New video from George Papavgeris

Subject: New video from George Papavgeris
From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 06:15 PM

Sorry, not meaning to embarrass George with this thread, but 'Johnny Don't Go Walking With The Fishes' is now up on Youtube and I *love* this song! So I thought I'd let others know. It's about the Greek Sponge Divers and it taught me a great deal about them when I heard George first sing this a few years back now, as I didn't know their story, or realise the extreme danger of their job..

I hope you all enjoy this. :0)

George's words from the video:

"Based on an early recording of the song, the song is about the plight of the Greek sponge divers. They always used to dive naked, clutching a 15kg stone, holding their breath up to 5 minutes some of them. In 1860 the standard diving suit was introduced and the Greek divers found they could multiply their catch several times - but nobody told them about the bends. Between 1860 and 1911 50% of the Greek sponge divers were either killed or injured by the bends. This song is in their memory."

Johnny Don't Go Walking With The Fishes - George Papavgeris

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Acorn4
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 06:52 PM

I love George's songs - I'd not heard this one before !

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 09:02 PM

Very nice use of the slide images as well.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish
Date: 11 Jan 12 - 04:58 AM

Glad you both enjoyed it.   :0)

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 11 Jan 12 - 10:19 PM

Great slides -- where'd you find 'em all, George? And the guitar work seemed particularly delicate & haunting -- beautiful.

Thanks for posting it, Lizzie.

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 05:51 AM

Great stuff! Especially to those of us who have been to the former sponge diving islands like Halki and Kalymnos. Interested people shouold try to get a copy of Faith Warne's book Bitter Harvest on the Kalymnos sponge fishing trade.

RtS

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 09:48 AM

The full reference to the book I mentioned above is:
WARN, Faith: Bitter Sea: the real story of Greek Sponge Diving. Guardian Angel Press, 2000. isbn 0-9538088-0-7 £5-50 (PO Box 5883 CM3 5AH).
My copy is signed both by the author and also by our friend Irene whose mother, as a young woman, appears in the photograph of Kalymnian women waving goodbye to the fleet following Chapter 12.

RtS

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 07:20 PM

The opening picture is of Kalymnos harbour, if I remember right, though some of the subsequent ones are of Greek divers from Tarpon Springs, where Kalymnians established the sponge diving trade. Yorkshire Yankee, I filched the pictures shamelessly from 't internet! Now I am searching for pics of old Greek men dancing to satisfy Lizzie's second request...

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 11:35 PM

I can guess which song those pix are for... will look forward to seeing it -- and hearing it again!

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 12:49 AM

Very good song, George!

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 04:14 AM

Yes, George, I thought I recognised Pothia in the opening picture though it isn't the viewpoint I'm used to. BTW, thanks for the help last year with the lyrics to Kokoraki- I tried it out with my Greek friends in September to unjustified acclaim- like a dog walking on hind legs, I suspect!
RtS

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 01:04 PM

And HERE it is! :0)

I'm sitting under an Olive Tree, hot Greek sun pouring down, as I watch the Villagers joining with their Ancestors in The Dance.."..every step had a meaning, every gesture, a grace.."

"As he came back to her, and so gently she kissed him, in that moment alone you could see their whole life..." :0)

Thank you SO much, George! xxx

The photos in here are wonderful, just wonderful!      

'Tsamiko' (Dance of the Old Men)

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: GUEST,Harry Basnett
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 03:35 PM

'Johnny Don't Go Walking With The Fishes' has always been a favourite of mine...a blast from the past.

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 09:38 PM

Just watched it, and it sent several shivers of emotion down my spine... powerful stuff!

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 04:35 AM

Brilliant, George - A poignant reminder that even in the idyllic, in our minds, surroundings of the Greek iskands, poverty was bad enough to make men risk their lives to feed their families.

I was trying to think what it reminded me of and the whole concept - going down deeper and deeper -brought to mind the many songs about the hardship and dangers of the coal mines. There is one song in particular that, for some reason, seemed to parallel it for me. Ted Edwards The Coal and Albert Berry. But let's not go off on a 'which was more dangerous' tack! Maybe we should start a thread about songs for tough jobs but I suspect there would be too many :-)

Hopefully those days are over in most civilised parts of the world. Some dangerous and tough jobs still need doing but at least there are now more safeguards and, thankfully, there are people like George and Ted to rimind us how hard life is for some. On the lighter side - When I was in Rhodes some years back I caught a 'traditional' Greek band at a folk night. Towards the end of the evening I approached the bazouki player to tell him how much I had enjoyed it. In a broad Bradford accent he said 'Ahm glad yer liked it' :-) Them Yorkshiremen get everywhere!

When are you coming back to Swinton BTW, Geroge?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 04:57 AM

Just as soon as I get a booking, Dave :0) Thanks for the comparison of the song to Ted's one - high honour indeed!

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 05:37 AM

PM sent, George. If it comes about I will try to get Ted there too :-)

D.

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 06:11 AM

And then there is this!!   (which rings more and more true with every passing second)

'The Eye of the Storm'

'Eye of The Storm' by George Papavgeris

"When the students abandon the lecture halls
While illiterate role models thrive
When it's fun to be senseless on Saturday
And go sick just when Monday arrives
When the dreams of the millions are crumbling
While the towers of ivory stand
When news hounds chase the latest celebrity
While celebrities chase the next brand It's no use then just turning your face away And pretending that this is the norm This is no blip on history's weathermap This is only the eye of the storm

When historical drama is favourite
But the lessons of history lost
Making promises easier than keeping them
In the rush to be first past the post
When we tell people only what's good for them
And we're angered when truth sees the light
When we cut every tall poppy down to size
And our privilege we claim as our right It's no use now to care who will win the race It no longer depends on the form This is no blip on history's weathermap This is only the eye of the storm

Meeting friends face to face is superfluous
Yet with hundreds of friends we're alone
When suspicion greets anyone different
Showing tolerance just for our own
When we trust doctrine more than experience
And supposed common sense becomes scarce
When the young claim a future of hopelessness
And the old claim that youth is a curse It's no use trying to lock up your castles now And pretend all is cosy and warm This is no blip on history's weathermap This is only the eye of the storm

When the clueless text votes for the talentless
Then to lead us we choose among drones
We have no doves to point to some promised land
Only vultures to circle our bones
When you're guilty for voicing opinions
And no room left for any dissent
Any faith will offend faithless millions
And what's said is worth more than what's meant You can't say then it's nothing to do with you You can neither abstain nor conform This is no blip on history's weathermap This is only the eye of the storm"

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 06:37 AM

I loved Tsamiko. It reminded me of the time a few years ago when the late George Foundas,who was Greece's John Gielgud, and must have been around 80 at the time, was on holiday with friends on Kalymnos and came into the taverna where we usually eat and "sing". Thee was a larger than usual crowd, many who had heard he was there and just wanted to see him. As the evening progressed from singing to dancing he stood up and did a very slow stately solo dance.
It was one of those "I was there" moments.

RtS

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 07:20 AM

Funny how things go in circles sometimes, Roger. Here is a clip from a film with George Foundas already getting on in years - the film is about the life of the sponge divers! The clip includes scenes of divers getting the bends and the "burial" in the sand - part of the primitive first aid available at the time.

The Sea-Braves

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 07:26 AM

...And here's another clip, linking the sponge-divers with dancing: In Kalymnos there is a traditional dance called "The Engineer's Dance", referring to the fact that the divers depended on the boat's "engineer" for their air when they were below. The lead dancer pretends that he is incapacitated by the bends and dances with a stick, until he falls - then he makes an effort, gets up determined, throws the stick away ("I don't have a need for this or anything" being the meaning), and completes the dance normally. Go to 4 minutes 50 seconds...
The Engineer's Dance

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 11:54 AM

Thanks for those links, George. The first one showed Foundas as we remembered him, rather than the young man in "Zorba" etc. The second one certainly whetted our appetite for our return to the island in September. The owner of the apartment we rent 'phoned us to wish us Happy New Year and we booked our dates. We asked him how much, knowing the economic situation, he said "I can't remember what I charged you last year!" We told him & we settled on that!
I've not seen the Mekanikos danced, it was interesting.
RtS

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: gnu
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 01:34 PM

Love it! Thanks.

Subject: RE: New video from George Papavgeris
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 02:01 PM

George writes some lovely songs that we can all relate to.
This song means a lot to me, as it reminds me of a particular time of my life and the lyrics are so true of how one feels.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iulM9K_oyw

See you at Faldingworth Live in September, George, me old Makker. :-)

Les Worrall