In the 1860s, when the American Civil War breaks out with the racist slave trade at stake, North America had already turned into an unprecedented cultural melting pot. In any case, the movement of populations to the “New World” (sometimes forcibly and sometimes voluntarily) and the multinational settlement and colonization was a constant condition that started from the 16th century and defined the history of the continent. In essence, the now post-Civil War presidential confederation of states, the United States of America, is a microcosm of the globe: a “successful Babel”. Naturally, a unique syncretism also dominates in the field of music. The genesis of discography builds a condition that favors conversation and osmosis between the innumerable ethno-cultural groups that make up the population. These processes will lead to the reinterpretation, updating and renewal of old musical trends that arrive in the United States, and, at the same time, to their re-exportation to the “old worlds”, thus setting up a uniquely multi-layered network. Richard Spottswood’s now monumental multi-volume work “Ethnic Music on Records” vividly reflects the extraordinary record production in the USA. This “convergence” of geographical coordinates is often accompanied by another one, the “convergence” of internal cultural “coordinates”. These are the fields of scholar and popular music, which enter into a creative dialogue in a variety of ways, and often introduce in-between and/or new “places”. The contribution of forcibly transported slaves from the African continent to the musical scene of America, and especially their role in the formation of the genres that are now considered as part of the “national music of the USA”, was more than crucial. Folk, country, bluegrass, gospel, blues, soul, jazz, fox trot, rock ‘n roll, charleston, minstrel show, but also symphonic music, waltz, tango, music for the cinema, Italian, Russian, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish-speaking and other idioms are recorded and flood the global record market. In this endless body of recordings, we come across instances where Greek-speaking musicians arrange American songs. This appropriation is twofold: on the one hand are the lyrics, which are now in Greek (often, in fact, they has nothing to do with the original ones), and, on the other hand, the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms and in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition and aesthetics, based on their own capabilities and needs.

This recording (a repress from Columbia's USA record 56119-F) is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the American song "Ramona", set to music by Mabel Wayne and lyrics by Louis Wolfe Gilbert.

According to the website www.imdb.com, it was written specifically to be sung live by the star of the 1928 American silent film of the same name, Mexican actress Dolores Del Río, during promotional screenings of the film, and was not included on the soundtrack.

It was first recorded on January 4, 1928 at the studios of the record label Victor, in New York, by Paul Whiteman's orchestra and Austin Young (Victor BVE-41293 - 21214), and, on May 6 of the same year, in Hollywood (Victor PBVE- 42263 - 4053) by Dolores Del Río, who played the title role in the film.

The musical score was published in 1927, in New York, by Leo Feist.

The song was a global hit, has been recorded and arranged countless times in many countries’ historical discography, in various forms, languages and locations. For example:

- USA: for covers and represses see here
- England: Jack Hylton and his Orchestra, Ciro’s Club Dance Band, Pat O'Dell
- Poland: Mieczysław Fogg, Fabian Okulski, Tadeusz Faliszewski
- Hungary: Gábor József, Weygand Tibor, Sebő Miklós
- Italy: Raoul Romito, Nullo Romani, Roberto Chiaramella
- Spain: Francisco Fuentes Pumarino, Juan Pulido
- Brazil: Gastão Formenti, Francisco Pezzi 
- Germany: Paul O'Montis, Efim Schachmeister's Jazz Symphonians
- France: Jean Cartier, Saint Granier, Mlle Arnalina
- Croatia: Vlaho Paljetak, Zvonimir Krkljus
- Denmark: Aage Thygesen, Elo Magnussen og hans Orkester
- Sweden: Bertil Boo
- Netherlands: Kees Pruis, Duo Hofmann
- Russia: Kazimir Malakhov
- Portugal: António Menano
- Finland: Volpi Leuto, Olavi Virta
- Czech Republic: Karel Hruška
- Argentina: Carlos Gardel, Agustín Magaldi - Pedro Noda
- Colombia: Victor J. Rosales
- Belgium: Freddy Sunder
- Guatemala: Marimba Centro-Americana
- Egypt: Mlles Neina et Marie, Cairo, April 14, 1931 (Gramophone 0K 189-1 - 30-7022 FX108)
- Romania: Dinicu and his Orchestra

In Greek historical discography, it was recorded by Kostas Kazis (this recording), Tetos Dimitriadis, Lysandros Ioannidis, Michalis Thomakos, Aliki Epitropaki, Alkis Pagonis, Kostas Mylonas, and a parody of the song under the title "Pagona (Parodia Ramonas)" was recorded by Petros Kyriakos.

The Greek musical score was published by the Gaitanos - Konstantinidis - Starr publishing house (see here and here), by D. Gaëtano & Cie. (see here), as well as in the weekly magazine "Eros".

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis