Dilmano Dilbero

COUNTRY: Bulgaria
LANGUAGE: Bulgarian

Bulgarian music is known for its complicated additive rhythms In one traditional version of Dilmano Dilbero, the first line is in 8/16, then the “kajui mi kak se sadi” part is 11/18, then it goes to 5/16, then back to 8/16…wow. We’ve tamed the rhythms a bit for the purpose of singing it in music class, though we still give it a kick. “Dilmano Dilbero” is important both in Bulgarian weddings and as a labor/work song, tying together the importance of both life-cycle events like marriages and the regular coming of the harvests.

Lyrics of All Around This World version:

Paprika! Paprika!! Paprika!!! PAPRIKA!!!!
Dilmano, dilbero
Kaji mi kak se sadi pipero

Dilmano, dilbero

Now we pick the pipero