[2] This forced Kazantzidis into employment, working as a baggage-carrier at Omonia Square and then for an interstate bus company, as a seller of roasted chestnuts at open markets, and as a labourer at the Nea Ionia textile mills.
His life changed when the owner of a factory, which was located in the Perissos working district, gave him a guitar.
The song became the first of many hits and with his newfound popularity he began to make appearances in some of the biggest clubs of the time, like "Theios", "Mpertzeletos" and "Rosignol".
With his career in full swing, Kazantzidis began to collaborate with some of the biggest names in Greek music, among them Manolis Chiotis, Manos Hadjidakis, Mikis Theodorakis, and Stavros Xarhakos.
A hallmark in his career – and an event of great importance for the musical scene of post-war Greece – was his cooperation with composer Vassilis Tsitsanis.
Kazantzidis, thus, sung and popularized such rebetiko classics as "Synnefiasmeni Kyriaki", "Bakse tsifliki" and "Ta Kavourakia".
This was the first record in Greece to sell over 100,000 copies, an amazing fact since the total population of the country (at the time) was about 7.5 million.
In 1968, Kazantzidis recorded "Nyhterides Ki Arahnes", written by newcomer Christos Nikolopoulos; the song became an immediate success.
Marinella had an "answer back" to that latter song, by releasing "Oi Andres Den Klene" (men don't cry).
In 1973 he collaborated with songwriter Akis Panou and released an album with six songs, including one of his biggest hits, "I zoi mou oli", and in 1974 he recorded "Stin Anatoli", composed by Mikis Theodorakis.
Suddenly Kazantzidis rocked the Greek music industry again, when he announced his decision to stop recording.
According to the operator of Radio Agapi, a station that plays Greek music 24 hours a day, "Kazantzidis was the voice of the people, of the weary, the exploited, the betrayed.