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.
Song For Liberty
Nana Mouskouri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you cry I cry with you in sorrow
When you suffer I'm praying for you liberty
For your struggles will bring us a new tomorrow
Days of sad darkness and fear must one day crumble
For the force of your kindness and love make them tremble
When you sing I'm singing with you liberty
Who are you dream illusion or just reality
Faith ideal desire revolution
I believe you're the symbol of our humanity
Lighting up the world for eternity
I can see why men die to defend you
Try to guard to protect and attend you
When you sing I'm singing with you liberty
With your tears or your joys I love you
Let us sing and rejoice make our own history
Songs of hope with one voice guide us to victory
Liberty, liberty
The lyrics of Nana Mouskouri's Song For Liberty are a testament to the power of hope, unity, and perseverance in the face of oppression and tyranny. The opening lines of "When you sing I'm singing with you liberty" emphasize the interconnectedness of people who share a common goal for freedom and justice. The repetition of "I cry with you in sorrow" and "I'm praying for you liberty" shows that even in the most difficult moments, there is a sense of solidarity and support that can bring people together.
The song speaks to the idea that liberty is not just an abstract concept, but an embodied force that can inspire and change people's lives. In the lines "Who are you dream illusion or just reality/Faith ideal desire revolution," the singer is questioning whether liberty is a mere fantasy or a tangible reality that one can fight for. The answer seems to be that liberty is both an ideal and a cause that requires passionate dedication and persistence.
Line by Line Meaning
When you sing I'm singing with you liberty
I stand with you in your pursuit of freedom and equality, and I support your efforts through my own.
When you cry I cry with you in sorrow
I empathize with your pain and share in your grief, as we fight for a better future together.
When you suffer I'm praying for you liberty
I recognize the hardships you endure and offer you my prayers and support, as we join forces to overcome oppression.
For your struggles will bring us a new tomorrow
I believe that your struggles will lead us to a brighter future and a world that celebrates the beauty and dignity of all people.
Days of sad darkness and fear must one day crumble
I have faith that the dark days of hatred and division will one day come to an end, and that a brighter future awaits us all.
For the force of your kindness and love make them tremble
I know that the power of your compassion and love is stronger than any evil, and that it will ultimately triumph over hate and oppression.
In the void of your absence I keep searching for you
When you are not with us, I continue to look for the light and hope you bring, and strive to carry on your message of love and freedom.
Who are you dream illusion or just reality
I wonder if you are a mere dream or illusion, or if you are truly real and tangible – but regardless, I am inspired by your message of hope and unity.
Faith ideal desire revolution
You represent the elements that can spark a revolution and bring about a more just and equal world.
I believe you're the symbol of our humanity
I see you as a symbol of the best of humanity, representing our ideals of freedom, justice, and equality.
Lighting up the world for eternity
Your message and spirit will shine like a beacon and inspire generations to come.
I can see why men die to defend you
I understand why people are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect and defend the values and freedoms you represent.
Try to guard to protect and attend you
I will do my best to safeguard your message and legacy, and to ensure that your spirit of hope and justice lives on.
With your tears or your joys I love you
I support you whether you are facing adversity or celebrating victories, and I offer you my love and solidarity in all circumstances.
Let us sing and rejoice make our own history
Let us come together and celebrate our shared humanity, and work to create a world that reflects our highest aspirations and deepest values.
Songs of hope with one voice guide us to victory
Through our collective efforts and shared vision, we can overcome the forces of oppression and exclusion, and build a world rooted in justice and compassion.
Liberty, liberty
We will continue to strive for liberty and freedom, and to champion the dignity and worth of all people.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anthonytang4264
From wiki
This is "Va, pensiero" known in English as the "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves",
a chorus from the third act of the opera Nabucco (1842) by Giuseppe Verdi,
inspired by Psalm 137. It recollects the story of Jewish exiles in Babylon after the loss of the First Temple in Jerusalem.
The opera with its powerful chorus established Verdi as a major composer in
19th-century Italy.
Role in Italian political history[edit]
Some scholars initially thought that the chorus was intended to be an anthem for Italian patriots, who were seeking to unify their country and free it from foreign control in the years up to 1861 (the chorus's theme of exiles singing about their homeland, and its lines like O mia patria, si bella e perduta / "O my country, so beautiful, and lost" was thought to have resonated with many Italians)
Role in East German political history[edit]
According to Frederick Forsyth,[8] the German translation was used politically. "Every time it was played the entire audience rose and sang along. The Politburo members who attended were gratified by the enthusiasm but bewildered that they never did this for any other aria. Then someone pointed out that for them the 'beloved homeland' was not East Germany but the West. It was their only way of expressing a political opinion. After that the authorities discontinued Nabucco."
Lyrics
Go, thought, on wings of gold;
go settle upon the slopes and the hills,
where, soft and mild, the sweet airs
of our native land smell fragrant!
Greet the banks of the Jordan
and Zion's toppled towers...
Oh, my country, so beautiful and lost!
Oh, remembrance, so dear and so fatal!
Golden harp of the prophetic seers,
why dost thou hang mute upon the willow?
Rekindle our bosom's memories,
and speak to us of times gone by!
Oh you akin to the fate of Jerusalem,
give forth a sound of crude lamentation,
oh may the Lord inspire you a harmony of voices
which may instill virtue to suffering.
@Owlingscom
Still my absolute no 1 of
all my 66 years!
@thinkaboutit3366
Nana is gift from God 👍🩷
@michamuller
Einfach fantastisch
@MrJaimilly
Simply stunning! Encore, encore! Woman is an absolute icon in every beautiful way.. That crescendo at the end!! Wow.
@jessicajackson8064
I LOVE Nana! I saw her in concert in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, 40 years ago! What a treat.
@joeharwell7496
I discovered her in the 70s on PBS and fell in love.
@queenfan1960
I love listening to this. ❤😂
@punkinshadow
I have added this to my playlist and have her singing it in French, but she is so gracious to her audiences at every concert and after every song. Beautiful rapport with the orchestras, too. She curtsies so well and so femininely. Ver y nice to see this appreciation of her fans. Thank you always for posting.
@matthewmarriott8401
Once in maybe 100 years an amazing artist like her comes along.
@brianwhiting5658
once in a 1000 years more like