In elk land in elke eeuw in elke dag en elke nacht
Het lachende kind woont overal In elke mens met een geweten in elk ander kind in een spel in elke troost en zelfs pijn soms door honger heen om toch even kind te zijn
Het lachende kind woont overal
In elke oorlog in elke armoede in elke dood in elk extreem in elke traan van elk wenend meisje
Anne-Mie
Πού είναι το γέλαστο παιδί;
Σε κάθε καρδιά κάθε μητέρας και πατέρα
Σε κάθε χαμόγελο σε κάθε ελπίδα σε κάθε άνθρωπο
Το γέλαστο παιδί ζει παντού
Σε κάθε χώρα σε κάθε αιώνα σε κάθε μέρα και κάθε νύχτα
Το γέλαστο παιδί ζει παντού
Σε κάθε άνθρωπο με συνείδηση σε κάθε άλλο παιδί που παίζει σε κάθε παρηγοριά, ακόμα και πόνο λίγες φορές μέσα από την πείνα απλώς να είναι παιδί για μια στιγμή
Το γέλαστο παιδί ζει παντού
Σε κάθε φτώχεια σε κάθε πόλεμο σε κάθε θάνατο σε κάθε δάκρυ του κάθε κοριτσιού που κλαίει
Αννε-Μή
Where is the laughing child?
The laughing child lives everywhere
In every heart of every mother and father
In every smile in every hope in every person
The laughing child lives everywhere
In every country in every century in every day and every night
The laughing child lives everywhere
In every person with a conscience in every other child in a game in every comfort and even pain Sometimes through hunger Just to be a child for a moment
The laughing child lives everywhere
In every war in every poverty in every death in every extreme in every tear of every crying girl
Anne-Mie
Als een kind niet in veiligheid kan lachen en dromen ….. wat doet de rest er dan toe?
This song is sung with such passion, with such power in the music and words, that it became almost universally used for other events.
It is a Greek translation of an Irish poem, “The Laughing Boy,” written by Brendan Behan in honor of Michael Collins. He was shot dead in 1922 in Cork after his convoy was ambushed. Was he killed by his own people? You can find the background here .
You can read and listen to the original poem here.
Hereyou can find the progress of the Irish poem to the Greek translation and set to music by Mikis Theodorakis.
You will find this passion in other songs as well, even if you don’t understand the language in which they are sung. How many languages, for example, would “Bella Ciao” be sung in?
Every time I hear this*song, or in another*version— even before I understood the words — I am stilled by the power of this song. For me, Maria Farantouri expresses the best this power of the underlying theme (despite me a big fan of Georges Dalaras).
I wonder where the laughing child is in these days. The crying girl symbolizes everyone who weeps for a child — even more this horribly — lost.
Where are the years, the wonderful years
when you had flowers in your heart
where is the love, my sweet love
to warm us in the cold
Those are not my words. Those are the words of the refrain of a Greek song, sung by Giorgos Dalaras. Music from Stavros Kouyioumtzis and lyrics by Akos Daskalopoulos.
This song was also brought in the concert of 3th March 2023, in Rotterdam, Luxor theatre. One of the many songs that night.
Where are the years?
I had quite some flashbacks, going to those first years of concerts and discoveries, one after the other, meetings; the beginning of a never-ending love for this country, its language and its songs, full of stories.
Through person’s lifetime can happen a lot; in the world, in my country, in that beautiful country, with our families and friends, with our bodies, the bodies of our dearest…
G. Dalaras was my very first Greek musical discovery. I saw and still do so, in every song a piece of history, a piece of culture, a way of living, power, a real existence that is overwhelming, every time again. Like being drawn into a funnel and than landing on the other side in my other home.
Flowers in the heart
It was a memorable day in more than one way. The memory of my mother was very clear and present that day. She died in 2006, 26th February, on a Sunday. She was buried on 3rd March, on a Friday, exactly to the day, seventeen years ago. Her birthname was Wilhelmina. In Rotterdam we walked over the Wilhelmina-square. That was before the concert.
Wilhelmina square
I remember her being pleasantly surprised every time she came to my place, listening to the Greek music; like the first time that I heard the voice of Dalaras.
Also, in the restaurant, where we had a good Greek meal, the waiter gave everyone a peppermint. On the paper wrapper was her name printed as well.
It reminded me very clearly of her, as if she was there as well.
To warm us in the cold
Literally! Before the concert, we were outside, walking, doing some sightseeing. Those looking-forward hours are nice, every time again. We enlarge the funnel and add a few extra memories to cherish. Meeting the organizer. The spirit of the ‘younger ones’, the teasing, the conversations, the upcoming evening in our minds and hearts … and another surprise, we met another friend there. How nice it was to see her again!
It’s about the concert itself of course. From the first note, the atmosphere was good! We know most of the musicians now, also the ones who weren’t there.
After the intro and the first song, G. Dalaras asked if there was a person that was bilingual Dutch/Greek. A man came up on the stage and translated what Dalaras said in Greek. In summary, he was glad that, after all those years, it still feels warm to be welcomed like this.
He also mentioned the train accident, on the 1rst March in the North of Greece. We make music in happiness and sadness and pain! Then he asked for a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims. As one, everyone stood up and bowed their heads. This is the first time that I didn’t even hear a cough!
After that we were spoiled with a dazzling performance, so many Greek songs that we knew and sang along (tried to anyway). I don’t take so many photo’s anymore, nor did I film. I’m sitting and enjoying, without trying to remember every song (to look it up later, what it means, as I used to in earlier years). This way, I was completely drawn into every moment of the concert. Warm!
Where are the years?
Sometimes they come back a little, discovering the musicians that we don’t know yet.
The bassist Petros Varthakouris
The ‘young ones’ got backstage, with their LP’s and afterwards gloating with his signature on it. And again, there was a flashback, when I was excited to go backstage. It is admirable how calm G. Dalaras is under the commotion and attentively listens to them. That’s what we have been told.
All warmed up, back home and wide awake on that side of the funnel, I almost saw the sunrise but fell asleep. Αυτή η νύχτα μένει… (this night stays)
I have no reason to think about how my life would have turned out with another discovery, back then.
“My roots and my other home; I’m enough like this.”
AMK 04/03/2023
The minor quality is in the picture, nót G. Dalaras
Photo at the top: there is something about the waterside that is attractive.
Op reis naar Ithaka 