Miserlou: an Egyptian girl conquers America, Greek Song Music

The song Miserlou or Misirlou is among the most well known songs of the Greek American community. Whatever its ultimate origins - whether Arabic, Turkish or Greek - it became one of the most beloved songs and dances of second and third generation Greek Americans from which it spread to the rest of the country and then the world, being one of the most internationally recorded popular tunes of the 20th century. First recorded in 1928 by Mikes Patrinos in Athens the first American version was attributed to the Greek immigrant from Egypt, Nick Roubanis. Part of a genre of songs called "Oriental" or "Anatolitiko" they were musically a synthesis of an orientalist "fantasy" of Near East music with often Latin & Hollywood influences. Miserlou is one of the first of this genre which became very popular in Greece in the 1950s with songs such as Zaira, Mandoubala, Serah, Zehra,etc. Here I present both vocal and instrumental versions as recorded in the USA by Greek (& other) Americans.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Greek
• Turkish
• Greece
• Turkey
• song
• music
• dance
• Asia
• Minor
• Anatolia
• oriental
• anatolitiko
• Miserlou
• Misirlou
• Tetos
• Dimitriades
• Dave
• Tarras
• Maria
• Karella
• Spiro
• Stamos
• Gus
• Vali
• Bebis
• Stergiou
• Tassos
• Halkias
• All
• Points
• East
• Amphion
• Choir
• Hrach
• Yacoubian
• Greek-American
• music
• Nick
• Roubanis
• rebetika
• rembetiko

[papagamias]

@Gutsyndicate Everyone knows this is heavily influenced by middle eastern music but this has nothing to do with Ottomans.

Remember that Asia had been colonised by Greeks before any Ottomans came into history. The 1 of the 3 main styles of Byzantine music too was very "eastern Minor Asian - north Middle Eastern" too. A part of Arabic music was inflluenced by Byzantine one. Some specific styles of Arabic music (mainly nowadays saved in Morroco-Algeria for some reason I ignore) are 100% Byzantium.

[videotuna]

the composer was not N,Roubanis, he took credit as composer when he released a jazz version in 1941. but the piece pre-dates him,

The song was first performed by the Michalis Patrino rebetiko band in Athens, Greece in 1927.

no one's knows who the composer is... so the argument is actually quite silly becuase no one knows...!

[EclipzeSolar]

SOUNDS VERY ANCIENT AN FASCINATING

[renofirvine]

i thought this voice sounded familiar---i have a 78 from the 20s of him singing 'valencia'

[bassemsl1]

@egyption0ghetto

i agree with that

[darthozoz]

in Turkish, by Zeki Muren - "Yarali Gonlum"

[apsconstruction]

@waelhakam111 thank you!!!i am from Greece!!!!

[apsconstruction]

@waelhakam111 

[apsconstruction]

@waelhakam111 Thank you!!!!

[apsconstruction]

@waelhakam111 Tank you!!!!

[apsconstruction]

Greek song!!!!!!!.first time Alexandria!!!!!!!  yes!!Greek-Egyptian histopy!!!About MEGA ALEXANDRO !!!!

[dbingamon]

This song became popular in early American Yiddish Theater (Jewish Music) as a group of Jews visited the family burial site of Midian to pay respect to Moses. At the same time, there were Druze meeting there to pay respect to Midian. Though the two groups present were a bit strained relations, they had some good times and shared some music together. That is how Miserlou because a popular song in Jewish music as well.