Never on Sunday (song)

"Never on Sunday"
2002 Remastered single
Single by Manos Hadjidakis[1]
from the album Never on Sunday
Released	October 1, 1960[2]
Format	Vinyl[3]
Recorded	1960
Label	United Artists Records
Writer(s)	Manos Hadjidakis
Producer	Jack Lewis

"Never on Sunday", also known as "Ta Paidia Tou Piraia" (Greek: Τα Παιδιά του Πειραιά; English: The Children of Piraeus) is a popular song by Manos Hadjidakis.^[1] A vocal version was also released and performed by Melina Mercouri in the film of same name directed by Jules Dassin and starring Mercouri.^[1] The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1960, a first for a foreign-language picture.^[4] The film score to the movie was first released on October 1, 1960 by United Artists Records.^[2] The song has since been covered by numerous artists, and has gained various degrees of success throughout the world.

Background

"Never on Sunday" was written by Manos Hadjidakis originally in Greek with the title "Ta Paidia tou Peiraia" (The children of Piraeus). The original Greek version featured lyrics also written by Hadjidakis, and was performed in the film by Melina Mercouri. The original Greek lyrics (along with the foreign translations in German, French and Italian) tell the story of the main female character of the film, Illya (Mercouri). Illya is a jolly woman who enjoys life, the town and the people of her native Piraeus. Although she earns her money as a prostitute, she longs to meet a man someday who is just as full of joie de vivre as she is herself.

In 1960, the song was nominated and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a first for a foreign-language picture since the Academy began to recognize achievements in this category in 1934.^[4]

Covers

The song has been covered in a number of languages since its release:

• Greek (as Τα Παιδιά του Πειραιά) by Melina Mercouri, Nana Mouskouri, Andy Williams, and Pink Martini.

• English: An orchestral version recorded by Don Costa reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, while it also remained on the chart into 1961.^[5] His version also peaked at #27 in the UK Singles Chart.^[1] Following the success of the orchestral version as well as the Oscar win,^[6] an English language version of the song was commissioned to be written especially to match the title of the film. The lyrics to the English version of the song were written by Billy Towne. A vocal cover of the song by The Chordettes reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961.^[7] It was also covered by Bing Crosby, Done Costa, Lena Horne, Doris Day, Andy Williams, Connie Francis, Petula Clark, Lale Andersen, and The Chordettes, plus as an instrumental by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

• Italian (as Uno A Te, Uno A Me) by Dalida and Milva.

• French (as Les Enfants du Pirée) by Melina Mercouri, Darío Moreno and Dalida.

• German: Lale Andersen scored a number one hit in 1960 with the German language version of the song titled "Ein Schiff wird kommen".^[8]. It was also covered by Dalida, Lys Assia, Nana Mouskouri, and Melina Mercouri.

• Yiddish (as Af zyntik - neyn) by The Barry Sisters.

• Czech (as Děti z Pirea, 1962) by Milan Chladil & Yvetta Simonová.

• Spanish (as Los Niños del Pireo) by Dalida. "Nunca en Domingo" by Xiomara Alfaro.

• Serbian (as Деца Пиреја) by Lola Novaković and Ljiljana Petrović.

• Croatian (as Nikad nedjeljom) by Ksenia Prohaska.

• Slovenian (as Otroci Pireja) by Helena Blagne.

• English/Spanish (as No Tengo Dinero) by Los Umbrellos, based on the melody.

• Dutch (as Waarom ben jij nooit op zondag vrij) by Mieke Telkamp, based on the melody.

• Cantonese (as 兩爺仔) by Andy Lau, Anita Mui, Sandra Ng, Ronald Cheng, Gordon Lam, Suzanne Chung, Cherrie Ying and Lam Chi-chung in the film Dance of a Dream (愛君如夢). The title song roughly translates "Father and son".

• Mandarin (as 別在星期天) by Teresa Teng. The title translates as "Never on a Sunday."

• Polish (as Dzieci Pireusu) by Maria Koterbska and duo of actors Hanna Śleszyńska & Jacek Wójcicki.

Other appearances

• The song was used again in the 2005 movie Munich.
• James Hill, a Canadian ukulele player, recorded a version of the song on ukulele for his album A Flying Leap.
• Nia Vardalos sang a snippet of the Greek version in her 2009 film My Life in Ruins.
• Los Umbrellos, a Danish musical group, used it as a base for their 1998 signature song, "No Tengo Dinero".
• This song was sung on the Muppet Show by Miss Piggy and Greek pigs, complete with smashing plates.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 135. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Never On Sunday: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced…". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Never-Sunday-Original-Soundtrack-Enhanced/dp/B000007O78. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
3. ^ "Manos Hadjidakis - Never On Sunday (Original Sound Track Music) (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/Manos-Hadjidakis-Never-On-Sunday-Original-Sound-Track-Music/release/1173780. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Levy, Emanuel (2003-01-14). All about Oscar: the history and politics of the Academy Awards. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 210. ISBN 9780826414526. http://books.google.com/books?id=dH2Lb_YhIhAC&pg=PA210. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
5. ^ Trust, Gary (March 9, 2010). "Oscar Winners On The Hot 100 - Chart Beat". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/column-chartbeat/oscar-winners-on-the-hot-100-1004073779.story#/column-chartbeat/oscar-winners-on-the-hot-100-1004073779.story. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
6. ^ Inc., Nielsen Business Media, (1961-05-29). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. p. 13. http://books.google.com/books?id=BCEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA13. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
7. ^ "Never On Sunday (1961, #13 Billboard chart hit)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Never-Sunday-1961-Billboard-chart/dp/B00115FG3Y. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
8. ^ Müller, P.: Stadtgeschichte Bremerhavens: Lale Andersen, last accessed July 27, 2010.

External links

• Melody with printed lyrics