Dirlada - Dirladada

The sponge divers song that became a worldwide hit.

Everybody knows the song "Dirlada" since it was a worldwide hit at the beginning of 70ies. But only a few know that it is a sponge divers song from Kalymnos island.

It's career started when DOMNA SAMIOU, the Greek folklore music legend, discovered PANTELIS GHINIS, a sponge diver's boat captain, who sung it on a very special way and first recorded it.

Then it was recorded by DIONISIS SAVOPOULOS and became his best commercial hit. Our big musician NIKOS XILOURIS followed along with many Greek and foreigner musicians.

In the 70ies it became a worldwide hit mostly by DALIDA and it was danced for many years in clubs. The last version we found is a techno version in French.  Considering the videos published in YouTube, this version seems to be very-very popular ! 

You can find various versions of Dirlada searching the internet. From here you can download:

  • the "DIRLADA 5+4=9 PENTE KE TESSERA ENIA", a version of Dirlada before it becomes a hit.
  • the first recorded "DIRLADA KE TEZA OLI" by PANDELIS GHINIS.

All the pictures lyrics and songs come from the CD "Kalymnos POLYSTICHA TRAGOUDIA - CHOROI - DISTICHA " by the "Lykeion ton Hellinidon" which you can meet at the Laographic Museum of Kalymnos Island.

Dedicated to our friend YVAN who did not believe that Dirlada is coming from Kalymnos island and we promised to prove it to him.

 

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Kalymnos Island