Greek Singer Yannis Charoulis is a known Greek singer, songwriter, and musician whose music brings together elements from entekhno (orchestral music with elements from folk songs and lyrics often based on the work of famous Greek poets), rock, and traditional Cretan music.
\nContinue reading to learn more about his career and Greek music, and listen to one of his songs. It is accompanied by a transcript of the lyrics as well the English translation for easier comprehension.<\/p>\n
Yannis Charoulis was born and raised in Crete. His first encounter with music was at the tender age of 6, when his father taught him to play the mandolin. A bit later he got his first laouto (gr. \u03bb\u03b1\u03bf\u03cd\u03c4\u03bf), which is a long-neck fretted instrument of the lute family, most commonly encountered in Greece and Cyprus and bearing similarities to the oud. Starting at 15, he was playing professionally at local fests and celebrations and studying traditional Cretan music more closely.<\/p>\n
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Charoulis appears on stage in Athens for the very first time in 2002 thanks to the Greek artist Christos Thivaios at a concert organized in honor of an iconic figure of Cretan music, Nikos Xylouris. His songs and music captured the Greek psyche and demeanor, earning Xylouris the title \u2018Archangel of Crete\u2019. The common ground between the two artists is that the music of both Xylouris and Charoulis is deeply influenced by the musical tradition of Crete \u2013 they are often the first examples that come to mind when someone tries to describe the island\u2019s songs and sounds!<\/p>\n
In 2003, his first solo album comes out with the title \u00ab\u0393\u03cd\u03c1\u03c9 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2\u00bb\u00a0(en. Around me and within), whereas the second followed in 2006 and was called \u00ab\u03a7\u03b5\u03b9\u03bc\u03c9\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd\u03b8\u03cc\u03c2\u00bb (en. Winter flower). In 2010, he recorded two songs for the soundtrack of the Greek TV series \u00ab\u03a4\u03bf \u039d\u03b7\u03c3\u03af\u00bb: you can read more about these series which were based on the bestselling book The Island<\/em> by Victoria Hislop on our blog here<\/a>. The songs are called \u00ab\u039c\u03b1\u03cd\u03c1\u03b7 \u03a0\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u03cd\u03b4\u03b1\u00bb (en. Black Butterfly)<\/a> and \u00ab\u03a3\u03b5 \u03a8\u03b7\u03bb\u03cc \u0392\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd\u03cc (\u0391\u03b5\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2)\u00bb (en. On a High Mountain \u2013 Eagle)<\/a>.<\/p>\n Three more albums have come out since: \u00ab\u039c\u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b1\u03bd\u03b5\u03af\u03b5\u03c2\u00bb (en. Witchcraft) in 2010, \u00ab\u03a7\u03af\u03bb\u03b9\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03ce\u03c2 \u03b5\u03c3\u03bc\u03af\u03be\u03b1\u03bc\u03b5 \u2013 Live\u00bb (en. A thousand times welcome) in 2015, and \u00abO \u0394\u03c9\u03b4\u03b5\u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u0393\u03cd\u03c6\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u00bb (en. Twelve Lays of a Gypsy) in 2016. The second album includes the recordings from two sold-out concerts he gave in Athens in 2013 and stayed at the top of Greek music charts for a long time that year.<\/p>\n The third album includes 12 abstracts from the poem \u201cTwelve Lays of a Gypsy\u201d set against music. The poem was written by the Greek poet Kostis Palamas. If his name sounds familiar is because he\u2019s also the person who wrote the Olympic Hymn.<\/p>\n He has worked together with a plethora of Greek songwriters and singers, whether for a studio album or a concern: Thanassis Papakonstantinou, Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Eleftheriou,<\/a> Stavros Xarchakos, Alkistis Protopsalti<\/a>, Melina Kana, Sokratis Malamas, Miltos Paschalidis, Nikos Portokaloglou, Dionisis Tsaknis, Alkinoos Ioannidis, Nana Mouschouri, Natassa Bofiliou \u2013 and the list goes on.<\/p>\n Here we\u2019re kicking off the journey in his musical universe with the song \u201c\u03a3\u03bf\u03c5 \u03bc\u03b9\u03bb\u03ce \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03bf\u03ba\u03ba\u03b9\u03bd\u03af\u03b6\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2\u201d (en. I talk to you and you blush). This song was originally written and performed in 1999 by another Greek artist, Dionysis Savvopoulos, but this cover remains one of the most popular videos by Charoulis on YouTube. Charoulis is singing along to the lyrics while playing the laouto, adding a Cretan \u2018twist\u2019 to the song. Enjoy!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Click here to see the video and listen to the song.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The more you bury the seed, the more it blooms<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n I\u2019m by myself at the orchestra with a shadow next to me<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Only to look at you, that\u2019s the only thing I\u2019m able to do<\/p>\n Starry night<\/p>\n Little lights have been lit across the entire village<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n In the village Mouresi (people) are dancing since yesterday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n I look at you and you blush, and you give yourself away<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Take me (by the hand) too so that I can find a little joy<\/p>\n Come to dance<\/p>\n I want to step down and become one<\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n And you start to blush even more<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Or maybe I\u2019m the strange and distant one?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n White dress, light steps<\/p>\n Starry night<\/p>\n Little fires glimmer over the villages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n *Aya Triada is a common name for a Greek village, so there are plenty of villages (or small towns) in Greece with this name.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n **The Greek lyric used the word village as the subject of the verb \u201cto dance\u201d; a village, i.e. the location cannot dance, but here it\u2019s used to suggest that all its residents are dancing and celebrating.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***The singer is on stage (on the microphone) as he suggests earlier in the song. Here he wants to step down and join the circle of the dancers, becoming one with them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ****Syrtos is a very common Greek dance; its steps are quite easy and there are plenty of variations across Greece.<\/p>\n During our Omilo summer courses, we regularly teach our students Greek songs. It\u2019s a fun way to unwind after a day of lessons while they continue to practice their listening and comprehension skills.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nLet\u2019s listen to a song!<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n \u03a3\u03bf\u03c5 \u03bc\u03b9\u03bb\u03ce \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03bf\u03ba\u03ba\u03b9\u03bd\u03af\u03b6\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b9 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c6\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03ce;
\n\u038c\u03c3\u03bf \u03b8\u03ac\u03b2\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf \u03c3\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03ac\u03ba\u03b9, \u03c4\u03cc\u03c3\u03bf \u03b2\u03b3\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9 \u03b1\u03bd\u03b8\u03cc<\/td>\nI talk to you and you blush what should I think?<\/p>\n \n \u03a3\u03c4\u03bf \u03bc\u03b9\u03ba\u03c1\u03cc\u03c6\u03c9\u03bd\u03bf \u03b1\u03bd\u03b5\u03b2\u03b1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9 \u03c4\u03bf \u03b8\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03cc \u03b3\u03bb\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03ac\u03b5\u03b9
\n\u039c\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b5\u03af\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03bf\u03c1\u03c7\u03ae\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03b1 \u03bc’ \u03ad\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd \u03af\u03c3\u03ba\u03b9\u03bf \u03c0\u03bb\u03ac\u03b9<\/td>\nI step up to the microphone and the beast paints the town red<\/p>\n \n \u0388\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u03c7\u03bf\u03c1\u03cc
\n\u039c\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b5 \u03b2\u03bb\u03ad\u03c0\u03c9, \u03bc\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf \u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03cc \u03bc\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03ce
\n\u039d\u03cd\u03c7\u03c4\u03b1 \u03be\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03ac
\n\u0386\u03bd\u03b1\u03c8\u03b1\u03bd \u03c6\u03c9\u03c4\u03ac\u03ba\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c3’ \u03cc\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1 \u03c7\u03c9\u03c1\u03b9\u03ac<\/td>\nCome to dance (i.e. join the dance circle)<\/p>\n \n \u03a4\u03b7\u03c2 \u0391\u03b3\u03af\u03b1 \u03a4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1\u03c2* \u03ae\u03c1\u03b8\u03b1\u03bd \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c6\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u03c9\u03c4\u03ad\u03c2
\n\u03a4\u03bf \u03c7\u03c9\u03c1\u03b9\u03cc** \u03c4\u03bf \u039c\u03bf\u03cd\u03c1\u03b5\u03c3\u03b9 \u03c7\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03cd\u03b5\u03b9 \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c7\u03c4\u03ad\u03c2<\/td>\nIn Aya Triada, days with wings have arrived<\/p>\n \n \u0389\u03c1\u03b8\u03b1\u03bd \u03be\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9 \u03b7\u03bb\u03b9\u03bf\u03ba\u03b1\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9, \u03ae\u03c1\u03b8\u03b1\u03bd \u03ba\u03b9 \u03b1\u03b4\u03b5\u03c1\u03c6\u03bf\u03af
\n\u03a3\u03b5 \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03c4\u03ce \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03bf\u03ba\u03ba\u03b9\u03bd\u03af\u03b6\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b9 \u03ad\u03c7\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03b4\u03bf\u03b8\u03b5\u03af<\/td>\nSunburnt foreigners have arrived, brothers arrived too<\/p>\n \n \u0388\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u03c7\u03bf\u03c1\u03cc
\n\u03a0\u03ac\u03c1\u03b5 \u03bc\u03b5 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b1 \u03bb\u03af\u03b3\u03bf \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c7\u03b1\u03c1\u03ce
\n\u0388\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u03c7\u03bf\u03c1\u03cc
\n\u0398\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03ad\u03b2\u03c9 \u03b8\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03b5\u03bd\u03c9\u03b8\u03ce***<\/td>\nCome to dance<\/p>\n \n \u039a\u03b9 \u03bf \u03c3\u03c5\u03c1\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2**** \u03c3\u03b9\u03b3\u03ac \u03bc\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c0\u03ac\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c0\u03af\u03c3\u03c9 \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc \u03c4\u03bf \u03b9\u03b5\u03c1\u03cc
\n\u039a\u03b9 \u03b1\u03c1\u03c7\u03b9\u03bd\u03ac\u03c2 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03ba\u03bf\u03ba\u03ba\u03b9\u03bd\u03af\u03b6\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b9\u03bf \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03cd \u03b8\u03b1\u03c1\u03c1\u03ce<\/td>\nAnd the syrtos slowly leads us behind the chapel<\/p>\n \n \u039c\u03b1 \u03b5\u03b4\u03ce \u03b4\u03b5\u03bd \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03be\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf \u03b2\u03bb\u03ad\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03bd\u03b5\u03bd\u03cc\u03c2
\n\u039c\u03ae\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 \u03b5\u03af\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b5\u03b3\u03ce \u03bf \u03be\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03bf \u03bc\u03b1\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03cc\u03c2;<\/td>\nBut there are no eyes of a stranger<\/p>\n \n \u0388\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u03c7\u03bf\u03c1\u03cc
\n\u0386\u03c3\u03c0\u03c1\u03bf \u03c6\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd\u03ac\u03ba\u03b9, \u03c0\u03ac\u03c4\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1 \u03b5\u03bb\u03b1\u03c6\u03c1\u03cc
\n\u039d\u03cd\u03c7\u03c4\u03b1 \u03be\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03ac
\n\u03a4\u03c1\u03ad\u03bc\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd \u03bf\u03b9 \u03c6\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03af\u03c4\u03c3\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9 \u03b1\u03c0’ \u03c4\u03b1 \u03c7\u03c9\u03c1\u03b9\u03ac<\/td>\nCome to dance<\/p>\n A few notes to help you better understand some of the lyrics:<\/h3>\n