Sofia Vempo sings Paidia tis Ellados Paidia, a famous Greek song which means “Children of Greece”. It is one of the most significant and monumental songs of the 40s and the Second World War for Greece, a song referring to the children of Greece, the soldiers who were fighting on the mountains against the invaders, trying to defend their country.
The song Paidia tis Ellados Paidia is written on an already existing melody; the original song was Zehra, a love song sung by Sofia Vempo. The melody was known and loved and Mimis Traiforos along with Vempo decided to change the lyrics and adjust them to the Greek reality of the time, creating a song for the Greek Soldiers, a song that would encourage the soldiers but would also inspirit their mothers and women who were waiting for their sons and husbands or even fathers to come back from the war. It is probably one of the most touching, but also strong songs written at that harsh for Greece time.
The last two verses were not the originally written ones; Traiforos wrote ” If you don’t win, do not come back”, but at the last moment Vempo changed the lyrics considering them very pessimistic and dark. This song could easily be considered the hymn of the resistance and fight against any kind of enemy that threatens the independence and territorial integrity of the country.