This Valentine’s Day, there’s no better way to say I love you than with the songs of Greece’s greatest singer of all time, the late Stelios Kazantzidis. The National Herald held an informal survey to discover which of the classic love songs from the iconic singer’s repertoire will be playing continuously this Valentine’s Day. The top five Kazantzidis love songs follow.

With a prolific career in music, Kazantzidis recorded more than 1,500 songs. The voice of the working class, Kazantzidis addressed through many of his songs, a variety of problems and issues that faced working people.
Born in Nea Ionia, Athens, on August 29, 1931, Kazantzidis had roots in Pontus. According to his biography his father’s death forced him to go to work to support his family in various jobs, including baggage carrier, seller of roasted chestnuts, builder, and laborer. Music was always a part of his life and he started playing guitar as a teen, when a factory owner gave him one.

The top five songs for Valentine’s Day are:

1. Tha to Po Fanera

2. Tragoudo

3. Afti I Nichta Menei

4. Val’to Kokkino Foustani

5. Eliovasilemata