Eşref Bey Türküsü

The ballad known as Eşref Bey Türküsü, which emerged around the murder case in Giresun that resulted in the death of Eşref Gedikali, is one of the examples in oral culture where laments sung at funerals gradually crystallized into the ballad form.

Eşref Bey Türküsü is directly linked to the killing of Eşref Gedikali, who was born in the Piraziz district of Giresun and belonged to the Gedikalizade family^【1】. Eşref Gedikali, who operated a hazelnut factory alongside his brother on Camlı Street in central Giresun (today Fatih Caddesi), was known as a respected and beloved local merchant. Tensions that arose between him and Hakkı Zaimoğlu, who was hired as the factory’s accountant in 1933, culminated in murder^【2】; this event left a deep impact on the local community.

The sudden and untimely killing of the young Eşref Gedikali had a profound effect on the people of Giresun. Following the murder, during the funeral and afterward, the public recited maniles and laments; these oral expressions gradually became standardized and gained widespread popularity under the name “Giresunlu Eşref Bey Türküsü”^【3】. The transmission of the ballad’s narrative to the present day has been significantly shaped by the recollections of Ruhniyaz Karaibrahim, daughter of Eşref Gedikali’s elder brother Murat Gedikali^【4】.

The ballad addresses the murder of Eşref Bey, a beloved local merchant in Giresun, by someone from his inner circle, as well as the grief that followed the event. The verses emphasize the act of killing, expressions of remorse, and the sorrow experienced by those left behind.

The story of Eşref Bey Türküsü centers on the life and death of Eşref Gedikali. Eşref Bey, who operated a hazelnut factory in central Giresun, hired Hakkı Zaimoğlu as his accountant. After some time, Eşref Bey sternly reprimanded Hakkı Zaimoğlu for harassing female workers at the factory, which strained their relationship.

Following a ceremony held at the Giresun port to mark the first shipment of the season’s hazelnuts, Eşref Bey and Hakkı Zaimoğlu returned to the factory. During a conversation there, Hakkı Zaimoğlu expressed a desire to see Eşref Bey’s pistol. As soon as he took the weapon in his hand, he shot Eşref Bey. Wounded, Eşref Bey managed to leave the factory and identified his attacker to those around him. Despite being taken to the hospital, he died shortly afterward. Hakkı Zaimoğlu was arrested and sent to prison. An attempt at revenge by a close relative of Eşref Gedikali inside the prison proved unsuccessful. The laments and maniles sung after the incident were transmitted orally and formed the narrative framework of the ballad.

The ship wails above Giresun
The doctor tends to Eşref’s wound
Eşref’s mother weeps, consumed by grief

Don’t shoot, Hakkı, you’ll regret it
Beware of angering the lords of Giresun

Bazarsu’s streams are but a small creek
They shot Eşref, alas, for no reason
In vain, in vain, it was all in vain
They placed my corpse in the automobile

Don’t shoot, Hakkı, you’ll regret it
Beware of becoming an enemy to the youth of Giresun

You will be ashamed of the bullet you fired
Don’t shoot, Hakkı, you’ll regret it
Your bullet will shame my mother

Batlama Creek is but a small stream
They shot Eşref, alas, for no reason
In vain, in vain, it was all in vain
I have a friend in Giresun, and he too is in vain

Don’t shoot, Hakkı, you’ll regret it
You’ll make my mother an enemy to the lords of Giresun
(You’ll make my mother an enemy to the youth of Giresun)

I couldn’t cross Camlı Street’s threshold
I didn’t understand Hakkı was my enemy, mother

Don’t shoot, Hakkı, you’ll regret it
You’ll make my mother an enemy to the youth of Giresun
(You will be ashamed of the bullet you fired)
(I have a friend in Giresun, and he too is in vain)

Eşref Bey Türküsü is classified as a lament^【5】. It is composed in the Uşşak mode and follows a 4/4 meter^【6】. Performed with the kemençe, the ballad has been sung by various artists at different tempos over time; some renditions preserve its lament character, while others adopt a more lively structure. Nevertheless, the core narrative and emotional content of the ballad have remained unchanged.

The ballad was collected, arranged, and performed by Piçoğlu Osman, one of Giresun’s most important kemençe artists^【7】. Piçoğlu Osman played a key role in popularizing the work by reorganizing the folk laments and maniles into a cohesive musical form.

Eşref Bey Türküsü originated in the oral culture of the region and was later recorded through the performances of Piçoğlu Osman^【8】. The ballad was included in the TRT repertoire under the title “Giresun Eşref Bey Şarkısı” and gained wider recognition through various performances^【9】.

The work is known by several names: “Eşref Bey Türküsü,” “Giresun Eşref Bey Şarkısı,” and “Giresun Üstünde Vapur Bağrıyor”^【10】. These names are derived from phrases within the ballad’s lyrics and the titles assigned by performers.

The ballad has been performed with various instruments, primarily the kemençe. While some renditions preserve its lament character, others have adopted a faster tempo and evolved into different musical forms.