Sophia Vembo
Sophia Vembo was a Greek singer and actress of the first half of the 20th Century.
Vembo was born Efie Bembo in 1910 in Adrianople, Eastern Thrace. She came with her family to Greece after the Asia Minor Disaster of 1922. The family first settled in Tsaritsani and later in Volos, Thessaly.
Sophia Vembo started performing in the 1930s as a stage actress and as a singer for Columbia Records Company. She sings love songs of that era and becomes popular however, she truly explodes on the scene when World War II breaks out. Her songs, praising Greek soldiers and mocking Benito Mussolini raise the morale of soldiers and civilians alike. When the Germans enter Athens in 1941, Vembo escapes to the Middle East where she continues to do her part for the war effort.
After the war, Vembo acquires a theatre for the performances of her group. In 1957 she marries Mimis Traiforos after a very lengthy romance. During the 1960s, she cuts down on her theatre performances and finally stops them altogether by 1970.
In November, 1973 during the anti-Junta protests, Vembo his several protesters in her house and refused to surrender them to the authorities.
Sophia Vembo died on March 11, 1978.
Hit Songs
- Ζεχρά - Zehra
- Κάποιος κάπου κάποτε - Someone, somewhere, some time
- Κάτι με τραβά κοντά σου - Something draws me to you
- Κρασί - Wine
- Λόντρα, Παρίσι, Νιού Γιόρκ - London, Paris, New York
- Μ' αρέσει - I like it
- Μάρω, Μάρω - Maro, Maro
- Ραντεβού στην Αθήνα - Rendez-vous in Athens
- Σ’ αγαπώ και μ’ αρέσει η ζωή - I love you and I like life
- Ταμπακιέρα - Tobacco Tin
- Το πρωί με ξυπνάς με φιλιά - You awake me with kisses in the morning
- Χαράμι - Too bad
War songs
- Βάζει ο Ντούτσε τη στολή του - The Duce dons his Uniform
- Κορόιδο Μουσολίνι - Mussolini, you fool
- Στον πόλεμο βγαίνει ο Ιταλός - The Italian goes to War