a look at the music of Vangelis Papathanassiou

Introduction

After a commercially successful time in the USA, Demis Roussos returned to London in 1981. Just over the height of his career Demis had decided to lose weight, which shows on all his photo's from the era. Together with Veronique Skawinska, Vangelis' girlfriend at the time, Demis even wrote the book 'A question of weight' about his slimming experiences. Read it if you can find it, apart from Veronique's slimming recipes it contains very interesting stories by Demis about his time during Aphrodite's Child, including several anecdotes involving Vangelis!

Tracklist

1 Lament
2 We're shining
3 Take me sailing
4 Song without end
5 Song for the free
6 Gypsy lady
7 Need to forget
8 Race to the end
9 Where are they now

Credits

Curiously, on both the CD and LP Vangelis is only mentioned for composing 'Race to the end'. Apart from Demis getting the credits for producing the album, further credits are scarce on this album. Fortunately more information on the special edition box set 'The Phenomenon' (BR Music box 1008-2 ), which contains both 'Race to the end' and 'Lament'. Both songs were actually produced by Vangelis, and recorded in Nemo Studios in 1981 and 1982. Jon Anderson is credited for composing 'Lament', writing lyrics for both songs, as well as another song on the album 'Song for the free'. Unfortunately there is no other information about this third song, which makes it unclear if Vangelis was somehow involved in it....

Discography

LP
1982 Mercury 6302184 Greece / Italy / West-Germany / Holland / Spain
1982 Mercury 6302185 France

Single
1981 Race to the end / Eric's theme  Polydor POSP 238 UK
1981 Race to the end / Seasons of love  Mercury 6000660 Holland
1981 Race to the end / Mais je chante  Mercury 6000673 West Germany / Austria
1981 Race to the end / Little Girl Mercury 6000676 Australia
1982 Race to the end / We're shining Mercury 6000858 Brazil
1982 La course infinie (Race to the end) / La premiere fois  Mercury 6000678 France
1982 Dama Gitana / We're shining Mercury 6000811 Spain
1982 Tu Libertad / En el nombre de la Amistad Mercury 6000851 Spain
1982 Es tu libertad (Race to the end) / We're shining  Mercury 6000829 Argentina 
1982 Lament / We're shining  Polydor DR 1 UK
1982 Lament / We're shining  Polydor 6000789 Holland / West Germany
1982 Au nom de l'amitie (Lament) / We're shining  Polydor 6000798 France
1982 Lament / Gypsy lady  Polydor 6000786 Italy

CD
1982 Mercury 800040 2 West Germany

Like with 'Magic' a few years before, Demis recorded this album in several languages. Both the French and the Spanish print of the LP contain six songs in the local language, as the following table explains:

The French versions of these songs have unfortunately never appeared on CD. However the Spanish versions of 'Lament' and 'Race to the end' are included on the double CD 'Lo Mejor De Demis Roussos'.

Recording Studio

Most of the songs for this album are recorded in Red Bus Studios in London. Both songs produced by Vangelis however are recorded in Nemo Studios, London.

Miscellania

Lyrics

Movements