Lyrics inspired by the poem "If You Forget Me" by Pablo Neruda, the Chilean Literature Nobel Prize laureate. Adaptation with the help of Perplexity.

[Verse 1]
Crystal moon and autumn's red branch
Ash by the fire, log's wrinkled touch
Everything leads me to your shore
Little boats sailing to your door

[Chorus]
I want you to know, my love
As long as you're mine
Our hearts will entwine
I want you to know, my dear
Our love will endure
As long as you're sure

[Verse 2]
If you forget me, I'll forget too
If love fades slowly, I'll let it through
But if you're destined for me each day
In your arms forever, I'll want to stay

[Bridge]
Like flowers climbing to reach your lips
My roots will follow wherever you drift
All that fire in me repeats
As long as your heart with mine still beats

[Verse 3]
Nothing extinguished, nothing forgotten
My love feeds on yours, we're interwoven
In your arms, I'll remain my own
Our love alive, forever grown

[Chorus]
I want you to know, my love
As long as you're mine
Our hearts will entwine
I want you to know,
I want you to know, my dear
Our love will endure
As long as you're sure
I want you to know... 

[outro]
Yes, I want you to know, my love
Our hearts will entwine
As long as you stay mine...

(Electric guitars fadin' away)

I want you to know...

[Verse 1]
Behind every smile of a tired dad,
Lies a slightly broken man,
Broken by the pressure of providing,
Doing everything he can.
Through the long nights and the endless days,
He keeps on pushing through the pain,
Broken by the stress of surviving,
Yet, he'd do it all again.

[Chorus]
Oh, Dad, I see you standing tall,
Even when you're about to fall,
Your strength, your love, they light the way,
For us to face another day.
Though you're broken, you're our hero still,
With a heart so big, with iron will,
You're the man we need, the man we love,
Our guiding star from up above.

[Verse 2]
Behind every laugh of a weary soul,
There's a story left untold,
Broken because he's striving daily,
In this world so harsh and cold.
He hides the tears and the silent fears,
To keep his family strong,
Through the highs and lows, he always shows,
In his arms, we all belong.
 
[Bridge]
Every sacrifice you make,
Every risk you choose to take,
We see the love in all you do,
And we're so proud to be with you.
Though the world may never know,
The silent battles that you fight,
You're the beacon in our night,
Our forever guiding light.

[Chorus]
Oh, Dad, I see you standing tall,
Even when you're about to fall,
Your strength, your love, they light the way,
For us to face another day.
Though you're broken, you're our hero still,
With a heart so big, with iron will,
You're the man we need, the man we love,
Our guiding star from up above.

[Outro]
Behind every smile of a tired dad,
Lies a slightly broken man,
But in our hearts, you'll always be,
The strongest man we ever see.

Lyrics derived from a C.Cavafy poem

[verse 1]
And if you can’t shape your life,
The way you dream it in your mind,
Hold on tight, don’t let it fade,
Find the peace that you can find.

[verse 2]
In a world that’s loud and bright,
Where the chatter never ends,
Take a step back, hold on tight,
Let your heart be your best friend.

[Chorus]
Try not to degrade it,
Don’t let it slip away,
From the daily silliness,
Find your own way to play.
Keep your spirit shining,
Don’t let it hang around,
In the noise of the world,
You can still be profound.

[verse 3]
Too much talk, too much show,
Dragging dreams through crowded halls,
In the rush, we lose our glow,
Let your silence break the walls.

[Chorus]
Try not to degrade it,
Don’t let it slip away,
From the daily silliness,
Find your own way to play.
Keep your spirit shining,
Don’t let it hang around,
In the noise of the world,
You can still be profound.

[Bridge]
So when the parties call your name,
And the laughter fills the air,
Oh yeah I know, remember what you’re fighting for,
Find the beauty in the rare.

[Chorus]
Try not to degrade it,
Don’t let it slip away,
From the daily silliness,
Find your own way to play.
Keep your spirit shining,
Don’t let it hang around,
In the noise of the world,
You can still be profound.

[Outro]
And if you can’t shape your life,
At least hold on to your truth,
In the quiet, find your light,
Let your heart be your own proof.

Hold on tight

Lyrics based on a Yiannis Ritsos poem

[Verse 1]
In the twilight, the moonlight glows,
Stumbling softly where the willow grows.
A whisper dances through the leaves,
As children gather, their hearts believe.

[Chorus]
Oh, golden hands, shining bright,
Playing with the moon all night.
In the meadow, laughter sings,
Leaving little moons on the earth like wings.

[Verse 2]
Through the grass, they run and play,
Chubby fingers chase the stars away.
In the dark, their secrets bloom,
While the world sleeps, they light the room.

[Chorus]
Oh, golden hands, shining bright,
Playing with the moon all night.
In the meadow, laughter sings,
Leaving little moons on the earth like wings.

[Bridge]
But the grown-ups, wise and old,
Don’t see the magic, don’t see the gold.
Only mothers, with knowing eyes,
Feel the wonder, hear the sighs.

[Verse 3]
So they hide their treasures, soft and sweet,
In empty pockets, their secret retreat.
Fearing the scold, they keep it near,
The joy of the night, forever clear.

[Chorus]
Oh, golden hands, shining bright,
Playing with the moon all night.
In the meadow, laughter sings,
Leaving little moons on the earth like wings.

[Outro]
So let them play, let them dream,
In the moonlight's gentle gleam.
For in their hearts, the magic stays,
In golden hands...

Golden hands

A mourning song for the victims of the Tempi train wreck in Greece, almost two years ago.

(Verse 1)
Oh, if I could begin to sing, my voice would break in two,
The mountains high would echo deep, the valleys fade from view.
The fields would wither, rivers dry, the skies would cease to blue,
For hearts are heavy, eyes will weep, and shadows bloom anew.

(Chorus)
Tell me, little bird, when will you fly,
When will you return to light the sky?
I’ll wait for you in spring’s embrace,
With blossoms soft to hide this place.

(Verse 2)
I climbed the hills, I walked the plains, to ask where you may lie,
But silence answers every step, a hollow, grieving cry.
The earth won’t yield your voice to me, your laughter lost to time,
And all that’s left are tears and dust, an unforgiving rhyme.

(Chorus)
Tell me, little bird, when will you fly,
When will you return to light the sky?
I’ll wait for you in spring’s embrace,
With blossoms soft to hide this place.

(Bridge)
Oh, how I’d write your name in stars, the sea as my ink well,
A feather pen from angels’ wings, your story I would tell.
But even golden words would fade, in shadows they would dwell,
No verse can mend the broken hearts where silent echoes swell.

(Chorus)
Tell me, little bird, when will you fly,
When will you return to light the sky?
I’ll wait for you in spring’s embrace,
With blossoms soft to hide this place.

(Outro)
So rest now, young and gentle souls, beneath the weeping pine,
The night will sing your lullaby, in every star you shine.
Though I may never hear your voice, your song will never fade,
For in the whispers of the wind, your melody is laid.

Tell me little bird

(Verse 1)
How many laugh lines mark my face,
That I can trace right back to you?
I carry you with me, close like this—
Not just in memories, but in the truth.

(Pre-Chorus)
In tangible form, you’re etched in my skin,
A story of joy where our journey begins.

(Chorus)
And with age, as old fires cool,
These lines will deepen, a beautiful rule.
I guess this is how we’ll grow old together now,
Grow old together now, through every vow.

(Verse 2)
Each wrinkle whispers of laughter we shared,
A map of our moments, so tender, so rare.
You linger in the creases, the light in my eyes,
A bond that time deepens, never denies.

(Pre-Chorus)
In tangible form, you’re etched in my skin,
A story of joy where our journey begins.

(Chorus)
And with age, as old fires cool,
These lines will deepen, a beautiful rule.
I guess this is how we’ll grow old together now,
Grow old together now, through every vow.

(Bridge)
The years may fade, but the lines stay bright,
A testament to love, our guiding light.
Hand in hand, we’ll weather the years,
With every laugh line, wiping away tears.

(Chorus)
And with age, as old fires cool,
These lines will deepen, a beautiful rule.
I guess this is how we’ll grow old together now,
Grow old together now, through every vow.

(Outro)
How many laugh lines, how many more,
I’ll wear them proudly, forever yours.
Grow old together now, my heart’s true song,
In every line, where we belong.

How many laugh lines

Lyrics based on a poem by Sappho, 7th century BC. 
Song dedicated to my grand daughter Ares.

I loved you, Ares, years ago,
Back when my world was all in bloom,
You were awkward, small, and quiet —
Still, you lit up every room.

[Pre-Chorus]
You were weaving crocus flowers,
Lying soft against my side.
Braided blooms into your hair,
You were blushing, couldn’t hide.

[Chorus]
I want — I prayed —
Let these days never fade.
No woods, no dance, no sacred place
Where we didn’t leave our trace.

[Verse 2]
Twice, I watched in quiet wonder,
Didn’t speak your name out loud.
You anointed arms and shoulders,
Like a goddess in a cloud.

[Pre-Chorus]
There was magic in the silence,
There was fire in your gaze.
I would trade a thousand lifetimes
Just to double all our days.

[Chorus]
I want — I prayed —
Let these days never fade.
And someone — someone
Will remember us,
Even if time turns dust to dust.

[Bridge]
Even in another time,
When our names are just a sound,
Someone’s heart will beat in rhythm
With the love that we had found.

[Outro]
So if the stars forget our skies,
And every petal turns to rust —
Still I know,
Someone will remember us.

Ares

Based on a poem about love, written in the 7th Century BC by an ancient Greek lyric poet. The story is about a young man to whom a matchmaker, the daughter of a wise woman called Maria (RIP), proposes an adult woman (Daphne), whom he gently avoids, to fall in the arms eventually of a far younger virgin in a garden of love. From those times already, Ancient Greeks knew all about all forms of love, which their poets have glorified in countless verses for hundreds of years onwards. The original Archilogos poem has been heavily shortened to make it fit in a three to four minute song but the meaning has been masterfully maintained. Hope you enjoy it. Lyrics follow hereunder.

[Verse 1]
I kept my distance, held my fire
But if you burn with wild desire
There’s a girl inside my home
She wants you now — soft skin, unknown

[Pre-Chorus]
You spoke, I answered slow:
“Daughter of sweet Maria’s light,
Now she sleeps beneath the stones —
Love gives many highs, but not all are gold.”

[Chorus]
I’ll wait until I grow
But tonight, I’ll let it flow
In your garden, I’ll be whole
Don’t hold back, I’ll stay low

[Verse 2]
Let another man take Daphne now
She’s faded fast, too proud somehow
I won’t wear that bitter flame
I choose her softness, not her name

[Chorus]
I’ll wait until I grow
But tonight, I’ll let it flow
In your garden, I’ll be whole
Don’t hold back, I’ll stay low

[Bridge]
In a field of flowers, I laid her down
She trembled close, I held her sound
Her skin lit up with virgin light
And when I touched her golden hair —
My soul spilled into the air

[Final Chorus]
I’ll wait until I grow
But tonight, I’ll let it flow
In your garden, I am whole
...In your garden, I am whole...

[Outro]
In your garden, I’ll stay still
Where the flowers bloom, time will fill
Hold me close, I’ll drift away
In your garden, I’ll remain

Your garden

Quite a few sounds and instruments in this piece are reminiscent of Vangelis music... it was created with that in mind. I miss him so much that I keep improvising  with AIs to make it sound like him...

A Soundtrack

Another song based on a poem by Tasos Leivaditis. 
For all of us who value and breath our freedom

[Verse 1]
Give me your hands, I’ll hold on to life
While the walls echo gunshots tonight
In the shadow they cast between you and me
How do we love when we’re trying to breathe?

[Pre-Chorus]
They told us to live just before we could die
And somehow that truth made us stronger inside

[Chorus]
So I’ll call your name in the name of hope
Loud enough to shake the stone
Let no dream ever fall asleep
Let no flame forget to keep
Burning in the hands that hold
Bread and love and silent oaths
We are still alive, my love
We are still alive

[Verse 2]
I wrote your name on a foggy pane
So there’d be stars in our room again
Your hair was black as the midnight sea
And in your kiss, the whole of spring would breathe

[Pre-Chorus]
Even if they cut off his hands, he played
The harmonica still found a way

[Chorus]
So I’ll call your name in the name of hope
Loud enough to shake the stone
Let no dream ever fall asleep
Let no flame forget to keep
Burning in the hands that hold
Bread and love and silent oaths
We are still alive, my love
We are still alive

[Bridge]
They feared the hands that gently give
The book, the spindle, the way we live
But love, we held the sky above
And stitched the dawn with threads of trust

[Final Chorus]
So I’ll call your name in the name of hope
Louder than the war they wrote
Let no dream ever fall asleep
Let no child forget to speak
In every home, in every hand
We rise again, we understand
We are still alive, my love
We will survive

Your garden

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