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.
Un Mundo de Hombres Niños
Demis Roussos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
galopando alrededor del sol
imagina un mundo de hombres niños
bajo nubes altas de algodon
Piensa en un escuela al aire libre
donde solo enseñen a jugar
por el cielo azul como pupitre
Canta un canto al mundo
que todos oigan
al despertar
Canta, si pones alma
hasta los sordos te escucharan
Canta un canto al mundo
por que cantando
cambiará talvez
Canta un canto puro
como los sueños de tu niñez
Piensa en liberar a un genio bueno
al que nadie pueda destruir
piensa en un pais de caramelo
de esos solo para sonreir
Piensa en conversar con tus amigos
el raton, el pajaro y el pez
imagina un mundo de hombres niños
que no anden nunca por interes
Canta un canto al mundo
que todos oigan
al despertar
Canta, si pones alma
hasta los sordos te escucharan
Canta un canto al mundo
por que cantando
cambiará talvez
Canta un canto puro
como los sueños de tu niñez
Canta un canto al mundo
que todos oigan
al despertar
Canta, si pones alma
hasta los sordos te escucharan
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The lyrics to Demis Roussos's song Un Mundo de Hombres Niños speak of a world where people are like innocent children, uncorrupted by the harshness of reality, and where they can live freely and happily. The imagery used in the lyrics reinforces this idea of a utopia, from galloping horses around the sun to classrooms with the blue sky as a desk. The lyrics continue to paint a picture of a world where animals and nature are cherished and where people can converse with them as friends.
The chorus encourages the listener to sing a song to the world that everyone can hear, as if to spread the message of this utopia and encourage others to aspire to it. The song is seen as a powerful tool to effect change, to make the world a better place, and to create a future similar to the dreams of childhood. The lyrics suggest that a song, sung with passion and sincerity, can touch even the hardest of hearts and ignite a desire for change.
Overall, the lyrics to Un Mundo de Hombres Niños are a call for a better world, a world where people can live as children, free from the burdens of adulthood. The song encourages listeners to dream and imagine a future where harmony and happiness are the norm and to use the power of song to bring this future to life.
Line by Line Meaning
Piensa en los caballos de un tio vivo galopando alrededor del sol
Imagine the excitement and freedom of wild horses running around the sun.
Imagina un mundo de hombres niños bajo nubes altas de algodon
Imagine a world where grown men still have the innocence and wonder of little boys, and the sky is always filled with fluffy clouds.
Piensa en un escuela al aire libre donde solo enseñen a jugar por el cielo azul como pupitre todo el tiempo para cantar
Imagine a school where the only subject is playtime outside under a blue sky, with singing as the only homework.
Canta un canto al mundo que todos oigan al despertar
Sing a song that wakes up the world and makes everyone listen.
Canta, si pones alma hasta los sordos te escucharan
Sing with so much heart and soul that even the deaf will hear you.
Canta un canto al mundo por que cantando cambiará talvez
Sing a song that has the power to change the world.
Canta un canto puro como los sueños de tu niñez
Sing a pure song that reflects the innocence and dreams of your childhood.
Piensa en liberar a un genio bueno al que nadie pueda destruir piensa en un pais de caramelo de esos solo para sonreir
Imagine unleashing a good genius who can't be destroyed, and a world that is like a candy land made for smiling.
Piensa en conversar con tus amigos el raton, el pajaro y el pez
Imagine having conversations with your friends who are a mouse, a bird, and a fish.
Imagina un mundo de hombres niños que no anden nunca por interes
Imagine a world where grown men with childlike hearts are never motivated by self-interest.
Contributed by Ellie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cindel Dominguez
Tenía yo 19 años ..si mal no recuerdo cuando escuché esta canción x primera ves. Pronto cumplo 60 y siempre se me escapa una lágrima por qué me trae lindos recuerdos de mi infancia.
cerebry nueby
se me imagina que es para aquellos maravillosos niños con autismo.
Elena muñoz nieto
😊pppppppp❤
Espíritu Santo Álvarez
Canciones que nos devuelven al pasado, tantos recuerdos de una niñes linda y pura .
Solé Villar
Igual que yo era mi alegría todos los días
Ana María Romero Hernández
Cindel me encanta que te guste Demis rusoc me recuerda mi gubentud te recomiendo morir al lado de mi amor ,es muy bella.
sabrina moreno
Yo empecé a escuchar Demiss Roussos con 17 años, ahora tengo 20 y no conozco a nadie de mi edad que escuche esta maravilla. Una pena que los jóvenes no la conozcan porque tiene una sensibilidad y una fantasía que no debemos perder.
Holga Daza
Espectacular!! Es lo único que puedo decir, amo este hombre, su voz, su estilo a mi parecer de los más grandes que ha dado el mundo!!
O CM
Preciosa canción de Demis todas sus canciones son especiales , por q el era muy especial ,,, era único maravilloso
✡️✡️🐂🇪🇸🇪🇸
Alejandro Barrientos
Esta cancion debiera ser traducida a todos los idiomas del planeta y adoptarla como nustro himno mundial. Porque cantando , cambiara tal vez.