Eftichia Papagianopoulos

Eftichia Papagianopoulos ( _el. Ευτυχία Παπαγιαννοπούλου), also spelled as Eftihia Papagianopoulou, (1893-1972) was a Greek lyricist.

She was born in Aidini near Smyrna (now İzmir) in Asia Minor in 1893. She left Smyrna in 1919 because of the Greek-Turkish war; just three years before Smyrna's disaster in 1922 by the Turks. She came in Greece and settled permanently in Athens.

She is the lyrics' writer of many very popular Greek songs. She co-operated with many composers like Vassilis Tsitsanis, Apostolos Kaldaras and Manos Hadjidakis; however she never became very famous in the greater public until her death in 7 January 1972. Her great offer to the Greek music through her exceptional ability in writing lyrics wasn't broadly known and recognized, however more and more people start learning that many of the successful songs of 1950s and 1960s belong to her.

A recent (2002) book written by the lyricist and journalist Lefteris Papadopoulos, who was a personal friend of Eftichia during the last years of her life, helped a lot for her work's recognition.

Most well-known songs with lyrics by Eftichia Papagianopoulos - Sample:
* "Ta Kavourakia" (The little crabs), music: Vassilis Tsitsanis
* "Dio portes ehi i zoi" (Life has two doors), music: Stelios Kazantzidis
* "Ta alania" (The gutter childs), music: Vassilis Tsitsanis
* "Ime aetos horis ftera" (I am an eagle without wings), music: Manos Hadjidakis
* "Pira ap ti nioti hromata" (I took colours from youth), music: Apostolos Kaldaras
* "Malamo", music: Stamatis Kraounakis
* "Mi me paratas" (Don't leave me), music: Apostolos Kaldaras
* "An mou spasoun to bouzouki" (If they will break my bouzouki), music: George Zambetas

DIO PORTES EHI I ZOI (LIFE HAS TWO DOORS) : Lyrics by Eftichia Papagianopoulos - Free Translation

My last night, today i am passing it

and all those who embittered me now, when i am leaving from life,

i do forgive them

Everything is a lie,

a breath, a whiff, like a flower, a hand, will "cut" us at dawn

Where i am going, there is no pain and tear.

The hard times and the sorrows

will stay here, in life, and i will leave alone

Life has two doors, i opened one and went inside.

I perambulated in a morning

and until the sunset comes

i stepped out from the other

----

ΔΥΟ ΠΟΡΤΕΣ ΕΧΕΙ Η ΖΩΗ ( Original Greek )

Το τελευταίο βράδυ μου, απόψε το περνάω

κι όσους με πίκραναν πολύ

τώρα που φεύγω απ' τη ζωή

όλους τους συγχωρνάω.

Όλα είναι ένα ψέμα,

μια ανάσα, μια πνοή

σαν λουλούδι κάποιο χέρι

θα μας κόψει μιαν αυγή.

Εκεί που πάω δεν περνάν, το δάκρυ και ο πόνος.

Τα βάσανα και οι καημοί

εδώ θα μείνουν στη ζωή

κι εγώ θα φύγω μόνος.

Δυό πόρτες έχει η ζωή, άνοιξα μια και μπήκα.

Σεργιάνισα ένα πρωϊνό

κι ώσπου να ρθει το δειλινό

από την άλλη βγήκα.

Books

Lefteris Papadopoulos(2002)," Ola ine ena psema", Kastaniotis Editions; Athens

Links

her song-writing synopsis (in Greek) http://www.melodia.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_mel3_100473_03/11/2004_113159

her songs list & lyrics (GR & translations) http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?info=Lyrics&act=index&sort=alpha&lyricist_id=10
* http://www.music-bazaar.com/main.php?page=album&id=7234 - a dedicated cd by Minos records - see example songs

.