“Lambaya Puf De!” (1973) – Barış Manço * Traditional arrangement of “kolbasti” song by Osman Pehlivan * 45: “Lambaya Puf De!” / “Kalk Gidelim Küheylan” * Produced by Barış Manço * Label: Yavuz Plak
A celebrated rock ‘n’ roll pioneer in Turkey, Barış Manço essentially took his culture’s wandering minstrel tradition, grew its hair out, put rings on its fingers, and plugged it in. His “Lambaya Puf De” is a sexy hypnosis single from 1973 that translates to something like “blow the lamp out by going ‘poof’.” Turkish radio declared it too erotic-sounding for airplay, which prompted him to release an instrumental version with kazoo and jaw harp in 1975 called “Tavuklara Kışt De” (say kshh to the chicken). Manço adapted the song from a melody popularized by the tanburist Osman Pahlivan called “Anadolu Kaşık Havası,” which has since surfaced with some regularity in recorded Turkish folk music. The label lists the song as a “kolbastı” dance song. That’s an acoustic Turkish saz you hear sizzling from start to finish.