Throughout his childhood he was influenced by the musics that were coexisting in Egypt. The sound of Arabic music entered into his life at that time and has continued until today as one of his biggest influences. At the age of ten, he was intrigued by Jazz and learnt to play the trumpet. As a young boy he also attended the choir of the Greek Byzantine church of Alexandria and sang for five years as a soloist.
However, when Artemios reached the age of fifteen, his life changed. It was the time of the Suez Canal crisis. His family left Egypt and immigrated to their homeland Greece. Artemios then had to work to support his family. During the day he attended school and, at night, he played the trumpet in various clubs in Athens. Two years later, his first band, "The Idols" was formed. Artemios played the Bass Guitar and sang backing vocals as well. One day, as the lead singer needed to rest, he asked Artemios to replace him for a few songs. That night, when Artemios sang "The House Of The Rising Sun" and "When A Man Loves A Woman" the audience was amazed. From then on Artemios was asked to sing again and again.
Within a short period, Artemios was making a sound reputation. It was at this time that he met the man who would later become one of his most successful composer, Lakis Vlavianos. From that meeting a new band was born, the "We Five", with Artemios as the lead singer.
In 1968 Artemios’s journey crossed the road of two other top Greek musicians, Vangelis Papatanassiou and Loukas Sideras. Their associationbecame one of the biggest musical events of the seventies in the form of "Aphrodite’s Child". This ambitious band decided to travel to the United Kingdom for better commercial prospects. Artemios--who had now shortened his name to Demis--would be the singer and the bass player, Vangelis the main composer as well as the keyboard player, and Loukas would play the drums.
However, they were refused entry to the United Kingdom for lack of a work permit. Instead, Aphrodite's Child travelled to Paris, arriving just as the city was going through the May 68 revolution. After a few concerts in some trendy Parisian clubs, a major company offered to record a song of theirs, one that was inspired by Pachelbel‘s canon called "Rain And Tears". This first album of Aphrodite’s Child sold over a million copies in France alone.
Nine months later, as Demis first daughter, Emily, was born, "Rain And Tears" was the top single all over Europe and a top 20 single in the United Kingdom. The band experienced a huge success for three years.
They then released their legendary last album “666”, after which, for various reasons, Aphrodite's Child decided to split up.
Since Demis was one of the main elements of the band, the record company offered him a chance to recorded his first solo single, "We Shall Dance", which was released on the album "On the Greek Side of My Mind". This album and the single jumped into the top five of all the national hit parades of Italy, Spain, France, Holland, Germany and Scandinavia.
Some months later, Demis met with his old friend of the "We Five", Lakis Vlavianos. Lakis was then going through an inspired period and wrote many songs which Demis recorded; these turned into a string of number one hits all over the world, including: "Forever And Ever", "My Friend the Wind", and "Velvet Morning".
After his second child, Cyril, was born in 1975, Demis toured the globe for eight years with his second wife and child. In Brazil, he packed a stadium of 150 000 people--an event that was achieved in that particular stadium twice only. (The other previous artist was Frank Sinatra.) In fact, Demis sold enough records to gain a name in the Guinness Book of records among the personalities of show business in the 70’s and the eighties. He was awarded more than a hundred golden, platinum, and diamond albums and cassettes.
His unique dressing style was often considered eccentric but Demis was following his instinct which told him that the music he was performing should match with the combination of looks between the glorious Byzantine Empire and the Arabic Caftan.
In 1978 his instinct told him again that he should retire for a while, thinking of new things concerning his career and life. And so he took his family to an area of the world where he was unknown, Malibu Beach, California. There, Demis lost over 50 kilograms. He returned to Europe and lived a quieter life between England and Greece, alone with his son, Cyril.
On June 14 1985, wile he was travelling from Athens to Rome, a decisive event occurred. Demis’s TWA airplane was hijacked by terrorists. After two days in that plane praying, Demis was held three days in the prison of Beyrouth with his third wife. Like many other survivors, he went through the shock of a traumatic experience. After that, Demis said he had never understood so well the importance of the nations living in peace and how precious life is when you see death so close. He felt more than ever that his contribution for a better tomorrow could be via music and so decided to return to the recording and performance scene.
He recorded twenty songs and compiled an album called "The story of Demis Roussos". With this album, Demis started to world tour again and found a nostalgic audience who had missed his magic voice. In 1986 Demis toured the USSR for three weeks and was invited to join important scientists, writers and artists at the forum for peace and disarmament in Moscow, during February 1987.
Later that year, during a tight TV schedule in Chile, Demis insisted on fitting in a visit to the Earth summit in Rio to get a clearer picture of the environmental problems, which were a main concern for Demis.
Since then Demis had been a regular visitor of the charts with singles such as "Quand je t’aime" and "On écrit sur les murs", and albums such as "Voice and Vision" and "Immortel".
Since 2008, Demis had been living in Greece by the sea. After being one of the most talented singers of his century, Demis was still working on more magical offerings, with the blessing of music and God.
He died aged 68, on the Hygeia Hospital in Athens on January 25, 2015.
Ainsi Soit-Il
Demis Roussos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Accroché à un S.O.S.
Comme la flamme qu'on allume
Source fragile dans un refuge
Comme une prière les yeux fermés
Je veux t'aimer
Ainsi soit-il
Comme le marteau sur l'enclume
Lorsque deux corps deviennent adultes
Comme l'océan qui se déchaîne
Quand une vague vient s'écraser
Comme une prière les yeux fermés
Je veux t'aimer
Ainsi soit-il
Même dans un monde interdit
Je briserai ma vie pour sauver notre amour
Même dans un monde maudit
J'épouserai ton ombre pour sauver notre amour
Avec la folie entre mes mains
Et tous mes rêves pour t'aimer
Avec la faiblesse d'une enfant
Avec la force du torrent
Comme une prière les yeux fermés
Je veux t'aimer
Ainsi soit-il
Même dans un monde interdit
Je briserai ma vie pour sauver notre amour
Je serai pauvre
Tu seras reine
Je veux t'aimer
Ainsi soit-il
The lyrics to Demis Roussos's song Ainsi Soit-Il are full of passionate declarations of love and devotion. The song compares love to a ship in distress sending out an S.O.S., a flame in a fragile refuge, and a prayer with closed eyes. The singer declares their willingness to love deeply and completely even in the midst of turmoil and hardship, comparing their love to a hammer striking an anvil, an ocean raging against a shoreline, and a torrent of water flowing with unstoppable force. The singer declares that they are willing to risk everything, even in a forbidden or cursed world, to save their love. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and desperation as the singer declares their love and devotion with fervor.
In addition to the passionate lyrics, the song itself is notable for its blend of rock and opera elements, featuring Roussos's signature operatic vocals alongside electric guitars and heavy percussion. The song was released in 1982 as part of the album Demis, which was a commercial success and solidified Roussos's reputation as a versatile and innovative artist. Roussos wrote the lyrics to the song, while the music was composed by Evangelos Papathanassiou, who is better known as Vangelis. Vangelis and Roussos had previously worked together on several albums, including the iconic Aphrodite's Child album 666.
Line by Line Meaning
Comme le navire en détresse
Like a distressed ship
Accroché à un S.O.S.
Hanging onto an S.O.S.
Comme la flamme qu'on allume
Like the flame that's lit
Source fragile dans un refuge
Fragile source in a refuge
Comme une prière les yeux fermés
Like a prayer with eyes closed
Je veux t'aimer
I want to love you
Ainsi soit-il
So be it
Comme le marteau sur l'enclume
Like the hammer on the anvil
Lorsque deux corps deviennent adultes
When two bodies become adults
Comme l'océan qui se déchaîne
Like the ocean that rages
Quand une vague vient s'écraser
When a wave crashes down
Même dans un monde interdit
Even in a forbidden world
Je briserai ma vie pour sauver notre amour
I'll break my life to save our love
J'épouserai ton ombre pour sauver notre amour
I'll marry your shadow to save our love
Avec la folie entre mes mains
With madness in my hands
Et tous mes rêves pour t'aimer
And all my dreams to love you
Avec la faiblesse d'une enfant
With the weakness of a child
Avec la force du torrent
With the force of a torrent
Je serai pauvre
I'll be poor
Tu seras reine
You'll be queen
Je veux t'aimer
I want to love you
Ainsi soit-il
So be it
Lyrics © ALLO MUSIC EDITIONS, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEAN LOUIS CELESTIN CHESNAIS, MARTIAL CARCELES, ROBERT COSTANDINOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@algs229635
Comme le navire en détresse
Accroché à un S.O.S.
Comme la flamme qu'on allume
Source fragile dans un refuge...
Comme une prière les yeux fermés
Je veux t'aimer
Ainsi soit-il...
Comme le marteau sur l'enclume
Lorsque deux corps deviennent adultes
Comme l'océan qui se déchaîne
Quand une vague vient s'écraser...
Comme une prière les yeux fermés
Je veux t'aimer
Ainsi soit-il...
Même dans un monde interdit
Je briserai ma vie pour sauver notre amour
Même dans un monde maudit
J'épouserai ton ombre pour sauver notre amour...
Avec la folie entre mes mains
Et tous mes rêves pour t'aimer
Avec la faiblesse d'une enfant
Avec la force du torrent...
Comme une prière les yeux fermés
Je veux t'aimer
Ainsi soit-il...
Même dans un monde interdit
Je briserai ma vie pour sauver notre amour
Je serai pauvre
Tu seras reine...
@user-pz8df3qr6z
Великолепная песня! Исполнение - выше всех похвал! Как ему идёт эта песня! Всё здесь прекрасно! 👏👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤❤
@user-pz8df3qr6z
Какая красивая мелодия! А голос, голос! Необыкновенный, изумительный, чарующий... Чудо!
@ledaneri6307
O grego da voz de ouro ❤
@user-bh3jn8he4z
Бесподобно. Мягкий, бархатный голос и в то же время прозрачный. Композиция волшебная.
@tessdelgado572
Amazing music and voice. So heavenly. Love you forever Demis❤❤❤
@marialins8167
Demis Roussos sempre nos nossos corações e ouvidos!!!
@luciaboccassini3923
Magnific
@marialins8167
Que voz mais gostosa de ouvir...é um bálsamo para nossas almas!!!!
@lucilalucilabrambilla6854
Uma música dessas e voz maravilhosa é de acalmar qualquer um. Só saudades......
@JosianneForget
Cette chanson reste toujours ma favorite annee apres annee, car j'etais bebe quand mes parents l'ecoutaient, et pour moi c'est vraiment la beaute et la simplicite des mots qui me fait frissonner. C"est tellement inspirant, si seulement les gens prenaient le temps d'ecouter les cris d'amour et pouvaient les reconnaitre, le monde s'aimerait et s'apprecierait plus.