TARKAN KARA TOPRAK

TARKAN – KARA TOPRAK (THE BLACK EARTH) – Âşık Veysel’s Emotional Anthem Reinterpreted by the Megastar. Music and Commitment to Nature

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The Homage to Culture and Environmental Commitment

“Kara Toprak” (The Black Earth) is a single released by Tarkan in 2011, paying homage to one of the greatest treasures of Turkish culture: the poetry and music of Âşık Veysel Şatıroğlu.

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Tarkan performed the famous track “Benim Sadık Yârim Kara Topraktır” (My loyal companion is the black earth) for the film “Entelköy Efeköy’e Karşı”, written and directed by Yüksel Aksu. This film, sensitive to nature issues, offered Tarkan the opportunity to once again demonstrate his profound commitment to environmental protection, emphasizing the vital importance of earth, air, and water.

Upon release, the track received wide acclaim, and the music video, directed by Altan Dönmez, amplified its impact. Tarkan, a lifelong admirer of Âşık Veysel, breathed new life into the türkü (folk song), interpreting this melody that resides in the very soul of Anatolia. His version not only honored the original but also allowed a wider audience to connect with Veysel’s timeless message.

Single Details:

• Release Date: 2011
• Duration: 4:03
• Label: Hitt Music
• Author (Lyrics and Music): Âşık Veysel

▶️ Listen to “Kara Toprak” now and feel the heartbeat of Anatolia in Tarkan’s voice!

Âşık Veysel and the Lyrical Analysis – The Earth as a Faithful Companion

Âşık Veysel Şatıroğlu: The Blind Minstrel Who Saw the Soul of the Earth Born on October 25, 1894, and passed away on March 21, 1973, Âşık Veysel is a legendary figure in Turkish folk literature. This poet-minstrel (Aşık) and bağlama (traditional Turkish instrument) virtuoso was the chief representative of the “Ashik” tradition in the 20th century.

His life, marked by blindness caused by smallpox, granted him a unique vision and perspective, allowing him to compose his splendid songs and poems through the eyes of the soul. His bağlama, received from his father to overcome loneliness, became his inseparable companion. His melodies address universal themes such as morality, love, the inevitability of death, and his unique worldview.

English Translation of the Track Kara Toprak – The Black Earth (Focus on Loyalty):

The song is a testament to a spiritual and indissoluble bond with the earth, seen not only as a physical element but as the most faithful of mothers and friends, the source of life and the final destination.

I embraced so many people, so many people as if they were friends, I embraced so many people, so many people as if they were friends, My faithful companion is the black earth.

Oh my friend, I wandered in vain, oh my friend, I got tired uselessly. My faithful companion is the black earth.

The heart of the türkü lies in the contrast between the fleeting nature and deception of human relationships and the immutable loyalty of the earth, which gives everything and ultimately welcomes everyone:

To so many beauties, oh my love, I became attached and remained affectionate, I became attached and remained affectionate. I saw no loyalty, nor did I benefit. Every desire of mine, oh my friend, I received from the earth, from the black earth My faithful companion is the black earth.

The track concludes with final acceptance, reading death as a reunion:

The day will come, oh love/companion, when it will hold Veysel to its chest. My faithful companion is the black earth.

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3. Conclusion: Tarkan, Bridge Between Tradition and Contemporaneity

With “Kara Toprak”, Tarkan demonstrated his mastery not only as a Pop Megastar but as a guardian of culture. By performing the work of Âşık Veysel, Tarkan stands as a bridge between the rich Anatolian tradition and the global contemporary audience. His commitment to conveying the film’s ecological message and the love for the earth—which is central to Veysel’s poetry—solidifies the image of an artist who uses his fame for greater causes, in full consistency with our mission to valorize his career.

This single is a masterpiece of emotion that strengthens Tarkan’s connection to his deepest roots.

➡️ Honor the earth and the music: join the timeless message of Tarkan and Âşık Veysel!