Arzentina (Chimerinoi Kolymvites, 1981)

long drive you did. I see, buying a musical instrument is not something you can do by phone... but still. Long drive." she said, laying the silver tray on the wooden table. A coffee and something sweet is always a warm welcoming treat to a stranger.

Her husbant smiled gently entering the living room. "Welcome, young man".

"It's very nice to meet you Mr. Papadamou", I said.

There were all kinds of stringed musical instruments all around the place. Bouzoukis, baglamas, uds, tzouras, mandolins, lutes etc. hanged on the walls, laying on the couch, everywhere.

Driving all the way to Thessaloniki (300km) to meet a musician and constructor of musical instruments and come back with a bouzouki in the backseat of the car was indeed a long drive. However, the instrument I bought was special enough to worth it. Mulberry wood, walnut, fir wood, wenge and poplar combined at the various instrument parts along with Mr.Papadamou's handcraft produced a sound that is slightly different from the typical bouzouki's sound. This happens -in different ways- with all his instruments. In all 5 albums he has been a vital part of the band Chimerinoi Kolymvites we can listen to that difference. He made his instruments and he performed with them too - which is notably difficult if you think the different abilities somenone's hands should have: strong enough to work with wood and elegant enough to run precisely at a strigned instrument.

Chimerinoi Kolymvites, First album cover (1981)

Chimerinoi Kolymvites (= winter swimmers) have been active since 1979, and besides Mr.Papadamou, there is an other man -their "frontman", if we may use that term- that is the soul and the voice of the band. Argyris Bakirtzis voice is a remarkably destincive and peculiar one. Even when he just speaks. The band is still active consisting of a big group of friends at their sixties, that mostly live on the northern parts of the country. Most of them have their jobs too, but they often meet for concerts and - if in the mood - for albums too.

The song we present today is a sword, blading your evening. Few seconds with no intention to become music. A song about the eternal will of joy. Argyris sung it because they couldn't afford paying someone else to do so at that time. Fortunately, as it appears. But singing a moment of happiness can't last long. So it's just one and a half minute. The band usualy performs this one at the peak of a concert and people stop talking and dancing. They all raise their drinks in the air and they sing loundly with a smile on their face.

Chimerinoi Kolymvites, the band

Arzentina*

Music, Lyrics: Argyris Bakirtzis

Vocals: Argyris bakirtzis, Isidoros Papadamou

The sea waves told me

tonight; that is all,

who knows about tommorow.

Come, my bird, let's go to Peramos

to be at "Arzentina"

fires, the seas will see

oh-oh, joys will see the stars

And the living-dead of our memory

ether flying,

flying in chaos, in dream

totally desparate.

*"Arzzentina" had been the first disco of >Peramos, a seaside resort close to the city of Kavala.

John the Murderer (Fleury Dandonaki, 1980)

Fleury Dandonaki

leury Dandonaki was Manos Hadjidakis' favorite singer. She was born in Crete in 1937. She studied philosophy and theater at the University of South Carolina in the late '50s. In New York she made her first steps on the stage of Broadway and critics recognized something different in her wonderful voice, full of sensitivity, and in her large expressive eyes. The «New York Times» declared her talent equal to that of Liza Minnelli's.

In 1970 she meets in New York Manos Hadjidakis as she replaces an actress of the Broadway show "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris". Manos is astonished by her performance. Fleury becomes his favourite singer and during the '70s they work together in many successful theatre and music projects. In 1980, it was at the insistence of Manos Hadjidakis, who was back then director of ERA's Programme C (radio broadcast) that the recording below took place.

Fleury Dandonaki died on July 18,1998 at the age of 60, after a long struggle with cancer and rests in peace next to her long time friend Manos Hadjidakis in a semetery in Athens.

The song was first released by Columbia in 1976. The name of the album is "Immortality". Music by Manos Hadjidakis and poetry by Nikos Gatsos. It is a masterpiece.

John the murderer [Ο Γιάννης ο Φονιάς]

music: Manos Hadjidakis

lyrics: Nikos Gatsos

vocals: Fleury Dandonaki

John the murderer

-son of a woman from Patras

and of a man from Messolonghi-

last Sunday

right after the prison

passed by our house

We treated him desert

we treated him mint

but the murder

we didn't mention (x2)

Only Phrosi

-shedding sea coloured tears

of her large eyes-

kissed silently

his precious hands

and went out of the hall

No one made it

to bear her pain

and no one from the family

found a word to say

And John the murderer

at the corner of the street

with the longing's thorn
remembered again

moons so distant

and the dream that was gone.

I Only Come With Ideas (Nicholas Asimos, 1987)

simos Nicholas was one of these guys they were appreciated long time after their death. He was born 3 months before the end of the Greek Civil War, in 1949, in Thessaloniki. He started his studies there on Philosophy right with the beggining of the 1967 military junta and little before its fall, he moved to Athens. He was recording songs to tapes which he has selling on the streets.

His songs are very sensitive and proud. "Marginalized" pretty much describes his way of life and his music. I copy from wiki the last paragraph:

In 1987 he was wrongfully accused for the rape of an ex-girlfriend and was forcibly led to a mental institution. Shortly after he was sent to Korydallos Prison and was later bailed out. He never managed to overcome his bitterness over this unfounded charge. The outstanding trial along with other personal problems affected his psychological state profoundly. After two failed attempts, he committed suicide by hanging on 17 March 1988 in his house which he used to call preparation area. It is rumoured that he kept a diary during the last 15 days of his life in which he describes his efforts to find something worth living for in his life. He marked the pages with an "X" which meant that he had not found anything worth living for. The 15th day was also marked with an "X" which is the day he hanged himself.

The following song is a monologue. Nicholas Asimos signs it together with Sotiria Leonardou (that you might remember from this old post). Not much to say about it. It's very famous and I think that it's one of his most representative songs. If you like it, look for more.

I only come with ideas [ Εγώ με τις ιδέες μου]

lyrics, music: Nicholas Asimos [Νικόλας Άσιμος]

vocals with Sotiria Leonardou

Illegal Tape No.000008, March 1987

Ι only come with ideas

you only come with money

I think you want it all yours, heads and tails

I don't need your small talk

neither knowing you at all

I'll punch you where it hurts

I won't let anyone to pay for me

I'll dub myself a knight and jedi

and if I sober up

I'll tell you a "goodbye"

Even gods may change their mind

when great need there is

I never played brave

when it comes to war

and neither a water gun

I have in my shack

I'll keep my way as far as it takes

I won't let anyone to pay for me

I will fire anyone that laughs on me

my pains gives birth

to a thousant truths

I hand it all prepared to you

but you want it all yours

your greed won't let you in peace

take your money and go

and neither with my small toe

I can compare your pride

You can't look me in the eyes

and you'll die without a past

You are a victim of law and order

you don't even know the reason

to conquer me.

The Price of Love (Dimitra Galani, 1983)

scene from the movie "The price of love", 1983

oday we host the soundtrack of a 1983 movie (by Tonia Marketaki) which was based on a 1912 book (by Konstantinos Theotokis) which was based on an imaginary love story in Corfu of 1900.

Dimitra Galani is singing this simple yet stongly emotional song, explaining how priceless love is. There is barely anything else to say, besides the truth that just a guitar can sometimes bring up to the surface the colours a whole band couldn't.

The Price of Love

music: Eleni Karaindrou

lyrics: Tonia Marketaki

with the voice of Dimitra Galani

There is no price for love
and neither for life there is

Who is selling it? Who is buying it?
Who is taking it to auction?

There is no price for love
and neither for life there is

Whoever loves can give it

with just a glance, a kiss

If you have a little love, give me

to sweeten my life
There is no price for love
there is no price for pride.

Paper Moon (Manos Hadjidakis, 1949)

Melina Mercouri, her most famous picture

ear visitor, prepare for great, for brilliant stuff. Oh-oh spaggetti o. Today is the famous full moon of August. Full moon! The brightest moon of the year will cross the Athenian sky to fall huge and red. Hundrends of archeological sites will stay open till very late tonight with all lights switched off since the reflections of the moonlight to these marbles is one time thing and the Acropolis museum will host a band playing songs about the moon.

Mr. Theodosiou -who is a professor of Astrophysics at the university of Athens- stated clearly: "We were so wrong to step on the moon [...] you know, some things in life should better remain a legend, a myth, a mystery.. and although tonight's moon is neither bigger nor brighter than of other months, we like to believe so in August that the night is warm and the reflection on the ancient marbles so beautiful".

So, there is question... What makes the moon so important? What makes it mysterious and what brings it into songs, poems, books etc.? The fact that it reminds us that we live on a planet is a good answer but not a very successful one since the moon was already too deep into our poems and music long before we realize that earth is not flat. The answer I suppose is "love". And probably this is what Manos Hadjitzidakis had in mind when he composed the following song:

Paper Moon [Χάρτινο το Φεγγαράκι]

music: Manos Hadjidakis

lyrics: Nikos Gatsos

vocals here*: Melina Merkouri

* Herodion = the Roman theater on the hill of Acropolis.

Sea shall bring in birds

and golden stars (will come with) the wind

to caress your hair

to kiss your hand

Of paper is the moon,

the beach is fake,

if you believed me a little

everything would be true

Without your love

time goes by so fast

Without your love

the world is smaller

Of paper is the moon,

the beach is fake,

if you believed me a little

everything would be true.

Melina Merkouri was the Minister of Culture in Greece and she was the first to sing this song acting in the play "The Streetcar named Desire" by Tennessee Williams directed by Karolos Koun. An extremely influential political figure in post-junta period (after 1974) in Greece.

Surrealism in Athens and the Salvation of Soul (1985, Stamatis Kraounakis & Lina)

Lina Nikolakopoulou

urrealism is an element of everyday life in Athens. Let me explain: You wake up when the TV timer switches on, and the sounds of a fight between a truck driver that is on strike and the minister of transport is on its best. Although it's too early for such stuff, you decide to switch off the TV when the crowd of truck drivers behind their representative is rhythmically singing the name of the beautiful young journalist lady that presents the news.

Little before you enter your car you realize that there is a penalty on it because you are supposed to have parked illegally although you have been parking there the last 4 months without a problem and there is absolutely no sign that proves it illegal!

You wait at the traffic lights even when they are green (especially then) simply because of the traffic jam caused by a 2km waiting line of cars for a fuel station. The truck drivers strike left the fuel stations without fuel and only a 10% of fuel stations operate in Athens these days. This, of course, is a great reason for Athenians to wait 2hours in a car line with 35C temperature, to full their cars and buy fuel in bottles as if there is a war coming and there will be no fuel for the next 3 years.

Waiting there, watching two guys fighting because the one tried to cheat the line in front of the other, breathing deep to stay calm you switch on the radio.

And there it comes:

Lina Nikolakopoulou & Stamatis Kraounakis

The salvation of soul [H σωτηρία της ψυχής]

music: Stamatis Kraounakis

lyrics: Lina Nokilakopoulou

vocals: Alktistis Protopsalti

album: Κυκλοφορώ κι Οπλοφορώ (= I'm out & armed).

Countryside’s mornings shall find us again within folded arms in bed,
And it won’t matter that we’re up so early, looking around, but seeking nothing.

All certainty materials are sweet words recorded in tapes,
for all those which passed so swiftly, yet was fully embraced by our heart.

The salvation of soul is a very big thing,
Like a journey of relaxation with a hidden wound

If only we extended the steps of our lives on a deserted beach,
It wouldn’t matter that, all our kisses, before they age, will be washed by the waves

And right by the edge of the seashore we would generously give old pieces of our being,
Those which were so small, but casting a shadow big enough to resemble our palace.

The salvation of soul is a very big thing...

The Match is About to Start! (Loukianos Kilaidonis, 1979)

ith the excitement for the world cup on its high-up, although Greeks are already home, I remembered that song by Loukianos Kilaidonis that goes back to 1982 (a year before the party) that makes fun in a really nice way of how people get crazy about football. It's strange that even today, 28 years later, some still sing it without understanding its sarcasm. A good quality studio version is followed by a live concert (Lycabettus, 1982) by the architect that worked as such for just a day and then he went to be a sailor long before he ends up as a musician to perform silly American melodies with sophisticated Greek lyrics.

The match is about to start

music, lyrics: Loukianos Kilaidonis

The match is starting

the roads are empty

it is about time

the match to start

The match is starting

the city is deserted

hurry up folks

the match is about to start

Oh, how much I fancy

watching team scarfs all around

watching flags

and scoring goals

Oh, how much puts us together

and how thrilling it is

Diakogiannis'* voice

The match is starting

get off my back now

it is about time

for the match to start

The match is starting

everyone stays still

silence please,

the match is about to start

Oh, how much I fancy

watching team scarfs all around

watching flags

and scoring goals

Oh, how much puts us together

and how thrilling it is

Diakogiannis'* voice

And whoever knows

what are all these about

he should explain to me

only when the match is over.

*Giannis Diakogiannis: Retired Greek Sportcaster (a good one)

Loukianos Kilaidonis has definately been the "Lucky Luke" of Greek music. At least he feels so, ending up another of his songs with the last page famous line to Luke's beloved horse: "Let's go Dolly..."

That day won't be late (Manos Loizos, 1980)

Manos Loizos

riginaly from Cyprus, born in 1937 Alexandria, Egypt, lived in Greece and died young in Moscow in 1982, Manos Loizos was a diamond of Greek music [see also previous post for another of his songs]. His songs are simple and beautiful. His political action (with the Greek Communist Party) especially the 7 years of dictatorship (1967-73) put him to a lot of trouble but he always remained a low profile musician and people loved his songs. There is a presence of elegance along with simplicity at all his works and this make them seem easy listening. However, there is a fight of a whole generation engrained in them. With a strong political view as well as with emotions. In the next one? Hope.

That day won't be late

lyrics: Fontas Ladis

music: Manos Loizos

vocals: Manos Loizos & Dimitra Galani

That day won't be late

when I'll see you again in front of me.

The sunlight will be broken

and you will be running towards me.

Your forehead will be spreading

golden rain in the sky

and your nice face

will be paler than the moon.

And when our heatrs will become one

everything will be shinning differently

and the whole old world

will be vanished in our shades.

That day won't be late,

my hunted bird,

the West once took you away,

the East is bringing you back.

You Came to See Me & Yet You Didn't (Ksembarkoi at Kavvadias' "Fog", 1986)

Nikos Kavvadias in 1934 (s/s Ionion 1934)

Nikos Kavadias wrote the poem. Born exactly 100 years ago on the 11th of January 1910, he died in 1975. During these 65 years, he travelled a lot -being a sailor, and he wrote beautiful poems that later on became beautiful songs. Some info about his life and works can be found here.

The first and most popular set of his poems to music was done by Thanos Mikroutsikos in 1979 with the album "The Southern Cross" (Ο Σταυρός του Νότου/ O Stavros tou Notou). Less known, the band Ksembarkoi (meaning... "left overs") made an other approach quite different than the first one with the album "S/S Ionion 1934" that was released in 1986. Simple intsrumentation, minimal and tense expression in vocals, nice melodies. Worth to listen to one of Kavvadia's most famous poems, as they set it to music. We are lucky to host a professional translation by Tefkros Simeonides (what a difference!).

Fog

poem: Nikos Kavvadias

music: Ksembarkoi

The fog fell with the evening
-- the lightship lost --
and you arrived unexpected
in the pilot-house to see me.

You are wearing all white and you're wet,
I'm plaiting your hair into ropes.
Down in the waters of Port Pegassu
It always rains this season.

The stoker is watching us
with both feet in the chains.
Never look at the antennas
in a storm; you'll get dizzy.

The boatswain curses the weather
and Tocopilla is so far away.
Rather than fearing and waiting
better at the periscope and the torpedo.

Go! You deserve firm land.

You came to see me and yet see me you didn't
I have since midnight drowned
a thousand miles beyond the Hebrides.

Relevant music links:

1) The sailor's prayers by Ksembarkoi, at the same album

2) Giannis Koutras sings amazingly Thanos Mikroutsiko's music and the poem "Woman" of the Album "Souther Cross".

3) Giannis Koutras sings the poem "Kuro Siwo", music: Thanos Mikroutsikos.

The Right for Love (Dimitra Galani & Alkistis Protopsalti, 1988)

Alkistis Protopsalti

imitra Galani's first compositions were songs that the Egypt-born Greek Alkistis Protopsalti sang in 1988 at the album "Dikeoma" (= the Right). They are both still active releasing new records every little while, though to my perception their worth-to-mention works stopped around 10 to 15 years ago. Since that time they have either been repeating themselves or just fail to be more "trendy"- although they try a lot.

So we are going back to 1988 to listen to the song the album was named out of. This is a live performance much much later (hard to say when). The translated lyrics of this love song are given below and they are based on the ones found at stixoi.info -with minor changes.

The Right

music: Dimitra Galani

lyrics: Lina Nikolakopoulou

vocals: Alkistis Protopsalti

And the right
to love you I no more have
the basis of my loneliness

will be this

To caress you once
it's not enough nor it concerns me
we both wanted sometime
But now
I just want you for myself

And the right to love you I no more have

And the right
to hold me you no more have

to take me
to the middle ages of your logic

To caress you once
it's not enough nor it concerns me
we both wanted sometime
But now
I just want you for myself

And the right to love you I no more have

A Party or How Parties Should Look Like (in Vouliagmeni, July 1983)

ighties summers in Athens were slow, lazy and innocent. Beach-party was a term unknown and large-scale concerts had only taken place in football stadiums.

Vouliagmeni (which means "sunk"), is a coastal suburb of Athens, south and east. Supposed to be an expensive one, although it is quite densely built and surrounded. Being coastal was always a privilege. Especially in 1983.

One evening with a full moon, the 25th of July 1983, there was a concert named "Party in Vouliagmeni" performed by Loukianos Kilaidonis.

Loukianos Kilaidonis

Many surprise guests showed up. Dionysis Savvopoulos, Vaggelis Germanos, Giorgos Dalaras, Margarita Zorbala, Afroditi Manou were just some of them. The band was on a floating stage 12 meters away from the beach. A radio broadcast was covering the concert and its exceptional energy live. All of a sudden, people from all around the city started joining... Of course it was impossible to hold these people out of it, so the concert doors opened soon to everyone - no ticket needed. The concert turned to a vast beach party with more than 70,000 people (some say 100,000)!

So there we are, and Vaggelis Germanos just showed up... would you swim?

Cruise [Κρουαζιέρα / Kruaziera]

Vaggelis Germanos

The ship will take off in late evening
Take the metro to Piraeus*
In sweet little summer
to go on cruise to the islands

With the waves will the boat sail
the wind will blow our hair away
We'll become skilled to love
and the thoughts will fly away like birds

Oh, oh, I'll take you on cruise
Oh, oh, because I care about you and I love you
Oh, oh, to Mykonos and Santorini
Oh, oh, like penguins in love

Leave bad people shouting
at beaches, restaurants, pensions
We, with sleeping bags and water-melon,
will go around the islands

Naked we will swim at the beaches
The sun we will face "en face"
I'll treat you like a chinese fan
and you'll never go to the office again...

*Athens' port

Ps1. This is only the first song he is playing. No need to translate the second one, I guess you get the feeling...

Ps2. The translation of the lyrics is based on the one found at stixoi.info

The Movie named "Rembetiko" (1983) & its Soundtrack

t last some action. We had been presenting and translating all these songs without a word about the instruments or the conditions under which they were originally performed. This is mainly because most videos we can find are either of low quality (like the recordings) or aestheticly bad (you know, these youtube videos with silly photostreams) and our description skills in stuff you have never seen are not good enough.

The video below is dragged from the movie "Rembetiko"(1983) written and directed by Costas Ferris. The movie was awarded in 1984 with the "Berlin Silver Bear" but the soundtrack was proven to be much more popular than the movie itself. Its composers were the poet Nikos Gatsos (Νίκος Γκάτσος) and the conductor Stavros Xarchakos (Σταύρος Ξαρχάκος).

Skip the Greek of the first dialogues, there's nothing important with that, and focus on how this woman (Sotiria Leonardou/ Σωτηρία Λεονάρδου) gains people's attention as she sings with her soul. The theme of the song is the vainess of human nature. And this is a proof that you can better discribe such stuff with that sort of music. Rembetiko is like the imaginary part of complex numbers. A shortcut to simple truths.

I'm on fire, I'm on fire

lyrics: Nikos Gatsos

Music: Stavros Xarchakos

vocals: Sotiria Leonardou

When the man is born

a pain is born too

and when the war flares

you are incapable of counting the blood

I'm on fire I'm on fire

add more oil into the flames

I am drowning I am drowning

throw me in a deep sea

I swore to your eyes

which was like a Gospel's truth to me

the stab you gave me

to turn it into laughter

I am on fire I am on fire

add more oil into the flames

I am drowning I am drowning

throw me in a deep sea

But you deep inside Hell

brake the chains

and if you drag me next to you

bless you to be

I am on fire I am on fire

add more oil into the flames

I am drownig I am drowning

throw me in a deep sea

(translation dragged from stixoi.info - English version credited to dimitris2, available also in Italian)