Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The sponge diver's song that became a worldwide hit

I quote from a Kalymnos website:

"Everybody knows the song "Dirlada" since it was a worldwide hit at the beginning of 70ies.
But only a few know that it is a sponge diver song from Kalymnos.
It's career started when Domna Samiou (a Greek folklore music legend) discovered Pandelis Ginnis, a sponge diver's boat captain, ho sung it on a very special way and recorded it.

Then it was recorded by Dionysis Savopoulos. It became his best commercial hit.
Our big musician Nikos Xilouris followed along with many Greek and foreigner musicians.
In the 70ies it became a worldwide hit and it was danced for many years in Discos.
The last version we found is a Techno!!!! version from the French band "Les Bronzes".

You can see lyrics and descriptions in next pages. From here you can download:



  • The "5+4=9 Pente kai tessera ennia" a version of Dirlada before it becomes a record.

  • The first recorded Dirlada by "Pandelis Ginnis" .

    Dedicated to my friend IVAN who did not believe me when I informed him that Dirlada is coming from Kalymnos and I promised to prove it to him." POOR BASTARD.
  • 1 comment:

    1. This is actually the most irritating song known to man! My life has been permanently scarred by the bus trip from Athens to Istanbul in my teens when this "song" was played almost continuously. Well I suppose Theodorakis was banned under the Colonels....

      ReplyDelete

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