“Never on Sunday”, also known as “Ta Paidia Tou Piraia” (Greek: Τα Παιδιά του Πειραιά; English: The Children of Piraeus), is a popular song by Manos Hadjidakis. A vocal version was also released and performed by Melina Mercouri in the film of same name directed by Jules Dassin and starring Mercouri. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1960, a first for a foreign-language picture. The film score to the movie was first released on October 1, 1960 by United Artists Records. The song has since been covered by numerous artists, and has gained various degrees of success throughout the world.
“Never on Sunday” was written by Manos Hadjidakis originally in Greek with the title “Ta Paidia tou Peiraia” (The children of Piraeus). The original Greek version featured lyrics also written by Hadjidakis, and was performed in the film by Melina Mercouri. The original Greek lyrics (along with the foreign translations in German, French and Italian) tell the story of the main female character of the film, Illya (Mercouri). Illya is a jolly woman who enjoys life, the town and the people of her native Piraeus. Although she earns her money as a prostitute, she longs to meet a man someday who is just as full of joie de vivre as she is herself.
In 1960, the song was nominated and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a first for a foreign-language picture since the Academy began to recognize achievements in this category in 1934.
An orchestral version recorded by Don Costa reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, then returned to the Billboard Top 40 when reissued in 1961. His version also peaked at #27 in the UK Singles Chart. Following the success of the orchestral version as well as the Oscar win, an English language version of the song was commissioned to be written especially to match the title of the film. The lyrics to the English version of the song were written by Billy Towne. A vocal of the song by The Chordettes reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961. It was also recorded by Bing Crosby, Lena Horne, Doris Day, Andy Williams, The 4 Seasons, Connie Francis, Petula Clark, Lale Andersen, and The Chordettes, plus as an instrumental by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

By Connie Francis

By The Chordettes

Lyrics