G’day fellow Greek learners,
Does anyone have any recommendations for Greek music with lyrics that are relatively easy to decipher (and easy to find on the internet)? Style is completely unimportant as I’m interested in music as a learning tool and have very broad tastes.
I’ve been listening to Arleta recently and have found that quite useful - she sings slowly and clearly in fairly standard modern Greek. Recommendations for anything along those lines would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Sean
Oh boy, do I! I’m a big fan of Greek music.
This is just installment one - have to go to work! Will add more later.
I particularly like Nana Mouskouri - https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Νάνα_Μούσχουρη - I really fell in love with her many years ago, but interestingly enough because she sings mostly in French. However, then I discovered her Greek music. My favorite of her albums (in Greek) are “Η Ενδεκάτη Εντολή” and “An Evening with Belafonte” (mixed Greek/English). You will find plenty on YouTube, just search “νάνα μούσχουρη”. But be careful, once you listen to her in French, you’ll probably melt 
Many thanks Neal! I vaguely remember my parents listening to her when I was younger - I didn’t realise she sung so much in Greek though. I’ll start with Η Ενδεκάτη Εντολή and see how I go. Looking forward to some more recommendations when you have the time (no rush).
I’ll probably avoid the French for the moment as I tend to get a bit confused once I start mixing up my languages!
My pleasure Sean.
I hear you about mixing languages! It can be confusing. I know a lot of people do it, but I prefer focusing on one at a time.
This is the best Greek Lyrics site: http://www.stixoi.info/ that I have seen (so far) - and here’s the words to “Η Ενδεκάτη Εντολή”: http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?info=Lyrics&act=details&song_id=7350
I mostly like older style music, λαϊκα, παραδοσιακά και ρεμπέτικο. One of my favorite old-time bands is Τρίο Μπελκάντο - very popular night-club style music from the 60’s onward. This was my real introduction to listening to Greek music. You’ll find plenty of them on YouTube and the lyrics on stixoi.info. It might seem pretty dated now, but I still enjoy it, tho’ my friend in Athens makes fun of me for listening to the kind of music “my parents used to listen to”. But, then again, he says the same thing about Nana!
I like some Rebetiko (not all of it, but plenty!). I’m a fan of Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης (Markos Vamvakaris), and for me Φραγκοσυριανή is perhaps my all-time favorite, easy to learn to sing along with. Listen to this version by Γρηγόρης Μπιθικώτσης:
Μία φούντωση, μια φλόγα
που’ χω μέσα στην καρδιά
λες και μάγια μου’ χεις κάνει
Φραγκοσυριανή γλυκιά
λες και μάγια μου ’χεις κάνει
Φραγκοσυριανή γλυκιά
Θα ’ρθω να σε ανταμώσω
κάτω στην ακρογιαλιά
Θα ήθελα να σε χορτάσω
όλο χάδια και φιλιά
Θα ήθελα να σε χορτάσω
όλο χάδια και φιλιά
Θα σε πάρω να γυρίσω
Φοίνικα, Παρακοπή
Γαλησσά και Nτελαγκράτσια
και ας μου ’ρθει συγκοπή
Γαλησσά και Nτελαγκράτσια
και ας μου ’ρθει συγκοπή
Στο Πατέλι, στο Nιχώρι
φίνα στην Αλυτινή
και στο Πισκοπιό ρομάντζα
γλυκιά μου Φραγκοσυριανή
και στο Πισκοπιό ρομάντζα
γλυκιά μου Φραγκοσυριανή
I like παραδοσιακά, so a close second (for me) is the song Σαμιώτισσα - Nana has a version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZhCvxzbins
Some others that I listen to are:
Γρηγόρης Μπιθικώτσης
Νίκος Ξυλούρης (από τη Κρίτη) - the lyrics here can be more difficult because of the Cretan words/pronunciations (at least for me) - try: Πότε θα κάνει ξαστεριά and Μπήκαν στην πόλη οι οχτροί. Very stirring stuff!
And just for the best bouzouki playing, try Χρήστος Νικολόπουλος - lots of vocals, and fabulous bouzouki playing!
This ought to keep you busy for a while!
Thank you so much Neal, that’s hugely appreciated and exactly what I was looking for. I’m a bit rushed at the moment (impending flight) but will try to get as many of them as possible onto my MP3 player over the next few days.
RE Νίκος Ξυλούρης, that’s actually brilliant, as it’s southwest Crete that’s stolen our heart more than anywhere else in Greece, and where we’d like to move as soon as we can speak Greek sufficiently well and can make the financials work (probably a good few years away). But we’d better start familiarising ourselves with the dialect sooner or later 
Thanks once again!
Sean, I found a few great items on YouTube of πάλια λαϊκα that you might enjoy. There is a really large CD collection called “Τραγούδια από τις 45 στροφές” and on YouTube you can find individual albums as well as compilations like:
Πάλια Λαϊκα Από 45 Στροφές No. 1
Πάλια Λαϊκα Από 45 Στροφές No. 2
which will give you about 5 hours of listening pleasure!
Awesome, many thanks for that Neal! I’ll get stuck into them next week.