"Zorba's Dance" (Greek: Ο Χορός Του Ζορμπά) is an instrumental by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis.[1] The song featured for the dance, which has become known as sirtaki, in the 1964 film Zorba the Greek, for which Theodorakis wrote the soundtrack,[2] and became renowned around the world. It is now commonly played and danced to in Greek tavernas. The film's track has since been recorded as a standalone song by many different musicians from around the world.[3]
"Zorba's Dance" | |
---|---|
Instrumental | |
Published | 1964 |
Released | 1965 |
Composer(s) | Mikis Theodorakis |
The music of "Zorba's Dance" was composed by Mikis Theodorakis, who derived it from rebetiko, a form of urban music performed by Greek musicians with Turkish makam modes.[4] The music, and its song "Strose To Stroma Sou Gia Dio" ("Make Your Bed for Two"), was adapted from a syrtos traditional composition from Chania by the Cretan musician Giorgis Koutsourelis, chosen as it had "energetic rhythm" and some resemblance to the rebetiko.[5] The soundtrack recording was performed on a bouzouki.[6]
The original soundtrack credited to Mikis Theodorakis was released as a single in 1965. It was among a number of different versions performed by different artists released around the world the same year due to the success of the film. Mikis Theodorakis's soundtrack version topped the charts in Austria and Belgium, and reached No. 5 on the Dutch Top 40 (which aggregated different versions).[7] and No. 7 in West Germany.[8]
The music, as with other works by Mikis Theodorakis, was banned by the Greek junta that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974.[9][10]
The dance accompanied by the music of "Zorba's Dance" has been named "sirtaki". It was created specifically for the film rather than a traditional form of dance. The name suggests it was created based on "syrtos", a type of dance where the dancers drag their feet instead of hopping, however, the dance incorporates both a slower style hasapiko dance, and a faster one hasaposerviko. The dance has become a popular form of Greek dance.[5][11]
Chart (1965) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] | 1 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] | 1 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[14] | 1 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] | 6 |
Norway (VG-lista)[16] | 4 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[8] | 7 |
The composition provided the inspiration for "Bend It!", a 1966 hit single by British group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich that reached number 1 in Germany, New Zealand and South Africa.[28][29][30]
"Zorba the Greek", for many in Peru, it's a popular Greek dance that evokes a night of partying by the subversive leader Abimael Guzmán and the central committee of the Communist Party Shining Path.