Μουζάκης Γιώργος (Giorgos Mouzakis) was a Rebetico legend and his style of bouzouki playing was especially influential for subsequent Rebetico artists and can be heard to this day in Greek popular music. He wrote and recorded hundreds of songs. The one below, Όμορφη Θεσσαλονίκη, (beautiful Thessaloniki)is about his love of Thessaloniki. A topic that comes up often in Rebetico is one's love of a native city, even if your conditions in it were squalid and beset by crime and drugs. Rebetico is a distinctly urban genre and you'll very rarely find the countryside or nature praised. It's often likened to the Blues of America, and at that one might even be tempted to go out on a limb and draw some parallels to hip-hop. Indeed, at various times Rebetico was banned due to it's perceived anti-social influence.
This is a nice modern recording played in a classic style, even down to the costumes. In a Ταβέρνα (tavern, from which we get the English word for the same.) it would be typical for a small band to sit in a row on a small stage, with some tables pushed away and men dancing in front.Όμορφη Θεσσαλονίκη
Στίχοι: Μουζάκης Γιώργος
Μουσική: Μουζάκης Γιώργος
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Ώ! όμορφη Θεσσαλονίκη Ώ! τα μαγικά σου βράδια νοσταλγώ Είσαι το καμάρι της καρδιάς μου Θεσσαλονίκη όμορφη γλυκιά κι' αν ζω στην ξελογιάστρα την Αθήνα για σένα τραγουδώ κάθε βραδιά Ώ! όμορφη Θεσσαλονίκη Ώ! τα μαγικά σου βράδια νοσταλγώ Μέσα στα στενά σου τα σοκάκια έζησα τις πιο γλυκές στιγμές καντάδες χίλιες νύχτες έχω κάνει για όλες τις μποέμικες καρδιές Ώ! όμορφη Θεσσαλονίκη Ώ! τα μαγικά σου βράδια νοσταλγώ Πάντα με κρατάς στην αγκαλιά σου Πάντα σε θυμάμαι και πονώ Κι αν είμαι τώρα λίγο μακριά σου με τον καιρό κοντά σου θα βρεθώ |
------ Μετάφρασης (Translation) ------
Oh, beautiful Thessaloníki
Oh, I long for your magic nights
You are the chamber of my heart
Sweet, beautiful Thessaloníki
And if I'm living in bewitching Athena
I sing for you every night
Oh, beautiful Thessaloníki
Oh, I long for your magic nights
Amongst your narrow alleys
I've lived my sweetest moments
I've made a thousand songs
for all the bohemian hearts
Oh, beautiful Thessaloníki
Oh, I long for your magic nights
Always you hold me in your arms
Always I remember you and am pained
And if I'm a little away from you now
In time I'll find you
