He blends a lot of musical traditions in his work, from popular to electronic. He has composed a lot of songs based on poems by Greek and foreign poets, such as Euripides, Aristophanes, Constantine P. Cavafy, Giorgos Seferis, Yannis Ritsos, Odysseas Elytis and Nikos Kavvadias as well as Bertolt Brecht, Nazim Hikmet, Wolf Biermann and Maurice Maeterlinck. He has also written operas, symphonic music, chamber music and music for the theatre and cinema.
One of his most popular works was the setting to music of poems by Nikos Kavvadias in his albums Grammes Orizonton (Horizons' Lines) and Stavros tou Notou (Southern Cross). Some of the music was originally written for a TV series, the theme of which was marine. The songs were liked and he went on to the studio to record some more many of which were included in the aforementioned albums.
Thanos Mikroutsikos has also been involved in Greece's political life since the 60's. During the turbulent years of the military junta (1967-1974), he was persecuted by the regime for his anti-dictatorial activities and ideas. When the junta collapsed he continued being actively involved in politics as a member of the maoist EKKE, especially in the first years after the restoration of democracy.
After the elections of October 1993 he was appointed by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) which formed the new government, as Alternate-Minister of Culture with late Melina Mercouri as minister. In 1994 after the death of the latter he was appointed minister of culture. He remained at this position until 1996. His brother is the popular TV host and musician Andreas Mikroutsikos.
Armida
Thanos Mikroutsikos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
που μ΄ αυτό θα φύγετε και σεις,
είναι φορτωμένο με χασίς
κ΄ έχει τα φανάρια του στην πρύμη.
Μήνες τώρα που ΄χουμε κινήσει
και με τη βοήθεια του καιρού
όσο που να πάμε στο Περού
το φορτίο θα το χουμε καπνίσει.
Πλέμε σε μια θάλασσα γιομάτη
με λογής παράξενα φυτά,
ένας γέρος ήλιος μας κοιτά
και μας κλείνει που και που το μάτι.
Μπουκαπόρτες άδειες σκοτεινές,
-που να ξοδευτήκαν τόνοι χίλιοι
Μας προσμένουν πίπες αδειανές
και τελωνοφύλακες στο Τσίλι.
Ξεχασμένο τ΄ άστρο του Βορρά,
οι άγκυρες στο πέλαγο χαμένες.
Πάνω στις σκαλιέρες σε σειρά
δώδεκα σειρήνες κρεμασμένες.
Η πλωριά Γοργόνα μια βραδιά
πήδησε στον πόντο μεθυσμένη,
δίπλα της γλιστρούσαν συνοδιά
του Κολόμβου οι πέντε κολασμένοι.
Κι έπειτα στις ξέρες του Ακορά
τσούρμο τ΄ άγριο κύμα να μας βγάλει
τέρατα βαμμένα πορφυρά
με φτερούγες γλάρων στο κεφάλι.
The lyrics to Thanos Mikroutsikos's song Armida tell the story of Captain Jimmy and his crew, who are sailing on a pirate ship loaded with cannabis. They have been sailing for months, heading towards Peru, and have encountered many strange and peculiar things on their journey. The sea is filled with bizarre plants, and the sun is an old man who watches them closely. As they approach Chile, they are met by empty, dark customs houses and tobacco pipes waiting to be filled. They have forgotten the North Star, and the anchors are lost at sea. On the stairs leading up to the ship, there are twelve mermaids hanging in a row.
One night, the ship was approached by the mythical creature Gorgona, who was drunk and accompanied by five companions of Columbus. Then, as they head towards the Akora coast, they face monstrous creatures painted in purple with seagull wings on their heads, trying to overcome the wild waves. The lyrics offer a vivid portrayal of the dangers and wonders of a pirate's life at sea, filled with strange creatures, dark customs houses, and endless adventures.
Line by Line Meaning
Το πειρατικό του Captain Jimmy,
Captain Jimmy's pirate ship,
που μ΄ αυτό θα φύγετε και σεις,
that you too will escape on,
είναι φορτωμένο με χασίς
loaded with cannabis
κ΄ έχει τα φανάρια του στην πρύμη.
and has its lights at the bow.
Μήνες τώρα που ΄χουμε κινήσει
For months we've been on the move
και με τη βοήθεια του καιρού
with the help of time
όσο που να πάμε στο Περού
so far as to go to Peru
το φορτίο θα το χουμε καπνίσει.
we'll have smoked the cargo.
Πλέμε σε μια θάλασσα γιομάτη
We sail in a sea full of
με λογής παράξενα φυτά,
strange plants of all kinds,
ένας γέρος ήλιος μας κοιτά
while an old sun is watching us
και μας κλείνει που και που το μάτι.
and occasionally winking at us.
Μπουκαπόρτες άδειες σκοτεινές,
Empty, dark portholes
-που να ξοδευτήκαν τόνοι χίλιοι
that thousands of tons have been spent on
Μας προσμένουν πίπες αδειανές
Waiting for us are empty bowls
και τελωνοφύλακες στο Τσίλι.
and customs officials in Chile.
Ξεχασμένο τ΄ άστρο του Βορρά,
The forgotten star of the North,
οι άγκυρες στο πέλαγο χαμένες.
anchors lost in the ocean.
Πάνω στις σκαλιέρες σε σειρά
Lined up on the stairs
δώδεκα σειρήνες κρεμασμένες.
twelve mermaids are hanging.
Η πλωριά Γοργόνα μια βραδιά
The Gorgon sail one night
πήδησε στον πόντο μεθυσμένη,
jumped into the sea drunk,
δίπλα της γλιστρούσαν συνοδιά
Next to her, companions were slipping
του Κολόμβου οι πέντε κολασμένοι.
the five damned of Columbus.
Κι έπειτα στις ξέρες του Ακορά
Then, in the dryness of Acora,
τσούρμο τ΄ άγριο κύμα να μας βγάλει
a pack of wild waves appeared to take us out
τέρατα βαμμένα πορφυρά
monsters painted purple
με φτερούγες γλάρων στο κεφάλι.
with seagull wings on their heads.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THANOS MIKROUTSIKOS, NIKOS KAVVADIAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind