Zorbas

"Zorbas" (or more commonly, "Zorba's Dance") is a song by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis.^[1] The song featured in the 1964 film Zorba the Greek, for which Theodorakis wrote the soundtrack,^[2] and became popular 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] Some of the more notable are listed below.

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass recorded a version of the song (as "Zorba the Greek") for their 1965 album Going Places.^[4] Issued as the B-side of the group's "Tijuana Taxi" single, the song reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The tune reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1965, performed by Marcello Minerbi (Durium Records DRS 54001).^[5]

Alto saxophonist Phil Woods recorded the tune on his album Greek Cooking.^[6]

The song was featured, among others, in the film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and in the "Subdivision" episode of Prison Break, where Charles "Haywire" Patoshik raided a fast food joint and gorged himself on soda and ice cream.

The song is particularly infamous in Peru for its association with Sendero Luminoso. In the early 1990s, a video of Sendero Luminoso's leadership dancing to the song was given to the media, showing that the organization's heads were hiding in Lima itself.

The British dance act LCD covered the song in 1998. Their version peaked at number 20 in the UK chart that year, and at number 22 when re-issued in October 1999.^[7]

Violinist David Garrett covered the song on his eponymous album in 2009.^[8]

The German dance act Scooter used the song as the basis of their third single "Can't Stop the Hardcore" featured on their 2014 album The Fifth Chapter.

References