Great "international" compositions by Duffy's best "neo" composers

David Halitsky · 01-01-2015 06:12 PM

This thread is for "international" compositions by Duffy's best "neo" composers.

By "international", I mean compositions where music and arrangement would succeed in any culture, because they're not SPECIFICALLY tied to the usual "motifs" of Greek melodies, arrangements, and instruments.

First example in this category:

Ποια νύχτα σ΄ έκλεψε - 1970
Στίχοι: Λευτέρης Παπαδόπουλος
Μουσική: Μίμης Πλέσσας
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...s&song_id=4102
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCnJteEKR5w

This song would have been a "pop" hit in the US or any European country, not just Greece.

In fact, you could argue that Banderas and Iglesias and the rest of the "kids" owe a lot to songs like this.

Amethystos · 01-01-2015 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by David Halitsky

This song would have been a "pop" hit in the US or any European country, not just Greece.

Well if it would then why it didn't make it?

Maybe cause music industry didn't need the money huh?

David Halitsky · 01-01-2015 07:26 PM

Επιτρέψτε μου να σας απαντήσω ρωτώντας σας μια ερώτηση .

Πώς μπορείτε να το πω αυτό στα ελληνικά : "The song was too hip for the room" !!!!

In other words, did the song fail even though the industry TRIED to promote it, or because the industry wasn't hip enough to promote it at all?

Also, I guess what I meant by "pop hit" is:

"a song that would still be played on a station like Glenti 45 years after it was released."

Anyway, how about this song, also played on Glenti tonight (tonight my time in US):

Καμιά φορά - 1983
Στίχοι: Μιχάλης Μπουρμπούλης
Μουσική: Γιώργος Χατζηνάσιος
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...s&song_id=2258
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKA9iNQ0bik

Was it a hit in Greece?

I would argue that this song is more "international" than Greek, if you know what I mean.

Amethystos · 01-02-2015 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by David Halitsky

Επιτρέψτε μου να σας απαντήσω ρωτώντας σας μια ερώτηση .

Πώς μπορείτε να το πω αυτό στα ελληνικά : "The song was too hip for the room" !!!!

In other words, did the song fail even though the industry TRIED to promote it, or because the industry wasn't hip enough to promote it at all?

Also, I guess what I meant by "pop hit" is:

"a song that would still be played on a station like Glenti 45 years after it was released."

All I'm saying is that we can't speak about the possibility of a song being hit in the past in another market than the one it did became hit.

So was there a Greek song that became a US and/or UK hit in the past?

How about this one?

[CUBtfHYG7i8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUBtfHYG7i8[/video]

A good story about it is written in the following link (Greek readers only, unfortunately!) -> http://www.glikiazoi.gr/2012/02/06/%...-%CF%84%CE%BF/

Originally Posted by David Halitsky

Anyway, how about this song, also played on Glenti tonight (tonight my time in US):

Καμιά φορά - 1983
Στίχοι: Μιχάλης Μπουρμπούλης
Μουσική: Γιώργος Χατζηνάσιος
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...s&song_id=2258
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKA9iNQ0bik

Was it a hit in Greece?

Was a hit, is a classic.
Top period for Marinella these years, when she recorded too many hits.

Originally Posted by David Halitsky

I would argue that this song is more "international" than Greek, if you know what I mean.

Yes specific composer is leaning more towards western rather than eastern "musicality".

David Halitsky · 01-02-2015 06:07 PM

I would say that this song is another candidate for this category:

Played by Glenti at 3:00 AM
Saturday, January 3, 2015 (GMT+2)
Time in Xanthi, Greece

Όλα δικά σου μάτια μου - 1969
Στίχοι: Λευτέρης Παπαδόπουλος
Μουσική: Μίμης Πλέσσας
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...ls&song_id=788
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79O55_Ji8KY

I don't know whether it was a "hit" or not - I'm just saying that to me, it sounds more "international/continental" than Greek.

Amethystos · 01-02-2015 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by David Halitsky

Originally Posted by Amethystos

How about this one?

[CUBtfHYG7i8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUBtfHYG7i8[/video]

A good story about it is written in the following link (Greek readers only, unfortunately!) -> http://www.glikiazoi.gr/2012/02/06/%...-%CF%84%CE%BF/

I don't know whether it was a "hit" or not - I'm just saying that to me, it sounds more "international/continental" than Greek.

Well it actually was ... look for yourself -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Alone_Am_I

David Halitsky · 01-02-2015 06:16 PM

Amethystos -

Thanks for that link regarding Min ton rotas ton ourano.

But when I wrote:

"I don't know whether it was a "hit" or not - I'm just saying that to me, it sounds more "international/continental" than Greek."

I was referring to this song:

Όλα δικά σου μάτια μου - 1969
Στίχοι: Λευτέρης Παπαδόπουλος
Μουσική: Μίμης Πλέσσας
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...ls&song_id=788
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79O55_Ji8KY

Was this a "hit" according to the usual criteria?

Duffy Dack · 01-03-2015 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by David Halitsky

Όλα δικά σου μάτια μου - 1969
Στίχοι: Λευτέρης Παπαδόπουλος
Μουσική: Μίμης Πλέσσας
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...ls&song_id=788
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79O55_Ji8KY

Was this a "hit" according to the usual criteria?

Tahira · 01-03-2015 07:52 AM

I do not know if my following answer hits the Topic of this thread, but the greek singer Vicky Leandros (she is greek, lives in Germany and is very very famous here; she sings in german, French, greek, english..) She put "O KAIMOS" from Theodorakis into german and it was a big success in the 70ies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdXeuKV1jB4

David Halitsky · 01-03-2015 11:10 AM

Personally, I think that song fits the category, Tahira.

Very pretty voice - thanks for posting the link.

David Halitsky · 01-03-2015 03:53 PM

Duffy Dack · 01-04-2015 08:04 AM

Αυτά είναι μερικά τραγούδια, για να καταλάβεις ποιά έγιναν επιτυχίες - και ακόμα είναι. (Όπως και όλα τα τραγούδια που σου αρέσουν)

All these songs were and still be hits. And all songs that you like.

Όμως σήμερα, τις επιτυχίες τις "κατασκευάζουν" οι εταιρείες...

David Halitsky · 01-04-2015 09:54 AM

Duffy - you wrote -

"Όμως σήμερα, τις επιτυχίες τις "κατασκευάζουν" οι εταιρείες..."

Yes - I understand. Same in this country.

Also, how did you come up with that list of hits so quickly? Do you have a category for "international-flavor" in the catalog for your discotheque???

Duffy Dack · 01-04-2015 12:12 PM

I post "some" from my mind. I can post 1000 more at least...

David Halitsky · 01-04-2015 03:50 PM

You have a great memory, Duffy.

But do you really think this one has an "international" flavor?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Sh163f2P0
Το δακρυ μας σταλια,σταλια - Γιαννης Πουλοπουλος

It's a straight zeibekiko - a specifically GREEK rhythm - not international at all, in my opinion.

Also, I think these two are really much more "Greek" than "international":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNfcRcJEv0U
ΣΤΑΜΑΤΗΣ ΚΟΚΟΤΑΣ - Όνειρο απατηλό

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=troFh5jhZ-w
ΔΕΝ ΕΧΕΙ ΔΡΟΜΟ ΝΑ ΔΙΑΒΩ

David Halitsky · 01-04-2015 11:02 PM

I think this one by Ζαμπέτας is more "international" than Greek:

Χίλια περιστέρια - 1991
Στίχοι: Ιωάννα Κλειάσιου
Μουσική: Γιώργος Ζαμπέτας
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...s&song_id=6795
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l-KCX5ZSB0

Duffy Dack · 01-05-2015 07:34 AM

The Greek music has always a problem with the language and with the unusual rhythm. I speak always for a different instrumentation, to become more easily to foreign listener.

David Halitsky · 01-05-2015 09:59 AM

"I speak always for a different instrumentation, to become more easily to foreign listener."

That's an interesting idea, Duffy.

Here's another that I consider more "international" than Greek:

And another by Χατζιδάκις (Live365 Greek Oldies Jan 5 11:55am US Eastern)
Θάλασσα πλατιά - 1965
Στίχοι: Γιώργος Ρούσσος
Μουσική: Μάνος Χατζιδάκις
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...s&song_id=2763
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7yFGFiGtfY
Bouzouki: ????

And another by Χατζιδάκις (Live365 Greek Oldies Jan 5 12:15 pm US Eastern)
Όταν Έρχονται Τα Σύννεφ (????)
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?info=Poems&act=d
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuQ0Plw9V38

And another by Ζαμπέτας (Live365 Greek Oldies Jan 5 2:05pm US Eastern)
Άκου τ΄ αηδόνια - 1967
Στίχοι: Χαράλαμπος Βασιλειάδης
Μουσική: Γιώργος Ζαμπέτας
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...&song_id=23633
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYbMvSwb8Lw

And another by Χατζηνάσιος (Live365 Greek Oldies Jan 5 2:08pm US Eastern)
Σήμερα - 1978
Στίχοι: Μίμης Θειόπουλος
Μουσική: Γιώργος Χατζηνάσιος
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...s&song_id=1669
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ctj6Espeag

Duffy Dack · 01-06-2015 02:09 PM

OK Listen, the list is too long...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpd3MtJzdak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJeQO_3HBsU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkJl3mq8SWw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzdsrf1XqQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMY7T2xxMIA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TybpWiEmwQ

I believe that you know about the record of M. Hadjidakis with New York Rock & Roll Rock Ensemble and Quincy Jones....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyj8nFoWNBM

David Halitsky · 01-14-2015 01:51 PM

The proverb says: "Μεγάλη βελανιδιές αυξηθεί από λίγο βελανίδια".

Five years after the release of this song:

Εφτά τραγούδια θα σου πω - 1955
Μιχάλης Κακογιάννης
Μουσική: Μάνος Χατζιδάκις
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...s&song_id=2449
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcLCbpFpmcM (this clip is with Μερκούρη)

Χατζιδάκις would have written "Τα Παιδιά του Πειραιά" and Μερκούρη would have sung it in the movie.

And seven years after that, Κακογιάννης would have directed Zorba.

From Greece to the international "world-stage" in 12 years (all three of them) ...