Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 music

Music

Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...

 composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

s of the 20th century.

Biography

He was born on 22 October 1937 to Cypriot immigrants in Alexandria

Alexandria

Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...

, Egypt. His parents came from the small village of Agioi Vavatsinias

Agioi Vavatsinias

Agioi Vavatsinias is a village in the Larnaca District of Cyprus, located 3 km north of Ora.Agioi Vavatsinias is the ancestral village of Manos Loïzos who was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century....

, in the district of Larnaca

Larnaca District

Larnaca District is one of the six districts of Cyprus. Its main town is Larnaca. A small part of the district was occupied by the Turkish army in 1974....

, Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

. Loizos moved to Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 at the age of 17 intending to study pharmacology

Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...

 but soon gave up his studies in order to concentrate on his musical career. He was a self-taught musician, with no formal musical arts training. His first recordings were made in 1963 but he started gaining a larger audience after 1967. By 1975 Loizos had become one of the most popular artists in Greek music.

He died on 17 September 1982 in a hospital in Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

, Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

 after suffering several strokes. He was well known for his leftist political

Left-wing politics

In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...

 ideology

Ideology

An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...

 and was an outspoken critic of the Greek military junta

Greek military junta of 1967-1974

The Greek military junta of 1967–1974, alternatively "The Regime of the Colonels" , or in Greece "The Junta", and "The Seven Years" are terms used to refer to a series of right-wing military governments that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974...

. He was also an active member of the Greek Communist Party

Communist Party of Greece

Founded in 1918, the Communist Party of Greece , better known by its acronym, ΚΚΕ , is the oldest party on the Greek political scene.- Foundation :...

. The year 2007 was declared "Manos Loizos Year" in Greece.

Discography

He composed many well-known Greek song

Song

In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...

s and has co-operated with various important composers, singers and lyricist

Lyricist

A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...

s like Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...

, Haris Alexiou

Haris Alexiou

Haris Alexiou is a Greek singer. She is considered one of the most popular singers in Greece and has been commercially successful since the 1970s. She has worked with important Greek songwriters and composers, has performed at top musical theatres all over the world and has received several awards...

, George Dalaras

George Dalaras

George Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early...

, Vasilis Papakonstantinou

Vasilis Papakonstantinou

Vasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...

, Christos Leontis, Fondas Ladis, Yannis Negrepontis, Manolis Rasoulis

Manolis Rasoulis

Emmanouil Rasoulis , best known as the lyricist of famous songs, was a Greek music composer, singer, writer and journalist.Rasoulis was born in 1945 in Heraklion, Crete...

, Giannis Kalatzis

Giannis Kalatzis

Giannis Kalatzis is a Greek singer who was especially popular in Greece in the late 1960s and the early 1970s.Giannis Kalatzis was born in Thessaloniki in 1943. His career as a singer began in the early 1960s when he was a member of the Trio Moreno in Thessaloniki. Kalatzis later moved to Athens,...

, Nazim Hikmet

Nazim Hikmet

Nâzım Hikmet Ran , commonly known as Nâzım Hikmet , was a Turkish poet, playwright, novelist and memoirist. He was acclaimed for the "lyrical flow of his statements"...

 and many others. His best known co-operation was with his very personal friend, lyricist Lefteris Papadopoulos

Lefteris Papadopoulos

Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in...

 who wrote the lyrics of many of Loizos' most successful hits.

Some of Loizos' most famous songs are :

- Ola se thymizoun (Everything Reminds Me)
Lyrics: Manolis Rassoulis

- Jamaica
Lyrics: Lefteris Papadopoulos

- S' Akoloutho (I follow you)
Lyrics: himself

- To Akordeon (The Accordeon)
Lyrics: Yannis Negrepontis

- O Dromos (The Street)
Lyrics: Kostoula Mitropoulos

- Che (dedicated to Che Guevara)
Lyrics: himself

- Ah Helidoni mu (Ah, my swallow)
Lyrics: Lefteris Papadopoulos

- De Tha Ksanagapiso (I Shall not Love Again)
Lyrics: Lefteris Papadopoulos

- Paporaki tou Burnova (Paporaki of Burnova)
Lyrics: Lefteris Papadopoulos

- O Koutalianos
Lyrics: Lefteris Papadopoulos

- Evdokia (Instrumental Zeibekiko

Zeibekiko

Zeibekiko is a Greek folk dance with a rhythmic pattern of 9/4 or else 9/8 . The name of the dance derives from the Zeibek warriors of Anatolia. It is danced by one person only and is of free choreographic structure, which is often refers to ancient Greek tragedy...

)

In 1985, a big concert

Concert

A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...

 dedicated to his memory took place in the Athens Olympic Stadium, attended by more than 50,000 people. Manos Loizos' songs and music remain popular until today among all ages of the Greek society.

Studio albums

Year	Title	Chart positions		Certification
		GRE Greek Albums Chart International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece or IFPI Greece is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. Currently two charts are compiled, one for sales of...	CYP Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
1968	O Stathmos (Greek: Ο Σταθμός; English: The Station) Début studio album First album ever in Greek market bearing the ‘MINOS’ logo Lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in... Singers of the album were Yiannis Kalantzis, George Dalaras George Dalaras George Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early... , Litsa Diamanti and Dimitris Efstathiou Released: December 1968 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP LP album The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... , cassette Compact Cassette The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel... , CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...	—	—	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –
1970	Thalassografies (Greek: Θαλασσογραφίες; English: Sea Drawings) 2nd studio album Lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in... Singers of the album were Manos Loizos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:... , George Dalaras George Dalaras George Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early... , Yiannis Kalantzis, Yiannis Parios and Mariza Koch Mariza Koch Mariza Koch is a Greek folk music singer who has recorded many albums since starting her career in 1971. On the wider stage she is best remembered for representing her homeland at the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 with the song Panayia Mou, Panayia Mou. Mariza Koch was born in Athens in 1944 but... Released: October 1970 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, cassette, CD	—	—	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –
1971	Evdokia (Greek: Ευδοκία) 1st soundtrack album Movie ‘Evdokia’ was directed by Alexis Damianos Released: December 1971 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos In Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every year he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete... Formats: LP, cassette, CD	—	—	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –
1972	Na Chame Ti Na Chame (Greek: Να ‘Χαμε Τι Να ‘Χαμε; English: If We Had) 3rd studio album Lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in... Lyrics of the album were censored Censorship thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...  due to dictatorship Dictatorship A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:... . Singers of the album were George Dalaras George Dalaras George Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early... , Yiannis Kalantzis, Manos Loizos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:...  and Haris Alexiou Haris Alexiou Haris Alexiou is a Greek singer. She is considered one of the most popular singers in Greece and has been commercially successful since the 1970s. She has worked with important Greek songwriters and composers, has performed at top musical theatres all over the world and has received several awards...  (backing vocals) Released: December 1972 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, cassette, CD	—	—	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –
1974	Kalimera Ilie (Greek: Καλημέρα Ήλιε; English: Goodmorning Sun) 4th studio album Lyrics by Dimitris Christodoulou Lyrics of the album were censored Censorship thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...  due to dictatorship Dictatorship A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:... . Singers of the album were Kostas Smokovitis, Haris Alexiou Haris Alexiou Haris Alexiou is a Greek singer. She is considered one of the most popular singers in Greece and has been commercially successful since the 1970s. She has worked with important Greek songwriters and composers, has performed at top musical theatres all over the world and has received several awards...  and Aleka Aliberti. Recording sessions were made in November 1973 during riots against the Greek military junta. Self-titled song has been used as the anthem of the Greek Socialist Party since 1974. In 2011, Myrsini Loïzou, Manos’ daughter, restricted the use of the song as political anthem due to severe disapproval of the government’s policy. Released: April 1974 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, cassette, CD	-	-	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –
1974	Tragoudia Tou Dromoy (Greek: Τραγούδια Του Δρόμου; English: Songs of the Road) 5th studio album Lyrics by Manos Loizos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:... , Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in... , Dimitris Christodoulou, Federico Garcia Lorca Federico García Lorca Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...  and Kostoula Mitropoulou. Singers of the album were Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:... , Vasilis Papakonstantinou Vasilis Papakonstantinou Vasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...  and Aleka Aliberti. Released: November 1974 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, cassette, CD	-	-	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –
1975	Ta Negrika (Greek: Τα Νέγρικα; English: The Niger Songs) 6th studio album Lyrics by Yiannis Negrepontis All songs of the album sung by Maria Farantouri Maria Farantouri Maria Farantouri was born in Athens on 28 November 1947. She is a Greek singer and also a political and cultural activist. She has collaborated with prominent Greek composers such as Mikis Theodorakis, who wrote the score for Pablo Neruda's Canto General, which Farantouri performed... . Released: November 1975 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, CD, cassette	-	-	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –
1976	Ta Tragoudia Mas (Greek: Τα Τραγούδια Μας; English: Our Songs) 7th studio album Lyrics by Fontas Ladis All songs of the album sung by George Dalaras George Dalaras George Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early... . 9 out of 11 songs were censored Censorship thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...  by the Greek National Television and Radio Released: October 1976 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, CD, cassette	1	1	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : Platinum
1979	Ta Tragoudia Tis Haroulas (Greek: Τα Τραγούδια Της Χαρούλας; English: Haroula’s Songs) 8th studio album Lyrics by Manolis Rasoulis Manolis Rasoulis Emmanouil Rasoulis , best known as the lyricist of famous songs, was a Greek music composer, singer, writer and journalist.Rasoulis was born in 1945 in Heraklion, Crete...  and Pythagoras. All songs of the album sung by Haris Alexiou Haris Alexiou Haris Alexiou is a Greek singer. She is considered one of the most popular singers in Greece and has been commercially successful since the 1970s. She has worked with important Greek songwriters and composers, has performed at top musical theatres all over the world and has received several awards... . Includes one of her biggest hits ‘Ola Se Thimizoun’. Manos Loizos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:...  and Dimitra Galani assisted with backing vocals. Due to heavy criticism by the media, the album had failed to chart for four months after its release. Further promotion by Alexiou helped album sales rise to platinum status. Released: May 1979 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, CD, cassette	1	1	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : Platinum
1980	Gia Mia Mera Zoïs (Greek: Για Μια Μέρα Ζωής; English: For One Day’s Life) 9th studio album Last album recorded while alive. Lyrics by Manos Loizos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:... , Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in... , Manolis Rasoulis Manolis Rasoulis Emmanouil Rasoulis , best known as the lyricist of famous songs, was a Greek music composer, singer, writer and journalist.Rasoulis was born in 1945 in Heraklion, Crete... , Tasos Livaditis, Fontas Ladis and Dora Sitzani. Singers of the album were Manos Loizos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:... , Vasilis Papakonstantinou Vasilis Papakonstantinou Vasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...  and Dimitra Galani. Released: December 1980 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, CD, cassette	-	—	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : Gold
1983	Grammata stin agapimeni (Greek: Γράμματα στην αγαπημένη; English: Letters To The Beloved One) Post-mortem studio album Lyrics by Nâzım Hikmet Nazim Hikmet Nâzım Hikmet Ran , commonly known as Nâzım Hikmet , was a Turkish poet, playwright, novelist and memoirist. He was acclaimed for the "lyrical flow of his statements"... . Manos Loizos Manos Loïzos Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:...  sung himself all the album’s songs. The album is a compilation of random recordings made by Loïzos throughout his career. Released: October 1983 Language: Greek Label: Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... Formats: LP, CD, cassette	—	—	IFPI Greece IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... : –