#Epi aspalathon

[elizabethanism]

Seferis’ last poem, written on March 31, 1971

«Επι Ασπαλάθων»

#Epi aspalathon #george seferis #Poem #March #Spring

[pastellarts]

The Sunday song

I decided to start posting one song from my country, Greece, along with some information for the piece I choose and why I think it’s an important song. The posts will be every Sunday.

In honour of the great poet/writer Manos Eleftheriou that passed away early this morning at 80 years old, we start with “Μαλαματένια Λόγια” (Malamaténia Logia/ translation: Very good words/ words from heart)

The song was released in 1974, after the restoration of democracy in Greece, following a 7 year dictatorship. The music is from Yannis Markopoulos and the first recording was with Lakis Halkias, Haralampos Garganourakis and Tania Tsanaklidou in vocals. The first recording was included in the album “Thiteia” from Yannis Makropoulos.

The song has become very famous in Greece and has had notable recordings from popular singers like Vasilis Papakonstantinou and Yannis Haroulis, who includes it in all his concerts.

Manos Eleftheriou wrote the lyrics during the 7-year dictatorship and they were censored. According to some, the song refers to the labour movement and narrates a period from the Nazi Occupation time (1941-1944) up to the dictatorship years (1967-1974). Some of the lyrics that were changed were:

«κι όχι να ζεις μ' αυτή τη συμμορία» -> «κομπανία» (original is gang, that refers to the military officers that made the coup on April 21st 1967, and became company)

«και ξημερώνοντας Παρασκευή» -> «μέρα κακή». ‘Friday’ was turned to ‘bad day’ because the coup happened on a Friday and a liberal member of the parliament, Grigoris Lamprakis, was also murdered by paramilitaries on a Friday.

The lyrics are also an indirect reference to the poetry of George Seferis, a Nobel awarded Greek poet. Most lyrics refer to the poem “Ελένη/Eleni”, and some also note references to “Επί Ασπαλάθων/Epi aspalathon”.

Yiannis Markopoylos had thought of the melody at the age of 13 when he was trying to write music for Christmas carols.

You can read a translation of the wonderful greek lyrics

With information from wikipedia, stixoi.info

#manos eleftheriou #Μάνος Ελευθερίου #Μαλαματένια Λόγια #malamatenia logia #yannis markopoulos #yannis haroulis #giannis haroulis #greece #greek song #sunday song #my post