Saturday, June 16, 2012

18 Years On: Remembering Manos Hadjidakis



Eighteen years ago today, Greece sadly farewelled one of her most talented. Internationally acclaimed composer Manos Hadjidakis, passed into eternity leaving behind him a wealth of beautiful music, his legacy to Greece, his people and the world.

His most well known, Never on Sunday, the internationally acclaimed title song from the film starring Melina Mercouri and directed by Jules Dassin, became an instant success around the world and granted him an Academy Award in 1960. 

With the Greek elections in just a couple of days, this Hadjidakis song, with lyrics by the great Nikos Gatsos, which talks about Greece and the 1821 War of Independence and its heroes, seems to be particularly appropriate right now, at a time when our people and this beautiful and historic homeland is desperately seeking direction and leadership from non-existent leaders...


 

'Tsamikos' sung by Global Greek of the Year, Mario Frangoulis...

Στίχοι: Νίκος Γκάτσος
Μουσική: Μάνος Χατζιδάκις
Πρώτη εκτέλεση: Μανώλης Μητσιάς

Στα κακοτράχαλα τα βουνά
με το σουράβλι και το ζουρνά
πάνω στην πέτρα την αγιασμένη
χορεύουν τώρα τρεις αντρειωμένοι.
Ο Νικηφόρος κι ο Διγενής
κι ο γιος της Άννας της Κομνηνής.

Δική τους είναι μια φλούδα γης
μα εσύ Χριστέ μου τους ευλογείς
για να γλυτώσουν αυτή τη φλούδα
απ' το τσακάλι και την αρκούδα.
Δες πώς χορεύει ο Νικηταράς
κι αηδόνι γίνεται ο ταμπουράς.

Από την Ήπειρο στο Μοριά
κι απ' το σκοτάδι στη λευτεριά
το πανηγύρι κρατάει χρόνια
στα μαρμαρένια του χάρου αλώνια.
Κριτής κι αφέντης είν' ο Θεός
και δραγουμάνος του ο λαός.

Source: Stixoi 

Just click on the arrow to listen to some more of Hadjidakis' unforgettable melodies in the playlist below.


Read more:
Manos Hadjidakis - Official Website
Manos Hadjidakis on Wikipedia

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