Friday Night is Greek Music

This is a blog that somehow explains why I listen to Greek music. It's not a blog written because I have nothing better to do on a Friday night (well it could be!).

Judging by the 45s in my inherited collection of vinyl, I certainly heard this stuff from when I wore nappies and quite liked some of the melodies but the lyrics were all matia mou this and s'agapo the other and everything seemed so makria: But somehow it was in my blood.

At university a Greek friend introduced me to Manos Hadjidakis' Giaconda's smile - this featured endlessy on Greek TV during intermissions (frequent) somewhat like Handel's Water music was played on BBC1 with that funny girl with a clown .

Then last Saturday Peter Paphides came on the DAB telling the story of Greek Blues.

Musical Intermission follows: (Dont forget to back arrow your browser to return here when the twanging stops.)

Listen to Never on Sunday

Back to the lecture:

Manos Hadjidakis is generally remembered for composing this song for the film Never on Sunday - Peter Paphides recounts the story of Manos trying to throw away the oscar that he had received for his score - he regarded its popularity as a mill stone around his neck.

More importantly Manos can be credited for defining Rembetika as the only real Greek music - these urban folk songs were despised by the Greek establishment and listening to them would certainly lead to blindness. Manos cleverly combined rembetika with other traditional Greek and Turkish oriental themes and created modern Greek music.

Anyway, that about wraps that up with pitta then...


Gordon Bennett even the Muppets did it!