Mouskouri's family lived in Canée, Crete, where her father, Constantin, worked as a film projectionist in a local cinema. Her mother, Alice also worked in the same local cinema as an usherette. When Mouskouri was three, Constantin moved the family to Athens. Mouskouri's family worked extremely hard in order to send Nana and her elder sister, Jenny, to the prestigious Athens Conservatoire. Mouskouri had displayed exceptional musical talent from the age of 6. However her sister, Jenny, appeared to be more the more gifted of the two. In fact Mouskouri only had one 'working' vocal chord (rather than the normal two). This a rare condition gives her voice its particularly original timbre.
Mouskouri's childhood was colored by the Nazi occupation of Greece. Her father became part of the Nazi resistance movement in Athens. Mouskouri began singing lessons at age 12. Despite the flaw in her vocal cords, Mouskouri took singing lessons regularly. During the Nazi German occupation, her family no longer had the financial means to pay for her singing lessons. But her teacher saw that she had a certain talent and continued to give her lessons free of charge. As a child, she listened to radio broadcasts of American jazz singers such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday as well as French chanson stars like Edith Piaf.
In 1950, she was accepted at the Conservatoire. She studied classical music with an emphasis on singing opera. The young Mouskouri committed herself into classical music studies with a passion, perfecting her vocals with extraordinary self-discipline as well as taking piano and harmony classes. After 8 years at the Conservatoire, Mouskouri was encouraged by her friends to experiment with jazz music. She soon began singing with her friends' jazz group at night and they even managed to get a radio slot. However, when Mouskouri's Conservatory professor found out about Mouskouri's involvement with a genre of music that he considered to be absolutely worthless, he flew into a fury and prevented her from sitting her end of year exams. Consequently, the Conservatoire expelled her. Mouskouri's dreams of becoming an opera singer were dashed.
Mouskouri left the Conservatoire and began performing at the Zaki club in Athens. She began singing jazz in nightclubs with a bias on Ella Fitzgerald repertory. It was at the Zaki in 1958 that Mouskouri met the famous Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis. Hadjidakis was immensely impressed by Nana’s original voice and immediately offered to write songs for her. He became her mentor. In 1959 Mouskouri performed Hadjidakis' Kapou Iparchi Agapi Mou (co-written with poet Nikos Gatsos) at the inaugural Greek Song Festival. The song won first prize, and Mouskouri began to be noticed. At the 1960 Greek Song Festival, she performed two more Hadjidakis compositions, Timoria and Kiparissaki. Both these songs tied for first prize. Mouskouri soon ventured further and participated at the Mediterranean Song Festival, held in Barcelona where she performed Kostas Yannidis' composition Xypna Agapi Mou. The song won first prize. Her wins attracted interest from several international record companies. Mouskouri wound up signed a recording contract with the Paris-based Philips-Fontana axis.
In 1961, Mouskouri performed the soundtrack of a German documentary about Greece. This resulted in the German-language single Weisse Rosen aus Athen ("The White Rose of Athens"). The song was originally adapted from a folk melody by Hadjidakis. It became an enormous hit, selling over a million copies in Germany. The song was later translated into several different languages and it went on to become one of Mouskouri's signature tunes. Mouskouri married Yorgos Petsilas in 1961. Mouskouri and Petsilas have two children, son, Nicolas born in February 1968 and daughter, Hélène born in 1970. In 1974, Mouskouri and Petsilas separated and she moved to Geneva, Switzerland. In 1975, Mouskouri and Petsilas were officially divorced.
In 1962, she met renowned American song producer Quincy Jones. Jones got her to go to New York to record an album of American jazz titled, The Girl From Greece Sings. Following that she scored another hit in the United Kingdom with My Colouring Book.
In 1963, she left Greece to live permanently in Paris, France. Mouskouri performed Luxembourg's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest that year, À Force de Prier. The song became an international hit, and helped win her the prestigious Grand Prix du Disque in France. Mouskouri soon attracted the attention of French composer Michel Legrand, who composed her two major French hits Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964) and L'Enfant au Tambour (1965).
In 1965, she recorded her second English-language album that was released in the United States entitled, Nana Sings. Jamaican-American Calypso musician Harry Belafonte heard and liked the album. Belafonte brought Mouskouri on tour with him through 1966. They teamed for a live duo album entitled, An Evening With Belafonte/Mouskouri. During this tour, Belafonte told Mouskouri to remove her signature black-rimmed glasses when on stage. She was so unhappy with the request that she wanted to quit the show after only two days. Finally, Belafonte relented and respected her wishes to perform with her glasses.
Mouskouri's 1967 French album Le Jour Où la Colombe ascended her to superstardom in France. This album featured many of her French songs, Au Coeur de Septembre, Adieu Angélina, Robe Bleue, Robe Blanche and the French pop classic Le Temps des Cerises. Her rendition of Guantanamera was very well received. Mouskouri made her first appearance at Paris' legendary Olympia concert theater in 1967, with a repertoire blending French pop, Greek folk, and Hadjidakis numbers.
In 1968, Mouskouri turned her attention to the British market and hosted a variety show called Nana and Guests. In 1969, she released her first full-length British LP, Over and Over. It became a smash hit that spent almost two years on the U.K. charts. Mouskouri spent much of the 1970s on the road which helped to broaden her worldwide popularity to levels. In France, she released a series of top-selling albums that included Comme un Soleil, Une Voix Qui Vient du Coeur, Vielles Chansons de France, and Quand Tu Chantes. She also recorded a successful version of Habanera, from Bizet's opera Carmen. She continued to release highly received albums in Europe, including her 1975 album Sieben Schwarze Rosen which was a significant success in Germany, and her English-language album Book of Songs that sold millions of copies worldwide.
In 1979, Mouskouri had another English-language album named Roses and Sunshine. This album was very well received in Canada. She scored a worldwide hit in 1981 with Je Chante Avec Toi, Liberté, which was translated into several languages after its widespread success in France. The momentum from this album also helped boost her following German album, Meine Lieder Sind Meine Liebe. In 1984, Mouskouri returned to Greece for her first live performance in her homeland since 1962.
In 1986, Mouskouri recorded Only Love, the theme song to a BBC TV series that went on to top the U.K. charts. The song was also a hit with its French version, L'Amour en Héritage. That same year, Mouskouri made a play for the Spanish-language market with the hit single Con Todo el Alma. The song was a major success in Spain, Argentina and Chile. She released five albums in different languages in 1987, and the following year returned to her classical conservatory roots with the double LP The Classical Nana (aka Nana Classique), which featured some of her favorite opera excerpts.
Mouskouri's 1991 English album, Only Love: The Best of Nana Mouskouri became her best-selling release in the United States. She spent much of the 1990s with her rigorous global touring schedule. Among her early 1990s albums were spiritual music, Gospel (1990), the Spanish-language Nuestras Canciones, the multilingual, Mediterranean-themed Côté Sud, Côté Coeur (1992), Dix Mille Ans Encore, Falling in Love Again: Great Songs From the Movies. Falling in Love reunited her with Harry Belafonte on two songs.
She recorded several more albums over 1996-1997, including the Spanish Nana Latina (which featured duets with Julio Iglesias and Mercedes Sosa), the English-language Return to Love, and the French pop classics, Hommages. In 1997, she staged a high-profile Concert for Peace at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. This concert was later released as an album, and aired as a TV special on PBS in the U.S.
Mouskouri was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in October 1993 [1]. She took over from the previous ambassador, American actress Audrey Hepburn. Mouskouri's first U.N. mission took her to Bosnia to draw attention to the plight of children affected by Bosnian war. She was deeply moved by her experience in Bosnia and went on to give a series of fund-raising concerts in Sweden and Belgium.
Mouskouri represented Greece in the European Parliament from 1994 until 1999 as a member of the largely conservative New Democracy party.
In 1993, Nana recorded a new album, Hollywood. It was produced by Michel Legrand. Hollywood was a collection of famous film songs. It served was not only a tribute to the world of cinema, but also as a personal reference to childhood memories of sitting with her father in his projection room in Crete.
Between December 11-14, 1997, Mouskouri gave four triumphant performances at the Olympia in Paris to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her singing career. Also in 1997, Mouskouri resigned from her position as a European MP. She explained that a fervent pacifist, she refused to back wars.
Mouskouri currently lives in Switzerland with her second husband, André Chapelle whom she married on January 13, 2003. She still performs about 100 concerts each year. In 2004, her French record company released an unprecedented 34-CD box set of more than 600 of Mouskouri's mostly French songs.
For 2005 and 2007, she plans a farewell concert tour of Europe, Australia, Asia, South America, the United States, and Canada. During an interview with The Australian newspaper, when asked why this would be her final concert series, Mouskouri said she wanted to retire on a high note. "I never thought that I would grow that old. It is better really to stop while you are standing well on your feet. I just want to be proud and in very good form and thank the audience for all this love," she said.
Die Rose
Nana Mouskouri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you its only seed
It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
Its the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose
The song “Die Rose” by Nana Mouskouri is a very beautiful composition by Amanda McBroom, which touches on the subject of love. The opening lines “Some say love, it is a river, that drowns the tender reed” compares the feelings associated with love to the power of water. Love can be both a positive force and a negative force, in the sense where it can either uplift you or weigh you down. The following line “Some say love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed” portrays love as a painful experience that can hurt you and make you vulnerable. Despite this pain, the artist still believes that love is beautiful and necessary in life, as it is a natural response to the human heart.
The chorus, “I say love, it is a flower and you, its only seed” portrays the idea of love being a precious and delicate flower that needs to be nurtured and taken care of. It conveys the idea that love is something that needs to be grown with care and attention, and that one person can be responsible for the growth of it. The second verse of the song deals with some of the fears associated with love. Love can be scary, it is a dream that one may fear to believe in. But, if we always fear taking chances, we may never experience the beautiful things that life has to offer. The final stanza of the song talks about how the seed that has been buried in the snow will bloom into a beautiful rose when the sun comes out. This portrays the idea that love may take time and patience but that it will bloom and bring joy into our lives with time.
Line by Line Meaning
Some say love, it is a river
Love is often compared to a river by some people
That drowns the tender reed
Love is so powerful that it can overwhelm the most fragile ones
Some say love, it is a razor
Some people associate love with a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Love can be so painful that it can make your soul bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
Some think of love as an insatiable craving
An endless aching need
A never-ending, yearning want-like love
I say love, it is a flower
My definition of love is a beautiful flower
And you its only seed
You are the only one who can nurture and grow love
It's the heart afraid of breaking
People who are afraid of getting hurt often hold back their emotions
That never learns to dance
This fear makes them unable to express themselves freely
Its the dream afraid of waking
Similar to the above, people often hold back from their dreams to avoid disappointment
That never takes the chance
These people often fail to take risks, which may lead to missed opportunities
It's the one who won't be taken
People who are unwilling to be vulnerable may struggle to open up
Who cannot seem to give
As a result, this prevents them from being able to give or receive love
And the soul afraid of dying
People who fear the end of their existence may miss out on life's opportunities
That never learns to live
This fear hinders their ability to live life to the fullest
When the night has been too lonely
After a long period of loneliness
And the road has been too long
And a difficult, tiring path
And you think that love is only
When you believe that love is scarce or unattainable
For the lucky and the strong
Only for the fortunate and the resilient
Just remember in the winter
Recall that during the chilly season
Far beneath the bitter snows
Beneath the harsh, biting snow
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
There is a tiny seed, waiting to grow with the warmth of the sun
In the spring becomes the rose
That will bloom into a flower as the weather gets warmer
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AMANDA MCBROOM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ruben Fredi Fischer
Liebe ist wie wildes Wasser,
das sich durch Felsen zwängt,
Liebe ist so wie ein Messer,
das dir im Herzen brennt
sie ist süß und sie ist bitter,
ein Sturmwind und ein Hauch
für mich ist sie eine Rose,
für dich ein Dornenstrauch
Wer nie weint,
und niemals trauert,
der weiß auch nichts vom Glück,
wer nur sucht was ewig dauert,
versäumt den Augenblick
Wer nie nimmt, kann auch nicht geben
und wer sein Leben lang,
immer Angst hat vor dem Sterben,
fängt nie zu leben an
Wenn du denkst, du bist verlassen
und kein Weg führt aus der Nacht
fängst du an die Welt zu hassen
die nur Andre glücklich macht
Doch vergiss nicht an dem Zweig dort
der im Schnee beinah erfror
blüht im Frühling eine Rose so schön
wie nie zuvor
Kurt Gebgern
Mutterherz ❤️🙏🌹❤️
Denk ich an meine Kindheit zurück
so waren wir doch Glücklich.
Sie hat uns vorgelebt
was im Leben wirklich zählt .
Viel zu spät erst habe ich das verstanden
Der Himmel wollte nicht warten
und ihr letzter Weg begann .
Doch dann war alles so schwer
Nicht Hoffnung und Liebe hilft
wenn ein Weg zu Ende geht.
Gerade in einer Welt, die so kalt geworden ist.
Nein ich will nicht verstehen,
warum die besten so früh gehen.
Keiner gibt uns die Antwort auf die Fragen
warum das Leben machmal so Herzlos ist.
Jetzt wird ein Mutterherz auf die Reise gehen
in ein Land, das niemand kennt
Doch irgendwann gibt es doch ein Wiedersehen
Nur die Hoffnung und die Liebe bleibt
wenn ein Weg zu Ende geht .
Denn es gibt im Leben
nur einmal ein Mutterherz ❤️🙏🌹❤️
Kurt Gebgern
Kurt Gebgern
Ich wollte für meine Frau noch Rosen kaufen,
und sagte der Verkäuferin, rote Rosen sollen es sein.
Ich kaufte die Rosen und wollte dann gehen,
dann kam ein Mädchen sie war so um die 10
Sie sagte ich möchte eine rote Rose bitte sehr.
Ich hörte wie die Frau zu Ihr sagte,
leider habe ich keine roten Rosen mehr.
Die kleine stand verloren da.
Auf einmal hatte ich das Gefühl,
die Rosen wären aus Blei.
Ich ging zurück und fragte sie,
für wen die Rose sei?
Die Rose soll für meine Mama sein.
Da nahm ich einfach Ihre Hand,
und gab ihr meine Rosen in Ihr Arm.
Und als ich Ihre Augen sah,
da wurde mir leicht um mein Herz.
Ich wischte Ihr die Träne fort und sagte zu ihr,
ich fahre dich jetzt zu deiner Mama.
Sie saß die ganze Zeit ruhig neben mir.
Und plötzlich sagte sie mit sanfter Stimme Halt !
Hier ist meine Mama. Erst da sah ich das große Tor.
Wir waren da wo jeder irgendwann einmal die letzte Ruhe hat.
Dort legte sie die Rosen auf ihr Grab.Ich hörte wie sie sagte,
schau Mama was ich hab. Meine Kehle war wie zugeschnürt,
auch ich drückte mir am Grab eine Träne heimlich fort.
Ich brachte das Mädchen natürlich wieder behutsam nach Hause.
Kinderherzen versteht man auch ohne Wort.
Meine Frau verstand das Mädchen auch ohne ein Wort.
Kurt Gebgern
Kurt Gebgern
@Simone Kirschke KurtGebgern
Liebe Simone ,.🌹.
Das Leben besteht aus Liebe Glück und auch aus tiefsterTrauer. Zu deiner Frage , ob ich meiner Frau Blumen schenke das ist für mich keine Frage sondern eine Selbstvertändlichkeit weil ich meine Frau doch Liebe und Sie mich auch.
Das mit deiner Mutti tut mir in der Seele weh da du Sie so früh verloren hast Mein aller Herzliches Beileid.Aber es wird der Tag kommen da seht Ihr beide euch wieder.
Von Herzen Grüsst dich Kurt Gebgern
Ruben Fredi Fischer
Liebe ist wie wildes Wasser,
das sich durch Felsen zwängt,
Liebe ist so wie ein Messer,
das dir im Herzen brennt
sie ist süß und sie ist bitter,
ein Sturmwind und ein Hauch
für mich ist sie eine Rose,
für dich ein Dornenstrauch
Wer nie weint,
und niemals trauert,
der weiß auch nichts vom Glück,
wer nur sucht was ewig dauert,
versäumt den Augenblick
Wer nie nimmt, kann auch nicht geben
und wer sein Leben lang,
immer Angst hat vor dem Sterben,
fängt nie zu leben an
Wenn du denkst, du bist verlassen
und kein Weg führt aus der Nacht
fängst du an die Welt zu hassen
die nur Andre glücklich macht
Doch vergiss nicht an dem Zweig dort
der im Schnee beinah erfror
blüht im Frühling eine Rose so schön
wie nie zuvor
TheKronos70
Diese Stimme- einfach grandios 😊
Maria Aparecida Batista de Mattos
Nana mouskouri a voz que acalenta a alma!!!
Sabine Otto
Das Lied ist so wunderschön ,ich könnte es immerzu hören und es macht mut
EFRAIN CASTRO
No hace falta entender el idioma para comprender la poesía que se desgrana y fluye hacia lo más recóndito de nuestro ser.
R. Ch
Ein sehr SCHÖNES LIED, VON MEHREREN INTERPRETEN GESUNGEN...Ich liebe dieses Lied...😎💕
Andrea Morgenstern
Ich liebe ihre Musik schon immer 🤗
Simone Melanie Schmitt
Eines meiner favorite songs!!!Thank you Nana Mouskouri ❤❤❤🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Kurt Gebgern
Mutterherz ❤️🙏🌹❤️
Denk ich an meine Kindheit zurück
so waren wir doch Glücklich.
Sie hat uns vorgelebt
was im Leben wirklich zählt .
Viel zu spät erst habe ich das verstanden
Der Himmel wollte nicht warten
und ihr letzter Weg begann .
Doch dann war alles so schwer
Nicht Hoffnung und Liebe hilft
wenn ein Weg zu Ende geht.
Gerade in einer Welt, die so kalt geworden ist.
Nein ich will nicht verstehen,
warum die besten so früh gehen.
Keiner gibt uns die Antwort auf die Fragen
warum das Leben machmal so Herzlos ist.
Jetzt wird ein Mutterherz auf die Reise gehen
in ein Land, das niemand kennt
Doch irgendwann gibt es doch ein Wiedersehen
Nur die Hoffnung und die Liebe bleibt
wenn ein Weg zu Ende geht .
Denn es gibt im Leben
nur einmal ein Mutterherz ❤️🙏🌹❤️
Kurt Gebgern
Nana Röttlingsberger
Vielen Dank für das hochladen des Videos es bedeutet mir sehr viel.
Es war das Lied für meine geliebte Mutter die leider am 19.02.2013 verstorben ist.
Ich habe es für die Trauerfeier ausgesucht weil sie es so mochte und Rosen ihre Lieblingsblumen waren. Und ich heiße auch ganz wirklich Nana.
Ich werde bestimmt die beste Besucherin dieser Seite werden.
Herzlichen Dank!!!