"Bouzoukia" is the plural of bouzouki organ, in modern Greece meaning places where small orchestras have (one or more) bouzouki as the main organ.
The whole culture around that places and songs and fest are also called "Bouzoukia".
Sometimes in a high passion meaning, sometimes in a decadence meaning of low music aesthetics. Be ware of the latter when you are a tourist so consult someone in advance before to attend a "bouzoukia" place. The quality varies. The most frequent issue is the audio volume level, it can be too loud to tolerate.
If you are against then it would be better for you to go to a tavern (taverna) wherever are some folks playing bouzouki and singing (not in all tavernas). That could be a more traditional experience and more appropriate to meet the right culture of bouzouki (also for tavernas consult someone to point you out).
Bouzouki itself is a spectacular organ having used to accompany superb music or songs or dances. The keys are always two major factors. The melody and the bouzouki player. These two, along with a good singer depending on the music piece, lead to the high interpretation of a passion (or strong passion).
Last but not least to know, folks who go to "bouzoukia" are not from a specific social class. They could be farmers, workers, clerks, politicians, shipowners, whoever.
There is another issue here. In many cases (not always) anyone of them want to feel like "lord". That means a worker would spent two month's hard earned budget in just one night in "bouzoukia" to feel "arhontas" (lord), and to exhibit to others that he is a lord. His intention is not to fake others that he is a lord but that he behaves like a lord in front of others whatever the personal cost to him (one of the major key-issues to understand Greeks).
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The singer here sings: "All I see are dark and tangled. As if they found me all of the disasters. (then mentions a bad love affair on top of that all, and then:) I'll run up to destroy, what have confused my life, to finally get a breath."
The last minute of that video clip demonstrates a lot about the most inner meaning of a Greek feeling and behaving like a lord with a common variation of that behavior, the destructive one in front of a mistreated life's experience. Off course you have to watch all of the clip to get the point.
The singer here sings: "All I see are dark and tangled. As if they found me all of the disasters. (then mentions a bad love affair on top of that all, and then:) I'll run up to destroy, what have confused my life, to finally get a breath."
The last minute of that video clip demonstrates a lot about the most inner meaning of a Greek feeling and behaving like a lord with a common variation of that behavior, the destructive one in front of a mistreated life's experience. Off course you have to watch all of the clip to get the point.
OLA EINAI DROMOS - Zebekiko
uploader: EllinikiKardia
uploader’s comment: Voulgaris' masterpiece Ola einai dromos (It's a long road), made in 1998, represents "a high point in Greek cinema." That is: "Mia koryfaia stigmi tou Ellinikou Kinimatografou." Giorgos Armenis in a bravura performance as Makis. Panos Falaras wrote the lyrics to the immortal zeibekiko "Tha ta gremiso" and Mairi Maranti sings it. Pantelis Voulgaris' best film, uncompromising, raw and devoid of leftist mumblings. Voulgaris co-wrote the story.
Here we have a typical love song in bouzoukia culture. Always mixed with passion. Also, we would say that is the Greek "soul music". Sort of.
Amartia Mou - Rita Sakelariou uploader: fotisdd
Lyrics translation by GreeceAllAbout blog :
| Στίχοι: Κώστας Ψυχογιός Μουσική: Γιώργος Μανίσαλης Ερμηνευτής: Ρίτα Σακελλαρίου Ιστορία Μου Αμαρτία Μου Είναι γλυκό το πιοτό της αμαρτίας, ποιος είναι αυτός που δε λαχτάρησε να πιει; Αυτή την γλύκα της κλεμμένης ευτυχίας. λίγο πολύ όλοι την έχουμε γευτεί Ιστορία μου αμαρτία μου, λάθος μου μεγάλο. Είσαι αρρώστια μου μες στα στήθια μου, και πώς να σε βγάλω. Παρακαλώ πότε να έρχεται το βράδυ, πότε να έρθει εκείνη η ώρα η γνωστή. Που θα φανείς όπως ο κλέφτης στο σκοτάδι, κι από την λαχτάρα η καρδιά μου θα σφιχτεί. Ιστορία μου αμαρτία μου, λάθος μου μεγάλο. Είσαι αρρώστια μου μες στα στήθια μου, και πώς να σε βγάλω. [2] | Lyrics: Kostas Psihoyios Music: Yiorgos Manisalis Singer: Rita Sakelariou Estoria Mou Amartia Mou (Story of mine, sin of mine) It is sweet the drink of the sin, who is the one who did not craved to drink? That very sweetness of the stolen joy, more or less we all have tasted it. Story of mine sin of mine, my great mistake. You are my sickness inside my chest, and how can pull you out I pray for the coming of the night, when to come that familiar time. Where you'll appear like thief in the dark, and from desire my heart will strain. Story of mine sin of mine, my great mistake. You are my sickness inside my chest, and how can pull you out. [2] |
