Georges Moustaki
Immeasurably saddened by the news of Georges Moustaki's departure from this world today, the first song that came to mind was Le Facteur and the amazingly prophetic words...
Le jeune facteur est mort
Il n'avait que dix-sept ans
L'amour ne peut plus voyager
Il a perdu son messager
C'est lui qui venait chaque jour
Les bras chargés de tous mes mots d'amour
C'est lui qui tenait dans ses mains
La fleur d'amour cueillie dans ton jardin
Il est parti dans le ciel bleu
Comme un oiseau enfin libre et heureux
Et quand son âme l'a quitté
Un rossignol quelque part a chanté
Je t'aime autant que je t'aimais
Mais je ne peux le dire désormais
Il a emporté avec lui
Les derniers mots que je t'avais écrit
Il n'ira plus sur les chemins
Fleuris de roses et de jasmins
Qui mènent jusqu'à ta maison
L'amour ne peut plus voyager
Il a perdu son messager
Et mon coeur est comme en prison
Il est parti l'adolescent
Qui t'apportait mes joies et mes tourments
L'hiver a tué le printemps
Tout est fini pour nous deux maintenant
Manos Hadjidakis' Ο Ταχυδρόμος Πέθανε...
The first Moustaki song I ever heard, it travelled me back to many wonderful hours spent listening to French music, a multi-talented, multi-cultural group of students, with many and varied backgrounds working as we listened to Moustaki, Mouskouri, Brassens, Brel, Aznavour, Piaf and many other amazing French artists. Hours of language lab work, hours spent in coffee and discussion, hours spent singing along with David and his guitar and the rest of the faculty on the many trips we went on, sharing our love of French music and culture with the rest of the country.
Looking back, I should have known what would follow. I was especially
interested in the Global Greek element of what we were listening to.
The mix of Greek-Alexandrian-French-Jewish that was Moustaki (meteque, juif errant et patre grec),and all those influences on his music, and the more classic Greek International that was Nana Mouskouri helped shape my musical tastes fairly early on. By the time I moved to Greece, I couldn't wait to see them in person - one of the many bonuses living in Greece would offer.
The first time I saw and heard Moustaki, was at a charity concert in the auditorium of the prestigious Athens College.
The first time I saw and heard Moustaki, was at a charity concert in the auditorium of the prestigious Athens College.
We loved it, Moustaki was fabulous... expressive, soft, melodic voice even when speaking, great performance but we were blessed with the 'misfortune' of sitting behind his friend, the one and only George Dalaras, whose wife couldn't stop talking until Georges called George onto the stage to join him... thankfully, and we all breathed a sigh of relief...
En Mediterranee, Le Meteque , Eimaste Dyo - Nous Sommes deux, we heard all these and many more trademark Moustaki songs that night...fantastic melodies, beautiful words. Songs which we were lucky enough to hear live several times in Greece - Moustaki loved Greece and he came back often.
The last concert we saw him at was at the Veakion open-air theatre in Piraeus, and it was truly magical.
Moustaki with his flowing white hair elegantly clothed in classic all white, his magnificent voice and a full moon seemingly rising from the sea... what more could we ask for?
The last concert we saw him at was at the Veakion open-air theatre in Piraeus, and it was truly magical.
Moustaki with his flowing white hair elegantly clothed in classic all white, his magnificent voice and a full moon seemingly rising from the sea... what more could we ask for?
Paradise En Mediterranee in every sense of the word....
So many wonderful memories to go with the beautiful songs you are leaving us and for which we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Beautiful songs which helped shape our lives.
Merci, Ευχαριστούμε...
Au revoir, Georges Moustaki
Καλό Ταξίδι...
Bon Voyage...
PS The playlist above is our tribute to one of our most wonderful Global Greek artists. If you click on the video and let it play on... from Joseph to Il y avait un Jardin...you are sure to hear most of your favourite Moustaki songs
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