Manos Hatzidakis was a very influential, potent composer and theorist of Greek music. He won an Oscar 1960 for his song “Never on Sunday.” Speaking of Hatzidakis, he not only shaped and put his fingerprint on Greek classical music and general music, but he also gave direction to the Greek cultural direction.

During his stay in the USA, Hatzidakis, in cooperation with Mark Snow, wrote the lyrics to the song “Kemal-Raining Pleasure,” which was released in 1970.

The song was rereleased in 1993 under the title “Kemal.” The Greek version was written by Niko Gatsos, a poet, translator, and lyricist. Gatsos’ lyrics differed radically from the original.

The uniqueness of the 1993 version is that its lyrics are timeless. It doesn’t matter which decade you are listening to or will listen to this song; it perfectly describes man’s continual battle to change the world and his unfortunate being at the mercy of a higher power. Be it political or religious.

Here’s the English translation of the lyrics of the 1993 version and, lastly the song itself:

Listen now to the story of Kemal

a young prince of the east

descendant of Sindbad the mariner

who believed he could change the world

but bitter are the plans of Allah

and dark the souls of the humans.

In the Far East places once upon a time

the pouch was empty, and the water moldy

in Mosul, in Basrah, at the old date palm

resentfully are crying the children of the desert.

And a young man from a great family and royal lineage

listens to the weeping and drags towards there

the Bedouins look at him with a sad look

and an oath to Allah he gives them that times will change.

When the masters heard of the child’s fearlessness

they started with a wolf’s tooth and a lion’s pelt

from Tigris at the Euphrates, from the earth to the sky

they hunt for the apostate to catch him alive.

The crowds fall upon him like unrestrained dogs

and they take him to the caliph to wear him the noose

black honey, black milk he drank that morning

before he left on the gibbet his final breath.

With two old camels and a red war-horse

at paradise’s gates, the prophet awaits

they go now hand in hand, and it’s cloudy all around

but Damaskus’ star kept them company.

Within a month, within a year, they see before them, Allah

who from his high throne says to the witless Sindbad

my defeated genius times don’t change

by fire and by the dagger, the world always keeps going.

Goodnight, Kemal, this world will never change

Goodnight