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.
Lord of the Flies
Demis Roussos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
I'm gonna tell you my sad story
Stay, stay sweet nightingale
Until the night takes over me
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
I was born in a land
That lies beneath the Seven Seas
I was in love with a girl of sand
Locked in a castle with no keys
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Satan, give me the key
That will untether my sweet dream girl
Then cry to me, say to me
“Your soul is mine the day I set her free”
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Leave me sweet nightingale
Now that you know all of my story
Fly and fly sweet nightingale
Then tell the devil that I'm ready
Oh, Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
The song Lord of the Flies by Demis Roussos is a haunting and emotional composition that explores a deep sense of fear and despair. The title of the song is inspired by William Golding's classic novel, which portrays the descent into savagery and the loss of civilisation in a group of young boys stranded on an island. The song's chorus consists of a repeated plea for mercy and protection from the Lord of the Flies. The repetition of these lines creates a sense of desperation and urgency, as if the singer is in imminent danger and needs help urgently.
The lyrics of the song tell the story of a man who is searching for a way to be reunited with the woman he loves, who is locked in a castle with no keys. He begs Satan to provide him with the key that will set her free, but in doing so, he forfeits his soul to the devil. The nightingale that the singer addresses represents a source of comfort and support, but even this is fleeting and temporary. The line "Until the night takes over me" suggests that the singer is overwhelmed and consumed by his fear and despair.
Overall, the song is a powerful expression of the human condition, highlighting the constant battles between hope and despair, light and darkness, and good and evil. It speaks to a universal desire for protection and salvation, and the fear that these may not be forthcoming.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord of the flies spare my life
I plead with the Lord of the Flies to spare my life, repeating my request for mercy multiple times.
Come, come, sweet nightingale
I address a nightingale, inviting it to hear my story.
I'm gonna tell you my sad story
I intend to recount a melancholic tale to the nightingale.
Stay, stay sweet nightingale
I urge the bird to continue listening to me as night falls.
Until the night takes over me
I want the night to consume me and my sorrowful narrative.
I was born in a land
I was brought into existence in a place.
That lies beneath the Seven Seas
The location of my birth is situated below the world's oceans.
I was in love with a girl of sand
I had affection for a person made of sand.
Locked in a castle with no keys
The object of my love was imprisoned in a castle without a means of escape.
Satan, give me the key
I implore Satan to grant me access to the castle where my beloved is being held captive.
That will untether my sweet dream girl
I seek a key that will release my cherished sand-made companion from captivity.
Then cry to me, say to me
Following my rescue of my love, I want Satan to inform me of a condition.
Your soul is mine the day I set her free
Satan warns that if my beloved is released, my soul will become his property.
Leave me sweet nightingale
I release the nightingale from its listening duty.
Now that you know all of my story
Having heard my account, the nightingale possesses a complete understanding of my situation.
Fly and fly sweet nightingale
I instruct the bird to fly away and continue its existence.
Then tell the devil that I'm ready
I request the bird to relay a message to Satan that I am prepared to accept the aforementioned condition.
Oh, Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
I make a final plea to the Lord of the Flies to spare my life.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, ALLO MUSIC EDITIONS
Written by: Jean-Pierre POURET, Boris BERGMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@comprehensivethoughts2774
LORD OF THE FLIES
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Come, come, sweet nightingale
I'm gonna tell you my sad story
Stay, stay sweet nightingale
Until the night takes over me
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
I was born in a land
That lies beneath the Seven Seas
I was in love with a girl of sand
Locked in a castle with no keys
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Satan, give me the key
That will untether my sweet dream girl
Then cry to me, say to me
"Your soul is mine the day I set her free"
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Lord of the flies spare my life
Leave me sweet nightingale
Now that you know all of my story
Fly and fly sweet nightingale
Then tell the devil that I'm ready
Oh, Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
Lord of The Flies, Spare my life
Lord
@andreasandreadakis7305
Θεϊκός Ντέμις!!!Τέτοια φωνή Αγγελική δύσκολα θα ξαναέρθει στον κόσμο μας... ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΏ
@benjamincorreaaparicio9880
Como olvidar estas bellas si marcó una época tan hermosa como fue nuestra juventud y la de muchas personas Más. For ever en nuestros Corazones.
@lorenapasquetti8627
Musica celeste
Grande Demis❤❤❤❤
@agnese4784
Non capisco le parole, ma la voce di DEMIS è sensazionale, come sempre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@patriciaarias3549
Maravilloso tema, mil recuerdos!!!
@walterricardochicataperez176
Grande Demis Roussos, eres la mejor versión de la música, nunca morirás, siempre estarás en nuestros corazones.
@liaqopiashvilil9109
❤❤😢😢😢😢😢😢❤❤
@angelavictoria2781
Grandes recuerdos ..mi madre me regalo un vinilo ufff años atras
@teresavalle8489
este tema :LORD OF THE FLIES es muy lindo me recuerda de cuando tenia 12 años y me encantaba escuchar a Demis Roussos Por mis padres que en esa epoca se escuchaba sus temas por las radios
@oreste8570
Exactamente mi caso tambien.