Heartwarming Turkish folk songs
Most Turkish folk songs tell of exile and parting; this collection shows their smiling side. Playful Istanbul songs, flirtatious Anatolian tunes, a Laz lullaby and wordless dance tunes: horon from the Black Sea, zeybek from the Aegean, çiftetelli from Rumelia. You can listen to all of them right here with one tap. Discover more picks for every mood
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1 Song
Kara Üzüm Habbesi
A joyful folk song that turns Anatolia's colorful sounds into a spirited circle dance that gets you on your feet.
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2 Song
Kâtibim
The playful tale of a clerk caught in the rain on the road to Üsküdar; one of Istanbul's lightest, best-loved folk songs.
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3 Song
Bir Dalda İki Kiraz
A sweet Aegean–Rumelian love song that moves between Turkish and Greek verses, all waving handkerchiefs and longed-for letters.
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4 Song
Didou Nana
A Laz melody as calm and deep as a lullaby; a breath of air from the green mountains of the Black Sea.
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5 Song
Halâlê (Dağ Lalesi)
A lively, colorful love song in Kurdish and Turkish that compares the beloved to a mountain tulip.
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6 Song
Sarı Kurdelem Sarı
A cheerful, flirtatious folk song from Malatya; a timeless smile in Müzeyyen Senar's voice.
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7 Song
Gülüşün Gülden Güzel
A tender love song that finds the beloved's smile lovelier than a rose.
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8 Song
Uşşak Oyun Havası
A wordless dance tune where clarinet, kanun and bağlama answer one another; hard to sit still while listening.
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9 Song
Güle Yel Değdi
Three masters turn a well-known folk tune into a soft, wordless conversation; a restful melody for the end of the day.
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10 Song
Şen Çiftetelli
As cheerful as its name: a çiftetelli on Hüsnü Şenlendirici's clarinet that invites you to get up and dance.
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11 Song
Horon
A Black Sea horon on the fast, joyful kemençe; an energy that shakes off weariness.
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12 Song
Arap Oyun Havası
A cheerful, nimble dance tune from Arif Sağ's bağlama; the speed of his fingers is a joy to hear.
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13 Song
Harmandalı
The Aegean's stately, proud zeybek; wordless, yet a tune that reminds you to stand tall.