He blends a lot of musical traditions in his work, from popular to electronic. He has composed a lot of songs based on poems by Greek and foreign poets, such as Euripides, Aristophanes, Constantine P. Cavafy, Giorgos Seferis, Yannis Ritsos, Odysseas Elytis and Nikos Kavvadias as well as Bertolt Brecht, Nazim Hikmet, Wolf Biermann and Maurice Maeterlinck. He has also written operas, symphonic music, chamber music and music for the theatre and cinema.
One of his most popular works was the setting to music of poems by Nikos Kavvadias in his albums Grammes Orizonton (Horizons' Lines) and Stavros tou Notou (Southern Cross). Some of the music was originally written for a TV series, the theme of which was marine. The songs were liked and he went on to the studio to record some more many of which were included in the aforementioned albums.
Thanos Mikroutsikos has also been involved in Greece's political life since the 60's. During the turbulent years of the military junta (1967-1974), he was persecuted by the regime for his anti-dictatorial activities and ideas. When the junta collapsed he continued being actively involved in politics as a member of the maoist EKKE, especially in the first years after the restoration of democracy.
After the elections of October 1993 he was appointed by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) which formed the new government, as Alternate-Minister of Culture with late Melina Mercouri as minister. In 1994 after the death of the latter he was appointed minister of culture. He remained at this position until 1996. His brother is the popular TV host and musician Andreas Mikroutsikos.
A Bord De L' "Aspasia"
Thanos Mikroutsikos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
για την κατάλευκη μα πένθιμη Ελβετία,
πάντα στο deck, σε μια σαιζ-λογκ πεσμένη, κάτωχρη
απ΄ τη γνωστή και θλιβερότατην αιτία
Πάντοτε ανήσυχα οι δικοί σου σε τριγύριζαν,
μα εσύ κοιτάζοντας τα μάκρη αδιαφορούσες,
σ΄ ότι σου λέγαν πικρογέλαγες, γιατί ένιωθες
πως για τη χώρα του θανάτου οδοιπορούσες
είπες σε κάποιον γελαστή, σε τόνο αστείου:
Πως μοιάζει τ' άρρωστο κορμί μου, καθώς καίγεται,
με την κορφή τη φλεγομένη του ηφαιστείου!
Ύστερα σ΄ είδα στη Μαρσίλια σαν εχάθηκες
μέσα στο θόρυβο χωρίς να στρέψεις πίσω.
Κι εγώ που μόνο την υγρήν έκταση αγάπησα,
λέω πως εσένα θα μπορούσα ν΄ αγαπήσω
The lyrics of Thanos Mikroutsikos' "À bord de l'Aspasia" describe a woman who is traveling, pursued by her fate, to the snowy and mournful Switzerland. She spends most of her time on the deck, in a worn-out season log, dispirited by a well-known and sad cause. Even though she is always surrounded by worried loved ones, she looks apathetically towards the horizon, disregarding their bitter remarks, because in her heart, she knows that she's traveling towards the country of death. One night, as they pass by St. Moritz, she jokingly mentions to someone how her sick body, burning with a fever, resembles the fiery mountaintop of a volcano. Later, the singer sees her in Marseille, lost in the noise and confusion, and remarks that he could have loved her, as he himself has only ever loved the vast expanses of the sea.
The lyrics suggest that the woman is struggling with a physical illness, and may be traveling to Switzerland seeking a cure. However, her illness may also be metaphorical, indicating an inner turmoil or emotional pain that she is trying to escape. The song is introspective and poignant, examining themes of mortality, fate, and the search for meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ταξίδευες κυνηγημένη από τη μοίρα σου
You were traveling chased by your fate
για την κατάλευκη μα πένθιμη Ελβετία,
Towards the snowy yet mournful Switzerland,
πάντα στο deck, σε μια σαιζ-λογκ πεσμένη, κάτωχρη
Constantly on deck, in a rundown Seaz-Log,
απ΄ τη γνωστή και θλιβερότατην αιτία
For the well-known and most melancholic reason
Πάντοτε ανήσυχα οι δικοί σου σε τριγύριζαν,
Always anxious, your loved ones surrounded you,
μα εσύ κοιτάζοντας τα μάκρη αδιαφορούσες,
But you looked at the distance indifferent,
σ΄ ότι σου λέγαν πικρογέλαγες, γιατί ένιωθες
You bitterly smiled at everything they said, because you felt
πως για τη χώρα του θανάτου οδοιπορούσες
That you were traveling towards the land of death
Κάποια βραδιά, που από το Στρόμπολι περνούσαμε,
One evening as we were passing by St. Moritz
είπες σε κάποιον γελαστή, σε τόνο αστείου:
You said to someone in a joking tone:
Πως μοιάζει τ' άρρωστο κορμί μου, καθώς καίγεται,
''My sick body looks like a burning volcano,''
με την κορφή τη φλεγομένη του ηφαιστείου!
''with the flaming peak of the volcano!''
Ύστερα σ΄ είδα στη Μαρσίλια σαν εχάθηκες
Later I saw you in Marseille when you were lost
μέσα στο θόρυβο χωρίς να στρέψεις πίσω.
Amidst the noise, without turning back.
Κι εγώ που μόνο την υγρήν έκταση αγάπησα,
And I who only loved the vastness of the sea,
λέω πως εσένα θα μπορούσα ν΄ αγαπήσω
I say that I could love only you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THANOS MIKROUTSIKOS, NIKOS KAVVADIAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Nikos_Kougioumtzian
Ένα βαθιά μελαγχολικό ποίημα, μια πορεία προς τον αναπόφευκτο θάνατο & ταυτόχρονα η παραδοχή μια ανεκπλήρωτης αγάπης. Αργός ρυθμός στην αρχή, μελωδία με θλιβερές κλιμακώσεις και μετά την μελωδική απαγγελία, όλο το ποίημα επαναλαμβάνεται σε έναν έντονο ρυθμό με πνευστά & κρουστά που κυριαρχούν με ένταση και η μουσική να ταιριάζει στην οδύνη του ποιητή.
@user-kj2ic5lj7v
Εκπληκτικός αγαπημένος Θάνος, εξαιρετική ερμηνεία Ρίτας Αντωνοπούλου και μαγική Καμεράτα!
@elenidavari5039
Η καλύτερη ερμηνεία
@chrispapad1021
Τρομερή εκτέλεση.....