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.
Où Es-Tu Passé?
Nana Mouskouri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Perdu dans les gorges de la Chiffa
Le ruisseau oublie la guerre
L'eau coule comme naguère
Les enfants ne font plus de grimaces
Ils dansent dans la vallée
Ils oublient leur faim et leur race
Où es-tu mon passé
Si beau si loin si près
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Là-bas ici ou à côté
Les pique-niques en famille
Les chapeaux de paille en pacotille
Les tomates ruisselantes d'huile d'olive
Les moustiques partaient sur l'autre rive
C'était le temps de la puberté
Nous chassions les mauvaises pensées
Les arbres nous tenaient à l'ombre
Nos cœurs amoureux étaient sombres
Où es-tu mon passé
Si beau si loin si près
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Là-bas ici ou à côté
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Dans ce village de cyprès
Où coule la source la plus belle
Comme un oiseau mon âme a pris ses ailes
Pour monter là-haut dans le ciel bleu
Rejoindre ce monde étrange de feu
Le jardin parfumé des artistes
Graver un nom de plus sur la liste
Où es-tu mon passé
Si beau si loin si près
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Là-bas ici ou à côté
Mon pays sent bon le jasmin
J'aimerai y retourner demain
Les fleurs ne sont plus arrosées
La terre rouge s'est refermée
La guerre assassine les innocents
Les vieux les femmes et les enfants
Et le ruisseau de ma jeunesse
Léger danse avec ivresse
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Le soleil se couche derrière les orangers
J'ai peur d'oublier mes souvenirs
Non non il ne faut pas mourir
The lyrics of Nana Mouskouri's song "Où es-tu passé" explore themes of nostalgia and longing for the past. The singer is searching for her lost past, symbolized by the imagery of the Chiffa Gorges, a natural landscape. The stream flowing through the gorges represents the passage of time, and despite the war and difficult circumstances, it continues to flow as it did before. The children in the valley are described as dancing and playing freely, momentarily forgetting their hunger and the divisions of their race.
The singer reminisces about family picnics, cheap straw hats, and tomatoes dripping with olive oil. These simple and joyful memories represent the carefree days of adolescence, where they could escape their negative thoughts and find solace under the shade of trees. However, the singer's heart was also consumed by love and darkness during these times.
The chorus repeats the question "Où es-tu passé mon passé" (Where have you gone, my past) as the singer searches for where her past has disappeared to. She wonders if it is far away, close by, or somewhere nearby. The lyrics then take a more introspective turn, as the singer imagines her soul taking flight like a bird, longing to join a strange and fiery world in the sky. They visualize a fragrant garden of artists, hoping to leave their mark and be remembered.
The song also touches upon the current state of the singer's homeland. The scent of jasmine reminds her of her country, and though she longs to return, she mourns the lack of care for its flowers and the closing of the red earth. The harsh reality of war is depicted, with innocent people, including the elderly, women, and children, becoming victims. Despite the darkness, the singer insists that memories must not be forgotten, and there is a fear of losing them. The song ends with a plea to not let the memories die.
Overall, "Où es-tu passé" is a poignant reflection on the passage of time, the longing for the innocence of the past, and the need to preserve memories in the face of difficult circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Where have you gone, my past?
Perdu dans les gorges de la Chiffa
Lost in the Chiffa gorges
Le ruisseau oublie la guerre
The stream forgets about the war
L'eau coule comme naguère
The water flows as it did before
Les enfants ne font plus de grimaces
The children no longer make funny faces
Ils dansent dans la vallée
They dance in the valley
Ils oublient leur faim et leur race
They forget about their hunger and their ethnicity
Ils jouent en liberté
They play freely
Les pique-niques en famille
Family picnics
Les chapeaux de paille en pacotille
Straw hats as a joke
Les tomates ruisselantes d'huile d'olive
Tomatoes dripping with olive oil
Les moustiques partaient sur l'autre rive
The mosquitoes went to the other side
C'était le temps de la puberté
It was the time of puberty
Nous chassions les mauvaises pensées
We chased away negative thoughts
Les arbres nous tenaient à l'ombre
The trees provided shade for us
Nos cœurs amoureux étaient sombres
Our love-filled hearts were dark
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Where have you gone, my past?
Si beau si loin si près
So beautiful, so far, so near
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Where have you gone, my past?
Là-bas ici ou à côté
There, here, or next to me
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Where have you gone, my past?
Dans ce village de cyprès
In this village of cypress trees
Où coule la source la plus belle
Where the most beautiful spring flows
Comme un oiseau mon âme a pris ses ailes
Like a bird, my soul has spread its wings
Pour monter là-haut dans le ciel bleu
To ascend up there in the blue sky
Rejoindre ce monde étrange de feu
To join that strange world of fire
Le jardin parfumé des artistes
The fragrant garden of artists
Graver un nom de plus sur la liste
To engrave one more name on the list
Où es-tu mon passé
Where have you gone, my past?
Si beau si loin si près
So beautiful, so far, so near
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Where have you gone, my past?
Là-bas ici ou à côté
There, here, or next to me
Mon pays sent bon le jasmin
My country smells of jasmine
J'aimerai y retourner demain
I would love to return there tomorrow
Les fleurs ne sont plus arrosées
The flowers are no longer watered
La terre rouge s'est refermée
The red earth has closed up
La guerre assassine les innocents
The war kills innocents
Les vieux les femmes et les enfants
The old, the women, and the children
Et le ruisseau de ma jeunesse
And the stream of my youth
Léger danse avec ivresse
Lightly dances with intoxication
Où es-tu passé mon passé
Where have you gone, my past?
Le soleil se couche derrière les orangers
The sun sets behind the orange trees
J'ai peur d'oublier mes souvenirs
I'm afraid of forgetting my memories
Non non il ne faut pas mourir
No, no, one must not die
Lyrics © RAOUL BRETON EDITIONS, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jean-claude BRIALY, Pascal AMOYEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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