With words of emotion and deep appreciation, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke to his funeral for Dionysis Savvopoulos, stressing that the great songwriter “belongs to the few who, while entertaining us, define us”.
“I am not here only as his friend and admirer, but I owe a debt to a great Greek,” said the prime minister, noting that “Nionios kept pace with the life of the country throughout his life, giving us a boost of joy on the difficult uphills and warning us. Having his own view of things, open. That’s why, in music, he was able to bring rock close to the arts — so also in politics.”
“The artistic sensibility becomes stronger”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis cited lyrics from Dionysis Savvopoulos’ iconic song Angelos – Exangelos, explaining that “they are a direct and public speech. They succeed in uniting the sensitive area of art with the pragmatism of politics.”
Specifically, the prime minister read the verses:
“The news he brought us was all a lie
and they sounded pleasant to our ears.
Because his every lie seemed like the truth
and listening to him calmed our soul.
We immediately understood what he was going to say
and we let him go numb.
Since he had no pleasant news to tell
it’s better that no one tells us.”
“A proof that the artistic sensibility is becoming much stronger,” commented the Prime Minister.
“The chronograph of the Greek journey”
“Dionysis Savvopoulos has never accepted positions”, pointed out Kyriakos Mitsotakis, adding that “he belongs to the few who, while entertaining us, define us. He became the chronicler of Greek travel for more than half a century. His legacy is part of our collective memory.”
Concluding his farewell, the prime minister addressed “Nionio” in a personal tone:
“Our Nion, I will say goodbye to you with a big thank you. From tomorrow you will not exist only through your songs. We’ll think of you every time a young person picks up a guitar, but also every time we look in a mirror — for better and for worse.”