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 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