Music at is Melodious Best!. Review on My Big Fat Greek Wedding Movie

Note: This is a review on the soundtrack of the movie. I had asked MS to add the topic, but I think they got confused between soundtrack and movie. Once they have rectified and added the topic, I will request them to put it up in the right place. Till then, please enjoy this review!

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”That which cannot be expressed otherwise can only be told through music. A thought, which seems commonplace in its analysis, acquires a deeper sense in music.”

--Rabindranath Tagore

Music has no boundaries. True music never fails to capture your heart in any form or language you hear it. If you feel the music, then there is no language, there is no lyric – all that there is the note and the feeling of the note. The beauty of music lies in the holder and the beholder; only when the two meet there is a synchrony. Music can make you happy, music can make you sad, music can relieve you, and music can also make throw up and be angry. My big fat Greek Wedding is one such form of music which is of the first category – music that makes you happy. Its an album which will rejuvenate you for the rest of the day. A classic blend of modern and traditional Greek music makes this a beautiful album of happy music.

Traditional Greek music is quite similar to Middle Eastern music and probably shares the same roots. In fact, Greek music is what I did call an intermediate form of music between Spanish and Arabian music. [An interesting feature to notice in music of central lands is the use of natural instruments increases as you go from Middle Eastern to European and Irish, Celtic music, while downwards its more of string based instruments.] Prominent use of Spanish Guitar as well as the Traditional Arabian instrument Mandolin forms a major component of Greek music. However the addition of contemporary music like piano and violins together with all the traditional Greek instruments make My big Fat Greek Wedding not only appealing to the aesthetic but also to the common masses. That is one of the biggest successes of the soundtrack of this movie.

There are altogether 15 songs / music pieces in the soundtrack, and anyone who has seen the movie will vouch for the fact that they have been used superbly throughout the movie. The sound track begins with the Introduction credits to the movie which is a typical traditional-modern Greek music. While soothing slow drums give this song a great background, it is the twin mandolins which give this piece a great feel. Listen closely to feel not one but two mandolins playing the same tune with one being a note higher. The second tune strangely named xekina mia prasropoula is a classic Greek music. The mandolins, the piano, and the subtle bongo are in the right proportions. Notice the increase of instruments in this song which however are subtle.

[For simplicity sake wherever the names of the songs get too complicated, I will use track numbers].

Track 3 is a traditional Greek marriage song. Instead of the mandolins it is the vocals and guitars which play the important part in this song. Here the drums and the mandolin are subtle, but the trumpet and guitar chords are more visible. Moose Caca follows next, which I must say is my personal favorite and also probably the best track in the album. It’s the amazing background which has had me in complete awe of this song ever since I have heard it. A 2.30 minute song is amazing for its use of guitar chords as the background for the first antara and switching over to the hand piano [I am not sure if this is the name for it] chords for the second antara. All the while the same tune is played through mandolin. This sure is a great classical piece of Greek Music I have heard in a long time. A track with least number of instruments providing the maximum effect.

What follows next (track 5) is another piece of traditional Greek music. This is a great tune to hear, and if you can imagine a classical Greek Dance, you will appreciate the tune even more. You can find traces of strong Egyptian music in this tune. Secret Garden (yeah that’s the song name and also suggest the influx of modern music) is the next tune in the album. Mandolins and Piano share a common drum for the song. One can almost feel English music taking over the song in parts where the piano dominates. A mildly intense song, it’s a nice on the ears. The next track is Yazoo which is a blend of Arabian-Greek-English music. Good background chords and Mandolin and the saxophone make this one a delightful tune. One can almost feel the loss of the saxophone in the violins and mandolin in this song.

The next one Istanbul Café has the classic Arabian-Greek stamp all over it. The passionate music with the subtle jingles and bongo make you feel immersed into an Arabian song. If you listen to it carefully and remove away the background – it will resemble a tune of a classical Indian tune. I am sure the influence of the seven notes has had its effects on this song. The next 2 tunes, both of them around 1.30 minutes each are out an out English tune s with of course a English names as well – Time with you is the first one, which has all the classic cliché elements of English music you hear oh so often as a background to romantic scenes in movies. The next one Yiayia combines the English feel to the Greek music and the short but soothing tune makes it a pleasant fare. You can barely hear the mouth organ in this song. Toula and Ian is the next tune on the album has the American-English feel all over it. Hearing it will remind you of Yanni’s tunes. The periodic bursts of drums and continuous chord of synthetic violin adds the charm to this song. Unless heard with the flow, this one never feels like it were a part of this sound track at all. It’s the piano and Guitar who contribute most to the song.

The next track Apples and Oranges is no different from the ones mentioned above for its influence of heavy English music intermixed with Greek music. A slow romantic track, it sounds like almost any other romantic track you did hear in a romantic movie – if you hear it, u will know u did hear in many different movies. The cliché use of chorus violins makes it an ordinary track. All my Only Dreams follows next, and is a vocal track sung by a group ‘The Wonder Lyrics’. Its a simple song on love. Note the use of mandolins as the background in the music – probably it must be the reason why the soundtrack has this piece. The last track nicely named First Date is again an all English tune with Piano. It’s the kind of music you did hear at the back of your mind when in a restaurant. Simple, pleasing and soothing on the years, this is one track you must have if you are having your GF for dinner.

These 15 musical pieces form the soundtrack of the movie. While the usage of Mandolins as mentioned above is heavily prevalent in almost all the tracks, the influence of English music too in it cannot be mistaken. The blend of these two forms of music makes this one an unforgettable soundtrack for a movie. If you are looking for simple yet uplifting and happy music, then this is the one for you. You won’t be disappointed!

Happy Listening!!!

Ps: Review in cheers to GB, for his inspiring Gyan which I had the privilege of learning some days back!