Zorba's Dance

"Zorba's Dance" 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]

"Zorbas"
Instrumental
Published1964
Composer(s)Mikis Theodorakis

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass recorded a 4:25 version of the song (as "Zorba the Greek") for their 1965 album Going Places.[4] Issued as an edited single with live audience dubbed in, 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 & His Orchestra (Durium Records DRS 54001).[5] British group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich sampled the composition on their 1966 song "Bend It", which reached number 1 in Germany, New Zealand and South Africa.[6][7][8]

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.[9] In the early 1990s, excerpts of a video of Sendero Luminoso's leadership dancing to the song during a celebration was given to the media, showing that the organization's heads were hiding in middle-class districts of Lima itself.[10]

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.[11]

References
  1. Eder, Bruce (1925-07-29). "Mikis Theodorakis - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  2. "Zorba the Greek (Soundtrack) - Mikis Theodorakis : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  3. "Zorba's Dance (search results)". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  4. Ginell, Richard S. "Going Places - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 368. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. "Suche – Offizielle Deutche Charts". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 11 April 2020. Type Bend It into Suchen box and then press Enter.
  7. "NZ Listener chart statistics for Bend It". flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  8. "SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs A–B". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  9. Retamozo, Damián (October 22, 2014). ""Zorba El Griego", bailando con Abimael". Diario Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved September 13, 2018. "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.
  10. Robinson, Eugene (February 21, 1991). "PERU'S PRESIDENT NARRATES VIDEO OF RARELY SEEN GUERRILLA CHIEF". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  11. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 309. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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