Mikail’s Berlin Sessions feat. Sema Moritz - Mazi Kalbimde Bir Yaradır

For the eight episode of Mikail's Berlin Sessions, I had the privilege of collaborating with Sema Moritz, an exceptional artist who started her career in classical Turkish music and gained recognition in Germany through her significant projects such as Gruppe Taksim, Kreuzberger Freunde, and the Türkischen Arbeiterchor Westberlin, each reflecting her dedication to bridging cultures and reviving musical heritage. Still Sema is best known for her work "Efsane Hanımlar" (Legendary Ladies), which revisits the timeless songs of women who shaped the music scene of Türkiye.

In this session, we performed "Mazi Kalbimde Bir Yaradır" (The Past Is a Wound in My Heart), composed by Necip Celal Andel in 1928 and recorded by Seyyan Hanım in 1932 as the first Turkish-language tango. This piece marks a milestone in the history of tango in Türkiye, which began gaining recognition in the early 20th century. In the early years of the Republic, tango became an integral part of social life and entertainment culture, especially in Istanbul’s Pera (Beyoğlu) district. As a dance form where men and women performed together, tango also reflected the societal changes and modernization movements of the time.

Initially, foreign tango melodies were adapted with Turkish lyrics, but local composers soon began creating original works, paving the way for a distinctive Turkish tango tradition. "Mazi Kalbimde Bir Yaradır" has since become a classic, reinterpreted by many artists over the years. Its heartfelt lyrics express the lingering scars of a lost love, resonating across generations.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to dear Uygar Önder Şimşek for such an impressive video. Many thanks to Emre Nişancı for working his magic on the sound and the best camera crew: Batuhan Kavlak and Semih Yıldız.

„Mazi Kalbimde Bir Yaradır“
Music: Necip Celal Andel
Lyrics: Necdet Rüştü Efe

Performed by
Sema Moritz – Vocals https://www.instagram.com/semamoritz/...
Mikail Yakut – Accordion

Camera – Uygar Önder Şimşek, Semih Yıldız, Batuhan Kavlak
Editing – Uygar Önder Şimşek   / uygaronder  
Mix – Emre Nişancı   / enisanci  

Berlin - Kreuzberg, 2024

INSTAGRAM   / mikordeon  
FACEBOOK   / mikordeon  
YOUTUBE    / @mikailyakutofficial  

LYRICS
The Past Is a Wound in My Heart

I, too, once endured the pangs of love
My life burned away from this affection
I realized that the price of love
Was my youth, slipping from my hands

I bowed before you, surrendered
This person didn’t become ours
In the end, I fell and gave my life
To the green sea in your eyes

Though I never embraced your waist, I never gave up this yearning
A sorrowful tale it is, they took her away from me
She became someone else’s beloved, strangers found happiness
My heart became a desolate land, ruined from end to end

The past is a wound in my heart
My fate is darker than my hair
What makes me weep from time to time
Is this sorrowful memory

You never let me rest on your chest
Nor comforted me with a kiss
Years passed long after you
And you forgot me for that woman

Though I never embraced your waist, I never gave up this yearning
A sorrowful tale it is, they took her away from me
She became someone else’s beloved, strangers found happiness
My heart became a desolate land, ruined from end to end

Mazi Kalbimde Bir Yaradır

Ben de gönül çektim eskiden
Yandı hayatım bu sevgiden
Anladım ki bir aşka bedel
Gençliğimmiş elimden giden

Önünde ben geldim de dize
Yâr olmadı bu kimse bize
En nihayet düşüp can verdim
Gözündeki yeşil denize

Sarmadımsa da belden, geçmedim bu emelden
Bir hazin maceradır onu aldılar elden
Başkasına yâr oldu, eller bahtiyâr oldu
Gönlüm hep baştan başa viran bir diyâr oldu

Mazi kalbimde bir yaradır
Bahtım saçlarımdan karadır
Beni zaman zaman ağlatan
İşte bu hazin hatıradır

Ne göğsünde uyuttu beni
Ne bûseyle avuttu beni
Geçti ardından uzun yıllar
O kadında unuttu beni

Sarmadımsa da belden, geçmedim bu emelden
Bir hazin maceradır onu aldılar elden
Başkasına yâr oldu, eller bahtiyâr oldu
Gönlüm hep baştan başa viran bir diyâr oldu