Live at Lycabettus theatre, Athens Greece [23/09/2012].
Brendan Perry performing a greek rempetiko song original performed by Roza Eskenazi between 1930-1936. This song is also known as "πρέζα όταν πιεις" (When You Take Dope) and was censored by Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas. As a result of his decisions, many other traditional Rebetiko artists were marginalized and a new genre of rempetiko music was born.
Lyrics and translation:
"Ime prezakias" also known as "Preza otan pieis"
apo to vrad' os to proi, me preza steko sti zoi
ki' olo ton kosmo katahto, tin aspri skoni sa' roufo
olos o kosmos einai ktima mou san eho preza kai roufao
k' oi politsmani otan me doun, melani amolao
san mastourotheis, yinesai efthis
vasilias, dihtatoras, theos kai kosmokratoras
preza otan pieis, re tha efrantheis
ki' ola pia ston kosmo rodina the na ta deis
diki mou einai i ellas, me tin katadia tis yelas
tis leipei to' na tis podari, re, kai to peksane sto zari
ego tha eimai, re, dihtatoras, ki' o kosmos stahti an tha yinei
o enas tha m' anavei to loula, ki' o allos tha to svinei
Translation (not mine):
"I'm a Junkie" also known as "When You Take Dope"
From dusk to dawn, my whole life is coke.
I can conquer the world when I snort that white powder.
The whole world is mine when I have coke to snort;
But when the police sees me, I disappear fast.When you get high, you become a king,
a dictator, a god, and ruler of the world.
When you snort coke, you experience euphoria,
because everything in the world suddenly seems rosy.Greece is mine; you can laugh at her plight.
She's missing one of her legs; man, they played dice for it.
Man, if I were a dictator, the world could turn to ashes for all I care;
as long as I've got someone to light my hookah
and someone else to put it out.
Additional Info:
The song is included in the setlist of Anastasis tour.
First Played in
August 9, 2012 by Dead Can Dance at Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Note: I filmed this video but i do not own the rights of the music. Please support this awesome band.