Accordeon – Manos Loizos
Posted on 14. Nov, 2009 in Greek Songs
Manos Loizos sings the Accordeon, which refers to the musical instrument accordion. It is a song written by Giannis Negrepontis and composed by Manos Loizos himself; it is one of the most popular and beloved songs, associated with the fights against fascism of all kinds in Greece.
Initially written in 1965, the song refers to the German fascists and the overall lack of freedom in the country. However, towards the end of the 60s, Greece was again in an unstable political condition, and the authorities of that time – the Greek Junta that established its regime in 1967 – prohibited the song, preventing its creators from recording it. The song became since then a symbol against the fascists of the junta and is still sung and remembered as a song of the resistance against the Military Forces that established an illiberal regime in Greece that affected the overall political scene in Greece and Cyprus.
The song refers to a typical scene from the resistance, to a young man keeping look outs, having his accordion with him to notify his comrades. A bullet, a death, and a hymn to those who died resisting to fascism, whatever form or nationality it has.
Lyrics: Giannis Negrepontis
Music: Manos Loizos
Originally performed by Manos Loizos.
Also performed by Giorgos Dalaras and Dimitra Galani
To Accordeon – English Lyrics
In my old neighbourhood I had a friend
who knew and played the accordion
when he sang, he was like the sun
fires in his hands were ignited by the accordion
But at one dark night, like every other night
he kept look-outs, playing the accordion
fascist vans stood next to the pen
and a gunfire stopped the accordion
The already started watchword always comes back to me
whenever I hear the accordion since then
and it has, like a stamp, marked my life
‘fascism will not prevail!’
Accordeon – Greek Lyrics
Το Ακορντεόν – Μάνος Λοίζος – Ελληνικοί Στίχοι
Στη γειτονιά μου την παλιά είχα ένα φίλο
που ήξερε και έπαιζε τ’ ακορντεόν
όταν τραγούδαγε φτυστός ήταν ο ήλιος
φωτιές στα χέρια του άναβε τ’ ακορντεόν
Μα ένα βράδυ σκοτεινό σαν όλα τ’ άλλα
κράταγε τσίλιες παίζοντας ακορντεόν
φασιστικά καμιόνια στάθηκαν στη μάντρα
και μια ριπή σταμάτησε τ’ ακορντεόν
Τ’ αρχινισμένο σύνθημα πάντα μου μένει
όποτε ακούω από τότε ακορντεόν
κι έχει σαν στάμπα τη ζωή μου σημαδέψει
δε θα περάσει ο φασισμός
