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..."

For Someone Out There is Already Too Late (Mikis Theodorakis & Manos Eleftheriou, 1974)

Manos Eleftheriou

he lack of time won't win again over this magnificent song. Mikis Theodorakis -beign along with Manos Hadjidakis the most important composers of modern Greece- dresses up with music the lyrics of Manos Eleftheriou and Maria Farantouri is there to sing.

What a meeting. One time thing. For more about Mikis Theodorakis and that specific period these songs were written, there is a great article you can read here that describes some things in chronological order in a nice musical point of view.

Who, my life

music: Mikis Theodorakis

lyrics: Manos Eleftheriou

sings: Maria Farantouri

Who, my life, who is hunting it down

to single it out in the middle of the night

squealing & screaming the trucks go by

like a fish they've captured me in the net

For someone out there it's already too late

who, my life, who is hunting it down?

Who, for my life, who is in ambush for it

in this world's narrow alleys who is targeting it

where is the one who knows to speak, who knows how to believe

For someone out there it's already too late

who, my life, who is hunting it down?

Mikis Theodorakis

The KKK Took My Baby Away (Ramones in 1981 and Burger Project Today)

Burger Project new album cover "We live in Athens"

hen Ramones released their 6th album in 1981 had no idea that a Greek band (named Burger Project) would be interested in performing one of their songs that way. Neither the Greek band had any idea that they will ever be famous when they uploaded that performance (they were playing at someone's wedding party). Life can be funny, don't you think? You think.

Ramones first:

and the Burger Project follow:

More about those guys in future posts. Although I think that you will do the search yourself anyway, especially if you are not so big Ramones fans (I am not).

What is to me the drop (M.Hadjidakis singing Nikos Gatsos, 1972)

Nikos Gatsos

hat does it matter, the drop that shines on your forehead?

I know the thunder wrote its name on your lips
I know an eagle built its eyrie in your eyes
but here on this marshy bank there is one road only
only one treacherous road and you must cross it
you must soak in blood before time catches up with you
and you must cross to the other side to see your companions again
flowers birds deer
to find another sea another kindness...

Poetry by Nikos Gatsos, a part of the epic poem "Amorgos". Amorgos is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece with a strange mysterious landscape that captivates every visitor's mind. I guess this simplicity in sight along with the rich in sentiments land was what inspired Nikos Gatsos to write a huge surreal poem fundamentally mirroring the Greek culture and give it the island's name. Manos Hadjidakis composed music for this and sung it himself in 1972. This recording was only released 3 years ago.

What is to me the drop [Τι να μου κάνει η σταλαγματιά]

poem: Nikos Gatsos

music: Manos Hadjidakis

vocals: Manos Hadjidakis

Little before we announce the Manos Hadjidakis week "over" do remember previous posts with:

1. The stunning composition "When the clouds come", 1965

2. Manos and the New York Rock and Roll Ensemble performing again Nikos Gatsos' Kemal, 1969

"Amorgos" album cover

When The Clouds Come (Manos Hadjidakis, 1965)

hat did he know? Manos Hadjidakis certainly didn't know that these would happen today. I read the IMF (International Monetary Fund) & ECT (European Central Bank) measures for Greece. I know -as a 25 year old - that my grandchildren will still be paying back these loans. And I know how bad it feels to let others intrude and decide yours, your children's and grand-children's fate while I do not want to drive any sort of optimism at paying back someone that uses a whole country as a business. And I now realize how perfectly this song describes how it is When the clouds come.

When the Clouds come

album: Gioconda's Smile

composed by Manos Hadjidakis

New York, 1965

The song is the first song of the most legendary musical piece of art a Greek ever made. The first drum is the calling voice, the repeated melodies the clouds themselves and the mandolin that follows, the smile that sets us free.

Often played in Athens' metro. And the music runs into us as a subway train getting closer to elegant sentiments deep inside, releasing them in the air, unlocking their existence. And in a 3 minutes time clouds come and pass by; I hope again. Magnificent.

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.

Candles (Konstantinos P. Kavafis, 1899)

A Christian worshiper holds a candle inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher during a Good Friday procession in Jerusalem's Old City.

April 2, 2010. (REUTERS/Baz Ratner)

Κεριά

Του μέλλοντος οι μέρες στέκοντ' εμπροστά μας
σα μιά σειρά κεράκια αναμένα -
χρυσά, ζεστά, και ζωηρά κεράκια.
Οι περασμένες μέρες πίσω μένουν,
μια θλιβερή γραμμή κεριών σβησμένων·
τα πιο κοντά βγάζουν καπνόν ακόμη,
κρύα κεριά, λιωμένα, και κυρτά.
Δεν θέλω να τα βλέπω· με λυπεί η μορφή των,
και με λυπεί το πρώτο φως των να θυμούμαι.
Εμπρός κυττάζω τ' αναμένα μου κεριά.
Δεν θέλω να γυρίσω να μη διω και φρίξω
τι γρήγορα που η σκοτεινή γραμμή μακραίνει,

τι γρήγορα που τα σβυστά κεριά πληθαίνουν.

Κωνσταντίνος Π. Καβάφης

Candles

Days to come stand in front of us,
like a row of burning candles -
golden, warm, and vivid candles.
Days past fall behind us,
a gloomy line of burnt-out candles;
the nearest are still smoking,
cold, melted, and bent.
I don't want to look at them: their shape saddens me,
and it saddens me to remember their original light.
I look ahead at my burning candles.
I don't want to turn, don't want to see, terrified,
how quickly that dark line gets longer,
how quickly one more dead candle joins another.

Konstantinos P. Kavafis, 1899

A beautiful poem by Konstantinos P. Kavafis (bio here). Remember the one for the city that he also wrote. Very important guy.

Happy Easter and greets from a small Balkan city that is at its best this time of the year... When back to base, a very special song is coming.

Fssst... Boing! (A twisted Shake, 1963)

reek movies of 50s, 60s & 70s are the best mirrors for the modern Greek culture. The fiery social changes that were taking part in the US and the rest of Europe could neither spread in Greece as well nor stay away either. The result? A beautiful mess. Greece was definitely not mature for social changes but somehow should adopt the trends that come along. There is the tricky part...

Anyway, today I am going straight to the main dish. A song written by Mimis Plessas, performed by unknown people and sang by the famous actor of the time Kostas Voutsas at the movie "Something to burn" (1963). Ntinos Iliopoulos was one of the greatest comedians of these years and that's why the videos that follow do not need subtitles to laugh (& the movie made a ticket record when it was released). At the first he is trying to dance to impress the girl and the band make fun of him...

... and at the second they visit him at his office saying "Last time, we were missing one, check this one!"

Amazing actors, times and innocence.

Mid-War Athens (Sofia Vembo & Imam Baildi, 1939 & 2007)

imam baildi

thens has not always been a stressful ugly capital of 5 million scarily stolid people. There were nice times that the city had been a truly beautiful and peaceful city. Seriously. It's hard for me to believe too, but it's true. Just take a look to some before-after pictures (everybody likes before-after pictures..):

Omonoia Sqr.(1920s?)

Omonoia Sqr. (2007)

Lycabettus picture from Acropolis, then

Lycabettus picture from Acropolis, now

Ok, back to the dark reality. All these nice buildings were torn down, all tram-lines were removed in order to sell our allies cars to buy their protection and there we are stuck in the traffic in an ugly city. Take it or leave it, you might say.

Only thing's left from that period is music. A romantic urban music strangely influenced from our European friends, since Greece never experienced a serious urbanization or industrialization since that time. Anyway, the combination was nice, it worked, people liked it, musicians too (not the rembetiko ones of course - but we are anyway talking about a totally different class) and beautiful songs were written for love, wine, and having fun.

The song

Today, two versions of the same song are presented: 1. The original one written by Giannides, Spyropoulos & Papadoukas in 1939 and performed by the great Sofia Vembo. 2. A remake of the modern Greek band Imam Baildi.

I am sure the pics and the songs will give you a really good example of how the city has changed. Still lyrical, but mostly in a nostalgic tone and the decades added a rhythm too. You can dance with it's sterilized beat, or dream with its melody parts. It's your call.

How Sorry I am (Original Version)

music: K. Giannakides

lyrics: Vasilis Spyropoulos

Remake: Imam Baildi

I have met so many loves, and I loved and I broke up

but wherever I was, It was you I was looking for

In all my thousands of dreams, my lips were looking for yours

and my soul as well as my secret passions

How sorry I am, for all there years that we lost

before I meet you, the one I have waited so long.

and how afraid I am that one day I might lose you

because I would never forget you...

Stand by me, my sweetest love

I still want to tell you...

How sorry I am, for all there years that we lost

before I meet you, the one I have waited so long.

and how afraid I am that one day I might lose you

because I would never forget you...

- Remember the other music genre that was very vibrant between the World Wars, Rembetiko.

The Shipwrecks (Miltos Sachtouris)

arthquakes in Haiti & in Chile. On all cases the Greek media were trying to make sure that no Greek was hurt, despite the incredible losses of human lives and the massive destruction in both areas. If all Greeks are ok, then there's no problem. Humanity can go further. How hypocrites can we be? How self-involved? Well, there is an answer. It's a poem, by the great Miltos Sachtouris.

Τα ναυάγια

Μακριά στον ορίζοντα γίνεται

ένα ναυάγιο,είναι πολύ μακριά

και δε γνωρίζουμε τους πνιγμένους,

τους φίλους και τους συγγενείς που

τους θρηνούν.

Αλλά κι εδώ κοντά γίνεται ένα άλλο

ναυάγιο,κι αλίμονο,ξέρουμε

τους πνιγμένους,καθώς και τους

φίλους και τους συγγενείς που τους θρηνούν.

Μ.Σαχτούρης

The Shipwrecks

Far beyond the skyline

there is a shipwreck, really far

and we neither know those that drowned

nor their friends and families

who weep.

But also here, nearby, there is another

shipwreck, and, alack, we do know

the drowned, as well as their

friends and families who weep.

M. Sachtouris