Her first album ‘Mila mou apla’ (‘ Just speak to me’) was a collaboration with new singers Manolis Lidakis and Melina Tanagri, based on songs composed by Taki Bougas with lyrics from Antonis Andrikaki. With every following album, Dimou’s popularity increased, thanks to her modern, natural and flexible interpretations, combining the more traditional Greek roots with western pop style.
In 1986 she collaborated with Lakis Papadopoulos on her album ‘Kata bathos alepou’ (‘Basically fox’). With her by that time already highly acclaimed husky, sultry voice she sang both ballads and pop-rock songs. In this periode of time, she collaborated with famous artists like Georgios Dalaras and Mikis Theodorakis.
Her 1988 album ‘Prosopika’ (‘Personal’), recorded with G. Spanos, was both artistically as commercially a great success. In the next decade Dimou keeps releasing new albums regularly, always combining Greek folk music with western arrangements and world music influences. In 1990 she released the album ‘Pathis’ (‘Passions’), on which she chanted byzantine hymns on a requiem by D. Papostolou.
In the second half of the nineties, popularity and album sales decreased. A new generation of Greek pop singers seemed to have taken her place. Dimou seemed to be stuck between Greek folk and modern pop, unable to rejuvenate herself. Around the start of the new millennium, inspiration and creativity seemed to have returned, resulting in more frequent album releases and collaborations with international artists like Alpha Blondy, Salif Keita, The Christians, Gipsy Kings and Linton Kwesi Johnson.
In her almost thirty year spanning career, Eleni Dimou recorded more than 20 albums, nine went gold and three platinum in Greece. She is married to producer and engineer Akis Golfidis and the couple have a son named Anthony.
Gorgona
Eleni Dimou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Ξένα βαπόρια μπροστά μασ
Κι έχουν σκαριά πολύ πιο γερά
Μα είναι η γοργόνα δικιά μασ
Φύσα βοριά αργήσαμε πια
Είκοσι χρόνια και κάτι
Όμωσ παιδιά σ' εμάσ μοναχά
Και στη γοργόνα εμείσ παλιοί ναυτικοί
Λέμε ζει και πάντα θα ζει
Πάντα θα ζει σαν να ‘ναι σφυγμόσ
Πάντα θα ζει σαν να ‘ναι λυγμόσ
Πάντα θα ζει κι ασ είναι στενόσ
Πάντα θα ζει ο τόποσ αυτόσ
The lyrics to Eleni Dimou's song "Gorgona" convey a sense of longing and nostalgia for the sea and the life of a sailor. The first verse begins with a mention of the north and south winds blowing and foreign ships ahead. However, despite these ships having stronger sails, it is emphasized that the true sailor's path belongs to the "gorgona," which can be seen as a personification of the sea or a mythical sea creature.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on the passing of time, stating that they have waited for twenty years and something. Despite this prolonged waiting, they acknowledge that only the children belong to them alone, as if the "gorgona" is closing its eye, implying that the sea and sailor's life have become less accessible or distant.
The third verse presents a sense of solidarity among old sailors, who refer to themselves as being of the "gorgona." They proclaim that it lives and will always live, suggesting that their deep connection to the sea and the sailor's way of life will endure despite the passage of time.
The final verse further emphasizes the eternal nature of the "gorgona," depicting it as a pulse, a sob, and even if it appears narrow, the land itself will always live. This can be seen as a metaphor for the timeless and enduring spirit of the sea and the land, and the interconnectedness between them.
Overall, the lyrics of "Gorgona" evoke a profound reverence for the sea and the life of a sailor, expressing a longing for a connection to the deep and the eternal, even as time passes and circumstances change. The "gorgona" represents a symbol of continuity and identity, a reminder of the strength and resilience of those who embrace the sea as their calling.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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