Aphrodite's Child was a Greek rock band formed in 1968 by vocalist/bassist … Read Full Bio ↴Aphrodite's Child was a Greek rock band formed in 1968 by vocalist/bassist Demis Roussos, multi-instrumentalist Evangelos (Vangelis) Papathanassiou and drummer Lucas Sideras. After a failed attempt to enter England, the band regrouped in Paris, where guitarist Anargyros "Silver" Koulouris was added to their line-up (although he would be forced to leave the band to perform military service, with guitar and bass both being played by Roussos during his absence).
The band's first two albums, End of the World and It's Five O'Clock, combined a very '60s sounding Euro-pop-rock with Greek folk music elements. The former album featured the song "Rain and Tears", a reworking of Pachelbel's Canon in D major. The song was a minor hit in the United Kingdom, but did far better in France, where the band was based, as well as the rest of Europe. Other European hits included "Marie Jolie", "I Want to Live", and "Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall" from 1969 and 1970 respectively.
The band began to record their crowning achievement in 1970: a musical adaptation of the biblical Book of Revelations, entitled 666 - The Apocalypse of St. John. Relations between Roussos, Vangelis and Sideras were not good at the time, and continued to worsen before the album's creation. However, the group was contractually obligated to release a third album, and went into the studio in 1970 to create 666.
Essentially, 666 was Vangelis' concept, created with an outside lyricist, Costas Ferris. The music that Vangelis was creating for 666 was much more psychedelic and progressive rock oriented than anything the band had done before. This did not sit well with the other band members, who wished to continue in the pop direction that had brought them success. Further, Roussos was being groomed for a solo career, and pressure from the record company for the band to produce another hit single did not help. In essence, the band broke up during the completion of 666. Vangelis finished the album primarily on his own with assistance from studio musicians.
Immediately afterwards, Vangelis engaged in a long fight with Mercury over the content of the album. The record company, in particular, objected to the song "∞" (infinity), which consisted of actress Irene Papas chanting the words "I was, I am, I am to come" in various stages of orgiastic ecstasy, while Vangelis accompanied her on percussion. However, the double-album length of 666 and the musical experimentation, as well as the subject matter, also exacerbated Mercury's ire. After Roussos and Sideras had already embarked on solo careers, Mercury finally agreed to release 666 two years after its completion, and it came out in 1972.
Strangely enough, 666 was the only Aphrodite's Child album to make any impact in America. The blood-red cover with the letters 666 prominently displayed in black and white was striking, and brought immediate accusations of occultism from various quarters. Any suspicions of occultism could be dispersed by simply reading the lyrics, which were fairly faithfully based around the Book of Revelations, but the accusations undoubtedly helped sell the album in the United States. The album met with less controversy overseas and sold reasonably well on its own merits.
The music itself was an impressive display of Vangelis' abilities, combining psychedelic and progressive rock with ethnic instruments, choral chanting, recitations, and very advanced use of synthesizers and keyboards for the time. In time the album became recognized as one of the most important early progressive rock works, and a defining example of the concept album. 666 also made Vangelis an underground name to watch, and earned him an offer from Jon Anderson to join Yes. Vangelis turned down the offer in order to concentrate on a solo career. However, he and Anderson later created several duet albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
After the band split, both Vangelis and Demis Roussos pursued successful solo careers, Roussos as a pop singer and Vangelis as one of the pioneers in progressive electronic music. Kolouris worked with both on occasion. Lucas Sideras pursued a less successful solo career, releasing the single "Rising Sun" after the break-up.
Discography
End of the World (1968)
It's Five O'Clock (1969)
666 (The Apocalypse Of John,13/18) (1971)
Best Of Aphrodite's Child (1980)
Aphrodite's Child's Greatest Hits (1995)
The Complete Collection (Aphrodite's Child) (1996)
Babylon the Great (2002)
Song Highlights:
"Four Horsemen", from the album 666, was a minor hit on FM radio in the United States, receiving AOR airplay to this day. "Babylon", from the same album, was released as a single, and found similar acceptance on AOR radio in the 1970's. "Hic and Nunc" and "Break", from the same album, were also tried out as singles but did not chart well at the time.
"Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall" - the final single before the release of 666 and the last of the band's singles to chart significantly in their European home base.
"Rain and Tears" - based on Pachelbel's Canon in D major, this song was probably their biggest hit as a single release.
"It's Five o Clock" and "Such a Funny Night" also charted in Europe. All of the above songs can be found on various compilation/greatest hits discs. The band's singles were aimed squarely at the pop market, and do not bear any significant resemblance to the music on 666.
The band's first two albums, End of the World and It's Five O'Clock, combined a very '60s sounding Euro-pop-rock with Greek folk music elements. The former album featured the song "Rain and Tears", a reworking of Pachelbel's Canon in D major. The song was a minor hit in the United Kingdom, but did far better in France, where the band was based, as well as the rest of Europe. Other European hits included "Marie Jolie", "I Want to Live", and "Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall" from 1969 and 1970 respectively.
The band began to record their crowning achievement in 1970: a musical adaptation of the biblical Book of Revelations, entitled 666 - The Apocalypse of St. John. Relations between Roussos, Vangelis and Sideras were not good at the time, and continued to worsen before the album's creation. However, the group was contractually obligated to release a third album, and went into the studio in 1970 to create 666.
Essentially, 666 was Vangelis' concept, created with an outside lyricist, Costas Ferris. The music that Vangelis was creating for 666 was much more psychedelic and progressive rock oriented than anything the band had done before. This did not sit well with the other band members, who wished to continue in the pop direction that had brought them success. Further, Roussos was being groomed for a solo career, and pressure from the record company for the band to produce another hit single did not help. In essence, the band broke up during the completion of 666. Vangelis finished the album primarily on his own with assistance from studio musicians.
Immediately afterwards, Vangelis engaged in a long fight with Mercury over the content of the album. The record company, in particular, objected to the song "∞" (infinity), which consisted of actress Irene Papas chanting the words "I was, I am, I am to come" in various stages of orgiastic ecstasy, while Vangelis accompanied her on percussion. However, the double-album length of 666 and the musical experimentation, as well as the subject matter, also exacerbated Mercury's ire. After Roussos and Sideras had already embarked on solo careers, Mercury finally agreed to release 666 two years after its completion, and it came out in 1972.
Strangely enough, 666 was the only Aphrodite's Child album to make any impact in America. The blood-red cover with the letters 666 prominently displayed in black and white was striking, and brought immediate accusations of occultism from various quarters. Any suspicions of occultism could be dispersed by simply reading the lyrics, which were fairly faithfully based around the Book of Revelations, but the accusations undoubtedly helped sell the album in the United States. The album met with less controversy overseas and sold reasonably well on its own merits.
The music itself was an impressive display of Vangelis' abilities, combining psychedelic and progressive rock with ethnic instruments, choral chanting, recitations, and very advanced use of synthesizers and keyboards for the time. In time the album became recognized as one of the most important early progressive rock works, and a defining example of the concept album. 666 also made Vangelis an underground name to watch, and earned him an offer from Jon Anderson to join Yes. Vangelis turned down the offer in order to concentrate on a solo career. However, he and Anderson later created several duet albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
After the band split, both Vangelis and Demis Roussos pursued successful solo careers, Roussos as a pop singer and Vangelis as one of the pioneers in progressive electronic music. Kolouris worked with both on occasion. Lucas Sideras pursued a less successful solo career, releasing the single "Rising Sun" after the break-up.
Discography
End of the World (1968)
It's Five O'Clock (1969)
666 (The Apocalypse Of John,13/18) (1971)
Best Of Aphrodite's Child (1980)
Aphrodite's Child's Greatest Hits (1995)
The Complete Collection (Aphrodite's Child) (1996)
Babylon the Great (2002)
Song Highlights:
"Four Horsemen", from the album 666, was a minor hit on FM radio in the United States, receiving AOR airplay to this day. "Babylon", from the same album, was released as a single, and found similar acceptance on AOR radio in the 1970's. "Hic and Nunc" and "Break", from the same album, were also tried out as singles but did not chart well at the time.
"Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall" - the final single before the release of 666 and the last of the band's singles to chart significantly in their European home base.
"Rain and Tears" - based on Pachelbel's Canon in D major, this song was probably their biggest hit as a single release.
"It's Five o Clock" and "Such a Funny Night" also charted in Europe. All of the above songs can be found on various compilation/greatest hits discs. The band's singles were aimed squarely at the pop market, and do not bear any significant resemblance to the music on 666.
All The Seats Were Occupied
Aphrodite's Child Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Aphrodite's Child:
Aegian Sea I saw the souls I saw the martyrs I heared them crying I…
Altamont This is the sight we had one day on the…
Annabella When the stars begin to shine The wind is flowing through…
Babylon Fallen fallen fallen is Babylon the great! Space is getting …
Break Bye bye, my friend, goodbye With a lie you forget and break…
Day of the Fool I am but a fool they say Something like a child But…
Do It Do it Do it Do it…
Don't Try to Catch a River When she flows (Don't try to catch a river) No one will…
End of the World You should come with me to the end of the…
Good Time So Fine I said good times so fine now I've got you here…
Hic Et Nunc Here and now Here and now Fixing the ceiling I got a fe…
I Want to Live I want to live Where they'll change what they have done Yeah…
It's Five O'Clock It's five o'clock and I walk through the empty streets thoug…
Lament Alas alas For the human race Alas For the kings The kings o…
Lonano Dagli Occhi Che cos? C in the cold air something that winter…
Lontano Dagli Occhi Che cos? C in the cold air something that winter…
Loud Loud Loud The day the walls of the citys Will crumble away Uncovering …
Magic Mirror Magic mirror on the wall You've seen my reflection Magic mi…
Marie Jolie Sometimes I feel The time Alone Then I wonder what I do…
Mister Thomas A friend who's got daisies in his pocket Mr. Thomas owns…
Ofis Exelthe ofi katiramene, Dhioti an dhen exelthe essy, Tha s…
Plastics Nevermore My foot in the street Walking in the sun Reaching for the…
Quando L'Amore Diventa Poesia Io canto il mio amore per te Questa notte diventa…
Quando Lamore: Diventa Poesia Io canto il mio amore per te Questa notte diventa poesia La…
Rain and Tears Rain and tears are the same But in the sun you've…
Seven Bowls The first bowl on the earth The second bowl on the…
Seven Trumpets Ladies and gentlemen! Seven trumpets – the sound of thunder…
Spring Summer Winter & Fall Spring, summer, winter and fall Keep the world in time, Spin…
Such a Funny Night Oh, it's morning in my head It's spinning round I…
Take Your Time Take your time Life is easy If you try Take your time It…
The Battle Of The Locusts The battle of the locusts…
The Beast Who can find the Beast? She's big, she's bad, She's wicked…
The Capture of the Beast Now, comes the capture of the Beast...…
The Four Horsemen And when the lamb opened the first seal, I saw the first…
The Grass Is No Green The land is starving It needs watering The birds on the tr…
The Other People Some other people living far away some other people wouldn't…
The Seventh Seal And when the lamb opened the next two seals, We saw the…
The Shepherd and the Moon Do you know the story of the shepherd Who did try…
The System We got the System, to fuck the System! * We got the…
The Wedding of the Lamb That was the wedding of the lamb...…
Valley of Sadness When I left the valley of sadness When I left the…
Wake Up Talking, people talking But I can't understand just what the…
You Always Stand in My Way Hey you You always stand in my way You will you hear to…
∞ I was I am I am to come I was I am I am to…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Dolamieu
Absolutely timeless… such a great album
Ron Lanter
This SONG goes on forever 🙂☺☺
Excrono
19:00 minutes feels like 5:00 to God.
Ron Lanter
@Excrono Really? How do you know?
Claudio Gonzalez Espinoza
Un temazo genial realmente espectacular una Obra Sublime Monumental Magistral de esta agrupación Griega del Gran Aphrodites Chiild
motherchicken
Timeless album!
Des Payre
I found this double album remastered on cd today on a cd/vinyl record fair...15 euro's....MINE! 👍
Excrono
That is a few euros more than market price per Discogs (10-11 USD), but I might have been okay with that small markup if I needed the album. That estimate depends on the specific issue you purchased (it can vary).
You can pay a small premium at fairs, record stores, etc, but it’s often earlier versus buying online with shipping. That being said it was a good deal.
A tip is to always look for late 80s to early 90s re-issues on CD as they can have superior mastering and dynamic range. Loudness war remasters stated to kick into high gear later on.
S V
Un fenomeno di emozioni da quasi 50 anni e spero 😅😅per altri 50
Gachet Emmanuel
A monumental slap !
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩