In a Strange Land / Επί Γης Αλλοτρίας
An anthology of Greek-Australian songs and music produced by Pavlos Andronikos & Stephen Adam
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The title we chose for this album is an allusion to the psalm “By the rivers Babylon”, and is taken from the line “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” The word “strange” means, of course, “foreign” or “alien” in the psalm, but for this album the word’s other meaning of “odd” or “unusual” seemed to me apt. The natural landscape of Australia and the flora and fauna all struck me as very strange when I first arrived here in 1981, and they still do. Australia then is the “strange land”, and the opening tracks on this CD have been arranged to suggest a journey from the Greek world to the land “down under”. The album begins in the Greek world with a song which in its music and lyrics evokes traditional Greek folk song, continues with the song I’m Leaving, and arrives in the “strange land” with the instrumental title track and Pink Lakes. The working life as experienced by many migrants to the strange land is the subject of Day After Day, an energetic rock song about factory work, and this is followed by a passionate meditation on nostalgia and loss in The Same Sun. Nostalgia and a sense of loss are part and parcel of the migrant experience, but the specific loss so keenly felt in this song is the loss of Kyrenia in the north of Cyprus as a result of the Turkish invasion of 1974 which made refugees of the Greek inhabitants of the north of the island. They’ve Taken the Sun continues the theme of nostalgia, but looks to another Greek island, Crete. In this song the poet Nikos Ninolakis, whose “heart sails endlessly on the seas of memory”, resigns himself to the ways of a heart mourning what is lost. In contrast, in There Are Moments George Xylouris, also from Crete, celebrates those moments when the heart is flooded with love of life and life’s journey. With Five Horseflies the album moves thematically to the subject of personal and social relationships. A rock idiom is used to express anger and frustration at those who are “just as they should be” and who expect everybody else to be likewise. They are like horseflies waiting in ambush. “I wasn’t crazy; you’ve made me crazy,” Stelios rages. Christella Demetriou brings a change of mood in For Yianni, a gentle yearning love song: “I want to return again to your embrace for a little warmth”. The Pomegranate, one of Dimitris Tsaloumas’ most intriguing poems and one of the late Costas Tsicaderis’ loveliest songs, continues the theme of love: “The pomegranate you coveted, love, my love, is bound by unliftable time, water more precious than blood. But in my yard the old men in the evening, the evening, say it was unseemly that I should cultivate such a fruit.” Since the night features prominently as a backdrop to The Pomegranate, it seemed appropriate to follow it with Christella Demetriou’s celebration of the night, and this is followed by a celebration of the beauty of Cyprus, as well as an acknowledgment of its tragedy in One Earth. This tragedy is also the subject of With the Lips of Heartache: “You knew that somewhere in the ocean you’d lost a daughter… she wove a song from the thread of centuries, and sang of freedom through endless winters.” The poem ends with a moving plea from the daughter: “Sun, tell my mother, with the lips of heartache, to send the fare for freedom and her blessing.” Ironically, given its title, Words Are the Poison represents in the context of this album a coming together of the Greek and English languages, as well as a coming together of the two cultures they represent. Given the sentiments expressed in that song, it seemed appropriate to end the album with “voices” but no words: hence Bluebeard.
Pavlos Andronikos
For a Greek version of this introduction click here: Η εισαγωγή στα ελληνικά.
CONTENTS
ΠΕΡΙΕΧΟΜΕΝΑ
LYRICS For lyrics and translations go to this page.
COPYRIGHT ISSUES All of the songs from the anthology In a Strange Land can be downloaded from this web site. To download a song, right click on the title of the song and choose "Download Linked File" (Safari) or "Save Target As" (Explorer) from the pop-up menu. The songs will download in mp3 format. If added to the library of iTunes (mp3 playback software free from Apple), full details should appear in the iTunes window. The songs are being made available here for non-commercial personal use only. All rights of the manufacturers and of the owners of these recorded works are reserved. Unauthorised copying, public performance and broadcasting of these works is prohibited. Individual songs © 2010, the composers & lyricists. This compilation © 2010, P. Andronikos & S. Adam. All recordings ℗ 2010, P. Andronikos & S. Adam.
Vocals: Archie Argyropoulos & Helen Sinis Saz: John Norton Baglamas, violin: Hector Cosmas Synths, programming: Pavlos Andronikos Clarinet: Ken Schroder Steel-string Guitar: Michael Teo Bass: Pavlos Andronikos Percussion: Denis Close & Archie Argyropoulos Recorded at: C’est Ca, Collingwood & elsewhere Recording Engineers: Genevieve Coath & Pavlos Andronikos Mixed by Stephen Adam
Vocals: Andrew Kyriakopoulos Synths, programming: Andrew Kyriakopoulos Recorded & mixed by Andrew Kyriakopoulos
Synths, programming: Stephen Adam Recorded & mixed by Stephen Adam
Pink Lakes & There Are Moments Vocals: George Xylouris Lute, Mandolin, Lyra: George Xylouris Violin: Mairéad Hannan Whistles: Shelagh Hannan Lute: Deirdre Hannan Cello: Alice Garner Double Bass: Daniel Butler Percussion: Spiros Antoniades Recorded at: C’est Ca, Collingwood Recording Engineer: Genevieve Coath Mixed by Stephen Adam & Pavlos Andronikos
Day After Day & Five Horseflies Vocals: Stelios Tsiolas Violin: Tracey Tan Lead Guitars on Five Horseflies: Pavlos Andronikos Rhythm Guitar on Day After Day: Pavlos Andronikos Programming: Pavlos Andronikos Rhythm Guitar on Five Horseflies: Evripidis Evripidou Bass Guitar: Evripidis Evripidou Drums: Gerry Pantazis Recorded by Pavlos Andronikos Mixed by Pavlos Andronikos & Stephen Adam
Vocals: Achilles Yiangoulli Violin: Jane Schleiger French Horn: Spiros Kessaris Classical Guitar: Evangelos Karavitis Steel-string Guitar: Achilles Yiangoulli Double Bass: David Abiuso Percussion: Achilles Kalanis Recorded at C’est Ca, Collingwood Recording Engineer: Genevieve Coath Mixed by Stephen Adam
They've Taken the Sun & The Pomegranate Vocals: Costas Tsicaderis Violins: Tessa Baliakas & Hector Cosmas Mandolin: Hector Cosmas Bouzouki: Peter Paraskevas Guitars: Costas Tsicaderis Percussion: Paul Grage Recorded at C’est Ca, Collingwood and elsewhere Recording Engineers: Genevieve Coath, Stephen Adam Mixed by Stephen Adam
Vocals: Christella Demetriou Clarinet: Ken Schroder Oud: John Norton Bouzouki, Mandolin: Christella Demetriou Violin: Tracey Tan Viola: Claire Hall Cello: Rosemary Ingram Classical Guitar: John Norton Steel-string Guitar: Michael Teo Double Bass: Rosie Westbrook Percussion: Denis Close For Yianni arranged by John Norton Night arranged by Ken Schroder Recorded at C’est Ca, Collingwood Recording Engineer: Genevieve Coath Mixed by Stephen Adam
Vocals: Helen Sinis & Markos Markou Piano: Tracey Tan Bass: Stephen Adam MIDI Programming: Pavlos Andronikos & Stephen Adam Recorded by Pavlos Andronikos Mixed by Pavlos Andronikos & Stephen Adam
(Live recording from the opera
Little City by Irine Vela Soloists: Achilles Yiangoulli, Jeannie Marsh, Glen Haydyn, Giaconda Vatcky Choir: Canto Coro Musicians: Irine Vela, Deanne Flatley et al Arranged by Irine Vela Recorded live by Paul Efthimiou Additional recording & remix: Stephen Adam
Cover Art: Pavlos Andronikos
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The creation of this anthology was assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, and by the Government of Greece. We’d like to thank everyone who contributed in some way, large or small, and helped make this album possible. In particular we’d like to thank the diplomat and poet George Veis, for his help in securing funding for the project, and the staff of Australia Council for their advice, support, and patience. Pavlos Andronikos & Stephen Adam
Read “ Greek Music from the Land Down Under!” |
Page created: 6 December 2010;
Last modified: 17 March 2024.
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