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.
Guantanamera
Demis Roussos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De donde crecen las palmas
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palma
Y antes de morirme quiero
Cantar mis versos del alma
Guantanamera
Guajira Guantanamera
Guajira Guantanamera
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es un ciervo herido
Que busca en el monte amparo
I am a truthful man from this land of palm trees
Before dying I want to share these poems of my soul
My verses are light green
But they are also flaming red
I cultivate a rose in June and in January
For the sincere friend who gives me his hand
And for the cruel one who would tear out this
heart with which I live
I do not cultivate thistles nor nettles
I cultivate a white rose
Cultivo la rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Qultivo la rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Para el amigo sincero
Que me da su mano franca
Y para el cruel que me arranca
El corazon con que vivo
Y para el cruel que me arranca
El corazon con que vivo
Cardo ni ortiga cultivo
Cultivo la rosa blanca
Con los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
Con los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
El arroyo de la sierra
Me complace mas que el mar
The song "Guantanamera" by Demis Roussos is a rendition of the famous Cuban classic song of the same name. The song is an ode to Cuba, its people, and its culture. The opening lines of the song translate to: "I am a truthful man from this land of palm trees. Before dying I want to share these poems of my soul." These lines set the tone for the song, indicating that the singer is a simple man who wishes to share his emotions with his listeners.
The lyrics describe how the singer cultivates a rose in June and January for his true friends and cruel enemies alike. He chooses not to cultivate thistles or nettles, but rather a white rose, which represents purity and innocence. The singer also expresses his desire to be with the poor people of Cuba, saying that he prefers the small stream in the mountains to the vast sea.
The song is a nostalgic tribute to Cuba, its people, and its culture. It is a celebration of the simple pleasures in life, such as cultivating a rose, and the bonds of friendship that transcend petty differences. The song's timeless message of love and humanity resonates just as strongly today as it did when it was written, and it remains a beloved song among Cuban people around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo soy un hombre sincero
I am a truthful man
De donde crecen las palmas
from this land of palm trees
Y antes de morirme quiero
Before dying I want to
Cantar mis versos del alma
share these poems of my soul
Guantanamera
named after a Cuban girl from Guantanamo
Guajira Guantanamera
a folk song genre of Cuban music
Mi verso es de un verde claro
My verses are light green
Y de un carmin encendido
But they are also flaming red
Mi verso es un ciervo herido
My verse is like a wounded deer
Que busca en el monte amparo
seeking refuge in the mountains
Cultivo la rosa blanca
I cultivate a white rose
En junio como en enero
In June and in January
Para el amigo sincero
For the sincere friend
Que me da su mano franca
who gives me his honest hand
Y para el cruel que me arranca
And for the cruel one
El corazon con que vivo
who would tear out my heart
Cardo ni ortiga cultivo
I do not cultivate thistles nor nettles
Con los pobres de la tierra
With the poor people of the earth
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
I want to cast my lot with them
El arroyo de la sierra
The mountain stream
Me complace mas que el mar
Pleases me more than the sea
Writer(s): Jose Marti, Julian Orbon, J. Fernandez Diaz, Pete Seeger
Contributed by Mateo L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Stefanthenightwalker
Guajira guantanamera
Guantanamera
Guajira guantanamera
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Y antes de morir yo quiero
Cantar mis versos del alma
Guantanamera
Cultivo una rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Cultivo una rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Para el amigo sincero
Que me da su mano franca
Guantanamera
Mi verso…
Ντέμη Ρούσσο ΣΕ ΑΓΑΠΑΜΕ!!!!
Αθάνατος...
@marialins298
Voz maravilhosa, isso sim é patrimônio da humanidade....
@petraarenas
Inolvidable DEMIS nunca dejare de admirarte, todo tema, estilo y melodía en tu inigualable y dulce voz suena bellíiiisimo, no conocía esta versión de Guantanamera !!es lo máximo!!, seré por siempre tu fans enamorada.
@zofiarogut733
Piekne prosze do tanca i dziekuje😍🐘❤
@ecarvalhol
Voz unica, não há outro grande demis........
@zklspsss
Excelente versión y un gran homenaje a latinoamerica de parte de Demis cantar esta canción.
@marialins298
Essa voz arrasa corações 💕 💕 💕 💕
@felicitygeorgegeorge6685
It is my old time fav and still.. very very beautiful song, music, lyrics with beautiful powerful rich soulful voice of Demis Roussos.. all the best 👍🙌❤💪😘💕.. all my 💘❤♥💙💕💖forever 💘❤♥💙💕💖💘❤♥💙💕💖💘
@felicitygeorgegeorge6685
Thx a million.. all the best 👍🙌❤💪😘💕.. all my 💘❤♥forever 💘❤♥💙
@777izajasz
To jest talent , takich piosenek w Polsce już nie ma tylko jest jedna wielka rąbanka i rykowisko. Teraz wszystko kręci wokół pieniędzy.
@aureamartins6857
Nossa Guantanamera Linda ! O ritimo num embalo especial demais para ouvir-se e cantar. Muitas serestas em nossa vida em família...Bjos e obrigada a quem nos remete a um passado com muita música e encantamento para nossas almas...