samadust's Full Review: Mourmourika: Songs of the Greek Underworld 1930-55
During the mid 1800's, the Greek musical style known as Rembetica began to divide itself into two distinct categories. The more entertaining and optimistic of the two, the Smyrnaic style, was played in cafe's and public spaces for the upper-class. Its darker, seedier, ruthless sibling, was frequently played in prison cells and teke's, hashish dens. It was sung exclusively by males, common criminals and thugs tied in with the Greek criminal underworld. The compositions were sung in Greek (of course) and accompanied by baglama (stringed Anatolian lute), dzouras (smaller Greek form of baglama), the guitar or the long necked bouzouki. During the 1930's, this form of Rembetica for the working class and criminals became the most popular and widely used.
One name for this music of the underworld was Ta Mourmourika which semantically meant to complain or to kick up dust, but on the streets it translated to "tough guy". Mourmourika compositions usually consist of little more than improvised accompaniment arranged around traditional melodies. The songs were put together in a half improvised half composed style that is similar in structure to American Blues.
In this compilation there are 21 tracks, remastered from the original 78 rpm recordings, with titles like "O Kaimos Tis Filakis" (Prisoner's Blues), "Kochlarakias" (The Junkie)and "I Filaki Ine Scholio", (The Jail is a Fine School). The songs are about bloodlust, theiving, betrayal, violence against women and the difficulty of addiction. In one song, the singer speaks of his willingness to return to prison for murdering his lover who was unfaithful while he was in prison.
For you I became a criminal,
But you did deceive me my fair red headed girl,
You did deceive me, frangosyriania (catholic girl)
Gave me ten years, my fair red-headed girl,
Gave me ten years, frangosyriania,
I have heard you've been with another,
When I get out there'll be a party, my fair red headed girl,
And I'll do away with you,
And not the levendi (fine upstanding man), my fine red haired girl,
And let me go back into jail,
And let me do another ten, my fine red haired girl,
There'll just be one woman less my fair red haired girl.
Other songs speak of scandal, physical combat with the cops, barfights and drug use.
What does it matter to you if I become a smack head,
And I wander through the streets a junkie.
I'm worthless, I'm just a lonely drifter,
And don't ask me for the reason,
How I fell so low, and I've just become a bum.
In some places the recordings are not restored very well making it hard to fully enjoy the music but the history behind it is easily heard. The strums, slight percussion and emotional vocals are all able to be appreciated. Sometimes it can become repetitive but the sentiments behind it all are clearly conveyed, the singers wail and whine conveying their ancient and far past concerns, appealing to the listeners deep dark sensitivity. These songs fully represent a class of music that is widely overlooked and forgotten in all its historical glory. The tunes are catchy and entertaining if you can visualize the history and implications behind it.
I highly recommend this compilation over many others that are just reproductions of the original style.
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