What is the Story of the Turkish Folk Song ‘Deniz Üstü Köpürür’?
The song of those whose hearts long for their homeland even though they have left their land: ‘Deniz Üstü Köpürür’ (The Sea Foams) is a folk song that we have compiled the true story of for you.
Osman’s Gülayşe…
Each of the folk songs written in Anatolia contains a story. Some have been separated from their loved ones due to contemporary conditions, while others have not been able to go beyond a single glance to reach their loved ones… Love, longing, and yearning emotions have found their place in these songs, one way or another. ‘Deniz Üstü Köpürür’, written by Şerafettin Civelek, a folk artist from Muğla Ula and a bağlama (a traditional Turkish string instrument) player who currently resides in İzmir, is one of these songs that has been passed down to us until toda
This folk song is based on a true story that took place in the village of Ula in Muğla. It tells the story of Osman, a young man who is in love with Gülayşe. Osman is from Ula Çaydere. One day, he attends a wedding in Ula, which is rumored to be his cousin’s. During that time, at Ula weddings and even in many other provinces in Anatolia, unmarried young men from the village line up on a wall and observe the girls in the wedding area. The purpose, according to many opinions, is to point out the girls they like and send their families to propose to the other side. (Some even throw stones at the girls’ heads) In short, Osman takes his place on the wall with the group of bachelors. He starts scanning the girls one by one. However, it doesn’t take long for his eyes to be drawn to one particular girl. His eyes don’t wander around anymore, they have found her in the crowd. Gülayşe… At that moment, his hands and feet tremble, and he writes her into his mind. He can’t forget her now, nor can he get her out of his mind. It is unknown whether it is because he doesn’t have the courage to send a proposal, but Osman wants to know the girl first. From that day on, he starts to attend weddings in the hope of seeing Gülayşe again. He travels from one wedding to another in search of her.
According to the rumor, Osman exaggerates this wedding hopping business a bit and almost goes to all of Ula’s weddings. As a result, those who know Osman start saying “there can’t be a wedding without Osman” instead of “there can’t be a wedding without a cameraman”. Over time, Osman catches his daughter at a wedding. He will speak, he is determined. But for some reason, just at that moment, his friends take him somewhere as if they are eager to listen to his troubles. “No, if you don’t interfere, the boy has already gathered his courage,” they say. They take him to the seaside as well, go figure! They immediately ask him about his troubles. What can Osman tell them? What have they understood all this time? Osman wants to tell the things that are in his heart only to the girl he loves. He will be able to say it once, because is it easy to pour out all the burden of emotions from one’s heart?.. Osman takes his saz in his hand and starts to say the things he couldn’t explain, only as much as he can express…
“deniz üstü köpürür ah yarim (“The sea foams over, oh my beloved”)
gemilere binsem götürür ah yarim ah.(“If I get on a ship, it takes me away, oh my beloved, oh”)
benim sana yandığım ah yarim(“Oh my beloved, I burn for you”)
bir güzelden ötürü ah yarim ah.(“Because of a beautiful one, oh my beloved, oh”)
diz üstüne diz koydum ah yarim(“I knelt down on my knees, oh my beloved”)
gül yastığa baş koydum ah yarim ah.(“I put a rose on the pillow, oh my beloved, oh”)
seni gelecek diye ah yarim()
sol yanıma boş koydum ah yarim ah.”(“I left a space on my left side, oh my beloved”)
Osman has always sung the well-known lyrics that we all know during that time. However, in the version we hear from artists like Cem Karaca, Haluk Levent, Edip Akbayram in our time, the lyrics have been changed. Naturally, while these songs, which can adapt to the modern music system, do not deviate from the original thought structure, the lyrics have gained qualities that are suitable for notes rather than pouring from the heart. (ah yarim- rinna rinna ney). In conclusion, Osman has burned, mended, added, and reached out to a girl. His Gulayse laughed, the seas foamed… Gulayse pouted and took the ships from the harbor. And into her, the strange Osman and his Gulayse were sent off. The song of those who closed the doors, burned the ports, stirred the waves, and ran away has become Osman’s Gulayse…