Do you know Nana Mouskouri? I grew up listening to this Greek singer and actually wanting to look like her. Hence, my penchant for black-rimmed glasses. Anyway, she has the most interesting voice. This is a list of my favorite songs sung by her. I arranged them in order of my favorites ever, top to bottom. Listen, listen.
"Both Sides Now"
This is a song I sang to Vince when we were coming home from the writers workshop in Bagiuo way back in 1999. I sang it because I was thinking of Ferris wheels because that's where we fell in love. He said he's never heard of this song before. I said it was Nana Mouskouri. He never heard of her either. Then I realized everyone knows this to be Joni Mitchell's song. But I love this version best.
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale 'comes real
I've looked at love that way
But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away
"Song for a Winter's Night"
I was so obsessed with this song when I was kid! Silly 14-year-old me had just read Wuthering Heights and then I heard this song and I would cry for an imaginary love who was far away from me, with only a letter, a lamp to read it by, a glass of wine, and the snow outside to mourn and hope with me.
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
And to be once again with you
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love
To the dark and the empty skies
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
You are my harbor
My dream of tomorrow
My promise of sunshine
My shield from the storm
When our castles crumble, when our dreams take flight
And we sometimes find it hard to face the morning light
There is one thing that will see us through the darkest night
Your love, my love
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
And to be once again with you
"Scarborough Fair"
This is another song I sang to Vince on that fateful bus ride. For me, this and Simon & Garfunkel's covers are the very best ones.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
I think this is the most beautiful cover, even better than Roberta Flack's. Josh Groban did a cover a few years ago but nothing compares to Nana's version.
The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love
To the dark and the empty skies
"Love is Like a Butterfly"
This song made me excited to feel love for the first time! I really did wonder if I would feel butterflies. Thing is I had boyfriends and I didn't feel any butterflies anywhere. So I was kinda disappointed but decided that, well, creative license and all. So imagine my joy when I finally felt butterflies when Vince and I started going out! So, yes, kids, love is like a butterfly!
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
"Yesterday's Dreams"
I remember listening to this song for the first time and being so sad that dreams and hearts can be shattered and broken. But then it makes a complete about-face in the chorus! It's a lovely song of hope after despair.
My dream of tomorrow
My promise of sunshine
My shield from the storm
"Your Love, My Love"
She sings this so tenderly. I just remember listening to this and hoping I would find a love like this - so sure, so true, so constant - one day. And I did!
And we sometimes find it hard to face the morning light
There is one thing that will see us through the darkest night
Your love, my love
Isn't Nana amazing?
