the heart beat fast for first crushes, friendships were unbreakable, and the future seemed like an endless expanse of possibilities.

“Delikanlı Çağlarım” is not just a personal recollection, but a universal evocation of that period in life when you discover the world and yourself, with all the joys, disappointments, and lessons learned. It’s an anthem to lost youth, never forgotten, that continues to resonate in the heart.

English translation of the lyrics Delikanli çağlarım – My rebellious young years

One morning, through my window,
spring slipped into my room.
A flutter, oh, what a rush!
The nightingale and the rose embraced.
My heart has fallen onto the streets again, chasing after stray and wandering loves.
I have no intention of settling down; I must smell every flower to my heart’s content.
I’m ready, take me, make me fly.
Come, rough me up until morning.
I’m yours, take my heart, steal it.
Burn me with your sins, ouh!
Life is short, we must live it fast.
Forget it, let people talk.
Every beautiful moment is a brief day’s gain.
Surrender yourself, let the flood of love carry you away.
One day my fever will surely subside,
I too will calm down and commit my heart.
But for now, don’t blame me,
these are my rebellious young years.

Conductor [Orchestra] – Nail Yavuzoğlu
French Horn – Ertuğrul Köseoğlu
Lyrics By – Pakize Barışta
Music By, Piano – Ozan Çolakoğlu
Orchestrated By – Ozan Çolakoğlu
Orchestrated By, Directed By – Nail Yavuzoğlu
Strings – İstanbul Senfonik Yaylı Grubu

“Beni Anlama,” meaning “Don’t Understand Me” or “Don’t Try to Understand Me,” is a deep and introspective song by Tarkan that stands apart from his typical passionate love songs or danceable tracks. This song explores the complex theme of misunderstanding within a relationship, hinting at profound emotional solitude and the awareness that, at times, love isn’t enough to bridge the gap between two souls.

The central meaning of “Beni Anlama” lies in a declaration of emotional inaccessibility. The lyrics convey the idea that the beloved cannot, or perhaps should not, strive to fully grasp the singer’s depths, complexities, or even contradictions. There’s a sense of resignation or acceptance that some parts of oneself will remain unreachable, or that attempting to understand them might only lead to further pain or frustration for both.

The song expresses the melancholy of a love that, while existing, is veiled by an impossibility of true and complete intimate connection. It’s a piece that invites reflection on the nature of relationships and how difficult it can sometimes be to overcome personal barriers, even with those we love most.

English translation lyrics Beni Anlama – Don’t try to understand me

Love me, love me, but don’t try to understand me…
Never judge me…
Don’t do it, don’t try to change me…
Ah, don’t give up…
Desire me, love me, caress me, but don’t sadden me, please don’t upset me.
Never try to conquer me this way.
What happens if you become like me and I become like you?
How could love endure so much similarity?
Please, remember why you loved me at the start and how passionately we made love in those first days.
Love requires delicacy, darling, don’t be rough!
Love me as I am, don’t change me, just let it be, don’t understand me…
This isn’t a power struggle; just let it remain as it is…
There are no winners, this is love, don’t forget it.
This love will be love, and that will happen if you allow it.
Love requires delicacy, darling, don’t be rough!
Love me as I am, don’t change me, just let it be, don’t understand me…
This isn’t a power struggle; just let it remain as it is…
There are no winners, this is love, don’t forget it.
This love will be love, and that will happen if you allow it.