DESCRIPTION:
English translation of the text is by Ani Toroyan (Անի Թորոյան).
“Art me ounim” (Արտ մը ունիմ) - a song performed by “Sharakan” ensemble of ancient Armenian music.
You can find the Armenian text by this address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_gEbQPuZ4M
and Russian text by this address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOtA4CuA7Zg

Vocal by Armenuhi Seyranyan, Sofia Toumanyan, Kevork Ignatios Hadjian, Grigor Hambaryan. Art director and conductor: Daniel Yerazhisht.
This joke-song was recorded by Mihran Toumachan, Komitas’ disciple, from Armenians, survived from the genocide in Bithyna (Boutanya). It is a conversation between groups of girls and boys in which it is said that the harvest in barley fields was plentiful that year and now, after having worked the whole year and having good results, the young people can think of building their own families and feasting with quiet hearts.
Then, one of the young men addresses to the girl he likes, inviting her to his place to have a cup of wine. Then he asks not to think of something bad because he likes her soul’s home. Of these words Daniel Yerajisht said that they may first of all mean that he would not try embrace or kiss her, he would not show physical love but rather Platonic, i.e. alone with her, he only wants to enjoy her presence, talk to her and admire her beauty.
Maestro explained it in one more way: the song was recorded from elderly people who often adjusted rhymes because had forgotten some of the words. So, maybe there is no special meaning in the words “soul’s home.” And if we take into account that man’s soul is in his or her breast, we can suppose that he is crazy about her breasts which are underlined.
Daniel Yerajisht says that stanzas were very few, one or two, and in order not to be short, as instructed by Komitas, he has made a dialogue, and the groups of girls and boys successively address to one another: Laugh girls, this is a marriage year; laugh guys, this is a marriage year. “There were some diminutive-cursing words which I didn’t know whether to keep as the original ones or to change,” says Daniel Yerajisht. “Today we witness birth rate decline and during the concerts in villages while interpreting the song I repeated the words ‘Laugh girls, laugh boys, this is a marriage year.’ Next time going there again and seeing more children I was very happy. It turned out the song had an impact and new families were formed,” Maestro jokes.
Referring to Mihran Toumachan, Maestro said that the word սիլլատոն (sillaton) in the refrain has the following meaning: most likely the song was initially about an old and bald man’s flirtations towards a young girl. The girl said «Քէլ ադամ» (Kel adam) which means bald man. Later there occurred alternation and the sound "ք" (q) changed into "ց" (ts) and the latter into "ս" (s), thus the word ադամ (adam) became ատոն (aton). Such an alternation is very common. Daniel Yerajisht added that often there are interjection-words in refrains which have no meaning, just appear in songs to keep rhythm and rhyme, especially in dance songs.
Armenian text of song in latin letters

Art me ounim, gari e,
As inch aghvor tari e,
Khndatseq, shan aghjeyner,
Kargevelu tari e.

Sillaton, sillaton,
Sillaton, sillaton!

Art me ounim, gari e,
As inch aghvor tari e,
Khndatseq, shan tghaner,
Kargevelu tari e.

Sillaton, sillaton,
Sillaton, sillaton!

Yekour, aghjiy, mer toune,
Tam bardakhov gini me,
Mtqed char ban chantsounes,
Kesirem hogoud toune.

Sillaton, sillaton,
Sillaton, sillaton!

Na dimatsi kalere
Irar ekan yarere,
Indor chesin, chekhndan
An yareru marere?

Sillaton, sillaton,
Sillaton, sillaton!

Art me ounim, gari e,
As inch aghvor tari e,
Khndatseq, shan aghjeyner,
Kargevelu tari e.

Khndatseq, shan tghaner,
Kargevelu tari e.

Sillaton, sillaton,
Sillaton, sillaton!