Zorbas
Encyclopedia
Zorbas is a song by Greek
composer Mikis Theodorakis
. It is based on two traditional Cretan
songs, "Armenohorianos Syrtos" and "Kritiko syrtaki", composed by Giorgis Koutsourelis
. The song featured in the 1964 film Zorba the Greek, for which Theodorakis wrote the soundtrack, and become extremely popular around the world. It is now commonly played and danced to in Greek taverna
s in Greece and elsewhere, and exists as a kind of trademark of Greece
. It is also known as "Sirtaki
", which is a version of the traditional Greek hasapiko
("butcher's") dance, choreographed by Giorgos Provias.
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
recorded a version of the song (as "Zorba the Greek") for their 1965 album Going Places. Issued as the B-side of the group's "Tijuana Taxi" single, the song reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart.
The song was featured, among others, in the film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
and in the "Subdivision" episode of Prison Break
where Charles "Haywire" Patoshik raids a fast food joint and gorges himself on soda and ice cream.
The song is particularly infamous in Peru
for its association with Sendero Luminoso
. In the early 1990s, a video of Sendero Luminoso's leadership dancing to the song was given to the media, showing that the organization's heads were hiding in Lima
itself.
British
dance
act LCD
covered the song in 1998.
Violinist David Garrett
covered the song on his self-titled album
in 2009.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
composer 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...
. It is based on two traditional Cretan
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
songs, "Armenohorianos Syrtos" and "Kritiko syrtaki", composed by Giorgis Koutsourelis
Giorgis Koutsourelis
Composer Giorgis Koutsourelis was born at Kissamos, Crete in 1914. He composed "Armenohorianos Syrtos", which was later was recorded by Mikis Theodorakis and was popularly known as "Zorba's dance". He died in Kissamos in June 1994.- External links :...
. The song featured in the 1964 film Zorba the Greek, for which Theodorakis wrote the soundtrack, and become extremely popular around the world. It is now commonly played and danced to in Greek taverna
Taverna
Taverna refers to a small restaurant serving Greek cuisine, not to be confused with "tavern". The Greek word is ταβέρνα and is originally derived from the Latin word taberna...
s in Greece and elsewhere, and exists as a kind of trademark of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It is also known as "Sirtaki
Sirtaki
Sirtaki or syrtaki is a popular dance of Greek origin, choreographed, by Giorgos Provias for the 1964 film Zorba the Greek. It is not a traditional Greek folkdance, but a mixture of the slow and fast versions of the hasapiko dance...
", which is a version of the traditional Greek hasapiko
Hasapiko
The Hasapiko , is a Greek folk dance from Constantinople. The dance originated in the Middle Ages as a battle mime with swords performed by the Greek butchers guild, which adopted it from the military of Byzantine era. In Constantinople during the Byzantine times, it was called in Greek...
("butcher's") dance, choreographed by Giorgos Provias.
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
recorded a version of the song (as "Zorba the Greek") for their 1965 album Going Places. Issued as the B-side of the group's "Tijuana Taxi" single, the song reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart.
The song was featured, among others, in the film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a 1998 British crime film directed and written by Guy Ritchie. The story is a heist film involving a self-confident young card sharp who loses £500,000 to a powerful crime lord in a rigged game of three card brag...
and in the "Subdivision" episode of Prison Break
Prison Break
Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
where Charles "Haywire" Patoshik raids a fast food joint and gorges himself on soda and ice cream.
The song is particularly infamous in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
for its association with Sendero Luminoso
Shining Path
Shining Path is a Maoist guerrilla terrorist organization in Peru. The group never refers to itself as "Shining Path", and as several other Peruvian groups, prefers to be called the "Communist Party of Peru" or "PCP-SL" in short...
. In the early 1990s, a video of Sendero Luminoso's leadership dancing to the song was given to the media, showing that the organization's heads were hiding in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
itself.
British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
act LCD
LCD (music act)
LCD were a computer generated dance act, active in the late 1990s. Signed to Virgin Records, their only hit single was a europop version of the Greek song "Zorbas", entitled "Zorba's Dance". The music video to the song, made in computerised animation, featured a band of overweight men playing the...
covered the song in 1998.
Violinist David Garrett
David Garrett (violinist)
David Garrett is a record breaking German/American classical violinist and recording artist.-Personal life:...
covered the song on his self-titled album
David Garrett (album)
David Garrett is a 2009 self-titled album by violinist David Garrett, released by Decca in the United States. It borrows all of its tracks from his earlier albums published in Europe, particularly Encore:- Track listing :...
in 2009.