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.
When Forever Has Gone
Demis Roussos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
just the brush of your lips and I call out your name
Then I rest in your arms and I know that you are true
I thank god for your love and the mistery of you
You can change like the wind, you are never the same
You don’t know what I do, you think life is a game
I can act like a fool and I very often do
We will be forever wi'll go on and on
we will be together when forever has gone
we will be forever we'll go on and on
we will be together when forever has gone
When I'm weak you are strong when I fall you go on
you'll still be with me when my other friends have gone
yet you cry like a child and that breaks me in two
you are all things to me that's the mystery of you
You can change like the wind, you are never the same
You don’t know what I do, you think life is a game
I can act like a fool and I very often do
But you still understand that’s the mystery of you
we will be forever we'll go on and on
we will be together when forever has gone
we will be forever we'll go on and on
we will be together when forever has gone
The song "When Forever Has Gone" by Demis Roussos is a romantic ballad that expresses the deep emotions and admiration the singer has towards his lover. The lyrics convey an intense connection between two people, who truly understand each other despite their differences. The first verse talks about how being with his lover makes his heart burn like a flame, how her mere presence is enough to make him call out her name. He feels grateful for her love and is amazed at the mystery of her. The theme of intense passion and mystery continues throughout the song.
The second verse talks about the singer's realization that his lover is not always the same and is unpredictable like the wind. He admits to being foolish at times but his lover never judges him and seems to accept him for who he is. They will endure together until the end of time. The chorus is repeated twice, emphasizing the strength of their love and how they will stay together even beyond life.
The third verse talks about how the singer's lover is always supportive of him, even during his weakest moments, and is the last one standing when others have gone. He is shattered by seeing her cry, which indicates how much he values her. The final lines reiterate the theme of the mystery surrounding her, the singer is in awe of her and appreciates her presence in his life.
Overall, the song is a testament to the power of love and its ability to overcome all obstacles, even death. It depicts how the singer feels his relationship is unique and complex. The mystery and unpredictability of his partner make him cherish her even more. It is a deeply emotional song that perfectly captures the feelings of unconditional love and eternal devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
When you lie close to me, my heart is a flame
My heart burns with passion when we are near each other
Just the brush of your lips and I call out your name
Even the slightest touch from you makes my heart skip a beat
Then I rest in your arms and I know that you are true
I feel safe and secure in your embrace, knowing that your love is genuine
I thank god for your love and the mystery of you
I am grateful for your love and the enigma that surrounds you
You can change like the wind, you are never the same
You are unpredictable, and your moods and actions can change quickly and without warning
You don’t know what I do, you think life is a game
You may not always understand my actions or take life as seriously as I do
I can act like a fool and I very often do
I sometimes make mistakes or act foolishly, but you still love me for who I am
But you still understand that’s the mystery of you
Even though you are unpredictable and don't always understand me, you still have an air of mystery that I am drawn to
We will be forever, we'll go on and on
Our love will last for eternity, and we will continue to love each other through all of life's ups and downs
We will be together when forever has gone
Even after death, our love will continue to exist
When I'm weak, you are strong, when I fall, you go on
When I am at my lowest, you provide strength and support, and you keep going even when I am struggling
You'll still be with me when my other friends have gone
Even if I lose other friends or companions, you will always be by my side
Yet you cry like a child and that breaks me in two
Despite your strength, you are still vulnerable and emotional at times, and seeing you in pain hurts me deeply
You are all things to me, that's the mystery of you
You embody everything that I need and want in a partner, and your mysterious nature only makes me love you more
Lyrics © ALLO MUSIC EDITIONS
Written by: Stylianos VLAVIANOS, John Barry MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind