Anyone here know the song Harokopou 1942-1953, also known s Efta noma It was written by Akis Panou but recordedd mby Giorgos Ntalaras in the 80's - I agree with a great many other that he did a great heartfelt rendition of this song describing how people lived & felt during that time a descri bed through a single group of people.  When I heard it first, it had a ramatic impct on me & I thought I got it, I can see why rebetika became laiika as we know it.  Hope you like it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bcqE3og1eA and the lyrics Εφτά νομά- σ ένα δωμά- πού να ξαπλώ- να κλείσεις μά- ; Ο ένας πάει σινεμά ο άλλος πέφτει και κοιμά- ύπνος με βάρδια δηλαδή στην πόρτα σύρμα για κλειδί. Εφτά νομά- δυστυχισμέ- σ ένα δωμά- φυλακισμέ- δικαίως αγανακτισμέ- και με τα πάντα αηδιασμέ- . Πώς τα χεις έτσι μοιρασμέ- ντουνιά ψευτοπολιτισμέ- ; Οι δυο δουλε- απ τους εφτά από τα χρέ- τι να προφτά- ; Σαν τα τσουβά- , σαν τα σκουπί- εφτά νομά- χωρίς ελπί- σ ένα δωμά- μισογιαπί. Ποιος να φωνά- και τι να πει; Seven destitute people in one room where do you lie down to close an eye? One goes to the cinema the other drops down and goes to sleep. Sleeping in shifts, that's what it is, with a bit of wire on the door, instead of a key. Sleeping in shifts, that's what it is, with a bit of wire on the door, instead of a key. Seven people, unhappy people, in one room, imprisoned, They are enraged, and with good cause, and sick of everything. How did you manage to distribute things so [badly], you  falsely-civilized world? How did you manage to distribute things so [badly], you  falsely-civilized world? Two have work, out of seven, with their debts how can they ever catch up ? Like they've been bagged, thrown out with the rubbish, seven people with no hope, in one room, half unfinished, Who to raise their voice, and to say what? in one room, half unfinished, Who to raise their voice, and to say what? The translation wasn't by me, nor was the inpsiration for this post my idea couple of you may have seen this over at the tetrachordo site, but I think it's worth sharing

In general, I have the impression that the heavy laika of the 80's, even those written by so-called commercial composers had a different quality than the pop laika of today ....and the 60's and 70's as well, of course! Eva