The Historama
Alex Ben-Arieh
P.O.Box 32128
Tel Aviv, Israel 61321
Tel/Fax: +972-3-546-1971
Mobile: +972-547-680-086
e-mail: alex@historama.com
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The Historama Alex Ben-Arieh P.O.Box 32128 Tel Aviv, Israel 61321 Tel/Fax: +972-3-546-1971 Mobile: +972-547-680-086 e-mail: alex@historama.com |
| The Music Room |
| A dream of mine for years has been to find a way of presenting Israeli music to foreign ears. The motivation stems partly from a desire to share our identity with others, even if it seems on the surface 'foreign' and un-understandable; it also stems from my belief that Israeli music is excellent music, whose melodies and lyrics (when translated) are at once local, universal - and profound. Though not being a scholar of music I can still say portable instruments like the guitar, accordion or horn have been central pieces in Israeli music since pioneering days. And with that, these instruments - particularly the guitar - live on in our songs: powerful, untainted and played in styles that give our music a unique sound. In an age where electronic instruments have replaced most musical instruments, and marketing companies now assemble together 'stars' for public consumption, our music remains pure (and for the few impurities that we have, they're still so few that we can digest them as amusements), with no shame for simple vocals or piano accompaniments. And our songwriters are probably even more famous and revered than the musicians who sing their songs. There's a refreshing reality in that Israeli music is really a coming together of experts in complementary fields - gifted vocalists, skilled musicians, and talented songwriters; each with a name and each with an identity of his/her own. It's a cliche which many would agree with, that in order to understand a country - or in my case, her collectibles, her heritage - one has to understand its culture. Given the easiness of occupying space online and providing inexpensive 'facilities', I'd like to invite you to sample the sounds of the music we live here with everyday. I've divided the songs by category, and the songs have a number which you can ask the music player to play - like a jukebox. If you click the link next to the song titles on this page, you'll be taken to the translated lyrics, which include some information about the musician and/or the song. The music selection is by no means complete: this page will be continuously updated with more songs, but as a basic principle it is based on real, legal disks sitting on my shelf and therefore many great hits and music legends will still be missing from the offering here until I buy those disks. Enjoy the music! |
| Main Music Genre Menu |
Contemporary Hits
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Song Title: Something Small and Good [live] ("Mashehu Katan ve Tov") Musician: Mashina Video: From September 2003 concert in Caesaria (Yuval Banai - vocals, Shlomi Brakha - lead guitar, Avner Khodorov - keyboards/sax/accordion, Michael Benson - bass, Iggy Dayan - drums) Year Released: 2003 Credits: lyrics and music by Yuval Banai and Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: Mashina's first release - and a major hit - after a hiatus of 8 years. Recorded live in Caesaria. Hear the song! |
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I don't see now the light, looking for it in vain Wandering across the whole area, from place to place Like a scratched old record, like a knight on a white horse Going on no accomplishments, everything will be done alone by himself And it seems that this is good, that's how he needs to love And it seems that it's close, something small and good... You won't be able to hold it, if you seek it it will get lost A man needs to move from place to place Deep in the heart of darkness something comes and goes The liight that's on the hurt is exposed, in sadness and joy it lies And it seem that this is good, that's how he needs to love And it seems that it's close, something small and good... I don't see now the light, looking for it in vain Wandering across the whole area, from place to place.... And it seems that this is good, that's how he needs to love And it seems that it's close, something small and good And it seems that this is good, that's how he needs to love... back to menu |
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Song Title: Birthday (remix) ("Yomuledet") Musician: Berry Sakharof and Infected Mushroom Video: Video of Infected Mushroom's remix featuring Berry Year Released: 2002 Credits: lyrics and music by Berry Sakharof; remixed by Infected Mushroom Website: www.berry.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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Today is a birthday Look, there is an old-new secret here To slice the bread To touch something nearly perfect It's already the middle of the night I thought perhaps its worthwhile to sleep But something is stuck Stuck deep down in my throat That's right, you know You make me crazy Before you run away, come without fear And take me like this Today is a birthday I thought of almost all of the details I ordered a room Blue skies with stars That's right, you know You make me crazy Before you run away, come without fear And take me like this back to menu |
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Song Title: Not Suckers ("Lo Freierim") Musician: Hadag Nakhash ('Fish Snake') Video: From Israel Channel 24 Music TV Year Released: 2003 Credits: lyrics by Sha'anan Street and Hadag Nakhash; and music by Hadag Nakhash Website: www.levantini.com/hadag/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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Until when will we stop dreaming we're a MIG in the sky flying high over the stench at a safe distance of 5 minutes from Kfar Sava... Until when will we stop closing our eyes to what's going on under our nose and accepting that everything's just groovy Beer from the fridge we'll bring, to a different channel we'll surf Until when will we stop thinking of endless alcohol and non-stop f**king So what if my neighbor is Danny Yatom I went to the funeral and went to him in mourning but the cycle of suffering is too big for me to break And we'll do reserve duty, and we'll pay taxes And we'll stand in traffic - for us they'll never screw We're definitely, definitely, definitely not We're definitely not suckers My friends says "enough, stop being heavy" And I'm not arguing, but the situation is absurd Try to find some examples And if you don't succeed, wait for me 'Cause if here falls a missile, over there is still more worthlessness What does it matter who succeeds - Jordan, Katash or Shaqueel And if here is a firing zone, over there is a mine What does it matter if I pay by cheque, credit or cash And with 700 [Shekels] for water and 2000 for city tax It's certain that I participate in the deal for... Left, right, look on the sides And we'll do reserve duty, and we'll pay taxes And we'll stand in traffic - for us they'll never screw We're definitely, definitely, definitely not We're definitely not suckers And sometimes everything simply looks strange, not put together Like a nun in a whore-house, or a whore in a convent Everything's going from failure to failure A tear from the eye slides down the cheek, and you? I'm crying about it all Crying about how everything could have been good there could have been h-a-r-m-o-n-y... From the Synagogue to the flack jacket to the Mosque Shopping mall, Church, everything could have been one Instead of this, there's a feeling of "Help" Living in a sense of such an "As if" Without looking at the reality in the face Without moving ahead, just trying to watch To disconnect Doing everything, just not to get screwed Doing everything, just not to get screwed And we'll do reserve duty, and we'll pay taxes And we'll stand in traffic - for us they'll never screw We're definitely, definitely, definitely not We're definitely not suckers back to menu |
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Song Title: Borders ("Gvulot") Musician: Ehud Banai Year Released: 2004 Credits: lyrics and music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: This song is an allegory of Israel during the period of the current Intifada. Politically, it's pessimistic message came 'late' - after the IDF managed to subdue the main force of the Intifada in operation "Defensive Shield" (2002); musically however, this song and the album itself are probably the finest pieces of Israeli music produced in the last 10 years. Backing vocals with Salaam Darwish Hear the song! |
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He's already not so young, more than 50 years old And he's experiencing difficult times Fighting with the irritating neighbor in the yard Each one saying: "I'll die (first), but with you I won't speak" He's completely not at peace, living on the edge Never understanding what he really wants Curses and apologises, going wild and relenting He cries alone at night when no one's watching Rises every morning and sees that the night continues Doesn't remember where he came from and now where he'll go Turns from side to side, torn up from within Confused and divided, he lives on pills He has no time to sit and eat like a human being Everything he sticks in a pita, flies on the street ahead of everyone Overtakes from the right, then cuts sharply to the left He'd like to straighten up, but now can't really manage to Between and you, between us and them Between darkness and light, between land and sea Between religious and secular, between sweetness and bitter Without borders there's no limit for anything There's a border to despair, there's no limit for hope There's a border to hate, there's no limit to love There's a border to reality, there's no limit to the dream There's a border to war, there's no limit to peace From time to time he remembers when he was young There was a dream, there was hope on the clear horizon But now he sees clouds of fear And he runs straight home after work Stuck in a traffic jam, helpless, honks in rage Turns on the radio and thinks: "just not this, just not again" Smokes like a chiminy, worries for the kids And the path to his heart is strewn with bypasses Between and you, between us and them Between darkness and light, between land and sea Between religious and secular, between sweetness and bitter Without borders there's no limit for anything There's a border to despair, there's no limit for hope There's a border to hate, there's no limit to love There's a border to reality, there's no limit to the dream There's a border to war, there's no limit to peace back to menu |
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Song Title: Perhaps on the Sea-shore ("Ulay Al Sfat Ha'Yam") Musician: Yehoram Gaon (remixed by The Doves - "Ha'Yonim") Video: Yehoram Gaon (remixed by The Doves - "Ha'Yonim") Year Released: (1971) 2005 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Manor; music by Nurit Hirsh Comments: Hear the song! |
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Go find the happiness Between the pillow and the blanket, In me, or her, or in yourself Or perhaps on the sea shore Brooks are streaming towards the sea And at the sea every path ends Also the sun sets there Don't tell me why Go find the direction In the notes of the music In the tail of the octopus Or perhaps on the sea shore Brooks are streaming towards the sea And at the sea every path ends Also the sun sets there Don't tell me why Brooks are streaming towards the sea And at the sea every path ends Also the sun sets there Don't tell me why Go find the Truth In the Torah or the scriptures In a sad barn owl Or perhaps on the sea shore Brooks are streaming towards the sea And at the sea every path ends Also the sun sets there Don't tell me why Go find G-d In the gardens, in the stones In the leaves, in the stamen Or perhaps on the sea shore Brooks are streaming towards the sea And at the sea every path ends Also the sun sets there Don't tell me why Don't tell me why back to menu |
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Song Title: The Child in You [live] ("Ha Yeled She'bekha") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Video: original music video Year Released: (1995) 1996 Credits: lyrics by Yehuda Poliker and Ya'akov Gil'ad; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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There is out there some kind of record There is some kind of sadness But there is life outside There still is more love You burn dead hours and piles of newspapers every weekend Family pictures of others, on the windows burn you You go out when it's already dark, dressed in black You drive and drive at the speed of light As if there's some kind of record that only you can break You hide the beatings, the open wounds and scars that haven't healed You remember little details that others before years already forgot Sometimes you sink and sustain everything Sometimes you hurt someone dear, from coldness As if there's some kind of pain that only you can tolerate There is out there some kind of record that you haven't broken yet And there is some kind of pain that you already know There is some kind of switch that only you can close But there is life outside that you haven't finished And there is more love that you haven't yet loved There is some kind of switch that no one ever will be able to close The child there is a man lost, feeling abandonned, rejected, robbed of dreams in the darkness And he falls asleep and wakes up, thrusts his hand and forgets that there's no one there And in the dream descends a child tied from behind, and this is the child that's in you But they call for him to return, and there's some kind of switch that only you can close There is out there some kind of record that you haven't broken yet And there is some kind of pain that you already know There is some kind of switch that only you can close But there is life outside that you haven't finished And there is more love that you haven't yet loved There is some kind of switch that no one ever will be able to close There is out there some kind of record There is some kind of sadness There is some kind of switch that only you can close But there is life outside that you haven't finished And there is more love that you haven't yet loved There is some kind of switch that no one ever will be able to close back to menu |
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Song Title: On Full Moon Nights ("Be'Leilot Shel Yare'akh Maleh") Musician: Eran Tzur Year Released: 2000 Credits: lyrics and music by Eran Tzur Website: www.eranzur.com/main.htm Comments: Hear the song! |
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On full moon nights I see you next to me Us lying on the bed in darkness All the windows open The light reflects on us Silvery and milky Here is you face Here are the eyes Here is the refined smile Here are the fears and detatchment Here is worry for me And here is happiness Because we're here together We have love Would you believe it After all this desert What a consolation On full moon nights Fantasy turns into reality Almost as if you can touch it By way of memory - in the imagination I know, it's true you're not mine But now, in the darkness you're with me We have love Would you believe it After all this desert What a consolation back to menu |
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Song Title: In a Striped Shirt ("Be'Khultzat Pasim") Musician: Ivri Lider Year Released: 1999 Credits: lyrics and music by Ivri Lider Website: www.ivrilider.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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In a beautiful city full of longings, I walk To give into my desires to fall in love And to the beauty that sends me to the clouds Love like this without boundaries Now I swallow the spit which has accumulated in my mouth Opportunities like these in life won't be many In a thin striped shirt with an unusual hat It's the eyes that make the difference so beautiful Now I'm shocked and then return Take my time, don't hurry I hear from outside That my mouth is saying, what my mouth is saying Now it's forever or else to give up I came for one, and left with another In a new Japanese car At the [bus] stops I drive fast In a beautiful city full of believers I want to find my life, to get adjusted When you drink just a little everything seems suddenly so nice When the girl beside me tells me how hard it is And how the people around her stop her, and what will be In a thin striped shirt with an unusual hat It's the lips that give me a kiss on the mouth Now I'm shocked and then return Take my time, don't hurry I hear from outside That my mouth is saying, what my mouth is saying Now it's forever or else to give up I came for one, and left with another In a new Japanese car At the [bus] stops I drive fast back to menu |
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Song Title: 15 Minutes ("Khamesh-esre Dakot") Musician: Assaf Amdursky Year Released: 1999 Credits: lyrics and music by Assaf Amdursky Website: www.amdursky.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Flies over the city Shooting at them flashing arrows in the eyes Air in the bays floats in the currents Pleasant like tickles Electricity in the ears, shivers of pleasure Fifteen minutes, flutes and violins I simply want to be someone they'll remember Give a sparkling smile, end of the balloon will explode It's not worth over-exerting yourself In any case, from end to end it's always summed up in the same point The stains are removed The nights get shorter To a white line between background to background Sweet revenge Silent engines Trains of words cross paths like shadows above me and above the city, lifting me up The bulge of the breasts hides the face Fifteen minutes Photographers and ashtrays I simply want to be someone they'll remember back to menu |
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Song Title: Dark Dream ("Khalom Keheh") Musician: Assaf Amdursky Video: Assaf Amdursky with the band Knesiat Ha'Sekhel ("Entry of the Mind") Year Released: 1999 Credits: lyrics and music by Assaf Amdursky Website: www.amdursky.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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They'll always find us thrown out on the pavement Days which fell off from us will be presented on display in the newspapers Headlines which reverberate, and the heart breaks Something inside died already years ago And the noise in the head We don't manage to breath Many emotions Guilt Many deviations from the conscience And a hole of emptiness One foot squeezes the gas Sunken eyes, deep inside a dark dream Can't stop In the newspapers, headlines which reverberate And the heart breaks And everything remains pale like always I have freedom, I have a goal You don't have to go back There's still a desire You can find a corner Give me the end or find me the beginning [TV clip:] There are things that exist inside and we're like not aware of them We're always full of dark feelings, opening the papers and saying "Well, another disaster" but it's not like that It's a shame that we reached such a terrible condition where it's normal to wake up and see this I know I woke up, I woke up somehow back to menu |
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Song Title: Nails and Feathers ("Masmerim ve'Notzot") Musician: Micha Shitreet (pronounced "Shetreet") Video: original music video Year Released: 1998 Credits: lyrics by Micha Shitreet and Miki Zar; music by Micha Shitreet, Berry Sakharof and Yizhar Ashdot Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Once I could swallow the whole world I rode on a bicycle with my hands in the air Once I was a bad animal and you were a sweetie Once I really lived Once you were close to me, now you're distant Once you used to cry less and laugh more Once, when you were happy you used to dance Once you really lived And now? What now? Nails and feathers - a bird that doesn't fly And now? What now? Nails and feathers - a bird that doesn't fly Once I could swallow a full moon You didn't bite your fingernails, you used to scratch You got dressed in full light before me, now you're embarrassed Once you were real Once I could tell you "Behold you are my bride..." I broke the glass and left the house Once you could twist me around your finger Once we were real And now? What now? Nails and feathers - a bird that doesn't fly And now? What now? Nails and feathers - a bird that doesn't fly Once.. no, no there won't be another time Twice you gave up for me and once on me Once you wanted to know and I forgot What we really were And now? What now? Nails and feathers - a bird that doesn't fly back to menu |
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Song Title: Enta Omri (You Are My Life) ("Inti Omri") Musician: Micha Shitreet (pronounced "Shetreet") Year Released: 1998 Credits: lyrics and music by Micha Shitreet Website: On Um Kulthum Comments: Based on the Arabic song 'You Are My Life' (Enta Omri) by Um Kulthum, the Egyptian diva. Hear the song! |
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They're closing the plant, come we'll go home It doesn't pay, doesn't pay... doesn't pay It's a matter of economics, of politics Issues of a global scale But not on the issue, not on our issue And you're beautiful, oh so beautiful And like then, so also now 'Enta Omri' We listened to the man who said and said And we believed in everyone who spoke about G-d Words, words, words Many, many, many But not on the issue, not on our issue And you're beautiful, oh so beautiful And like then, so also now 'Enta Omri' back to menu |
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Song Title: Landscape of Childhood ("Nof Yaldut") Musician: Shlomo Artzi Year Released: (1971) 2000 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomo Artzi Website: www.shlomoartzi.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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The landscape of the old buildings Which were shadows in my childhood days Since then have passed many years Since then have passed many years The landscape of the old buildings is already crumbling And its walls are disappearing Since then have passed many years Since then have passed many years In the Garden of Eden of childhood Which had flourished I was part of the landscape. Today I'm just a visitor In the tree garden which is peeling Which were shadows from my childhood days The branches have already broken Old age suddenly surged forth I am walking and you're with me And they altogether are disappearing Old age suddenly surged forth What a day it is. In the Garden of Eden of childhood Which had flourished I was part of the landscape. Today I'm just a visitor back to menu |
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Song Title: Overtakes From Above ("Okef Mi Lemala") Musician: Mookie Video: Original music video pulled from the "Musika 24" channel; features Mookie and Piloni Year Released: 2005 Credits: lyrics by Danny ("Mookie") Niv; music by Danny ("Piloni") Kirk Website: shabakmusic.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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I deliver the message to you telepathically Hitting in the head in my problematic way When I beat, I hit mathematically One by one I kill them automatically I present the anti-plastic reality Life I wrap up, rhyming bombastically This is the truth which strikes us drastically - The alternative which is fanstastic If we try to examine our being objectively We'll see ourselves rotting passively What turns me on over and over aggressively Flows and froths with the massive music Indulge myself on the microphone psychopathically My splif sits on my hand aristocratically I march on the way to freedom systematically With a desirous heart and a militant spirit. On my way to the beyond, I overtake from above Between myself and the tomorrow separates just the night Moving towards the beyond - overtaking from above Because what is freedom after all If not the victory of the man over himself? We're dust in space, everything we could have been and we're not. Because what is freedom after all If not the victory of the man over himself? We're dust in space, everything we could have been and we're not. I build my existence logistically Against the events I'm prepared militaristically Against a world which goes and dumbs down sadistically A world whose heart froze it statistically How is it to live in a post-traumatic society Which gets addicted to hate narcomatically? How she drowns in the bureaucratic morass Dead eyes which gaze at me antipathically As she fries my brain cellularly She and her conscience which crumbles molecularly This is the stored thing for the moment of need modularly This is the branded thing, all of it fattened dollaristically Mook comes and brings the fire, sparking it vocally The words burn and don't get burned, attacks verbally Always in motion, managed multistylistically I fight my battles mentally. On my way to the beyond, I overtake from above Between myself and the tomorrow separates just the night Moving towards the beyond - overtaking from above Because what is freedom after all If not the victory of the man over himself? We're dust in space, everything we could have been and we're not. Because what is freedom after all If not the victory of the man over himself? We're dust in space, everything we could have been and we're not. And if you'll say I'm exaggerating with this dramatically I say that your idea is not relevant I cut and avoid the brain-washing acrobatically And it's impossible to squeeze me into a compact slogan It's impossible to take me and market me authentically It's impossible to dazzle me, to lie to me cosmetically The good which returns to the creator of it magnetically Peels all the masks from you poetically On my way to the beyond, I overtake from above Between myself and the tomorrow separates just the night Moving towards the beyond - overtaking from above Because what is freedom after all If not the victory of the man over himself? We're dust in space, everything we could have been and we're not. Because what is freedom after all If not the victory of the man over himself? We're dust in space, everything we could have been and we're not. back to menu |
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Song Title: Today ("Ha'Yom") Musician: Shalom Hanoch (featuring 'Monica Sex') Year Released: 2003 Credits: lyrics and music by Shalom Hanoch Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Just yesterday, just yesterday I simply got fed up with everything To die I wanted, not to suffer But to die I always can And today the wind changed It took away the pain I don't know how It's definitely because of you Just yesterday, not long ago I was a king, Don Juan The most known, the biggest of all The most artistic without falling And today there aren't anymore clouds Everything lightens up the face I've started to smile I don't know how It's definitely because of you Just yesterday, not long ago Late at night, far from here Barefoot in the weeds, walking in the forest To smoke in the rain on the little bridge And to dream Today the wind turned over I started to smile I don't know how It's definitely because of you There aren't anymore clouds And everything lightens up the face I don't know how It's definitely because of you Because of you... back to menu |
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Song Title: City Evening ("Erev Ironi") Musician: Yossi Banai Video: Clip from his performance "From So Much Love" Year Released: 1987 Credits: lyrics by Natan Alterman; music by Yoni Rechter Website: Comments: Yossi Banai (1932 - 11 May 2006) is one more in a string of musical treasures that have left us in the last three years, following Natan Yonathan, Nomi Shemer, Arik Lavie, Ehud Manor, Uzi Hitman and Shoshana Damari. Banai began his musical career in the first draft of the Nachal brigade band ("Lahakat Ha'Nachal", which became legendary for its songs and the subsequent stars it produced in the '50s and '60s), in 1951. After his army service he joined the "Ha'Bima" theater and became a successful stage entertainer. Later he wrote the materials for the country's legendary comedy troupe "The Pale Scout Trio" ("Ha'Gashash Ha'Khiver"), and released musical albums of his own which became successful in their own right. One of his key contributions to Israeli music was his incorporation of the French 'Chanson' tradition of careful language, storytelling and sound into the arena of popular Israeli song. He translated songs of Brel, Brassens and Moustaki into Hebrew and incorporated them into his presentations of Israeli song. Though this song is already almost 20 years old, out of respect to him and the poet of the words I've placed it in as 'contemporary' as nothing about its sound justifies consigning it to more out of date music periods. Hear the song! |
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A pink sunset between the rooves Blue asphalt from below Womens' eyes, sad, sad, say to the evening Why did you come? The street-lamps are the flowers of the city Blooming in the scented light A sad electric Spring in the city From its intoxication it's forbidden to run away He's just an orphan and just innocent Born for a moment and then no longer Between the nights and the days He comes to color our eyes [Chorus] He's just an orphan and just innocent Born for a moment and then no longer Between the nights and the days He comes to color our eyes Between the days and the nights Shows a blue appearance which we go towards All our breaths are worn out Over there the grass, which the weeds consume The naive wave of a small girl Her smile carried in a car What there was and what there wasn't It seems as if it will come to be again At the moment I'm just one And I look, very quietly How the moon extracts a breast From the wall of the building opposite [Chorus] At the moment I'm just one And I look, very quietly How the moon extracts a breast From the wall of the building opposite My body gets smaller and dwarfed But my head is so high up So that even if I go I won't look at where I'm going A pink sunset at the end of the road Like a tunnel of light blue He who reaches the end Will want to cry from all what could have been [Chorus] A pink sunset at the end of the road Like a tunnel of light blue He who reaches the end Will want to cry from all what could have been A pink sunset between the rooves Blue asphalt from below Womens' eyes, sad, sad, say to the evening Why did you come? back to menu |
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Song Title: I See You ("Ani Ro'eh Otkha") Musician: Shlomo Artzi and Shalom Hanoch Video: from their concert in Caesaria 2005 Year Released: 2005 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomo Artzi and Shalom Hanoch Website: Comments: Near contemporaries of one another, Shlomo Artzi (born 1949) and Shalom Hanoch (born 1946) developed into the country's most popular and prolific singer-songwriters even though they never performed or collaborated together, much to everyone's retroactive suprise - including theirs. Artzi pursued a pop-rock sound from the late '60s while Hanoch focused mostly on blues, though much of early Israel's rock music was written by him as early as the mid-'60s. Last year and this they went on tour together, with the concept being that each would chose and sing songs from the other, playing it with his own band (Hanoch: Moshe Levy, Roni Peterson, et. al.; Artzi: Meir Israel, Avi Singolda, et. al.), and this song - conveying their awareness of each other and their relative similarities through the distance and the years - was the thematic emblem of their "Connection" concert series. Hear the song! |
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[Artzi]: If I look, I see you [Artzi]: If I count, I count on you [Artzi]: You're not always like me, just similar to me sometimes [Artzi]: If you call for me I come right away [Hanoch]: If I look, I see you [Hanoch]: If you remain, I'll stay with you [Hanoch]: If you call for me, I'm here nearby [Hanoch]: You're a little like me, you're like me a little If I become silent don't take it to heart Let the music sing to the soul [Hanoch]: I catch a guitar, and begin to sing I come home, don't leave the city If I look, I see you If I count, I count on you [Hanoch]: You're a little like me, and also a little different [Artzi]: Speak to me, if that suits you If I listen I understand you If you remain, I'll stay with you Sometimes on the path, you're not alone [Hanoch]: You're a little like me, you're like me a little If you lie on a beach, thinking about nothing [Hanoch]: What is redemption if you don't see the end? [Hanoch]: Like the question, "where is G-d?" [Hanoch]: A conversation that begins itself, so how don't they see? [Artzi]: If things will be a little good, that would be wonderful [Artzi]: If we sing for fun like there's no tomorrow Call me up, it's not such a big deal [Artzi]: You can leave a number, I'll get back to you on time [Artzi]: If I look, I see you [Hanoch]: You're a little like me... a little... a little... a little... a little... [Hanoch]: If things would be a little good [Hanoch]: You're a little like me [Hanoch]: If I become silent don't take it to heart [Hanoch]: Let the music sing to the soul [Hanoch]: Look at her and continue to sing [Hanoch]: I come home, don't leave the city [Artzi]: If you begin a sentence, I'll find it an ending [Artzi]: If you draw me a line, I'll add to it a setting [Artzi]: And if you go, and I come from across [Artzi]: So let's go together, we'll go on a journey [Hanoch]: If you begin a sentence, I'll find it an ending [Artzi]: We'll go on a journey [Hanoch]: If you draw me a line, I'll add to it a setting [Artzi]: We'll go on a journey [Hanoch]: And if you go, and I come from across [Artzi]: We'll go on a journey [Hanoch]: So let's go together, we'll go on a journey If I look, I see you If I count, I count on you If you call for me I come right away You're a little like me, you're like me a little [Hanoch]: If I become silent don't take it to heart [Artzi]: You're a little like me [Hanoch]: Let the music sing to the soul [Artzi]: You're a little like me [Hanoch]: Look at her and continue to sing I come home, don't leave the city If I look, I see you If I count, I count on you You're not always like me, just similar to me sometimes If you call for me I come right away If I look, I see you If I count, I count on you You're not always like me, just similar to me sometimes If you call for me I come right away If I look, I see you back to menu |
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Song Title: Arik ("Arik") Musician: Shlomi Shaban Year Released: 2000 Credits: lyrics by Shlomi Shaban; music by Shlomi Shaban Website: Comments: Amusing song based on a real experience by Shaban who was dating a girl who was seeing him and another man ("Arik") at the same time. The phrase "Bleed for me" comes from the Velvet Underground song 'Venus in Furs'. Hear the song! |
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When you're in my bed Don't talk about Arik Don't talk about Arik Me and my thing don't like Arik Arik causes us to shrink Don't talk about Arik Don't talk about Arik Don't talk about Arik Don't talk You want to talk about Arik Go be with Arik Don't talk about Arik Don't talk about Arik What's the story with this Arik anyway? You always remember him when you're with me Is your game double-meaning-ed? Do you throw my name around in Arik's room? Don't talk about Arik You just said Arik You just said Arik I'm getting tired You want to talk about Arik Go be with Arik Don't talk about Arik No more Ho-ho "This Arik", she continues "He's got on himself" If he has on himself, I thought Why are you on me? And if you're already on me Why is he on top of us? Why is he burdening us? What, what did we do wrong? Don't talk about Arik Don't talk about Arik Don't talk about Arik Don't talk You see, you just said Arik to me I'm getting emotionally disturb-ariked Don't talk about Arik No more And now the truth Tell me the truth Who f***s better, Arik or I? What does that mean, everyone is different? Speak in grades, lady, speak in numbers Don't even answer me Don't even answer me Don't even answer me It's not my business You see, you just said Arik to me I'm getting emotionally disturb-ariked Don't talk about Arik No more And now I'm a cowboy In the wild, wild west And I'm gonna shoot Arik Yes, I'm gonna shoot Arik now Bleed for me Don't talk about Arik back to menu |
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Song Title: America ("America") Musician: Ethnix Video: original music video from Channel "Musika 24" Year Released: 2005 Credits: lyrics by Ze'ev Nechama; music by Ze'ev Nechama and Tamir Kalisky Website: www.ethnix.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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People travel to America, When there's America everywhere There's something good in a faraway land And sometimes it's just a dream And you, why don't you cast a glance over here For how may years can you possibly dream of America? Oh America... Life is not America And America is another place altogether Everything's in the mind of the person If you'll only want here too can be a dream And you, why don't you cast a glance over here For how may years can you possibly dream of America? Oh America... And you, why don't we live with the little that we have It's not so different in America... Oh America. And you, why don't you cast a glance over here For how may years can you possibly dream of America? Oh America... And you, why don't we live with the little that we have It's not so different in America... Oh America. back to menu |
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Song Title: My Old Friends ("Ha'Khaverim Ha'Yeshanim Sheli") Musician: Ivri Lider Year Released: 1999 Credits: lyrics and music by Ivri Lider Website: www.ivrilider.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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My old friends, they're all the same One became a big hero and the other got wiped out A few others traveled far in order to return The tenth one who I once left far behind My old friends in the black book Everyone who I now love Everyone I will remember And for whom it interests, we'll smoke and talk About sport and art until the night will end Until the night ends, lines and lines of people Pass through my dreams Until the night ends I'll still manage to speak About every subject in the world If G-d exists or doesn't exist If there's a reason for disappointments Whole lives in bags of plastic And they pull at me by the edge of my shirt My old friends have an unusual taste He who was furthest away says he thinks about me a lot And he who loved to drink remained with the habit To a world of grownups he tries to get accustomed He who loved to know, still he asks questions And he who thought things were good for him is now praying And even I remained almost the same way Threatening to go but in the end I remain Until the night ends, lines and lines of people Pass through my dreams Until the night ends I'll still manage to speak About every subject in the world If G-d exists or doesn't exist If there's a reason for disappointments Whole lives in bags of plastic And they pull at me by the edge of my shirt Whole lives in bags of plastic Arguing if this happened or didn't happen My old friends are not all the same One became a big hero and the other got wiped out And a few others traveled far in order to return This love which I once left behind back to menu |
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Song Title: Preelie ("Preelie") Musician: Shotei Ha'Nevuah ("Fools of the Prophecy") Year Released: 2000 Credits: lyrics by Gil'ad Vitel; music by Gil'ad Vitel Website: www.foools.com Comments: Sung/written in a stream of conscience style; parts in italics are supposed to be the "voices" in the singer's head. Hear the song! |
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I want a little bit of "my fruit" ['Preelie' in Hebrew; the closest I can translate it is "my fruit", otherwise the word has no meaning in Hebrew] And I want also cherry that lights up eyes A flower when I enter the garden Yes, again I'm speaking only with myself And I have no idea what he Is hiding for me in my debt On the side of common sense There are a lot of things to sleep about What a drunk he is That guy who is sitting now at the head Decides now to conquer This moment, on the road the people feel the morning which has broken A gift from G-d To dance, to jump What a sparkle Singing songs from inside the house Moving the sofas To wander around, to shout... yes All this is a surprise In life there are gifts Because it's not in feelings and not in logic Eretz Israel these days is in craziness "The Enemy Will Attack Tomorrow" Was written there in the paper So give me a little honey and milk so we can mix Arab Palestinian - Arab Palestinian, Jewish Argentinian It doesn't matter, everyone's a human being Everyone's here No one will leave here No one will leave No one will leave here So start to love Say, is it fun to laugh? We're a generation of love And not of wars Tell me "yes" to pleasant speech and yes to smiles Five thousand years we're waiting To dance, to jump What a sparkle Singing songs from inside the house Moving the sofas To wander around, to shout... yes All this is a surprise In life there are gifts Because it's not in feelings and not in logic Eretz Israel these days is in craziness "The Enemy Will Attack Tomorrow" Was written there in the paper So give me a little honey and milk so we can mix Arab Palestinian - Arab Palestinian, Jewish Argentinian It doesn't matter, everyone's a human being It's because of this - everyone's here No one will leave here No one will leave No one will leave here So start to love No one will leave here No one will leave No one will leave here So start from up close back to menu |
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Song Title: The Doll House ("Beit Ha'Bubot") Musician: Beit Ha'Bubot (The Doll House / House of Dolls) Video: someone's interpretation of the song into video Year Released: 2004 Credits: lyrics by Amir Atias and Itay Shiff; music by Amir Atias Website: www.beit-habubot.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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And again I encounter a moment of sadness In a dark corner stands the boundary I think about things in a new rhythm I run thoughts, I try on a sheet And again I encounter a moment of loneliness I feel with all my might what innocence is Think about Him up there who knows things And His son all the time plays with the strings So how is it in the end that we all meet up With the same problems and the same emotions In the little doll house of G-d's And how I'm thrown strongly between the walls Fall into myself, now I can't see Lose the sensation, do you now feel What it means to be alone, to be alone And so how is it in the end that we all meet up With the same problems and the same emotions In the little doll house of G-d's And how I'm slammed with force on the bed The light turns black, everything here has changed I'm sick of shouting into blocked ears Again I can't see And so how is it in the end that we all meet up With the same problems and the same emotions In the little doll house of G-d's back to menu |
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Song Title: Here Again (Part B) ("Shoov Kan - Khelek Bet") Musician: Shabak Samekh Year Released: 2000 Credits: lyrics and music by Shabak Samekh Website: Shabak @ Mooma Comments: The band formerly headed by Mookie, who features on this page above; one of the first groups to introduce the concept of "Israeli hip-hop" (or what we call Zionist hip-hop) - snarling, indulgent, garrish and funny, but not violent. The band's name, Shabak Samekh - שב''ק ס - sounds similar to the State's secret service but it is actually an acronym of partially made-up words "Shufim Bufim Bits and Bravos". Hear the song! |
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Blood and fire and smoked dates Blood and fire and smoked dates Blood and fire and smoked dates Blood and fire and smoked dates I return from a dark country in a time machine Cross outer space in a hurricane I bring the Shabak, we're here Ask yourself if you're ready King of the empire like Gengis Khan Rule over the expanse like Zinedin Zidane Take all the girls, gather up all the cash Run away from the law like Jean Valjean [Wearing] Beads to no end cause I'm a master craftsman All day drunk so I'm a pothead bringing the revolution, I'm on a cloud Girls, twist your tushies Still here We're here again We're here again We're here again From three came out one, From three came out one, From three came out one, And the one that came out is me There's no one like me, the orange knight Returning to the stages to save the crowds From freezing depression in a period of craziness Bringing to parades a little happiness and joy I blow away those who hold the microphone ["blow away" - the expression in Hebrew here is to "give high-schooling to"] Return to the kindergarden the whole "carton-culture" [possibly a reference to exploitation of workers] Cook your brains like a cellphone - Ericsson - Even Simon Le Bon doesn't have this much passion I'm the voice from outer space, come to the middle east A super-star who brings honor and vision If I was in Japan I'd be a Shogun The Shabak is stronger than Alexander the Great I'm here in Zion on the way to rulership I play in the country like Megatron in mega-disaster Gamble on my last chip And laugh all the way to first place - because I'm here again! Still here We're here again We're here again We're here again Everyone talks about the good old days With expanses and countryside, with chicken-coops and horses, yes Everyone talks about the good old days When cash would grow on the trees They talk About records and dance halls They talk About love, clean air and G-d They talk About politicians they don't count on They talk and talk and talk and talk After they talk about the good old days They talk about me 'cause they've run out of subjects A storm in the garden of eden, hell on the streets Certain that when we rule we'll bring better days Still here We're here again We're here again We're here again back to menu |
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Song Title: Going Wild in the Countryside ("Mishtolelim Ba'Kfar") Musician: Shotei Ha'Nevuah ("Fools of the Prophecy") Year Released: 2000 Credits: lyrics and music by Ro'i Levy Website: www.foools.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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It's actually fun for me when you're around But hard to say that love Is what I have inside my heart I'm after all just a hungry wolf You're not the first and not the third But we'll start almost from the beginning Now it's just me and you So come and let's undress little by little I feel... I feel... I feel you tremble from desire In the long breaks between thrust and thrust Yes, you and mother nature are united now In a moment of truth, in a supreme act Wave after wave wash the whole body Fireworks explode inside your head Deep within the rhythm, aware of every nerve I hope that this for ever lasts Going wild in the countryside Going wild in the countryside Going wild in the countryside Me and you, all night long Going wild in the countryside Going wild in the countryside Going-wild-in-the-countryside You have fruits which entice more than pineapples and coconuts A wonderful opening like the blossom of a lotus Froth on the seas, a rainbow in the cloud, how good this is now To draw near the issue All the night me and you go wild in the countryside All the night me and you go wild in the countryside Going wild in the countryside Going wild in the countryside Going wild in the countryside Me and you, all night long Going wild in the countryside Going wild in the countryside Going-wild-in-the-countryside Come let's sit in a fig all night Me and you, all night long Going wild in the countryside Me and you, all night long Going wild in the countryside Me and you, all night long Going wild in the countryside Me and you, all night long Going wild in the countryside Me and you, all night long Going wild in the countryside Me and you, all night long Going-wild-in-the-countryside So he told me "Come here" and he gave me a kiss - it was sweet He embraced me standing and the bed was so soft And in the darkness he took me to a new land And in the morning I sand and was still in the feeling of a dream Simply a dream, a dream in broad daylight I'm not ashamed, I feel like a woman I'm his, for him and it's good for me because of him ...and it's good for me because of him ...and it's good for me because of him Come and sit here, come Come and sit here, come Come and sit here, come All night long back to menu |
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Song Title: Better Nothing Than Almost ("Yoter Tov Klum Me'Kimat") Musician: Ivri Lider Video: From a live performance in Caduri, circa. 2006 Year Released: 1999 Credits: lyrics and music by Ivri Lider Website: www.ivrilider.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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If it's not her than better it be no one Better nothing than almost An English newspaper and cheap perfume In the middle of the night climbs onto an airplane Which will take you first class to Germany There's wine and food and a video movie Another hour or two and you return home If it's not her than better it be no one Better nothing than almost Nice clothes in luxury shops All the time together and nothing happened In the middle of the night climbs onto an airplane Which will take you first class to Germany There's wine and food and a video movie Another hour or two and you return home And what a lovely day there is beyond the rainbow From what exactly are you so groggy A fashion magazine and everything is the same routine A few more hours and you return home If it's not her than better it be no one Better nothing than almost back to menu |
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Song Title: Iris Fields ("Sadot Shel Irusim") Musician: Yehuda Sa'ado Video: Rebroadcast of the competition finals on Channel 2 with the lyrics displayed during the performance Year Released: (1986) 2005 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomo Artzi Website: Yehuda Sa'ado @ MySpace.com and www.shlomoartzi.com Comments: A wonderful (trunctated) cover of a Shlomo Artzi song submitted and performed for the 3rd season of Israel's American Idol-styled program, "Kokhav Nolad" ("A Star is Born"), which it won. It was performed by a religious singer, Yehuda Sa'ado, in a style defined locally here as "Mediterranean" ("Yam Tikhoni") - an Israeli blend of Arab/Middle Eastern tones with Mediterranean vocals. The song comes from Artzi's Lebanon war-influenced melancholy "Restless Night" album from 1986 and a forerunner to his landmark "Heat of July-August" record from 1987-88 - and for this public performance it seems certain lines with social critiques were removed. Hear the song! |
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In an astounded stadium and short of space With all the people I sit Waiting for the concert to begin The band is already prepared There, there were buildings, dispersed as islands and islands There, there was my childhood and all my life I am a loaded gun of yearnings And it comes back to me, you understand Returns to me in the room Every song is an unavoidable memory In an astounded stadium and short of space With all the people I sit Waiting for the concert to begin The band is already prepared The finger on the trigger Every song is an unavoidable memory Back then I didn't have a large car Back then I didn't know what lay by the margins Of the only road beside which were concealed secrets, fields [a play on words in Hebrew] of irises Back then I didn't have a large car Back then I didn't know what lay by the margins Of the only road beside which were concealed secrets, fields... Back then I didn't have a large car Back then I didn't know what lay by the margins Of the only road beside which were concealed secrets, fields of irises This is not the same country Already not the same room Every song is an unavoidable memory back to menu |
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Song Title: How 'Yossi' [live] ("Kama Yossi") Musician: Berry Sakharof Video: Original music video. Also: Live performance aired on Israeli educational channel 8. Year Released: (1993) 2003 Credits: lyrics by Berry Sakharof; music by Berry Sakharof and Ra Mokhiakh Website: www.berry.co.il Comments: Mima.co.il sheds some light on an otherwise odd song: the lyrics describe Berry's childhood in the city of Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv (i.e. the "Big City" mentioned in the song). Sakharof grew up in the neighborhood of Ramat Yosef, named after Yosef Shprintzak, the first Speaker of the Israeli Parliament ("Knesset"); the neighborhood was also known for the high number of children named "Yossi". The reference to "Shlomo's white guitar" is to Shlomo Mizrachi, a well known Israeli guitarist in the 1960's; "Ahuva" refers to the Israeli singer Ahuva Ozeri. The reference to the "song contest" is of the 1968 competition in which Tom Jones won. "Fanny Hill" is a reference to a childhood pornographic publication which passed through many hands. "A downpour of go-go's, an Arab hole and a Jewish hole" refers to a game of go-go's in which a person has to throw a go-go into a hole and to try to pull out a pair from within it (in an "Arab hole" a player has one go-go, in a "Jewish hole" he has several). Hear the song! |
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That town there, they named after the Speaker of the Knesset [Israeli Parliament] Romanians, Moroccans, Poles mixed together on the [sand] dunes A lot of pickles, a lot of bread with "khalva" At the sparse first national song contest So much sand, how "Yossi" [a play on the Hebrew word "Yofi" for "nice"] It was good, it was "Yossi" At the daily show Tarzan beats Machista And Shlomi has a guitar colored in white And Ahuva gave all she had, all that she had What she had And mom and dad feared that I'd turn out a criminal Fanny Hill from hand to hand to hand to hand A downpour of go-go's, an Arab hole, a Jewish hole And far, far to the north, the real thing In the big city on Fridays and Saturdays, looking for something to do So much sand, how "Yossi" [a play on the Hebrew word "Yofi" for "nice"] It was good, it was "Yossi" back to menu |
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Song Title: Haifa Across the Sea ("Haifa Mul HaYam") Musician: Micha Shitreet (pronounced "Shetreet") Video: Year Released: 2005 Credits: lyrics by Salman Matzlakha; music by Micha Shitreet and Berry Sakharof Website: Comments: A song about the Arab poet Emil Habibi; Berry Sakharof on guitars. Hear the song! |
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In Haifa, across the sea, smells of salt Arise from the ground And sun which hangs on a tree Which unravels the wind Within a row of trees is immersed a stone They planted men, women and silence Tenants in a building Whose name is Homeland Jews whose voice I didn't hear Arabs whose intentions I didn't know And more such songs which I didn't know To recognize In that moment which became silenced There in Haifa across the sea Everyone was there for him A poet, exiled in the wind, searches for the past In a question blessed with questions Fishes up words from within the sea And again casts towards the waves Which will return, Like the Messiah, To the world A poet returns to a song which he didn't write In the night of captivity, and has not yet returned To the place which he drew as a child in the cloud There in Haifa across the sea At the end of summer which has broken On the head of the tree blooms the moon I return to the silence which I injured with my lips I return to The old words In a page Lumps of earth let to live And a salty path grasp tightly forever the Fishing rod of the fisherman Little words grew silent to rest And a song was silenced there in Haifa, across the sea And a song was silenced there in Haifa, across the sea back to menu |
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Song Title: Momentum ("Tnufa") Musician: Boaz Banai Video: original music video; Boaz always wanted to play football but his parents disapproved Year Released: 2007 Credits: lyrics and music by Boaz Banai Website: Boaz Banai on Myspace and on Facebook Comments: Hear the song! |
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I feel that this is the time Now or forever What's the point of waiting? Something is stopping the momentum Perhaps it's just a phase That you just need to get through? I have to get out to the street Fresh air is good for me To feel the movement I'm in a thousand pieces Still eating sweets At night in bed It always happens when I'm too busy in something else The body slowly falls apart And the head works too quickly My head works quickly I feel that this is the time Now or forever I need something to give me a spiritual elevation Who is stopping the momentum Perhaps it's just a phase From here it can only get better It always happens when I'm too busy in something else The body slowly shrinks And the head works too quickly My head works quickly [said to a female]: Only you know what's good for me If only I could speak Instead of shouting or dispersing Words with no explanation What would I then say Instead of shouting like a retard Na na na na... What would I then say If only I could speak Instead of shouting or dispersing Na na na na... back to menu |
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Song Title: Dog Competition ("Takharut Klavim") Musician: Eviatar Banai Video: original music video pulled from Channel Musika 24; there are probably several personalities and band members (his cousin, Ehud Banai's band) I'm supposed to recognize in the video but can only identify Eviatar's sister, the actress Orna Banai, leaving the restaurant/sitting in the taxi Year Released: 2005 Credits: lyrics by Eviatar Banai and Amir Lev / music by Eviatar Banai and Amir Tzoref Website: www.eviatarbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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A dog competition Running in a circle Eyes that are hungry Speech with hints In lovely shoes I run barefoot Deep dreams I arrive first I drive in a taxi, don't remember the address So much time in the darkness The despair, the flesh, the egotism Big enemies which I cultivated To light the sun with laughter and tears and music I'm already coming, I'm already there The banister is wet The stairs are high Quiet whispers on the neck I hear trumpets at night in bed I direct the traffic Without knowing to where I drive in a taxi, don't remember the address So much time in the darkness The despair, the flesh, the egotism Big enemies which I cultivated To light the sun with laughter and tears and music I'm already coming, I'm already there I drive in a taxi, don't remember the address So much time in the darkness The despair, the flesh, the egotism Big enemies which I cultivated To light the sun with laughter and tears and music I'm already coming, I'm already there I'm already coming, I'm already there To light the sun with laughter and tears and music I'm already coming, I'm already there back to menu |
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Song Title: 'Sigapo' ("Sigapo") Musician: Beit Ha'Bubot (The Doll House / House of Dolls) Video: original music video Year Released: 2004 Credits: lyrics and music by Amir Atias Website: www.beit-habubot.com Comments: According to mima.co.il, the song is named after a friend (Sigalit) of the band's lead singer and whose nickname was 'Siga'; when she returned to Israel from abroad her friends would say that 'Siga is here' (in Hebrew "Siga po"), and that's how the song got its name. Hear the song! |
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And the moon was full all night long And it leaves me up Write on all four walls in a moment And it's not enough for her A wave of hallucinations in nature Loses reality in for a moment How in the end she always returns to herself And it's not enough for her Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break Another light raises an old memory Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break Another light rises and shows the way Sigapo it's hot and it hurts Not everything you know It's the same light that always accompanied you And it's not enough for her Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break Another light raises an old memory Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break Another light rises and shows the way She returned from there in order to complete her circle for herself To the spring came a young goat, a young goat came With the logic of a legend she feels like a young girl In a great field of understanding, which is pure Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break Another light raises an old memory Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break Another light rises and shows the way Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break Another light raises an old memory Suddenly when it seems that the dawn won't ever break... Another light rises and shows the way... back to menu |
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Song Title: End of Summer ("Sof HaKaitz") Musician: Micha Shitreet and Berry Sakharof Video: Year Released: 2002 Credits: lyrics and music by Berry Sakharof Website: www.berry.co.il Comments: title track to the Israeli film "Wisdom of the Bagel" ('Khokhmat HaBeigale'). Hear the song! |
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Perhaps you'll come perhaps you'll come now This is the time to fall in love Perhaps you'll come Perhaps you'll come to me now This is the time to fall in love I sit across a window that's open Before a wall, without strength End of the summer And the wind doesn't blow The heart goes out to you Still not too late Perhaps you'll come Because it is you I love Perhaps you'll come Perhaps you'll come now This is the time to fall in love Perhaps you'll come Perhaps you'll come to me now This is the time to fall in love back to menu |
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Song Title: A Person Accumulates Memories ("Adam Tzover Zikhronot") Musician: Avraham Tal Video: Original music video Year Released: 2008 Credits: lyrics by Yona Wallach; music by Shimon Gelbetz Website: Avraham Tal @ Myspace Comments: A cover of a song originally performed by Dorit Reuveni. Revised and performed by the former leader of "Fools of the Prophecy" ("Shotey HaNevuah"), which disbanded in 2007. Hear the song! |
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A person accumulates memories like ants In the summer months In the summer months like grasshoppers In summertime And so it is that a person sings And in the winter the ants congregate Swaying with their belongings and finish slowly The belongings and the winter they finish Slowly, slowly And the grasshopper in winter sings for openings To taste from the memories of the season The beloved season which is in his songs Which avoided him A person accumulates memories like ants In the summer months In the summer months like grasshoppers In summertime And so it is that a person sings back to menu |
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Song Title: The Remains of Life ("Shaariyot Shet HaChaim") Musician: The Idan Raichel Project Video: Original music video Year Released: 2008 Credits: lyrics and music by Idan Raichel Website: www.idanraichelproject.com and Idan Raichel @ MySpace Comments: Hear the song! |
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What does time signal to me This is all just the remains of life And to live for the moment To begin picking up the pieces Perhaps I'll go out more I'll start moving more quickly To begin getting sorted out And to make a little noise Perhaps a different place A more intense place To begin messing things up a bit And to fix things again What does time signal to me This is all just the remains of life And to live for the moment To begin picking up the pieces Perhaps I'll go out more I'll start moving more quickly To begin getting sorted out And to make a little noise Perhaps a different place A more intense place To begin messing things up a bit And to fix things again Perhaps I'll go out more I'll start moving more quickly To begin getting sorted out And to make a little noise Perhaps a different place A more intense place To begin messing things up a bit And to fix things again back to menu |
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Song Title: The Dreams of Others ("Ha Khalomot Shel Akherim") Musician: The Idan Raichel Project Video: Original music video Year Released: 2008 Credits: lyrics and music by Idan Raichel Website: www.idanraichelproject.com and Idan Raichel @ MySpace Comments: Hear the song! |
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For years everyone's been running away For years everyone's been returning Chasing after the sun Prisoners within circles Everyone's entangled So what are you still dreaming about For years they've been concealing For years everyone's known A stone rolls over In the nights and in the days Everyone's talking already Why are you still staying It's better to run to the fire To demand Not to ask What are you afraid of There's nothing to think about when he says There's no better time [to a female:] Bring the day For years they've been asking For years not listening Keeping it all in their stomachs It gets accumulated and it gets pent up And in the end it ends everything [to a female:] What are you talking about It's better to run to the fire To demand Not to ask What are you afraid of There's nothing to think about when he says There's no better time [to a female:] Bring the day It turns out that you always keep silent But inside it rages and everything burns All the words which disappeared You'll find them all in the dreams of others It turns out that you always keep silent But inside it rages and everything burns All the words which disappeared You'll find them all in the dreams of others For years they've been opening And remaining closed Clinging to the wind Every disaster chases after another person This one comes That one speaks Returning to the open wound It's better to run to the fire To demand Not to ask What are you afraid of There's nothing to think about when he says There's no better time [to a female:] Bring the day It turns out that you always keep silent But inside it rages and everything burns All the words which disappeared You'll find them all in the dreams of others It turns out that you always keep silent But inside it rages and everything burns All the words which disappeared You'll find them all in the dreams of others For years everyone's been running away For years everyone's been returning Chasing after the sun back to menu |
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Song Title: With My Eyes Shut (in Creole: "Ôdjus Fitxadu") Musician: The Idan Raichel Project featuring Mayra Andrade Video: Original music video Year Released: 2008 Credits: lyrics and music by Idan Raichel Website: www.idanraichelproject.com and Idan Raichel @ MySpace; Mayra Andrade @ MySpace Comments: Mayra Andrade is a Cuban born singer raised in Cape Verde and sings in Creole. The translated lyrics below were cribbed from a poster on YouTube as I couldn't make a translation. Hear the song! |
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When I looked at the sky today All I could see were stars Telling me that you are gone forever, my love Do beseech Gods angels To come and get this woman Who refuses to go on living without your love Your love Sovereign queen over gloom I seek a way out Bearing the sword and the power of longing and pain With my soul free in time I vow to live with my eyes shut And thus keep you with me, With me... back to menu |
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Song Title: Everything Passes ("HaKol Over") Musician: The Idan Raichel Project Year Released: 2008 Credits: lyrics and music by Idan Raichel Website: www.idanraichelproject.com and Idan Raichel @ Myspace Comments: Hear the song! |
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And I was already quite far from you And there weren't any words left for us to speak And a wind swept away a lonely sail In the end it made him lonlier still From every dream and rustle awakens Everything passes Everything that once was and is now forgotten Now he no longer returns It's just all creased, which is engraved into the skin Which now burns even more Because there is no way back And everything passes As long as days and nights pass him by And as long as there is nothing new under the sun ["on the surface of the land"] It's good that we've stayed together And it's good that we have some to tell it to In spite of everything there's no way back And everything passes Every wound which healed and opened again Now stings more It heals and renews itself And again everything bursts forth and gets more intense It no longer breaks and becomes a crisis And everything passes And do you remember how we once were Against the wind and her rising strength And after all the bad years Returned many more good years Our time runs forward always And doesn't stop back to menu |
Classic / Rock
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Song Title: I Have a Dream ("Yesh Li Khalom") Musician: Yehoram Gaon Year Released: 1974 Credits: lyrics by Yekhiel Moher (based on Martin Luther King Jr.); music by Moshe Vilensky Website: www.yehoramgaon.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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I have a dream And it's much greater than anything else I have a dream And it's very ancient and also new Will come the day, very clear and sweet like honey I have a dream Deliver peace Mountains blue from depth to sea And sing suddenly Children will sing from nation to nation And not in a dream Their song will touch the heart of the whole world I have a dream I have a dream Which I received as an inheritance from my father From every abyss It knew to spread it's wings and ascend Comes a threat Arose purity from death and captivity I have a dream I have a dream Fixed like a spring in the heart of the hill This is the place From here will shoot forth and rise, and even become stronger And a song of peace Will blow from this stone to the whole site I have a dream back to menu |
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Song Title: Why Didn't You Tell Me ("Lama Lo Amart Li") Musician: Aric Lavie Year Released: 1971 Credits: lyrics by Amos Keinan; music by Yokhanan Zara'i Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Why didn't you tell me that today your mother isn't here Why didn't you tell me that today you're on your own Why didn't you tell me that your father ran away from her Why didn't you tell me that your sister is prettier than you Why didn't you tell me that your room has a separate entrance Why didn't you tell me before how good you are Why didn't you tell me that today you're not working Why didn't you tell me that you have time for love Why didn't you tell me that you're cheating on your husband Why didn't you tell me that he's now on vacation Why didn't you tell me that today you're not working Why didn't I know before how much you're a woman Why didn't you tell me that I ought to run away from you Why didn't you tell me that life is so nice Why didn't you throw me out when I still had strength Why did G-d want me to meet you Why didn't you tell me that today your mother isn't here Why didn't you tell me that today you're on your own Why didn't you tell me that your father ran away from her Why didn't you tell me that your sister is prettier than you back to menu |
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Song Title: Don't Get Through the Month ("Lo Gomer 'Ta Khodesh") Musician: Aric Lavie Year Released: 1980 Credits: lyrics by Chaim Hefer; music by Dubi Zeltzer Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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I break my head not knowing what to do And my eyes are black and I'm at my wits end I drive to Herzl Street and see the prices Fall off my feet and meet a pair of tourists And drink a cup of soda with them and say "I love you so" And it rings in my ear and I hear soda bubbles And I catch a normal driver and say "Drive fast, the prices are already in the sky and I'm already late" And say "Congratulations" ["Kol Ha'Kavod"] And he asks "Where is there Kavod?" [honor] And I whisper in his ear "I don't get through the month" I don't get through the month, Don't get through the month... I sold everything and went into debt And my wife's in seventh heaven and my dad's in an old age home And I got snared into a shared buffet And my cleaner ran off with a Dutchman from Lebanon And my neighbor went into a frenzy , his cat got burned And I bought a television and I'm now in overdraft And I flew with a winner to Paris and Amsterdam And I bough in Herzliya 4 dunam by the sea And I bought shares in an exporter of religious items Why don't they let you live, I don't get through the month I don't get through the month, Don't get through the month I finished with Yael and started with Tamar And my lips got burned and my cheque was returned And I told Shoshanna that I finished up with Shosh And I stayed Ilana us together, head to head With Shoshanna and Tziona I already went to Eilat And got from Simona a quarter chicken without salad And I found myself indebted to friends and in consolation It's a pleasure simply to see beauties for hundreds here But I have no more strength left I don't get through the month... back to menu |
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Song Title: How Is It That a Star... ("Eikh Ze She'kokhav") Musician: Matti Caspi Video: From an in-show performance, pulled from Educational TV channel 23 Year Released: 1974 Credits: lyrics by Natan Zach; music by Matti Caspi Website: www.matticaspi.co.il Comments: Caspi plays all the instruments in this song (in fact for all the songs on the album from which this song is from). Hear the song! |
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How is it that a single solitary star dares How does he dare, for G-d's sake A single solitary star I would not dare And I, basically, am not alone back to menu |
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Song Title: Terminal Luminelt Musician: Meir Ariel Video: from the "Breeza Festival" (1999?) Year Released: 1978 Credits: lyrics and music by Meir Ariel; arranged by Shalom Hanoch Website: www.meirariel.org.il and www.meirariel.net Comments: A richly textured song, and one of Meir Ariel's most popular - though least understood pieces. Ariel himself revealed little about its origins or meaning and left it up to others to understand what he meant. The title already alludes to the alterior meaning of its lyrics: "luminelt" is a candle that is put into a baby's rear-end in order to calm it down. An informal "lexicon" even exists to define Ariel's words and phrases. Although the modern Ben Gurion Airport made local history when it opened a year before the song, in 1977, as best as can be interpreted this song is not about airports at all, but rather about the search for satisfaction in relationships, whether as one-night stands or otherwise - Ariel refers to young pretty women as 'terminals', found everywhere, unavoidable, desired but unattainable. Hear the song! |
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At the time of my release the doctors recommended me a monthly visit to the terminal This really does me well to see a big airplane take off through a clear tear Afterwards the pressure is a little easier on the washed eye It takes up for me a positive afternoon, I drive to the airport To myself I say on the way that also from this I'll need to finish up Myself replies back to me that when we arrive we'll also start to exercise Terminal je t'aime, I love you terminal, bellamia The doors sense me and open by themselves I enter slowly with a lot of pomp in my rear-end And all the intercontinentalia tickles me here and there I take myself to the toilet to calm down Steal a cutting glance, and seem there crazy Chicks like terminal - there are many of her kind Standing there curved, two pomegranates, a large earing, short hair Like some kind of suspicious object that the counter for Swissair The security officer stabs her with a penetrating glance Je t'aime, I love you terminal, bellamia I run to the schedule board to find me a takeoff There's a flight to Zurich via Rome in another hour Polite loudspeakers give me a warning Here on the side I suddenly feel like a disturbance It goes and gets more pressured, my decision I love you terminal, bellamia I run back to Swissair to make it to terminal Beauties like her you can flip through in every magazine But she's now not there, the security officer too, it seems to me Polite loudspeakers with a more agressive tone I need to go upstairs now to see Here on the side it's always moving and getting worse Almost without breath I get stuck at a barrier A large sunset blinds me with its dazzle A Boeing of Swissair slides, stops and waits A reddish Boeing starts to run and rise up Little by little taking off into the fading red [lipstick] Through the tear of the astonished clown Terminal je t'aime, I love you terminal, bellamia Here on the side releases for me the shrinkage Suddenly the night sky is lit up by explosions On the field below begins some running around At the time of my release the doctors recommended me a monthly visit to the terminal This really does me well to see a big airplane take off through a clear tear Afterwards the pressure is a little easier on the washed eye Now it's a little easier... the pressure on the eye - the washed, drawn, peeled, sniping, trickly, fastened, preying, burned - engraved in purity And so it was myself told me, we have a remedy. back to menu |
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Song Title: Directed Signal ("Tzlil Mekhuvan") Musician: Tzlil Mekhuvan / Yitzhak Klepter Video: Klepter solo in live performance, shown on Channel 3 Year Released: 1979 Credits: lyrics and music by Yitzhak Klepter Website: Comments: Israel's first "guitar hero", Klepter created a unique guitar tone of his own and made a name for himself well before the age of 20. Hear the song! |
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Come over, come here I'm sending you a directed signal After years of uncertainty Come here to the words To the rhythm, to the sounds Enough as a dream, turn into reality When a tree in the park blossoms It doesn't hurt to fall in love Therefore - stand up and play Cover over, come with me It's so easy to be practical We'll go out together, we'll certainly have a good time A little heartbreaker I'm broken with no chance of repair And that's a good enough reason - So come... When a tree in the park blossoms It doesn't hurt to fall in love Therefore - stand up and play Come over, come here I'm sending you a directed signal After years of uncertainty A little heartbreaker I'm broken - And that's a good enough reason - So come, yes Come back to menu |
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Song Title: I See You Running Away ['The Prophet'] ("Khoze Lekh Brakh") Musician: Oshik Levy Year Released: 1971 Credits: lyrics by Ya'akov Rotblit; music by Shalom Hanoch Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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The dwarfs find shelter in fairy tales Dark shadows step slowly, slowly into the night In white light behind heavy doors there in tall buildings I see you running away - I see you running away The night is so dark The glow of a cigarette there in a Mars night From within this dark forest suddenly Cinderella is waiting for the dwarfs And in the street loiters the sin next to every entrance From the tall buildings all the dwarves suddenly come One by one to Cinderella - because Cinderella is all the fairy tales Because there isn't another in the tales similar to her I see you running away - I see you running away The night is so dark A keeper of his soul escapes - a simple keeper of his soul Because there's no shelter in the city - and there is no mercy in her I see you running away - I see you running away The night is so dark - The night is so dark And they return to their tall buildings - and they slip away one by one From the forest - only Cinderella remains in her place When they run away to fairy tales they close the gate I see you running away - I see you running away The night is so dark A keeper of his soul escapes - a simple keeper of his soul Because there's no shelter in the city - and there is no mercy in her I see you running away - I see you running away The night is so dark back to menu |
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Song Title: Me and Simon and Little Moise ("Ani ve Simon ve Moiz ha'Katan") Musician: Yossi Banai Year Released: 1989 Credits: lyrics by Yossi Banai; music by Hanan Yovel Website: Comments: Yossi Banai (1932 - 11 May 2006) is one more in a string of musical treasures that have left us in the last three years, following Natan Yonathan, Nomi Shemer, Arik Lavie, Ehud Manor, Uzi Hitman and Shoshana Damari. Banai began his musical career in the first draft of the Nachal brigade band ("Lahakat Ha'Nachal", which became legendary for its songs and the subsequent stars it produced in the '50s and '60s), in 1951. After his army service he joined the "Ha'Bima" theater and became a successful stage entertainer. Later he wrote the materials for the country's legendary comedy troupe "The Pale Scout Trio" ("HaGashash HaChiver"), and released musical albums of his own which became successful in their own right. One of his key contributions to Israeli music was his incorporation of the French 'Chanson' tradition of careful language, storytelling and sound into the arena of popular Israeli song. He translated songs of Brel, Brassens and Moustaki into Hebrew and incorporated them into his presentations of Israeli song. The reference to Church bells in the song below is from Jerusalem, Banai's home town. The Banai family is well entrenched in Israeli entertainment, and some of her stars include Yossi's son Yuval (lead singer for Mashina), Meir and Ehud (Yossi's nephews); Gavri (Yossi's brother, a member of the Pale Scout Trio); Orna, Uri and Evyatar (all cousins of Yossi). Hear the song! |
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And sometimes when I'm alone like this I return to the alleys of my childhood To my youth which disappeared with the years To them, my old friends I return to the colors and the voices To the large innocent eyes I return to the neighborhood, to the mulberry tree To the red red kite tied to a string We were children and it was already long ago Me and Simon and little Moise I remember cinema 'Rex' in the everyday routine And from a distance the bells of Churches And how we chased doves on the roof-tops To fly with them, we wanted, up to the clouds And in the playground, on the swings We swore loyalty to all the girls We played sergeant and long horse and chiefs The wars then were not real We were children and it was already long ago Me and Simon and little Moise In Sabbath shoes and a beret hat And in beautiful Hebrew with proper accents We galloped on a cloud made of pillows And with a cap gun we popped ships I was Tarzan; Simon was Errol Flynn And little Moise jumped like 'Gonga Deen' And on the very cold winter nights We'd cover ourselves with all the dreams We were children and it was already long ago Me and Simon and little Moise Many years have passed, and now the city is larger From Simon no one hears, not even a word And little Moise, to where did he disappear And even cinema 'Rex' no longer exists But I, when I'm alone like this, I return to the alleys of my childhood To my youth which disappeared with the years To them, my old friends We were children and it was already long ago Me and Simon and little Moise back to menu |
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Song Title: And if This Song Sounds Familiar to You ("Ve Im Ha'Shir Haze Nishma Lakhem Mukar") Musician: Hanan Yovel Year Released: 1985 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Manor; music by Hanan Yovel Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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And if this song sounds familiar to you It's just because the same dream remains A little forgotten, a little less certain Perhaps But this song remains and is remembered Still remains and is remembered And if this song sounds simple to you It's just because aspires still to enchantment A little less than a child, less than light blue Perhaps But this song is suitable sometimes Still suitable, sometimes Towards light and towards freedom, in hope it rises A song in a thousand, from "A" it begins and begins And if this song sounds stubborn to you It's just because it eternally never despairs A little worn out, a little less touching Perhaps But this song is choppy and desireous Still choppy and desireous Towards light and towards freedom, in hope it rises A song in a thousand, from "A" it begins and begins And if this song sounds pained to you It's just because it comes from the heart A little balding, a little less promising Perhaps But this song loves, never leaves Still loves, never leaves back to menu |
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Song Title: Play On, Play On (I Believe) ("Sakhki Sakhki") Musician: Aric Lavie Year Released: 1978 Credits: Words by Shaul Tchernichovsky; music by Tuvia Shlonsky Website: Comments: Shaul Tchernichovsky (1875-1943) is one of the great Hebrew poets whose writings are closely associated with themes of nature, and influenced by the culture of ancient Greece. Tchernichovsky was a Russian medical student and later also a doctor, who had literary skills and wrote his first poems during his years of study. In subsequent years, he combined medical work with both literary and professional writing - and translations, of Greek, German and English writers into Hebrew; and moved to Eretz Israel in 1931. Tchernichovsky employed the styles of ballads and sonatas, and themes of elegy and idyll into his poetry - forms which had not till then been used in Hebrew literature, and is the Hebrew poet most closely identified with the sonnet. I had some difficulty translating this song patially because it is written in "old" Hebrew and partially because it seems to be based on - but not entirely - on a poem called "Creed" written by Tchernichovsky. Certain portions may have been written/added later and even the word "Laugh" in the original text seems to be substituted by a word similar to "Play on". I've placed the original text at the top and my (poor) translation in italics below. The grainy quality of the recording gives the piece a pioneering feeling from the '30s but it was actually recorded in 1978. Hear the song! |
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[Original text of "Creed"]: Laugh, laugh at all my dreams! What I dream shall yet come true! Laugh at my belief in man, At my belief in you. Freedom still my soul demands, Unbartered for a calf of gold. For still I do believe in man, And in his spirit, strong and bold. And in the future I still believe Though it be distant, come it will When nations shall each other bless, And peace at last the earth shall fill. Play on, play on, on dreams It's me who dreams to tell Play on because in man I will believe Because I still believe in you Because still my free soul aspires I will not betray her for a golden calf Because still I will believe also in man Also in his spirit a strong wind His spirit will send chains of utterances They raise raise us to my great height Not from hunger will a worker die Liberty for the soul is a meal for the poor I will believe in her also in the future Even if it will be far from today But come, it will be and peace will be made then And a blessing to the people from the nation The settlement will blossom then and also my nation And in the country will rise a generation Its iron chains will be removed Eye to eye, they will see light It will live, it will love, it will accomplish achievements A generation in the land indeed lives on Not in the future in the sky Living in the spirit is not enough back to menu |
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Song Title: Binyamina Days ("Yamei Binyamina") Musician: Chava Alberstein Video: live broadcasted performance Year Released: 1975 Credits: Words by Ehud Manor; music by Matti Caspi Website: www.aviv2.com/chava/ Comments: One of Israel's most prolific singers with over 40 albums recorded in Hebrew and Yiddish, Alberstein - a guitarist - is closely identified with the period around the 1967 Six-Day War to the years just after the trauma of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Her songs evoke memories of old Israel as a developing state with simple tastes and norms ("Israel was like a little child in those days discovering all the parts of her body..."); they celebrate the beauty and the sadness that have passed over the country over the years. Chava grew up in the northern city of Kiryat Chaim; this song is about another old northern city (then town) of Binyamina, which came out on Alberstein's breakthrough album, which, as she wrote, is an album of "purification, of the desire to turn the frustration, the injury, the mourning and hurt that passed over [the nation] after the Yom Kippur War into something positive, for change to hope". Hear the song! |
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Whatever happened to the boy who used to speak to the stars who filed away secrets with groundsels and seagulls who counted every silent freckle and in the sand fell asleep What happened to him that one day he arose and disappeared? I want to return to the days the lovliest of mine, The barefooted days of Binyamina yes, I remember everything flowed slowly the sun didn't hurry people said hello a friend was a friend The first rain will fall tomorrow, look at the moon. How was the crop of grapes this year? Come in this evening there's jam of garden strawberries, and in the nights cover yourselves because there will be a chill. I want to return to the days the lovliest of mine, The barefooted days of Binyamina yes, I remember everything flowed slowly the sun didn't hurry people said hello a friend was a friend And now if day or night, if it's bad for me or if good I don't have a moment's time to sit and to think. Sometimes I almost go out of my mind, everyday of mine I go there and don't find [him]. I want to return to the days the lovliest of mine, The barefooted days of Binyamina yes, I remember everything flowed slowly the sun didn't hurry people said hello a friend was a friend Whatever happened to the boy who in the hot sand fell asleep who one day suddenly arose and disappeared. back to menu |
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Song Title: I Will Speak to You ("Adaber Itkha") Musician: Chava Alberstein Year Released: 1975 Credits: lyrics by Rachel Shapira; music by Alona Tur'el Website: www.aviv2.com/chava/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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When you're pale with sadness Burrowing into your silence Let me speak to you To go between your shadows To be with you I won't ask you why Won't frighten your lonliness Cautious, like a hesitator With signs of affection and grace I will speak to you I have strength, I have strength Don't have pity on me Don't prevent your thorns from Scratching my legs When you're tired to death Not falling asleep in the darkness At the hour when your nightmares Are chasing your dreams I will remain with you Next to you I wander Between your slumbers and your wakes My words are fragile, they are And the palms of my hands are small, they are But they are next to you When I'll see, or when you'll tell me Silently, softly Because your dead are congregating Also I will bow my head I won't ask you why Won't frighten your lonliness Cautious, like a hesitator With signs of affection and grace I will speak to you back to menu |
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Song Title: After All You're a Song ("Akharei Ha'Kol At Shir") Musician: Shlomo Artzi Video: from live performance in Caesaria, pulled from "Musika 24" TV Channel Year Released: 1979 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomo Artzi Website: www.shlomoartzi.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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(sung as if to a female) After all you're a song No longer flesh and blood No longer a woman living But you're a song existing And it's wrapped in words Words and melody And a certain tempo After all you're a song which exists So sometimes when it's cold for me In quiet I sit with you And sing without words I sing to myself After all you're a written song. All the words you whispered into me All the words you whispered They're a song now A lover and more That you sensed in me Words, words, in a song written I'm close in song Like a breath In love we shall open And we shall end how? And we shall end as who? Perhaps in you, perhaps in me Perhaps without words After all you're a song of mine back to menu |
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Song Title: Let Us Rest Our Head on a [Sand] Dune ("Ten La'Sim T'a Rosh Al Dyuna") Musician: The Pale Scout Trio (HaGashash HaHiver) with Oshik Levy and Aryeh Moskona Video: pulled from the movie scene (a shorter version than the audio edit here) Year Released: 1976 Credits: lyrics by Asi (Asaf) Dayan; music by Naftaly Alter Website: Comments: This is a signature piece of what is probably the most popular Israeli comedy film ever made, "Halfon Hill is Not Replying". The film came out 2 years after the surprise Yom Kippur War and a year before the fall of the ruling Labor Party after 29 years in power. In the wake of the shock after the war the film poked fun at the military establishment which many felt had suffered from overweening pride prior to the war and failed to prepare for it, poked fun at the UN, and lampooned the reserve service on whom the outcome of the war depended, although the jokes have since been absorbed into popular culture. The three members of the comedy trio began their careers in the Nachal brigade band. Asi Dayan, an actor and director, and the lyricist here, is the son of Moshe Dayan, the former Chief of Staff and Minister of Defense. The scene from which this piece is taken features the Trio whiling away their reserve service strumming a guitar on a desolate sea-side dune, near the Egyptian border. The popular soundtrack piece for this film can be heard on the IDF ensemble music page here. Hear the song! |
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Let us rest our head on a sand dune Let the muses thunder a little Let us rest on every step Give the respect to Tzahal [the IDF - Israel Defense Forces] Take your time and 'take it easy' Nothing is urgent here Only in a Walt Disney movie Does the desert there come to life Wars there are a plenty And troubles here aren't lacking So between a missile and a rocket Let us catch a 'relax' in the shade Let us rest our head on a sand dune Let the muses thunder a little Let us rest on every step Give the respect to Tzahal All the day to sit in the "Shekem" [the military PX store] And about you just to dream Between [eating] the waffles and the wafers Crashes down my heart The paper my pen tears When I dream of you And a tear of longing Gleams in my eyes Let us rest our head on a sand dune Let the muses thunder a little Let us rest on every step Give the respect to Tzahal The whole column is heard in Tzahal Every joy and every celebration All of Israel is tired there Don't disturb the serenity Don't say, between the tanks in the cannon areas, That the gang is enjoying it here 'Cause you'll wake the "neighbors" [i.e. the surrounding Arab states] yet Let us rest our head on a sand dune Let the muses thunder a little Let us rest on every step Give the respect to Tzahal back to menu |
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Song Title: Give Me Strength ("Ten Li Koakh") Musician: Ariel Zilber Video: in-studio television performance pulled from Channel 3 Year Released: 1978 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Manor / music by Ariel Zilber Website: www.arielzilber.com Comments: A great start-of-workday song. Hear the song! |
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Oh, give me strength Oh, let it go [be forgotten] What does a man receive, What does he have in this world? When all his life Is a moment which disappears Oh, give me strength Oh, let it go [be forgotten] The slim chance In games of luck Who gets interested up above [i.e. G-d] To whom does it matter at all? Because a person who rises For another for whom he toils. What does he get for free? What does he get? Oh, give me strength Oh, let it go [be forgotten] So what if I win So what if I cry [i.e. lose] Because what was destined has already passed What can await me now? back to menu |
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Song Title: The Tree is Tall [aka "The Soaring Tree"] ("Ha Etz Hu Gavoa") Musician: Apocalypse ("Akharit Ha Yamim") Year Released: 1972 Credits: lyrics by Hanoch Levin; music by Zohar Levy Website: Comments: A one-album wonder which won all of Israel's top awards for "best band" in 1972 with the record that this song comes from. "Apocalypse" includes the famed guitarist Yitzhak Klepter and the singers Gaby Shushan and Miri Aloni Hear the song! |
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The tree is tall, the tree is green The sea is wild, the sea is deep If the sea is deep, what does he care of the tree What does the sea care if the tree is green The tree is tall, the tree is green Pretty is the bird, he will fly far If the bird flies, what does he care of the tree What does the bird care if the tree is green The sea is wild, the sea is deep Pretty is the bird, he will fly far If the bird flies, what does he care of the sea What does the bird care if the sea is deep A man sings songs because the tree is green A man sings songs because the sea is deep If the bird flies, he will no longer sing songs What does the bird care if he sings or keeps silent back to menu |
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Song Title: Come to Eilat ("Boyi Le Eilat") Musician: Lior Yeini Year Released: 1970 Credits: lyrics by Yaron London; music by Nurit Hirsh; musical arrangements by Moshe Vilensky Website: Comments: Originally written as the jingle for an advertisement to promote the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat. Hear the song! |
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(sung to a female) Come let's escape from the asphalt And from the wrinkled cities Come let's escape to the quiet lagunas Come to Eilat, to Eilat Come let's escape from the asphalt And from the wrinkled cities Come let's escape to the quiet lagunas Come to Eilat, to Eilat In the capital of the sun Freckled with freckles Against the skies We'll snap a picture And the wind which will blow Will divert us to think about nothing Close your eyes Will escape as two To the waters of the coral reefs Between blue and green Our bathing suits we'll cast aside We'll throw them to the fish Come let's escape from the asphalt And from the wrinkled cities Come let's escape to the quiet lagunas Come to Eilat, to Eilat With razzled hair Swept by the wind I'm stretched out like a lizard Like a dolphin who's slipped out From the depths of the bay of Eilat Like a surprise Give me just two months On the [water] skis And on the water's waves I won't stand Between green and blue Man, I could... I could live forever Come let's escape from the asphalt And from the wrinkled cities Come let's escape to the quiet lagunas Come to Eilat, to Eilat Come let's discover the Enchanted places And the magic of the bays Like Columbus so did suddenly In a light bowed boat Of masts If this time you came again Come back to Eilat Because in witchcraft she's an estate of the city And in sorcery she's a hideout And you will come to her You will come to her more youthful Come let's escape from the asphalt And from the wrinkled cities Come let's escape to the quiet lagunas Come to Eilat, to Eilat To Eilat, to Eilat... back to menu |
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Song Title: The Babble Song ("Shirat HaBirbur") [a play on the Hebrew words for "Swan Song" - Shir Barbour] Musician: The Pale Scout Trio (HaGashash HaHiver) Video: Year Released: 1969 Credits: lyrics by Nisim Aloni; music by Yitzhak ("Ziko") Graziani Website: Comments: A comic piece sung with a mixture of high learned Hebrew spiced with Hebrew and English slang. Music written by the former conductor ("Ziko") of the Israeli Army Orchestra. Hear the song! |
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La, la, la, la... Moshe, Moshe How are you? - ah... How was the honeymoon? - ah... Good? - good... How are things at home? - okay... How's the wife? - okay... Good? - good... Good "good"? or "good not-good"? - good... Good, so why not good? - she's going crazy Ahhh, heh-heh... And how are things by you? - ah... What's up? - ah... Good? - good... How's the wife ["Isha"]? - sha, sha, sha... ["shush" - a play on the end of the word for "wife"] She's going mad? - "may the evil eye not affect him" [a superstition] She's being a bully? - "Non stop" She's babbling? - G-d almighty, an exclusive prattle specifically for the buried man - [buried] deep This isn't hail - on a tin roof It's not a barrage - from any cannon This is the song - of the babble - of the babble - of the babble For the buried man I return from the office - I'm jovial, - I'm pleasant I'm good-looking -Like a quarter-chicken [standard fare at cheap weddings] Wearing a smile - from coast to coast And this is the end... "Can I know honey what's all the happiness?" - what happiness? "So what are you singing?" - who's singing? "So what's so funny?" - who's laughing? "So where have you been puttering on me all day?" - hallo, hallo, what's that "puttering"? Who's puttering? I'm a working man! "Working..." But if... I return from the office - I'm jovial, - I'm pleasant I'm good-looking - Like a bowl Pasting a smile - on an atonement And in short... A dead man does not look worse!!! "Fine, tell me honey..." - what? "Are you coming from a funeral?" - what funeral? "You couldn't help me frighten the children?" - what did I do? "Do you think you're sweeter when you're more bitter?" - who's bitter? "Smile a little" - okay "Be happy a little" - fine This isn't hail - on a tin roof It's not a barrage - from any cannon This is the song - of the babble - of the babble - of the babble For the buried man Take for instance, my wife... - Well? Take her away from me! - No... I sit down to eat - you sat I eat - you ate Just like that - no problem That is, I also swallow - good going A little from here, a little from there - here's to your health Six ribs - it works With liver - what...? Perhaps for the spleen - and that's all? Salad - ah... Rice - ah... Ful [middle eastern bean cuisine] - wow [Arabic slang] To hasten the digestion... That's how a man sometimes is - he's hungry! "Hallo, hallo - you've never seen food before in your life?" "Eat with your mouth closed - the neighbors can hear" "Leave the pudding alone - it's for the kids" "Put the bread down, you silly fatso" "What about the diet?" But if... I didn't have a chance to finish the chicken - "so what!" Spinach with semolina is not my fancy - not his fancy I fancy... Coffee - blessed be its coming I want a cigarette - well done I want to read - the sports section And the cigarette - is inside the pastry - And that is the end... "Welcome"... "Happy new year" "Are you ill?" - No "Is my cooking burnt?" - No "You mother cooks better than me?" - Ah "You ate baked lamb and spices at Gamliel's!" [a real out of date ethnic name] - Yes! "Why, don't you have a home?" "Don't you have a wife?" "Don't you have children?" "Ahh... you ate with Shula!" - "with Ada!" - "with Hedva!" - "with Nitza!" - "with Ezra!" - "with George Washington!!" This isn't hail - on a tin roof It's not a barrage - from any cannon This is the song - of the babble - of the babble - of the babble For the buried man Fine, here I am... - "Rise and come and bring forth from your heart" Oiy... "Did something happen?" - the alarm-clock went off late "What a shame" - what could I do? I woke up late "Better late than never" - but what? "What?" - I didn't shower oooohhhh - I washed up in a hurry oooohhhh - I throw the wife a quick kiss - In a polite manner? - In a polite manner, but quick oooohhhh - And that is the end... What happened, what did I do? - "Look how you're dressed" - why? - "Look how you look" - not good? - "Where do you think you live?" - here - "What will they say at the grocery store?" - gee, what grocery store? - "You look like your aunt" - "Like before the wedding, when I found you in the rain, with influenza" But... If by chance I happen to wake up one morning with the sound of a mandolin in my heart... it can happen, no? - To the most married husband In the bathtub there waft two tones or three While shaving I shave both ways I shorten, in my nose, two hairs [a play on the word "tone"] I sprinkle some eau de cologne, a little aftershave Throw a glance of great meaning to the wife... ...and quietly bite her on... the ear! But she... What happened, what did I do? "What happened?" - what? - "What holiday is today?" - Father's day! - "Look how you're dressed" - sporty! - "From whence is that awful tie?" - your mother brought it! - "With which sauce did you stain it?" - yours! - "You stink from a mile away" - oh, please! - "You'll wind up like a pimp in an amusement park!" - "You're spiraling downward!" - "You're becoming barbarian!" - "You're getting ugly!" - "You're becoming Christian!" [i.e. moving away from your roots] - "You're philandering!" This isn't hail - on a tin roof It's not a barrage - from any cannon This is the song - of the babble - of the babble - of the babble For the buried man One word: curl and get curled up - "Without music, please" - "Orchestra, s'il vous plait" Why is there no understanding with the wife?!? I said it - we heard Mo-she! - I'm coming, sweetie We heard - you heard it, but you didn't experience it "Please" [music resumes] I'm the first rain (of the season), she is the last - I'm Purim [a festive holiday], she's Kippurim [somber holiday of atonement] I land, she takes off - I tie up, she unravels And when the night falls, and I'm a rectangle, she's a triangle - I'm in Dan [the central region of Israel], she's in Eilat [southern-most resort town] "What is this?" - what? "You're going to sleep?" - yes, sweetie, I'm tired. Falling off my feet. Dead. RIP. "Certainly, honey. Go, go on, honey. Go." "To work, to eat, to sleep. To sleep, to work, to eat." But... If she wants to sleep: "Mo-she!" - what is it? "Turn off the light in the salon!" - fine, okay, just want to hear the news "Turn off the radio, it's midnight!" - I heard you, why shout? "Stop wasting the electricity!" - I heard you, but "Finish the newspaper on Saturday!" "Solve the crossword in the office" "And come already" "And wake up already" - okay "And go already" "Well, already?" Quack, Quack, Quack... back to menu |
Political & Wartime
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Song Title: The Heat of July-August (The Platoon) ("Khom Yuli August") Musician: Shlomo Artzi Year Released: 1988 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomo Artzi Website: www.shlomoartzi.com Comments: A song mourning the loss of youth and friends during the War of Attrition (1968-70), and the after-effects of the trauma. The songs for the album and album itself, "The Heat of July-August", was released during a period of confusion, uncertainty and introspection - the height of the Israeli presence in Lebanon, the loss of the Airforce navigator Ron Arad, rising tension in the Territories and the outbreak of the first Intifada. Hear the song! |
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The July-August heat then was very heavy It was afternoon and the platoon went in the wadi Write in the book a page, they speak of battles Write of the wounded that are trembling, and this is normal Youth is pleasant, the summer neverending Va'aknin arrived to the platoon, the champion of Kiryat Gat He burned down the barracks and ran off to Beit Gobrin The police in pursuit of him only here relaxed a bit All that I remember from this I write down Innocent souls in stretchers, two without a name Lately thoughts return to me from there in my dim memory A heavy screen of battles and hallucinations July-August heat, when a pinecone falls A helicopter lands, I lie alone in the field when the helicopter leaves I suddenly feel hungry Dying to eat you in the mother base I return with a pass to you at your home Close the room, even G-d won't enter here Suddenly your father enters, looks like he's crying In the canal a whole platoon was hit by anti-ship fire in "tempo" [an outpost on the Suez Canal] What I remember from this I write down, Catch a Haifa taxi, jump to the discotheque prostitues on the fence, in me just a ghost burns I go dancing with dead soldiers in my heart Write it down, write it down; I write, I write... back to menu |
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Song Title: The Face of the Nation ("Partzufa Shel Ha'Medina") Musician: T-Slam ('Tislam' - slang for "By All Means") Video: live performance from their reunion concert, 2004(?) Year Released: 1990 Credits: lyrics by Ya'ir Nitzani; music by T-Slam Website: www.t-slam.com Comments: A song that's played frequently around election times, the piece was written in the wake of the embezzlement scandal involving the religious "Shas" Party. Hear the song! |
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He stepped out on the morning of a tiring day Kissed a woman, and crossed the street, A luxurious car, a dedicated chauffer They gallop to the capital - a new day for the small fixer He dials during the drive - party matters And worries for his share in the division of the pie. The conversation flows, things are promised to him Already years that he doesn't represent voters Documents for review, budgets for development And smoke from the cigar rises to the open window He says to a member of the party "Wait, Gedalia, perhaps you'll be the ambassador to Australia" He observes the landscape of the nation he loved So what if on the way he lied and stole, His face reflects off the corner of the window His face is - the face of the nation... Corridors of authority and floors of bureaucracy. Budgets for 'Yeshivot' at the expense of the inflation He cut in a minute three factories And four hundred people became unemployed They live in the car - bluish window shades He stops by to visit, parents in mourning He forgot that he advocated in favor of war His face is - the face of the nation... He's important, a crony, he will be come what may. It's he who will decide if there will be war. It's he who will determine the education of your children He'll establish procedures, you'll go out of your mind With passion he gives an address to an emotional mass Land of the saviours with sickle and scythe!!! Vote correctly and I ask... Give me power Let cry out What I want Because I had a land flowing with milk... [Play now...] And I don't understand, what changed? If I'm the sole idiot in the country, Who feared for tomorrow and dreams of olive leaves And wants to feel that here is the home? I stroke your face and look out the window And you smile from within the dream I love that you're like this and not different Your smile is - the face of the nation... back to menu |
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Song Title: Yonathan, Come Home ("Yonatan Sa Habaita") Musician: Oshik Levi Video: from a live performance shown on Channel 33 Year Released: 1972 Credits: lyrics by Yonathan Geffen; music by Naftaly Alter Comments: Released in 1972, this song nonetheless became an anthem during the 1973 Yom Kippur War - a song to encourage Israelis to return home and fight for the country. Hear the song! |
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A big city without soldiers and it's impossible to sleep Bells rings in the morning on Sunday A cold moon on the buildings and it's a real winter I feel simply wonderful, but this isn't my home Yonathan, come home - take a train, take an airplane Take a little present for the boy, an airplane - Yonathan, go to sleep Michael comes and puts on a record - lightning flashes outside And Shalom speaks English - just like in the kibbutz And he showed me the city - and Maya who got bigger The people are healthy but the sun here is sick. Yonathan, come home - take a train, take an airplane Take a little present for the boy, an airplane - Yonathan, go to sleep We went to a big place - to drink, you know And they play there rock n' roll in so many colors The winter came here early - the light is no longer cheerful Perhaps we'll go to Amsterdam, Rome or Paris Yonathan, come home - take a train, take an airplane Take a little present for the boy, an airplane - take a backpack, take a cane And travel to Eretz Israel back to menu |
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Song Title: Waiting For Messiah ("Mekhakim Le Mashiakh") Musician: Shalom Hanoch Video: original music video, pulled from Channel 23 educational TV Year Released: 1985 Credits: lyrics and music by Shalom Hanoch Comments: A critical piece about the economic depression and hyper-inflation of the mid-Eighties, this became one of the most popular 'protest' songs written in Israel even though Hanoch didn't write the song for this purpose. Hear the song! |
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Sitting for hours, waiting for Messiah to come Messiah is a vital person, his hand in everything - and everything in his hand Thick smoke and Yerukham smacks his lips Yudah looks at his watch and rolls his eyes An office in the north "Artzieli Ltd. - Advisors" It's afternoon and outside the world turns He presses a button an says "Bring us some coffee" Messiah's not coming - and he's also not calling A general silence, five people - tense The door opens and Yardena's all smiles: "The black for Yudah, the tea for Artzieli the son" Yardena goes out, Ezra doesn't stop smoking And so it is that hour passes hour The elder Artzieli knows that he didn't err Wiping sweat from his brow he raises his voice to his son: "Messiah's not coming - and he's also not calling" The entrance bell cuts through the hum of the air-conditioner Making Yerucham jump to the door, cutting through the smoke Artzieli the son looks at his father from the side And at the entrance appears a policeman with his hat in hand And Yudah says: "Something must have happened" And Yerucham replies: "They don't just send the police for nothing" And says the policeman: "There was an accident and therefore - Messiah's not coming - and he's also not calling" "An accident for whom?" asks Artzieli the son "An accident for the nation" replies the poor cop "The bourse collapsed, people are leaping from the roof Also Messiah jumped and they reported that he was killed..." "...Everything's lost" cries Ezra Dahan, the contractor "Messiah's in the sky and we without the money are here" And Yardena the pretty mumbles: "This cannot be - Messiah's not going to come - and he's also not going to call" "December the Bitter" announced the newspapers And the Minister of Finance gave an interview on "Mabat": "The public is stupid and so the public will pay What comes with ease with the same ease will go - The little citizen is forced to pay in big" And what interests me is Yardena more than all else Goes off to reserve duty and counts the money that isn't there And Messiah's not coming - and he's also not calling. back to menu |
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Song Title: They're Working on Us ("Ovdim Aleynu") Musician: The Pale Scout Trio ("HaGashash HaHiver") Video: An election night revised version shown on the Channel 1 program "That's How it Was". Opens with Shaike reading the 1981 election results and Poli asking for a piece of the paper (which he literally receives), then Gavri shows up, asks also for "a piece" which he promptly starts to eat - because he's hungry. Year Released: 1977 Credits: lyrics and music by Yossi Banai Comments: The Pale Scout Trio are Israel's premier and legendary comedy act, representing the apex of Israeli humor: jokes and satire built on impersonations and feeding off material from the day-to-day, with wit drawn from the skillful use of proper Hebrew to make plays on words and phrases. Hear the song! |
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- I read in the paper - Yes, what did you read in the paper? - Thaaaat the prices will go down... - will go down? - ...and there won't be a recession - ...and there won't be a recession - I swear by Gooooooooddddd - So we do the prices jump like crazies? [Chorus]: Because they're working on us, working on us... - And why do they say... - What do they say? What do they say? - That poverty won't exist and there'll no longer be gaps (in standard of living) - ...and that people will be able to buy apartments dirt cheap - ...and that the crew here will rule until the end of all generations... [Chorus]: They're working on us... working... in winter, in summer, in the afternoon… They're working on us right before our eyes, they're working on us right in the face, and we don't learn... - don't learn... - Yes - don't learn... - Yes - don't learn... don't learn - I heard the news... - Nu, what's old in the news? - That a new page has been turned, and that there won't be any more scandals - Ah, they confirmed it in the news? - Yes, (I swear) on the lives of all the Holy men - So how do you explain it that every day here heads get lopped off? [Chorus]: Because, they're working on us, they're working on us... whaaaat... - And why do they say that it's terribly worthwhile to save? - ...that income tax authority promises not to come and bite? - ...and that account credits won't be wiped out in at a murderous rate? - ...and that the next Chief of Staff will finally be Yemenite... Yemenite, Yemenite... Chief of Staff Yemenite, a Yemenite as Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff Yemenite, a Yemenite as Chief of Staff... - Hey, heeey, Yeshayahu!! - Will he be? - Who? - The Chief of Staff... - What? - A Yemenite? - He'll be, he'll be, he'll be... - When? - When the Messiah will come... - And when will the Messiah come? - When the Chief of Staff will be a Yemenite [Chorus]: ...In winter, in summer, in the afternoon... They're working on us right before our eyes, they're working on us right in our face and we don't learn... - don't learn... - Yes - don't learn... - Yes - don't learn... don't learn - Before the elections, they promise and they promise... - ...that they'll make of the country a Garden of Eden of flowers - ...that anyone who just wants will immediately be able to get a phone... - ...even if his father's name is Zilberboim [Ashkenazi/European name, i.e. upper class] and his mother's name is Khalfon [Mizrachi/Middle Eastern name, i.e. lower class]... [Chorus]: Because they're working on us, they're working on us, they're working on us, they're working on us, they're working on us... - My voters and voteresses… Here has arrived the critical moment… We're sitting at President Carter's... - Where? - At the "Laben" (i.e. White) House… There we will speak with him in a language which is not used, and we will tell him: Jimmy... laid before us is the Bible, and like the Prophet said, in Chapter 4 Verse 15: "Thus said the Prophet Yeshayahu: 'Lo zmichut mit ha bubkes!'" [in Yiddish: i.e. "cut the crap"] - It's not correct that in the country - there's a lack of work - Look how they work on us already according to a system, so come and let's raise a glass in song of thanks, that we're the nation which was born to live to work [Chorus]: They're working on us, they're working, in winter, in summer, in the afternoon... They're working on us right before our eyes, they're working on us right in our face and we don't learn... don't learn... in winter, in summer, in the afternoon... they're working on us right before our eyes, they're working on us right in our face and we don't learn... - don't learn... - Yes - don't learn... - Yes - don't learn... don't learn - they're working on us, they're working on us... - They're working on us, they're working - They're working, eh? - Indeeeed... back to menu |
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Song Title: We Overcame Pharaoh (this too shall pass) [live] ("Avarnu et Paroh") Musician: Various Artists (Association for Remembrance of Meir Ariel) Video: original rendition by Meir Ariel Year Released: 2001 (1990) Credits: lyrics and music by Meir Ariel / re-edited by: Eran Weitz, Tal Segev and Dori Ben-Zeev Website: www.meirariel.org.il and www.meirariel.net Comments: One of Meir Ariel's (1942-1999) seminal pieces, it was re-recorded live during a concert in 2001 for the annual tributes paid in his memory. About 13 different performers participated in the concert and in this group-song, some of whom are already featured on this music page: Shotey HaNevuah (Fools of the Prophecy), Shlomi Shaban, Meir Banai, Eran Tzur. The song is a sort of anthem promoting positive thought and spirit in the face of relatively trifling (but meaning-ladened) problems. In this live version one stanza is missing and the last stanza has been re-written to relate to Meir Ariel himself. Hear the song! |
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The income tax authorities, they seized my amplifier The value added tax authorities, they confiscated my transmitter The electric company seized my battery The water authority blocked up my well I saw that I was spiraling down into crisis I'd begun as a visionary But we overcame Pharaoh We'll overcome this too A mistake in the computer cost me a million A cash machine swallowed up my balance An electronic secretary postponed my interview An automatic judge revoked my license Into a mechanical lawyer I slid a token through the slit in his mouth But we overcame Pharaoh - Pharaoh We'll overcome this too I learned a profession which was useful and necessary In order to not be hard-pressed and stressed I stuck with it, I was diligent So too was the failure of the system, it too was diligent I found myself with my profession left outside getting thinner But we overcame Pharaoh - Pharaoh We'll overcome this too Yes, yes we'll overcome this too If we overcame Pharaoh we'll overcome this too Yes, yes Yes, yes we'll overcome this too Also this and this... This and this... I wandered around a bit without purpose without specification and without compromise I lost height [stature] and some consciousness [recognition] I thought perhaps in any case, what is the definition that will give a clear and precise answer I got torn up by this! But we overcame Pharaoh We'll overcome this too And now you're stuck in the modern age And to tell you the truth, you're rather indifferent The situation indeed is rotten, but you don't feel it You don't have the stomach for all the material which the [television] screen delivers And the authority of the land is sinking to the streets And you're [Meir Ariel] missed here "But we overcame Pharaoh" ...just more and more often Yes, yes we'll overcome this too If we overcame Pharaoh we'll overcome this too Yes, yes we'll overcome this too If we overcame Pharaoh we'll overcome this too Also this and this... This and this... back to menu |
Anthems
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Song Title: It Happens ("Ze Koreh") Musician: Aric Lavie Video: video of a remix edit by the band "Polyanna Frank", 2003 Year Released: 1975 Credits: lyrics and music by Shmulik Kraus Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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It happens, that the path gets longer It happens, you have to keep going Nothing at all is for sure Not for a year, not for a week You have to wander and wander And to think "how I could go back on everything" But man, it happens It happened that the path got longer for me It happened, I don't know how it came to me Nothing at all is for sure Not for a year, not for a week You have to wander and wander And to think "how I could go back on everything" But man, it happened It will happen, and perhaps at the end We'll see that the path continues on Nothing at all is for sure Not for a year, not for a week You have to wander and wander And to think "how I could go back on everything" But man, it will happen back to menu |
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Song Title: Me and You ("Ani ve Ata") Musician: Arik Einstein and Miki Gabrielov Video: original music video. Interesting to see the Caesaria power station with only 1 tower (instead of 3 as today). Year Released: 1971 Credits: lyrics by Arik Einstein; music by Miki Gabrielov Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Me and you, we'll change the world Me and you, then everyone will come They said it before then, before me Doesn't matter - me and you, we'll change the world Me and you, we'll try it out from the beginning If it will be bad, it's not a problem - it's not so bad It doesn't matter - me and you, we'll change the world Me and you, we'll change the world Me and you, then everyone will come They said it before then, before me Doesn't matter - me and you, we'll change the world back to menu |
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Song Title: Pillar of Fire ("Amud Ha'Esh") Musician: Shem-Tov Levy Year Released: 1981 Credits: music by Shem-Tov Levy Website: Comments: Israel received television as late as 1966 as successive governments had felt that the device would have a distracting effect on the citizenry, and even when TV did reach the country it remained in black and white until 1982; Israel's Channel 2 arrived as late as 1993. A similarly-minded government also helped prevent the Beatles from coming to the country in 1964 to perform live. The theme music here is from the landmark Israel Channel 1 documentary series on the rebirth of Israel, "Pillar of Fire", produced between 1975 and 1981 (airing in 1981). The program bore certain hallmarks of the groundbreaking British documentary series "The World at War" which preceded it (1973-74), with an emphasis on first-hand interviews with historical figures and participants; somber, charismatic narration (Yossi Banai on "Pillar of Fire", Laurence Olivier on "World at War"); dramatic pauses on black and white pictures at the start and end of each segment as well as the series' emblem rising from fire. The strains of the theme music here with orchestral accompaniment by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is also reminiscent of Carl Davis's piece for "World at War". A thematic derivation of Israel's national anthem, "Ha'Tikva" ("The Hope"), this piece is often used on public occasions as an unofficial anthem of sorts. Touching music with an aura of grandeur from an important production created relatively soon after the establishment of Israel's own television broadcasting authority. Hear the song! |
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Yehoram (Yoram) Gaon
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Song Title: Where Are You [My] Love ("Eifo At Ahuva") Musician: Yehoram Gaon Year Released: 1974 Credits: lyrics and music by Leonardo Fabio; Hebrew lyrics by Talma Aligon; arranged by by Alex Weiss Website: www.yehoramgaon.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Where, where are you [my] love Why, for what are you becoming estranged You - perhaps you already don't remember The sound of a kiss at night The sadness in your hands Which became stuck together with force And didn't give refuge Still I won't be able to forget To forget [my] love Where are they, the days that won't return again No, they won't return no, no Here, here are the days Lovely days of summer And laughter on the waters Return [my] love Where are they, the days that won't return again No, they won't return no, no Where, where are the nights Yes, those same nights in winter And in my pockets - your hands And rain on your lips The wind on your face You forgot already [my] love Where are they, the days that won't return again No, they won't return no, no back to menu |
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Song Title: Here I Am ("Hineini Kan") Musician: Yehoram Gaon Video: partial clip from movie sountrack of "Ani Yerushalmi" ("I'm Jerusalemite"), 1971 Year Released: 1974 Credits: lyrics by Chaim Hefer; music by Dubi Zeltzer Website: www.yehoramgaon.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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I go to you all my days I go to you dazzled The stones wound my hands But I don't feel a thing I return from an unsown land Stretch out my hand to stroke your hair Here I am, like a wounded dove I always fall before your hair Here I am Like circling birds Here I am Like a stone in the barrier Like a rock, like a well I am the man who always returns I return in a thousand incarnations I'm a hermit, son of a king and a beggar And in the nights, in the hideaways of the foxes I dream and am aware of you at the same time I see you, one far away Like a princess imprisoned in towers Between bars, sitting and waiting Oh, G-d, oh great gods Here I am Like circling birds Here I am Like a stone in the barrier Like a rock, like a well I am the man who always returns And you waited like the stones And like the fool going in the desert Soft sunrises kissed you on your face Heavy sunsets kissed you on your neck That's how I saw you sitting and expecting And in your eyes light and great sadness That's how I took you with me to the 'Hupah' [Jewish wedding canopy] You the barefoot with a crown of gold Here I am Like circling birds Here I am Like a stone in the barrier Like a rock, like a well I am the man who always returns back to menu |
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Song Title: What Are Your Eyes Saying ("Ma Omrot Einayikh") Musician: Yehoram Gaon Year Released: 1976 Credits: lyrics by Yitzhak Shenhar; music by Mordechai Zeira Website: www.yehoramgaon.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Sun, sun go down to the sea Wind, light wind go rage Who is dreaming, dreaming of you In a bare military, military post Two lights at night, at night, at night Hinting, hinting to me suddenly What are your eyes, your eyes, your eyes saying Without telling me all to the end, to the end Between stones, stones and hill A lone, lone tree dozes Who goes, goes towards you With a swarm, a swarm of wild beasts [ref: the fourth of the ten plagues] Two lights at night, at night, at night Hinting, hinting to me suddenly What are your eyes, your eyes, your eyes saying Without telling me all to the end, to the end Morning, morning in the time of the Nile [i.e. Biblical times] And I return, return from the heat May I find, I find again A memory, a memory of the dream Two lights at night, at night, at night Hinting, hinting to me suddenly What are your eyes, your eyes, your eyes saying Without telling me all to the end, to the end Without telling me all to the end, to the end back to menu |
Arik Einstein
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Song Title: Sabbath the Queen ("Shabbat Ha'Malka") Musician: Arik Einstein Year Released: 1968 Credits: lyrics by Arik Einstein; music by Shalom Hanoch Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Here she's getting closer, and arriving that's the Queen Here she's getting closer, and arriving that's the Queen Days come and go, Sabbath is the Queen Blessed is your coming, Sabbath the Queen It's good you've come, Sabbath the Queen Sabbath, Sabbath Sabbath the Queen It's good you've come, Sabbath the Queen Sabbath, Sabbath Sabbath the Queen Here she's getting closer, and arriving that's the Queen Here she's getting closer, and arriving that's the Queen Everything is white, Sabbath the Queen Everything is ready, Sabbath the Queen It's good you've come, Sabbath the Queen Sabbath, Sabbath Sabbath the Queen It's good you've come, Sabbath the Queen Sabbath, Sabbath Sabbath the Queen back to menu |
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Song Title: Drive Slowly ("Sa Le'at") Musician: Arik Einstein Video: from a live performance with Miki Gabrielov on guitar, 1980 Year Released: 1974 Credits: lyrics by Arik Einstein; music by Miki Gabrielov Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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We're driving in the old car Into the wet night The rain again is getting heavy And we don't see anything Drive slowly Tzvi says that rains like these are damaging to the agriculture And I think how warm it is at home, and what poor souls the soldiers are Lying now in the mud Drive slowly, drive slowly On the radio - the replacement for the scout - Suddenly begins the news Tonight a heavy hail will fall My wiper's now broken Tzvi says his head is cold, to close a window And I think: Hapoel [Tel Aviv football club] has lost again, and what poor souls the fans are Who are eating out their hearts Drive slowly, drive slowly Let your thoughts run in all directions They won't start without us Drive slowly, drive slowly We're driving in the old car Into the wet night Tomorrow I'll wake up early You'll see, it will be alright Tzvi says that it's hard for him to breathe, and his medicines have run out And I think, I think of you - and how you know how to indulge me I love you Drive slowly, drive slowly You remember that we drove to Eilat We went down to the water Everyone was of the same mind We sang impersonations of the Beatles We're driving in the old car Into the wet night The rain again is getting heavy And we don't see anything Drive slowly Tzvi says that they discovered a star that has life on it And I think, in a little while we'll be near Gaza And just that some grenade won't fly - and we'll go to hell Drive slowly, drive slowly Let your thoughts run in all directions They won't start without us Drive slowly, drive slowly We're driving in the old car Into the wet night The rain again is getting heavy And we don't see anything Drive slowly back to menu |
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Song Title: How Good That You Came Home ("Kama Tov She'Bata Ha'baita") Musician: Arik Einstein Video: from Shlomo Artzi and Shalom Hanoch's concert tour, "Connection", in Caesaria, 2005 Year Released: Credits: lyrics by Ya'akov Rotblit; music by Shalom Hanoch Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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How good that you came home How good to see you again Tell us, what's new, tell us Tell us how it was And why you didn't send a postcard? How good that you came home A little thin, but what does it matter You had a good time, you did things You saw some other colors But how good it is that you're here How good it is that you're already here How it is good, good How good that you came home This house already says it all It was hot for you, it was It was cold for you You're now much happier Already much happier So how good it is that you came home As if you set out, set out just yesterday Everything here remained the same thing You're now much more mature Yes more mature But how good it is that you're here How good it is that you're already here How it is good, good How good that you came home Really, you thought of me How good that you came That you came home How good that you came to me Yes, that you came to me back to menu |
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Song Title: Eretz Israel ("Eretz Israel") Musician: Arik Einstein Year Released: 1969 Credits: lyrics by Arik Einstein; music by Shmulik Krauss Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: A mournful piece written during the 1968-70 War of Attrition between Egypt and Israel, just after the Israeli victory in the 1967 Six-Day War, contrasting the feelings of love and pride against the tears and sorrow of heavy losses during this period. Hear the song! |
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What did he say A house for you I built there on the sand - Eretz Israel I sang a lovely song about the blue sea - Eretz Israel What did he say, oh guard what did he say Eve again tilts towards the Golan - Eretz Israel There a young soldier lies in silent wait - Eretz Israel What did he say, oh guard what did he say How much I do love you - Eretz Israel Why am I so sad then - Eretz Israel What did he say, oh guard what did he say back to menu |
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Song Title: Once Upon a Time (For Ziggi) ("Hayo Haya") Musician: Arik Einstein Year Released: 1969 Credits: lyrics by Arik Einstein; music by Misha Segal Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: A juicy piece of Israeli rock from Einstein's album "Poozy" (named after his daughter's nickname), considered to be Israel's first Israeli-rock album. This piece was written in memory of the pianist of Einstein's former music group, "The High Windows" ("Ha'Khalonot Ha'Gvohim"), and features clips of him in concert. Hear the song! |
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Once upon a time There was a king Once upon a time Once upon a time Far above cried G-d Once upon a time Once upon a time And he will live forever Once upon a time back to menu |
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Song Title: Prague ("Prague") Musician: Arik Einstein Video: from a performance aired on Channel 3, probably mid-1990's. Year Released: 1969 Credits: lyrics and music Shalom Hanoch Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: From www.mima.co.il: this song was written a year after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia during the 1968 thaw. Einstein performed this piece for the 1969 Festival of Hebrew Music (Israel's annual music competition then), but reached only seventh place - some suggest because of its heavy tone. Upset, he refused to perform further in these competitions. The lines about a young man slipping away refer to Lian Falach, a young Czech who set himself on fire in Wenceslas Square in protest of the Soviet invasion. Hear the song! |
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Towards the city of the imprisoned dream A strange and heavy shadow burst forth And a red moon It's kingship it dipped in soot He who didn't close his eyes His bitter night did he bear An absolute silence of surrender without fight A man who locked his rifled until death How upon Prague did dawn not break On Tuesday did her strength run out How did the voice of the noisy square get silenced A song which I dreamed, about Prague There the dawn will yet break. Like an old yellowing photograph A city of ghosts submitted To the silent march of bears And in her consumed neck. No one dares leave his doorway A salty ghetto smell From one end to the other Across the city is carried by wind. How upon Prague did dawn not break On Tuesday did her strength run out How did the voice of the noisy square get silenced A song which I dreamed, about Prague There the dawn will yet break. Only the silence in her remains A young man suddenly slips away Then a strange light rose upon him There in the city square which had died. A song which I dreamed, about Prague There the dawn will yet break There the dawn will yet break. back to menu |
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Song Title: The Light at the End ("Ha Or Ba Katzeh") Musician: Arik Einstein Year Released: 1987 Credits: lyrics by Yaakov Gilad and Yehuda Poliker; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Released on an album (1997) of the same name which contains a song specifically dedicated to the memory of the slain Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin (1995); the allusion to "addresses on the wall of the square of the city" probably refers to the square ("Kings of Israel") in which Rabin was assassinated. Hear the song! |
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Life, my little girl Is a serious matter Sometimes I'm scared to death From my own shadow From all that's around Sometimes there are moments where it seems That there's light at the end And suddenly it's darkness And you, like everyone Who lost their way You will find some kind of light in the darkness You will get stronger, you will change You will get older and you will see That sometimes there are moments where it seems There is light at the end Fluttering in the darkness All the candles Which we lit at night Won't drive away this cold darkness All the winds which blew all night long Won't extinguish the light at the end Won't put out the light Which rises in the morning Search, ask And you too will find out The answer is still carried in the wind There are addresses on the wall In the square of the city That sometimes there are moments where it seems There is light at the end Flickering in the darkness All the candles Which we lit at night Won't drive away this cold darkness All the winds which blew all night long Won't extinguish the light at the end Won't put out the light Which rises in the morning back to menu |
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Song Title: Sitting on the Fence ("Yoshev Al Ha Gader") Musician: Arik Einstein Video: From a TV special aired on the occasion of the album's release. Yitzhak Klepter, one of Israel's best guitarists, is on the lead guitar in the video; several local celebrities of the time (and to this day) are featured in the clip, too. Year Released: 1982 Credits: lyrics by Arik Einstein; music Yitzhak Klepter Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Sitting on the fence One leg here, one leg there Sitting on the fence In good stead with everyone Knocking out smiles in all directions And always, always in the know Sitting on the fence One leg here, one leg there Sitting on the fence Looking over the world Knocking out smiles in all directions And always, always in the know Sitting on the fence One leg here, one leg there Sitting on the fence Taking it easy Knocking out smiles in all directions And always, always in the know Sitting, thinking on the fence Looking here, peeking there Reading the paper, hearing the news on time Washing himself in a screen of smoke back to menu |
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Song Title: Everybody Wants ("Kol Echad Rotzeh") Musician: Arik Einstein (featuring Shalom Hanoch) Year Released: 1998 Credits: lyrics and music by Shalom Hanoch Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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[Arik Eintein] Everybody wants to be a musician To be a musician, to be a musician If not a musician, then an actor If not an actor, then a clown If not a clown, then a critic [Shalom Hanoch] Everybody wants to be a star To be a star, to be a star If not a star, then an entertainer If not an entertainer, then a [show] host If not a host, then an impersonator [Arik Eintein] Everybody wants to be a fat-cat To be a fat-cat, to be a fat-cat If not a fat-cat, then a model If not a model, then a photographer If not a photographer, then a poet [Chorus] Everybody wants to be general manager To be general secretary, to be chief inspector Everybody wants to be Something, someone [Arik Einstein] Everybody wants a lovely woman A lovely woman, a lovely woman If not lovely, then warm If not warm, [then] smart [If] not smart, then rich [Chorus] Everybody wants to be general manager To be general secretary, to be chief inspector Everybody wants to be Something, someone [Shalom Hanoch] Everybody wants peace now Peace now, peace now If not now, then tomorrow If not tomorrow then when - When it will be too late? [Chorus] Everybody wants to be a musician To be a musician, to be a musician... Everybody wants Everybody wants to be Everybody wants to be a musician To be a musician, to be a musician... If not a musician... Something, someone back to menu |
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Song Title: Achinoam Doesn't Know ("Achinoam Lo Yodaat") Musician: Arik Einstein Year Released: 1969 Credits: lyrics by Yonatan Gefen; music Robert Huxley Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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With closed eyes, two ribbons and two [hair] braids All in all just a little, little girl With lips embroidered by strawberry fields and dreams All in all just a little, little girl She doesn't know anything [to a girl]: You don't know anything Achinoam... At a window across the boulevard, cyclamen [a plant] in clusters Not for picking, little, little girl She looks at a bonfire, floats onwards on a rowboat Far, far away little, little girl She doesn't know anything [to a girl]: You don't know anything Achinoam... She smiles like grapes and we hope After all just a little, little girl And the dreams are nice, between leaves and branches Good night little, little girl She doesn't know anything [to a girl]: You don't know anything Achinoam... back to menu |
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Song Title: Fragile ("Shavir") Musician: Arik Einstein Video: Original music video also featuring Yitzhak Klepter, one of Israel's best guitarists. Year Released: 1982 Credits: lyrics by Arik Einstein; music by Yitzhak Klepter Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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A fragile person crumbles with ease Burdens himself with all the problems in the world Drops off like a leaf blown repeatedly in a light wind In short, a fragile person crumbles with ease A fragile person crumbles with ease Searches for himself, searches all the time Takes things heavily, thinks it's the end of the world In short, a fragile person crumbles with ease back to menu |
Shalom Hanoch
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Song Title: Because Man is a Tree of the Field [live] ("Ki Ha'Adam Etz Ha'Sadeh") Musician: Shalom Hanoch Year Released: (1983) 1988 Credits: lyrics by Natan Zach; music by Shalom Hanoch Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Because man is a tree of the field Like man, also the tree sprouts Like the tree, man's life is cut short And I don't know Where I was and where I'll be Like a tree of the field Because man is a tree of the field Like the tree he aspires upwards Like man he's burned by fire And I don't know Where I was and where I'll be Like a tree of the field I loved and I also hated I tasted from this and from that They buried me in the earth And it's bitter for me It's bitter for me in the mouth Like a tree of the field Because man is a tree of the field Like the tree he's thirsty for water Like man he remains thirsty And I don't know Where I was and where I'll be Like a tree of the field I loved and I also hated I tasted from this and from that They buried me in the earth And it's bitter for me It's bitter for me in the mouth Like a tree of the field Because man is a tree of the field Because man is a tree of the field Tree of the field back to menu |
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Song Title: This Way and That ("Kakha ve'Kakha") Musician: Shalom Hanoch Video: from Shlomo Artzi and Shalom Hanoch's concert tour, "Connection", in Caesaria, 2005 Year Released: 1991 Credits: lyrics and music by Shalom Hanoch Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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I return from a night at the studio Rhyming to myself an old love song To sing in the shower I think about you all the time I love you in every way This way and that, you're unforgetable Even when you're not here. Another morning rises in my life Perhaps I worked too hard Instead of us being together But certainly - not perhaps Also you work a little too hard This way and that, I want you to rest Here in my arms. I wet my face and close my eyes Letting my imagination run with the water There's nothing to do - this is what there is in the meantime You're in every place, this way and that By night and by morning, this way and that Fourteen days without being together. This is a song from a boy in love If you hear my voice now You definitely forgive I think about you all the time I love you in every way This way and that, you're unforgetable Even when you're not here. You're in every place, this way and that By night and by morning, this way and that Fourteen days without being together. I wet my face and close my eyes Letting my imagination run with the water. Fourteen days are an eternity that lasts two weeks. back to menu |
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Song Title: Little by Little ("Le'at Le'at") Musician: Shalom Hanoch Video: original music video pulled from Israel Music Channel 24 Year Released: 1994 Credits: lyrics and music by Shalom Hanoch Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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I hear how you sing for me See you dancing before me Such a sight with my own eyes You're presence is a fire in my core [bones] From how you pull down my clothes Your body is exposed in all the colors of the rainbow And you see me see How much you're beautiful when you're emotional You get closer to me, little by little Between whisper and glance, little by little You reveal who I am, little by little You reveal to me who you are, little by little Surprising how your body is so familiar And how the soul touches the flesh A touch like this that can't be described I never knew before You get closer to me, little by little You melt between my fingers, little by little Breaking waves come to the shore, little by little In an endless movement, little by little You get closer to me, little by little Between whisper and glance, little by little You will reveal who I am, little by little You will reveal to me who you are, little by little I hear how you sing for me back to menu |
Matti Caspi
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Song Title: A Moment of Silence ("Daka Dumiah") Musician: Matti Caspi Year Released: 1978 Credits: lyrics by Yonathan Geffen; music by Matti Caspi Website: www.matticaspi.co.il Comments: A song written in the spirit of the "moment of silence" which we observe to commemorate mournful or somber holidays in Israel - memorial day for fallen soldiers, Independence Day, Holocaust remembrance day. The notion of a "moment of silence" (daka dumia) here in Israel is an actual event, whereby people stop their activities completely and stand in silence for 1 or 2 minutes (depending on the occasion) as a siren wails. Caspi plays all the instruments in this song (in fact for all the songs on the album from which this song is from). Hear the song! |
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A moment of silence for the leaves, which fell in the middle of autumn And a moment for silence for the words, which we said as if in vain. A moment of silence for the flowers, which fell without us noticing And a moment of silence for the bird which wanted to cross the street. A moment of silence for the woman, who was with me in my dream. A moment of silence for the meeting which hasn't taken place till today. A moment of silence - and quietly - for songs in general And to all the the love which could have been mine too. To the memory of the colors which died together with me and my years, To the memory of that night since which my traces have been lost. A moment of silence for the spring which changed here without stopping, And a moment of silence for all those who left and forgot to return. And to the memory of all those who remember, how much time you were at my side, To the memory of this night which sees me here all alone. Many moments of silence for all which changed and hurts Listen here for the siren which I have here in my heart. A moment of silence for the leaves, which fell in the middle of autumn And a moment for silence for the words, which we said as if in vain. A moment of silence for the flowers, which fell without us noticing And a moment of silence for the bird which wanted to cross the street. A moment of silence for the woman, who was with me in my dream. A moment of silence for the meeting which hasn't taken place till today. A moment of silence - and quietly - for songs in general And to all the the love which could have been mine too. back to menu |
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Song Title: On Hot Summer Nights ("Beh Leilot Ha'Kaitz Ha'Khamim") Musician: Matti Caspi Video: the IDF band version performed by the Artillery Corps Spirit Team with Mali Brunstein on vocals, pulled from Channel 1 Year Released: 1978 Credits: lyrics by Danny Minster; music by Matti Caspi Website: www.matticaspi.co.il Comments: Orchestral accompaniment by members of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. The fluitist is a famous musician, Shem-Tov Levy; and the electric guitarist is Chaim Romano. Hear the song! |
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On hot summer nights Nothing happens Perhaps a fading star peeps Through an open window Perhaps a cricket is heard from far away But even the clock doesn't tick On hot summer nights Nothing happens Perhaps a cricket is heard from far away But even the clock doesn't tick On hot summer nights Nothing happens Underneath the mulberry tree in the village People sit and talk The read a book with an old smell Close their eyes and go silent Nothing else happens On hot summer nights Underneath the mulberry tree in the village People sit and talk Nothing else happens On hot summer nights Underneath the mulberry tree in the village People sit and talk Nothing else happens Nothing else happens Underneath the mulberry tree in the village People sit and talk The read a book with an old smell Close their eyes and go silent Nothing else happens On hot summer nights Underneath the mulberry tree in the village People sit and talk Nothing else happens On hot summer nights Underneath the mulberry tree in the village People sit and talk back to menu |
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Song Title: Still Will Come the Day ("Od Yavo Ha'Yom") Musician: Matti Caspi Year Released: 1978 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Manor; music by Matti Caspi Website: www.matticaspi.co.il Comments: Orchestral accompaniment by members of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. The electric guitarist is Chaim Romano. Hear the song! |
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Still will come the day - Still will come the day Like a sparrow to the garden in Autumn Yes I see - Yes I see All of it elderly and white It's a lost star - It's a lost star Which is coming closer to here now Still will come the day - Still will come the day It will strike at its flute Still will come the day - Still will come the day And again we'll be together with it without end It's an ancient melody - It's an ancient melody Whose notes were discovered - it lives Like an old friend - Like an old friend Who disappeared and returned to me Still will come the day - Still will come the day Here it is over me When the day will come - When the day will come Smile to me with a wet gaze You will be with me - You will be with me I'm your good little child Call out my name - Call out my name And a boy will dance with a girl in the street Still will come the day - Still will come the day Perhaps it's already close at hand When the day will come - When the day will come We'll walk in a new light - golden light You will be good - You will be good Trickling with milk and honey like then You will be close by - You will be close by And in your hand will be felt its grasp Still will come the day - Still will come the day It will turn out sweet like then back to menu |
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Song Title: I Didn't Know That You Would Leave Me ("Lo Yadati She'Tilkhi Mi'meni") Musician: Matti Caspi Video: performance for a memorial tribute to composer Ehud Manor, most of whose works were written for Caspi; from Channel 2, circa. 2006 Year Released: 1976 Credits: lyrics by Matti Caspi; music by Matti Caspi Website: www.matticaspi.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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I didn't dream that you would leave me Without saying a word, without giving a warning I didn't dream that suddenly I would be struck down Thunder such as this on a clear day And I am innocent, I always thought That blissful ones like us there aren't And in my imagination to see you my love How together we would grow old A voice calls out tonight There isn't a reply tonight And myself - How I hate, How I will change For you You were something so definite Like coffee in the morning, like sleep I was never next to you, tense I didn't develop a means to defend myself Perhaps you're soon returning Just went out to buy a few things And we'll go together to see a movie Or we'll decide that we're staying in A voice calls out tonight There isn't a reply tonight And myself - How I hate, How I will change For you And I am innocent, I always thought That blissful ones like us there aren't And in my imagination to see you my love How together we would grow old back to menu |
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Song Title: There it Goes Again ("Hineh Hineh") Musician: Matti Caspi Video: Taken from the Channel 10 show "Behind the News" hosted by former Tislam band member, Yair Nitzani, who begins his interview with the question: "Tell me Matti, did it ever happen to you in an interview or for a newspaper that they asked you a question and you didn't reply or didn't have an answer?" Caspi, famously, does not smile. Year Released: 1975 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Manor; music by Matti Caspi Website: www.matticaspi.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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There it goes again A song which starts low A melody which begins with a "mi", with a "mol" But wants But wants to grow up into a "la" minor, a "fa" minor And looks for an outlet for herself And here she rises, rises, rises I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again Another year begins slowly Another year begins today to grow The day is crawling on And tomorrow you'll say hello Like a dream She hurries on her way and she, she Rises and rises up I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again A love that starts deeply A love that promises to be close Who promises that she'll be good [well behaved] Pretty, pretty until her end Still small for a big [grown up] one But here she is Rising, rising up I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again That was my song A song which loved me for a year But suddenly became different Moved on and left And she's no more, she's no more, she's no more I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again I didn't know you would run away I didn't know that you would fly so far away I didn't know that you would forget me Talk back to me and give me a reply There it goes again back to menu |
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Song Title: Oh What Will Be ("Ho Ma Yihiyeh") Musician: Matti Caspi Year Released: 1987 Credits: original music and lyrics by Chico Buarque / Hebrew adaptation by: Ehud Manor; music adapted by by Matti Caspi Website: www.matticaspi.co.il Comments: Based on "Que Sera Sera" Hear the song! |
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Oh, what will be, what will be Tell me what will be here between me and you They promised fairy tails to me and you, to me and you And we didn't anything from all that was promised They told me about a world without a shade of cloud They told you about a prince and his white horse They said that love is good, is good They said look straight ahead in hope, in hope And I have no idea what will be, what will be But in my heart I still want, hope That not all is lost, that we'll live here forever In bliss and in wealth [a figure of speech in Hebrew] Oh, what will be, what will be Tell me what will be here between me and you I tried to find everything that was promised But no miracle befell me, it's an unsuccessful story I tried to ask for just a little more, a little more They said that's all there is, so learn to compromise I thought of my house, of my father, of my mother I thought I'd continue searching on my own And I have no idea what will be, what will be But in my heart I still want, hope That not all is lost, that we'll live here forever In bliss and in wealth Oh, what will be, what will be Tell me what will be here between me and you See what cold, what rain pours down When will this pass, it just continues, it just continues You remember every story, every word, every word Repeating every word like a prayer, like a prayer One mustn't despair, and mustn't leave One must be stubborn, and must love And I have no idea what will be, what will be But in my heart I still want, hope That not all is lost, that we'll live here forever In bliss and in wealth back to menu |
| Yehuda Poliker All the songs in this section come from one double-disk live album comprising Poliker's hits as a solo artist and member of the band "Benzine"; some of the songs were re-adapated from their original versions to reflect Greek influences (Poliker's family roots). Joining him on his concert tour were Mashina's basist Michael Benson and their keyboardist-accordionist-saxophonist Avner Hodorov. In my (humble) opinion this album is one of the finest works of music ever produced in any language...
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Song Title: Melting in the Rain [live] ("Namess Ba'Geshem") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Video: original music video Year Released: (1995) 1996 Credits: lyrics by Ya'akov Gil'ad; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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Rain is falling outside, he's alone and cold On the public phone he hears a voice that familiar to him It's his mother at home, automatic and brief "Hello, leave a message and I will call you back" It's really urgent for him But she, what does she know She watches 'Popolitika' [television show] And she can barely hear She told him: "don't live here" And his dad also said: "one like you, not here with us We didn't ask for an odd bird" Rain outside still continues to fall An ambulance wails, in the street passes a police car "Kid, where do you live" everyone asks him "Me, in the public park - on the bench above the sea" He was last seen with a backback and a sweater He left an envelope on the table in the room And wrote in continuation about their last conversation "One like me won't live here It's better to live in a kennel" Melting in the rain, nose in the wind Yes, he won't, won't cry Alone all night long For whom is he waiting Melting in the rain, nose in the wind On a night as cold as this If there is a god here Also he would freeze The hour is already late His mother is in the shower, wrapped in a towel The rain is falling, her laundry is getting wet His father, on the phone, ordered a video and a meal And fell asleep in a pyjama watching the family channel It's raining outside and the traffic is crawling The deliverymen are on the way, two cops are at the door The found him freezing, they thought he'd fallen asleep On the dark edge of the city On the sea shore back to menu |
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Song Title: For Your Blue Eyes [live] ("Le Einayikh Ha'Khulot") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Year Released: (1992) 1996 Credits: music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: An instrumental piece. Hear the song! |
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Song Title: A Story of Times Past [live] ("Sippur Zmanim Avru") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Year Released: (1990) 1996 Credits: music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: An instrumental piece; Poliker's Greek roots are apparent in this and his other Mediterranean pieces. Hear the song! |
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Song Title: I Don't Know [live] ("Lo Yodeah") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Video: original music video Year Released: (1995) 1996 Credits: lyrics by Yehuda Poliker and Ya'akov Gil'ad; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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I don't know if you know How to love me, Like I don't know if I know how To love you like you are I take back terribly hard things That I said to you and you said also to me Because every word is like a slap Like a stab Every word which was said Perhaps I erred, and didn't see Perhaps you loved me in your way If only I could know Perhaps I would calm down and relax I take back terribly hard things That I said to you and you said also to me Because every word is like a slap Like a stab Every word which was said Every word which was said back to menu |
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Song Title: Face to Face [live] ("Panim El Mul Panim") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Year Released: (1981) 1996 Credits: lyrics by Ya'akov Gil'ad; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: Originally a song by Poliker's first band "Benzine". Hear the song! |
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Face to face A meeting in the middle of life We've reached ourselves From places which are so different The city looks different As if we weren't here Tonight you're staying Wait with me for the morning to come We loved each other once, in truth and in innocence We loved like children know how On me and on you they see the years And you're beautiful, face to face Face to face Perhaps just once in a lifetime Time closes in on us A circle of changes So what came over you And what brings you to here Tonight you're staying Wait with me for the morning to come We loved each other once, in truth and in innocence We loved like children know how On me and on you they see the years And you're beautiful, face to face back to menu |
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Song Title: What Will Be Will Be [live] ("Ma Yihiyeh Yihiyeh") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Video: original music video Year Released: 1996 Credits: lyrics by Yehuda Poliker and Yaakov Gilad; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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There's nobody at home The door is closed Doors always used to be open And nothing would happen And the world seemed small Always protected and not understood Tell me what have we lost here They threw a stone at you Some disturbed kid The blood is on your shirt I was really shocked After almost thirty years You can see a very small scar And a sea of fears without amend What will be will be It's you who says that And don't mean a word of it What will be will be It's you who says that And I who fear every word of yours Dogs are barking at us The door is closed The house we grew up in Is up for sale And in its place will rise a building On a noisy street within the [car] smoke Tell me what did we forget here Years have turned into history Don't look back Everyone who is no longer here Went without returning And those who died still live within you And don't leave you for a moment Tell me what will become of you What will be will be It's you who says that And don't mean a word of it What will be will be It's you who says that And I who fear every word of yours What will be will be It's you who says that And don't mean a word of it What will be will be It's you who says that And I who fear every word of yours back to menu |
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Song Title: Less But Hurts [live] ("Pakhot Aval Koev") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Video: original music video Year Released: 1996 Credits: lyrics by Yonatan Geffen; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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Eventually it's forgotten as if it doesn't exist But when the evening strikes I tell you that's how it is between us [it exists] Less, but it still hurts What was wounded within me, got wounded and healed I almost don't think about it You learn to live with it like that Less, but it still hurts You learn to live with it like that Less, but it still hurts With a glass and a cookie you can sweeten things up There's no limit to the escapism It doesn't disappear, it's just far away or asleep And it hurts, but less It doesn't disappear, it's just far away Hurts but less Less and yet, still it harms It comes and goes, you know It hurts when I, I touch you It hurts when you touch [me] Less and yet, still it harms It comes and goes, you know It hurts when I, It hurts me when you, It hurts when you touch [me] Eventually it's forgotten as if it doesn't exist But when the evening strikes I tell you that's how it is between us [it exists] Less, but it still hurts We're not so far along, we And if things are bad for me I write It hurts but less Less but it still hurts It hurts but less Less but it still hurts Less and yet, still it harms It comes and goes, you know It hurts when I, I touch you It hurts when you touch [me] Less and yet, still it harms It comes and goes, you know It hurts when I, It hurts me when you, It hurts when you touch [me] Less and yet, still it harms It comes and goes, you know It hurts when I, It hurts me when you, It hurts when you touch [me] back to menu |
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Song Title: And the Children Come [live] ("Ve HaYeladim Bayim") Musician: Yehuda Poliker Year Released: 1996 Credits: lyrics by Yehuda Poliker and Yaakov Gilad; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: www.nmc-music.co.il/nmc/artists/poliker/ Comments: Hear the song! |
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They tug and continue, playing the game Someone will cry and someone will laugh Someone will come out of it whole, and someone hurt I always think of the worst possible case They hurt, they insult, they mistake and they are justified We've turned into veteran fighting foxes We who were the best of friends We learned to be wolves and enemies And the children come and the children go They leave behind them innocence and adolescence [After] so many years what's another week It's a permanent routine, a permanent routine And if we'll feel guilty, how will we part as friends Losers, losing in lost battles This battle is lost, I'm packing up and finishing Tomorrow I leave, I say and stay And the children come and the children go They leave behind them innocence and adolescence [After] so many years what's another week It's a permanent routine, a permanent routine They tug and continue, playing the game Someone will cry and someone will laugh How will I get out of this, the end after all is known I'm tired of thumbing through another day and another week And the children come and the children go They leave behind them innocence and adolescence [After] so many years what's another week It's a permanent routine, a permanent routine And the children come and the children go They leave behind them innocence and adolescence back to menu |
Ehud Banai
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Song Title: Performance for Reservists ("Hofa'at Miluim") Musician: Ehud Banai Video: original music video, pulled from "Musika 24" channel Year Released: 2004 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai and Gil Smetana Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Based on Banai's personal experiences as a travelling performer between army outposts during the Lebanon campaign (1982). In an interview with Army Radio ("Galatz") Banai said this song was based on one experience where while travelling between the outposts he was stopped by a convoy whose commander asked him to play just one song for the soldiers. They chose "David and Saul", which Banai played; two days later he found out that seven of the soldiers including the commander (Eyal Levi) died in action shortly thereafter. Former servicemen identify closely with this song because of the tense atmosphere it describes - and the heartbreak of the losses in Lebanon. Hear the song! |
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From outpost to outpost, a musician with a guitar Drags a TV-stand, sings on a crate A moment before I sit to eat A scrambled egg. The cook smiles, the NCO says: "This will be a surprise, they'll really be happy Eat, they're now on the way, We have here twenty soldiers or so" The cook asks: "Do you sing 'mizrachi'? [middle-eastern/North African music] Perhaps you can sing some Zohar Argov" [the most popular 'Mizrachi' singer in Israel] I think to myself, why not, If this can do them some good... And here they are, coming with no form ["body"] Alighting the glow of the heavens The hall ["cavity"/"corpse"] fills up, light of memorial candles And the time to perform has come The NCO says: "you'd better get started There are more performances, we need to hurry" The cook says: "yalla, gingi, give it some gas ["hurry up"], The boys are tired, nu, start playing" I strum the guitar, not a sound comes out A deep prolonged silence A long convoy, on a dangerous path Convoy, to where are you going Light of memorial candles Doesn't leave, doesn't leave It flickers And suddenly the sound of an explosion, they dash out in a hurry I remain there in the empty room The cook yawns, the NCO says "Nevermind, it happens, there will be another time" A deluge pours down on us From the heights of Lebanon to Sinai I strum the guitar and sing to the cook: "A sea of tears in both my eyes." [from Zohar Argov] Light of memorial candles Doesn't leave, doesn't leave It flickers A long convoy, on a dangerous path Convoy, to where are you going back to menu |
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Song Title: Hebrewman ("Hibruman") Musician: Ehud Banai Year Released: 2004 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai and Gil Smetana Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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[in English] Speak up, the language of the Hebrewman Loud and clear! The language of the Hebrewman It is the language of the prophets Of the sign up on the wall It is old and sacred It will open up your soul Speak up, the language of the Hebrewman Loud and clear! The language of the Hebrewman From the deepest mass of downtown Babylon It will take you to the next train to Mount Zion It will get you up, It will make you fly The language of the Hebrewman will take you high You know, Abraham spoke the language of the Hebrewman And also Jesus from Nazereth and Maria Magdalene Einstein Jeremiah the Dylan and the Cohen They know something about the language of the Hebrewman And when the Lord said "Let there be light!" It was in the language of the Hebrewman And when Moses said: "Let my people go!" It was in the language of the Hebrewman Speak the language of the Hebrewman [in Hebrew] And there was on that day a new light, great and illuminating Slowly opens the crack, slowly falls the wall And when the hour arrives, will come One in the name of One Will know and understand the whole world one language Speak the language of the Hebrewman And there was on that day, will come One in the name of One Will know and understand the whole world one language Slowly will be build the verse stage by stage, and letter by letter Please don't tell me "bye bye", say just "goodbye" Speak the language of the Hebrewman And let us all say: "halleluyah!" Let us all say: "Amen" A day will come and everybody Will speak the language of the Hebrewman! back to menu |
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Song Title: Coming Out to the Light [i.e. To Be Published / See Light] ("Yotzeh La'Or") Musician: Ehud Banai Year Released: 1996 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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This path begins here Between a bank branch and a stream Not paved, not always marked This path begins here It crosses the city Climbs up on a hill Continues to the sea It continues also tomorrow Cuts through the air, between the buildings Comes out to the light, to a new life Go on it, go on it now A flock of birds above you Accompany your steps From afar is lit a light Don't stray, so that you can return This song begins here Blue on a page of white Not completed, not always directed This song begins here It crosses the city Climbs up on a hill Continues to the sea It continues also tomorrow Cuts through the air, between the buildings Comes out to the light [gets published / sees light], to a new life back to menu |
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Song Title: I Will Bring You ("Avi Lakh") Musician: Ehud Banai Year Released: 1996 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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What shall I bring you my little girl What shall I bring you as a present What shall I bring you my little girl What shall I bring you as a present I will bring a song of lovers I will bring you light of stars I will bring you a breeze of the sea I will bring you all of the world I will bring you laughter of children Which will scare away all the fears I will bring you in both my hands I will bring you all of my life The way to you I will turn into a picture And I will bring it to you as a present The way to you I will write into a song And I will bring it to you on a clear morning All the way to you I will write into a song And I will bring it to you on a clear morning back to menu |
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Song Title: David and Saul (A Song of Yearning) ("David ve Shaul") Musician: Ehud Banai Year Released: 1992 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: With Yehudit Ravitz on guitar, this song is based on the biblical story of Saul (the first king of ancient Israel), and David. Troubled by an evil spirit, Saul requests soothing music and through this request David eventually comes to Saul's court to play the harp. David almost by chance also subsequently becomes the Jewish soldier to fight and defeat Goliath, and the praise of the women which he receives causes Saul intense jealousy who fears David will become a rival for the throne. On one occasion, posessed by an evil spirit, Saul throws a spear at David but misses. He conspires to remove David from the court, then pursues him beyond the city. Eventually the two make peace together. Hear the song! |
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It's a late night hour, everyone had already gone to sleep Only Saul is awake, gloomy, and calls David on the phone: "Perhaps you could come over, eh David? My soul is a black lake, Bring with you the guitar because your fingers bear light" David comes immediately and calmly, sits down and tunes up The labor he knows well, closes his eyes, plays Ten fingers which David has, the tip of each finger is a ray of light When he strums the chords the time flows for him backwards Saul is inside torn up, struggles within his stomach He loves, he hates, and is jealous, addicted to his friend Something dark falls, the demon returns and rages A knife is thrown in the air, and suddenly there's a wall between the two David avoids Saul but Saul doesn't give up David forgets and forgives when Saul calls: "Come again to play for me David, take me to the stars Come again to play tonight - a song of yearning". back to menu |
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Song Title: Come Home ("Bo Ha'Baita") Musician: Ehud Banai Video: original music video (a live rendition) Year Released: 1996 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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This is not darkness, not light This is the time to return, come home, bird-man This is not darkness, not light This is the time to return, come home, bird-man A lightower flashes, tears clouds, a gloomy darkness, three stars The satellite picture gets blurry, a twilight zone The edge of the heavens you touch Commander to bird-man, do you hear? Do you even remember still who you miss? Not darkness, not light This is the time to return, come home, bird-man Electricity flickers through the blinds, a white moon, purple skies The shadow of a wing slips by and passes over the rooves of houses The edge of the heavens you touch Commander to bird-man, do you hear? Do you even remember still where to you're going? Not darkness, not light This is the time to return, come home, come, bird-man back to menu |
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Song Title: An Hour of Mystery ("Sha'ah Shel Mistorin") Musician: Ehud Banai Year Released: 1992 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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Yitzhak Shen-Zahav ["Shen-Zahav" = Gold-Tooth] was the commander of a special unit Shmuel was a kid who thought that life was a movie The flag of the two became a wrung rag After they, with great difficulty, were rescued from downtown Beirut. Shen-Zahav left everything ran off to New York City There were rumors that he was an advisor to an underground [movement] in Tahiti They saw him in Abu-Dhabi, in the guise of an Agency [i.e. Jewish Agency] man Converting to Islam with a Christian woman under the supervision of the Rabbinate This was an hour in between the nights An hour of mystery Shmuel smelled that there was some kind of something in the air And he looked for Shen-Zahav, like a madman, all over the city Until he ran into him in a restaurant run by Yemenites On the edge of 42nd Street, corner of 60th Street Shen-Zahav said to Shmuel: "Listen, there's a certain matter, Not drugs and also not arms but it's dangerous" Shmuel said to Shen-Zahav: "Mate, I'm with you After all, what already is dangerous to me and to you" This was an hour in between the nights An hour of mystery Shen-Zahav brought Shmuel into the secret of the matter Involved in a business already more than four sizes large It's about a daring operation, against all laws of time The commands come straight from above, the code word is "rainbow in the cloud". The two were prepared now to go out towards the unknown When appeared a pretty girl in modest dress She said she was Rebecca Gur-Aryeh, from Brooklyn, from the garden of a Rabbi A close, actually quite distant, relative of Yitzhak Shen-Zahav This was an hour in between the nights An hour of mystery Shmuel invited Rebecca to sit in the back Shen-Zahav behind the wheel drove hours without stopping It was a night without a moon on a road covered in fog Rebecca asked: "Where to?" And they replied: "To hell" ["Azazel" in the song - the cliff from which the scapegoat was sent to its death as part of the Day of Atonement ritual]. She shouted: "Hey! There's a chasm right before us!" Shen-Zahav, emotion, whispered: "Yes, that's the border line" When Rebecca understood that the two of them would not stop she jumped from the car They were swallowed in a crack of light, which like thunder, cut through the dimness This was an hour in between the nights An hour of mystery Shen-Zahav and Shmuel to this day have not returned On CNN it was reported about a black hole in the place where they jumped They say they overcome the forces of gravity and attraction They saw them simultaneously in Texas, Bat Yam and in Haifa. And Rebecca Gur-Aryeh awoke in ancient times She search on the [TV] screens, fruitlessly, a program with roots From time to time she thinks of Shmuel and of Yitzhak Shen-Zahav And to herself she thinks, interesting where they are now This was an hour in between the nights An hour of mystery Yes, this was an hour in between the nights An hour of mystery back to menu |
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Song Title: Your Time Has Passed (Your Time is Over) ("Zmankha Avar") Musician: Ehud Banai and the Refugees (Ehud Banai ve Ha'Plitim) Video: original music video, pulled from the "Zehu-Ze" ("This is It") program on Educational TV Channel 23, with Yosi Olifant on guitar, Gil Smetana on bass, Jean-Jacques Goldberg on drums and Noam Zeid at the desk Year Released: 1987 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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In my dreams I returned to my high school To a 'Purim' [Jewish holiday] party Waxman stood in a corner embarrassed This was before he began with his travels. "I thought that you were in India" I told him "I am in India" he said "And you're also in India now Don't you feel strange?! We're just guests here for a moment Look around This isn't our party, Are you listening?" "I'm listening" I told him "And that really isn't a familiar song" "Very correct" said Waxman to me "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" In my dreams I returned to my high school To the annual trip Rosman disappeared with the portable tape-player Suddenly I heard Abbey-Road between the bushes "The truck won't wait" I called to him "Let them go already!" he said "I'm not moving from here until the end of the side This is a wonderful part! We're just guests here for a moment Look around That's not our truck Are you listening?" "I'm listening" I told him "But it's starting to get cold for me" "Goodbye" said Rosman - "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" In my dreams I returned to my high school And I didn't prepare my homework. Fixman, sweating, hinted that I come He wanted us to run away, to his place to hear records. "The bell is already ringing" I told him "Let it ring" he said "There's nothing at all to be afraid of Everything has already passed We're just guests here for a moment Look around This isn't our bell Are you listening?" "I'm listening" I told him "And this is such a strange dream" "Wake up" Fixman told me "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed" "Your time has passed, passed, passed, passed, passed" back to menu |
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Song Title: City of Refuge ("Ir Miklat") Musician: Ehud Banai and the Refugees (Ehud Banai ve Ha'Plitim) Video: clip from a series of live performances broadcast in the framework of a Channel 1 program "Songs We Love", circa. 1987 Year Released: 1987 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: The Book of Judges speaks of "cities of refuge" as towns to which perpetrators of manslaughter could claim the right of asylum to avoid blood vengeance from their victims families. The Torah names six cities as being a city of refuge: Golan, Ramoth, Bosor, Kedesh, Shechem (Nablus), and Hebron Hear the song! |
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Before the trickle turns into a deluge I have to find a gate which is not locked Because again the "blues" have returned to me I have to get out, I have to move On the road which twists between Acco [Acre] and Tzfat [Safed] In Tiberias on the pier I go down to Eilat Spit out, escaped, seeking a city of refuge Spit out, escaped, seeking a city of refuge City of refuge, city of refuge, city of refuge On the horizon sparkle the faraway lights There I arrived with my final ounce of strength [to a female:] And you will wait in the entrance and turn on the light A man comes back to you from the freezing cold Take me to the altar before I break And until the truth comes out I will hide inside of you Because you, yes you, will be for me A city of refuge, city of refuge, city of refuge Yes until the truth comes out I will hide inside of you Until the storm passes over and the ice breaks Until a flowing stream develops and breaks forth Until the judge comes and us pardons You, yes you, will be for me A city of refuge, city of refuge, city of refuge Until a dry streams develops and breaks forth Until the judge comes and us pardons You, yes you, will be for me A city of refuge, city of refuge, city of refuge back to menu |
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Song Title: The Golden Calf ("Egel HaZahav") Musician: Ehud Banai and the Refugees (Ehud Banai ve HaPlitim) Video: pulled from Channel 1; a performance for a program. Year Released: 1987 Credits: lyrics by Ehud Banai; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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We're here in the heart of the desert Thirsting for waters of life And you are on the mountain top Above the clouds There is no omen There is no sign So many days In a closed circle we turn Around a golden calf There is no one who will strike the rock Someone who will give direction In the darkness here we fight over every crumb Around the golden calf He does not descend from the mountain top He does not come down towards the people They turn out in a wild dance Dancing around the golden calf Around the golden calf They beg him, don't leave us now Be our father An abandoned herd, dancing around it Call to him in vain Golden calf Golden calf back to menu |
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Song Title: "Starter" ("Starter") Musician: Ehud Banai Year Released: 2004 Credits: lyrics by Yosi Elifant; music by Ehud Banai Website: www.ehudbanai.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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I sat at Starter's place with Micha "the quiet one" Like every Tuesday, after noontime "Starter" had a certain kind of look "There's something to discuss" said his eyes Between the children and us, Gila moves around Caresses "Starter" and smiles quietly She loves him like crazy She would give her eyes for him "Starter" opened up and said that "basically Our lives are neither here nor there True, we're not lacking for anything But to live in small style is not to the point The idea is to rob some safes A one-time hit now and forever And I have a man on the inside, the watchman, It's indeed smooth to get in with a key" And time moves on, because that's what time is supposed to do The time moves on, because time is time, and there are no stops "That the watchman is not one of our crew", I said "It will cause problems, it was make a mess". "You have to admit" Gila cut in "That 'Starter's' a genius and this is a good plan" A day before the mission, my wife's a little tense She's not calm, she says, and I get angry "Look at Gila" I tell her "Look at Gila - Boy, 'Starter' the genius knew who to get married to" And time moves on, because that's what time is supposed to do The time moves on, because time is time, and there are no stops The burglary was carried out precisely like a watch, without any hitches All the way home we didn't stop laughing I told my wife to start packing In two to three days we're flying to New York An hour before the flight, there's a knock at the door They arrest the three of us and there's an investigation "It's your watchman!" I shout at "Starter" "I told you he'd bring the police!" And time moves on, because that's what time is supposed to do The time moves on, because time is time, and there are no stops Ten years inside I didn't see "Starter" I didn't hear from Gila and also not from the quiet one [Micha] Who came to me a day after my release and told me What had really happened there: "The cop who arrested the three of us Got ahead in life, today he's a station chief And his beautiful wife, you won't believe, is called Gila We were the wedding present..." And the time stopped for nearly two minutes The time stopped and so did the heart I went outside, caught a taxi And flew off to visit "Starter" the hurt In the beginning he didn't dare look me in the eyes Afterwards he lifted his head and smiled "The money and Gila went", he said, "But where's the time that went, where's the time that is going..." And time moves on, because that's what time is supposed to do The time moves on, because time is time, and there are no stops back to menu |
Mashina
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Song Title: Certified Optician ("Optikai Meduplam") Musician: Mashina Year Released: 1985 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: Mashina's first song, released in July 1985 and independently recorded. It was originally supposed to be called "Hardship in Agriculture" with slightly different lyrics. Hear the song! |
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Even a certified optician Goes to the beach in summer But in the winter it's cold The sea is so ruthless Yes, yes the winter's frustrating No sun, just rain and shade Perhaps there was a mistake Hardship in agriculture. A mistake? He wants to conquer the world He wants to run away like everyone else To Rome or Morocco Perhaps to Tokyo, too I continue to live just like that And the world always seems so nice So why is this worthwhile Enough with this and stop back to menu |
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Song Title: Sweet Future [live] ("Atid Matok") Musician: Mashina Video: original music video pulled from educational TV Channel 23 Year Released: (1984) 1995 Credits: lyrics by Yuval Banai and Shlomi Brakha; music by Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Everyone, everyone is driving far Looking for a sweet future And only I, in the morning rise And on Line 5 drive towards the sea The bus is full of smoke Two old ladies and the conductor One wrote on a concrete wall Where is the nation and where is the vision Where is the nation and where is the concrete The birds sing me good morning Perhaps I can fly with them far, far away To fly and not to fall Everyone is driving, far away they're driving Searching and trying Okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating The birds sing me good morning Perhaps I can fly with them far, far away To fly and not to fall back to menu |
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Song Title: She Argued With Him for Hours ("Hee Hitvak'kha Ito Sha'ot") Musician: Mashina Year Released: 1985 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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She argued with him for hours Almost on the verge of tears It all happened so quickly, she felt the need to tell They sat the two of them in the salon He slowly pushed open the curtain Immediately turned off the light He was intoxicated, was intoxicated Yes, resistance he did not feel Intelligent and sensitive Both of them were born Cancers It's dangerous, it's dangerous Everything went so smoothly They were in the middle of the game Yes, him and her and her and him La-li la-lu, la-li la-lu... She said "find a way, I want you" She said "find a way, I want you" He was forced to make an effort Suddenly the phone rang Immediately he picked up and apologised Said that he has to go Very brief sexual encounter, very hasty So they postponed everything for tomorrow A reasonable hour, not too late The telephone remained indifferent It didn't feel anything, it was apathetic He didn't know how to behave Towards everyone he would poke fun But worked very hard He was doing business, a registered business In the phone he changed the number So they wouldn't disturb him tomorrow The business turned sensitive He already felt, it's a rotten deal She said "find a way out, I want you" She said "find a way out, I want you" He had to be careful She didn't get the right care She had a mediterranean temperament She just wanted to get even To twist the guy up a little After a short visit to the bank She changed the car for a tank Stole ammunition from a base It's just a trick, just a tactic Her manning [of the tank] punctured the sky A shell stole into the hall And crashed into the wall Quick death, a cautious future The police sent rescue forces To sort out the meaning of the explosion He disappeared in a tougue of fire Yes, that's the power of love There's no sun or rain, just shade back to menu |
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Song Title: Ballad For a Double Agent ("Balada Le Sokhen Kaful") Musician: Mashina Year Released: 1985 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: www.Mima.co.il writes that the basis for this song is a childhood memory of Mashina's bassist, Michael Benson, who when he was young, didn't know what his father did for a living and invented a story that he was a secret agent. He told the story to the band's guitarist, Shlomi Brakha, who wrote the song. Hear the song! |
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He arrived in the country [i.e. Eretz Israel] through crooked [i.e. underhanded] paths He was a secret agent, didn't want to be discovered He had a habit of residing in opulent hotels He always lived off other people's bills He fought the Muslims and hid in Istanbul He led the Russians astray, he was a double agent On a slave ship, to the land of Canaan did he row The Turks ruled the land, to Egypt did he return He rode to Palestine On a two-humped camel He reached Rosh Pina [town in the far north] Disguised as a Turkish sheikh Within three and a half days he met with the Sultan He took him away by trickery and murdered him in the garden He burned houses by night, the Turks suffered by day They called him "Zero Zero [i.e. "double-0"] Yosef Yosef the Terrible" He rode to Palestine On a two-humped camel He reached Rosh Pina Disguised as a Turkish sheikh He rode to Palestine On a three-dimensional donkey He reached Rosh Pina Disguised as a young-carrot And his wife told him, Yosef Change your style He told her, Be quiet And changed the wife back to menu |
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Song Title: Girls of the Sea [live] ("Bnot Ha'Yam") Musician: Mashina Year Released: (1992) 1995 Credits: lyrics and music by Yuval Banai Website: www.mashina.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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I think And don't remember where to The horsemen rode And girls of the seas are none Love Is like a pain on the side [i.e. marginal] I think And don't recall right away Don't recall immediately G-d His face from above is pale Accompany me Some day And G-d Rises the light Falls to the depths To the girls of the sea Falls to the depths Falls to the depths back to menu |
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Song Title: Danny [live] ("Danny") Musician: Mashina Video: From September 2003 concert in Caesaria (Yuval Banai - vocals, Shlomi Brakha - lead guitar, Avner Khodorov - keyboards/sax/accordion, Michael Benson - bass, Iggy Dayan - drums) Year Released: (1992) 2003 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: From www.mima.co.il: this song was written about a friend of Shlomi and Yuval who used to surf with them at the Hilton Hotel beach in Tel Aviv, and was caught and imprisoned in France for drug smuggling. He has since been released, gave one interview to a weekend edition of the paper and is now becoming more religious. Hear the song! |
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You said that life Goes forth and gets longer And when you searched for a short-cut Then you fell, that's the story The story, it's about a friend Who tried to get himself set up [i.e. established] He smuggled cocaine Satan - he's white like a [cloth] sheet Ohhh... Amsterdam, on the route to Brazil First class, flowing money De Janeiro, in the yard he buys, soon he will sell Be careful so as not to fall Because the eye of the Interpol Looks out, all the time alert And at home, it's your mother [waiting]... Ohhh... In prison they captured him, in Paris when they changed planes Cuffs, dogs, cops, [finger] nails getting nibbled Already two years until the bitter trial He sits and suddenly remembers How we used to surf on the waves And the sea was so blue The wild sunrise when the wind is southernly And the sun is a huge round ball And the waters are made of clear crystal So that you can see the stones And the sunset... And afterwards we go out to have a good time I'm sorry Life goes forth and gets longer When you searched for a short-cut you then fell, that's the story back to menu |
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Song Title: Because She Doesn't Want To ("Ki Lo Ba La") Musician: Mashina Video: Year Released: 1984 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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He was known His card got lost He sat for hours Scratched his nose Was pale, not happy Because she doesn't want to She would laugh She would cry She'd go down to the pool She won't open the door for him Because she doesn't want to She didn't know what to do She would dance at night She wasn't like that Because she doesn't want to After years of depression She again played the accordion He just wanted to sleep with her And she didn't want to And in the end on judgment day An excessive amount of 'Khamin' [aka "cholent" - Jewish east-European heavy potato-meat meal] She didn't stop gaining weight It happened to her He didn't forget her quickly Not happy and also pale Above her grave he shook dirt He called to her back to menu |
80's and 90's Hits
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Song Title: Goodbye Adolescence Hello Love [live] ("Lehitraot Neurim Shalom Ahava") Musician: Mashina Video: original music video of the studio recording from the 1994 album "Goodbye Adolescence, Hello Love" - a very good original version of the live piece here on mp3 Year Released: (1994) 1995 Credits: lyrics and music by Yuval Banai and Shlomi Brakha Website: www.mashina.com Comments: Originally released during the Oslo peace process, when the new and unexpected process brought an avowed enemy to be a sudden peace partner, and was still accompanied by terror attacks. The song captures modern mores of the '90's, with the aura of exuberance punctuated by mourning. This live version was recorded during the band's announced final concerts before breaking up - and just a few months short of Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. The opening is delivered in the style of a newscast, with similar figures of speech, by Yosi Banai - the lead singer's (Yuval) father. Hear the song! |
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[Opening]:
It was a very rainy day and the team lost "He was crazy", said an experienced politician "Tens of people were killed - tens of people", concluded the television announcer "Let's hope there will be quiet. And now the commercials." A woman, very pretty, I close with the switch With an arrow in the heart begins the black night I can't stop moving even when the music's over Something in my life is going to change Above the neon lights, above the concrete city, I see an angel And he says to me "Take the 1990s" It was a very rainy day and the team lost "He was crazy", said an experienced politician "Tens of people were killed", concluded the television announcer "Let's hope there will be quite. And now the commercials." A woman, very pretty, I close with the switch With an arrow in the heart begins the black night I can't stop moving even when the music's over Something in my life is going to change Above the neon lights, above the concrete city, I see an angel And he says to me "Take the 1990s" We returned from Haifa with our faces in our hands The enemy's no longer frightening, he's just dependent on mercy Tomorrow will be clear, hoped the forecasts "The closure will continue. This is the end of the news." A metal drink can rolls in the street This is a strange winter and the wind begins to blow I feel like I've been in an accident but continue behaving normally I feel like I've been in an accident but continue behaving normally Above the neon lights, above the concrete city, I see an angel And he says to me "Take" Lie down, relax, just close your eyes The craziness continues all the way "We live", he said "from Sabbath to Sabbath" Ideology and money don't go together And the facts of life are slim like a knife The call me "Mister Love", the false romantic Who sinks little by little in to a large testicle I beg on my knees that there won't be another time Goodbye adolescence, hello love Above the neon lights, above the concrete city, I see an angel And he says to me "Take the 1990s" Lie down, relax, just close your eyes It was a very rainy day and the team lost "He was crazy", said an experienced politician "Tens of people were killed", concluded the television announcer "Let's hope there will be quite. And now the commercials." A woman, very pretty, I close with the switch With an arrow in the heart begins the black night I can't stop moving even when the music's over Something in my life is going to change back to menu |
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Song Title: In the Spring ("Ba'Aviv") Musician: Micha Shitreet (pronounced "Shetreet") Year Released: 1998 Credits: lyrics and music by Micha Shitreet Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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We'll get through the winter and afterwards we'll see In the spring, in the spring In the meantime, sit under the clementine tree It's seasonable, seasonable Accept the judgement which falls from above Think that it's rain, think that's winter, and afterwards we'll see We'll get through the winter and afterwards we'll see In the spring, in the spring, in the spring In the spring I'll wear a shite shirt And cross the street like a king... In the sping, in a white shirt like a king, like a king... We'll get through the winter and afterwards we'll see In the spring, in the spring Accept the judgement which falls from above Think that it's rain, think that's winter, and afterwards we'll see We'll get through the winter and afterwards we'll see In the spring, in the spring, in the spring back to menu |
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Song Title: In the Society for the Protection of Nature ("Ba'Khevra Le'Haganat Ha'Teva") Musician: Ariel Zilber Video: original music video aired on a Channel 1 retrospective program Year Released: 1982 Credits: lyrics by Shmuel Chisik; music by Ariel Zilber Website: www.arielzilber.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Danny has sympathies for older women A sexual attraction, an internal attraction Sits in the bathtub, drawing on the walls An impulse unknown, really just a permanant habit Rina invited me to her her room I thought to myself - this must be serious Her father's well known and accepted in society Perhaps there's a chance here to get some kind of appointment But what a pity, what rotten luck Sitting here on the bench next to the Supersal [supermarket] I want to be a permanent member of the Society for the Protection of Nature To protect the animals That are slowly disappearing from the world I want to be a permanent member of the Society for the Protection of Nature To water the flowers To plant some trees, like everyone back to menu |
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Song Title: The Scrub's [Chafed-mans] Song ("Shiro Shel Shafshaf") Musician: Meir Banai Video: performance pulled from the "Zehu-Ze" ("This is It") program on Educational TV Channel 23 Year Released: 1984 Credits: lyrics by Yair Nitzani; music by Meir Banai Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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What am I, I'm just a man I live and work like everybody And see a future and always think That conviction gives belief I don't understand what's happening and think Who listens to what's inside the heart And sees a future and always thinks That conviction gives belief And if we just look, and not be shocked And we'll show the world that together everyone So together, yes go together Yes go together towards the light Together, this is the time together And with you together to love I have no fear and I have a feeling That my path will be difficult I see a future, I always think That conviction gives belief I see a future, I always think That conviction gives belief And if we just look, and not be shocked And we'll show the world that together everyone So together, yes go together Yes go together towards the light Together, this is the time together And with you together to love back to menu |
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Song Title: She Walks on the Streets ("He Holokhet Ba'Drakhim") Musician: Alon Olearchik Year Released: 1984 Credits: lyrics and music by Alon Olearchik Website: www.oleartchik.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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And on Sunday morning She wakes up to a dream And on Friday morning With a childish personal memory Her breath escapes away To touch the gloom And wraps itself in it She's a princess without a kingdom She walks on the streets She walks on the streets Above the sea in large planes Where to will her face turn Where to will her face turn Where to will you go Miriam Wanders around the world Where to will you go Miriam And the night's without a star And the magic is in his hands And the lights of the strange city Stroke her hair A day will come perhaps you'll know What is hidden in the palm of her hand What conceals her destiny In its gray sack She walks on the streets She walks on the streets Above the sea in large planes Where to will her face turn Where to will her face turn Where to will you go Miriam Wanders around the world Where to will you go Miriam back to menu |
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Song Title: Saturdays and Holidays ("Shabatot ve'Khagim") Musician: Yehudit Ravitz Video: live performance in Caesaria 1994, featuring Gidi Gov and Rami Kleinstein, pulled from Channel 2 Year Released: 1986 Credits: lyrics by Ya'akov Rotblit; music by Yehudit Ravitz Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Now you're at hom, now you're there The children jump on you, they're the lovliest things in the world You melt, spreading out you're hands, you're very happy And soon you'll read a story from the new book A model family man you are - a perfect father At the end you always return, you never leave Everytime you travel you don't forget presents for everyone And now you're at home, now you're there And I'm a hidden partner I'm in the shadows when the light rises I'm a mute child witness Who remains behind Alone on the roof, Saturdays and holidays Alone, alone Saturdays and holidays And you'd be surprised to know that I know you I know exactly where everything is laid And perhaps you already know, perhaps you heard my name Or you slept in silence, not fearing my existence But I'm always with you I see you but I'm not seen When you're there, what remains for you of me now Alone on the roof, Saturdays and holidays Alone, alone Saturdays and holidays You know how I felt When I saw you on the street not long ago I was fine, I didn't reveal any sign But at night how I cried How I wet the pillow Why do I always fall in love in what's not possible Alone on the roof, Saturdays and holidays Alone, alone Saturdays and holidays back to menu |
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Song Title: Joint Apartment Building ("Bayt Meshutaf") Musician: Benzine Year Released: 1984 Credits: lyrics by Ya'akov Gilad; music by Yehuda Poliker Website: Comments: Together with the band "T-Slam", Benzine is touted as one of Israel's first rock bands. It shares a similar early '80s pop-rock sound to Mashina. Benzine was fronted by Yehuda Poliker before he launched his successful solo career. Hear the song! |
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A joint apartment building, so many neighbors I'm always surrounded by buildings in every direction I never have a quiet moment I get no rest Always there's a door closing A baby that it crying Everything starts and ends at the same moment Because here there's no border - no dividing areas I turn on the radio Tune into a station Run away to the radio I want to be alone I turn to the radio It can be nice Now everyone's on the radio They tune into a station We live inside a box for so many years We hang the laundry, make problems and issues I go out, a neighbor enters Apartment next to apartment Living balcony across from balcony As if there's no choice back to menu |
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Song Title: Sparks ("Nitzutzot") Musician: Fortis / Sakharof Year Released: 1990 Credits: lyrics by Rami Fortis; music by Rami Fortis and Berry Sakharof ("FortiSakharof") Website: Comments: Berry Sakharof has been one of the country's leading guitarists for the last 25 years; he and Rami Fortis orginially belonged to the popular new-wave English-language Israeli lineup called "Minimal Compact" before they started to perform alone as a duo (and finally as soloists, only to come back together now in the last year). Although quite an old piece now, this song hasn't disappeared from the radio long enough to truly be "classic" (instead of contemporary) rock. Hear the song! |
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Yes we're both together, the enemy who is a friend I'm a costume and inside is someone else Shouting to the moon, crying and cursing Twisting around like a dog, beaten and wailing It's like a shock of electricity, and it flows and distorts The sense of time - to where? I go and get into trouble Sparks of understanding, passing again like a running movie Like a stormy wind, they're skinning off more pieces of the peel The fear drips like poison and gets absorbed like a kiss I'm the trap, imprisoned without hope Wanting to open a door, but closed inside and don't go out Trying to run away and always, always returning It's like dancing with a ghost who hugs and never lets go Yes, he's always hungry. I go and distance myself Sparks of understanding, passing again like a running movie Like a stormy wind, they're skinning off more pieces of the peel back to menu |
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Song Title: There's no End to Childhood ("Ein Ketz le Yaldut") Musician: Fortis / Sakharof Year Released: 1990 Credits: lyrics by Rami Fortis; music by Rami Fortis and Berry Sakharof ("FortiSakharof") Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Come and give me your hand firmly And we'll go out on a journey, mysterious and pleasant We'll hug the teddy bear, we'll draw clouds We'll take a gun and fight like grown-ups And at night, we'll go together to sleep You'll be the lady and me the gentleman At the day's noon everything is colored red And there's no end to childhood, which passed by so suddenly At the day's noon everything returns like a dream Moments and hours which got frozen in place At the day's noon Come lets play the same game The one which time covered in dust We'll hug the teddy bear and you'll blush Tell me more, and get so excited And at night we'll go together to sleep You'll be the little girl and me the little boy At the day's noon everything is colored red And there's no end to childhood, which passed by so suddenly At the day's noon everything returns like a dream Moments and hours which got frozen in place At the day's noon back to menu |
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Song Title: Heatwave in the Morning ("Boker Shel Khamsin") Musician: Menny Beger Video: performance pulled from the "Zehu-Ze" ("This is It") program on Educational TV Channel 23 Year Released: 1985 Credits: lyrics and music by Menny Beger Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Heatwave in the morning A girl in sandles Gave me her hand Took me to the sea We got into the car Drove in silence We saw a beach with Weeds and seashells Heatwave in the morning A girl in sandles Gave me her hand Took me to the sea Heatwave in the morning A girl in sandles With sparkling eyes She's all a dream Heatwave in the morning I sat on the sand A red flame Burst forth from the sea The heat is covered in blood Suddenly the summer ends I saw people And everyone was running to the sea Heatwave in the morning A girl in sandles Gave me her hand Took me to the sea Heatwave in the morning A girl in sandles With sparkling eyes She's all a dream back to menu |
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Song Title: Game of Tears ("Miskhak Shel Dma'ot") Musician: Revenge of the Tractor (also "The Tractor's Revenge"; "Nikmat Ha'Traktor" in Hebrew) Video: original music video pulled from Channel 24 music TV Year Released: 1990 Credits: lyrics and music by Avi Balali Website: www.tractor.co.il Comments: Hear the song! |
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In the hours of quiet Sweaty from your body I feel you disappearing Slipping away inside yourself Into clouds of silence You drip saltiness of departure And strangeness gets scattered It's all just a game of tears I fly to another place It's all just a game of tears I fly to another place And in the day's morning You stood before me silent And a game of tears began With the noise of the train It's all just a game of tears I fly to another place It's all just a game of tears I fly to another place back to menu |
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Song Title: The Anger ("Ha Kaas") Musician: Rockfour Video: performance pulled from the "Zehu-Ze" ("This is It") program on Educational TV Channel 23 Year Released: 1991 Credits: lyrics by Tal Gordon / music by Amir Tzoref Website: www.rockfour.com and Rockfour @ MySpace.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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My ears are blocked, your smile a dim memory I push away thoughts and throw, like into a gaping hole, Seals on contracts of agreements which have passed their time I see everything get interrupted and left on the side The anger is already locked in, but still shaking Between the exposed corners I need to be careful When you come there won't be anything left It's like a different place I run away and call to you, I cannot release myself If there are still more reasons they're no longer important now A diver disappears and buries his head in the sand A collection of questions still burns inside Afraid to rise up, and always falls afresh The anger is already locked in, but still shaking Between the exposed corners I need to be careful When you come there won't be anything left It's like a different place I run away and call to you, I cannot release myself back to menu |
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Song Title: Restless Night ("Laila Lo Shaket") Musician: Shlomo Artzi Year Released: 1986 Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomo Artzi Website: Comments: According to mima.co.il the song is about a good friend of Arzti's, Miron Granot, a helicopter pilot killed in the Yom Kippur war. Hear the song! |
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Again at night I dream about you In the military uniform which was yours A helicopter flies around the hot desert And you're scared And she already has a child here She phones that I should come And I try to get out of it and make an effort But she's not like everyone else I tell her it's coming back Yes, it doesn't go away She pours me a hot coffee And caresses my whole being Then she asks does it help Go smoke and come back She gets undressed even when it's not hot And tempts me But at night I dream of you With the same face which was yours And the same small stubbles which back then You didn't manage to shave away And I get down from the bed And unite, but not with her Yes I shirk away Yes I make an effort But, she watches I tell her it's coming back Yes, it doesn't go away She pours me a hot coffee And caresses my whole being Then she asks does it help Go smoke and come back She gets undressed even when it's not hot And tempts me Again at night I dream about you And wake up from dreaming about how they are They're shooting at you and striking you And you cry Perhaps you found rest Among soldiers you're permitted to Yes I console and sleep with her, yes As if in your stead I tell her it's coming back Yes, it doesn't go away She pours me a hot coffee And caresses my whole being Then she asks does it help Go smoke and come back She gets undressed even when it's not hot And tempts me I tell her it's coming back Yes, it doesn't go away She pours me a hot coffee And caresses my whole being Again she asks does it help Go smoke and come back Again she gets undressed even when it's not hot Again she tempts me A night, a restless night And you're dead... back to menu |
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Song Title: Beneath a Mediterranean Sky ("Takhat Shmey Yam HaTikhon") Musician: Shlomo Artzi Year Released: 1988 Video: Original music video with English subtitles; features Artzi's son, Ben, who has also launched a music career. Credits: lyrics and music by Shlomo Artzi Website: www.shlomoartzi.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Beneath a Mediterranean sky The moon takes a break and packs up A man with a paintbrush tells me his worries And paints you similarly - or not, or so Now we have the time to lie supinely Half the world takes drugs In my body passes a shiver, the song "Roxanne" A shiver I have too, from deprivation Beneath a Mediterranean sky You had time to put on makeup and enchant You go out with a trace of self confidence You return with your tail folded between your legs Half the world barely survives Half the world hates the other half In my body passes a shiver, me betting Who is the enemy and who is the friend Beneath a Mediterranean sky An evening of watermelons descends Sweet delusions Gold links on your neck, and it throws You from here to there, and me from there to here Like a ballet melody Until the sea will return from its fury No, we won't know It costs, it costs, it costs us How much it costs us Beneath a Mediterranean sky Your hand strokes me a rare caress Soon there will be elections You're a political animal who identifies with minorities Now we have a an eastern time Half the world already sings for Greece In my body passes a shiver, anyway it's From terror and love Beneath a Mediterranean sky An evening of watermelons descends Sweet delusions Gold links on your neck, and it throws You from here to there, and me from there to here Like a ballet melody Until the sea will return from its fury No, we won't know It costs, it costs, it costs us How much it costs us back to menu |
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Song Title: A Room of my Own ("Kheder miSheli") Musician: Arkady Duchin Year Released: 1995 Video: Credits: lyrics and music by Arkadi Duchin Website: www.arkadi-music.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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I have a room of my own And in the room there is light At the moment it's not me Or me in black It's continued almost a week Or at least a few days now If you ask me why It's deep inside Get over it, overcome it Says a voice to me To get hit and to fall Is something everyone can do All of us are permitted to be weak Don't plug your ears Don't close your eyes Don't raise your hands Even on difficult days Even on difficult days I have a room of my own In which I relax How long will all this take As long as it must In the meantime it's been a week Or at least a few days If you ask me why It's deep inside back to menu |
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Song Title: Thorns (part A) ("Kotzim Alef") Musician: Meir Ariel Video: Year Released: 1993 Credits: lyrics and music by Meir Ariel Website: www.meirariel.org.il and www.meirariel.net Comments: Meir Ariel chose to name this song and another from the same album as "Thorns A" and "Thorns B", to distinguish them as critical songs from among many of a more pleasant nature on the same album - the notion being that these were "thorns" surrounding the fruits. "Thorns A" mocks the culture of mass television, permanently on, mixing disasters with advertisements and leading in the end of apathy and mindlessness. Hear the song! |
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The naked king rides again under pressure from the masses The naked king rides again under pressure from the masses Thrusts out his right shoulder Sticks out his tongue My easy chair opens to the back, facing the [television] screen My easy chair opens to the back, facing the screen I had a gray day, if not a terrible one altogether I'm facing the screen They're showing a little girl stuck in the mud, and there's nothing to be done I've got a little girl stuck in the mud and there's nothing to do I, in my easy chair, will continue to lie around Because I have nothing to do Those guys who are shooting there in the street - is that real? Those guys who are shooting there in the street - is that real? Is that a piece of live news - or a quality movie? A plane taking off dives and crashes into the bottom of my belly A plane taking off dives and crashes into the bottom of my belly A news presenter busies himself a bit in papers - above the peak of my belly And all the disasters indeed in the end go to the dairy delicacy Yes all the disasters in the end go to the dairy delicacy Struck by hunger and quick noise they turn into natural juice now Above the belly's dome here I am with lurching jaw and tongue Above the peak of the belly here I am with lurching jaw and toungue Someone there tried hard and here I am knocking myself down to sleep With my awakenings they present the national anthem* - perhaps I would get up With my awakenings they present the national anthem - certainly no one gets up Our flag flutters in every salon - and nobody gets up [*Channel 1, back in '93 the only channel, used to play the national anthem at midnight at the close of programming] The naked king rides again under pressure from the masses The naked king rides again under pressure from the masses Thrusts out his right shoulder Sticks out his tongue back to menu |
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Song Title: A Thousand Firemen ("Elef Kabayim") Musician: Doda (Gidi Gov & Danny Sanderson) ["Doda" means 'Auntie'] Video: Danny Sanderson's live version, from Channel 24 Year Released: 1980 Credits: lyrics by Gidi Gov & Danny Sanderson / music by Danny Sanderson Website: Danny Sanderson @ MySpace and www.dannysanderson.net; www.GidiGov.co.il Comments: Gidi Gov (lead vocals) and Danny Sanderson, the original "bad boys" of Israeli "good-time rock 'n roll" in one of their early incarnations, with Yehuda Eder on guitars. Hear the song! |
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A thousand firemen won't succeed in putting me out A thousand firemen won't succeed in putting me out From below the ladder rises It gets closer and tries... It reaches... It doesn't reach, it doesn't reach A thousand doctors won't succeed in hospitalizing me A thousand doctors won't succeed in hospitalizing me Here, there the doctor shouts He gets closer to me with a needle Gets closer... He doesn't reach, he doesn't reach A thousand barbers won't succeed in cutting my hair A thousand barbers won't succeed in cutting my hair Scissors get closer to the head My ears, he wants to cut He reaches... He doesn't reach, he doesn't reach A thousand firemen won't succeed in putting me out A thousand firemen won't succeed in putting me out To put me out A thousand firemen won't succeed in putting me out To put me out Oh oh oh, oh oh eee... Won't succeed in putting me out Oh oh oh, oh oh eee... Won't succeed in putting me out Oh oh oh, oh oh eee... Won't succeed in putting me out A thousand firemen - Won't succeed in putting [me] out Two thousand painters - Won't succeed in putting [me] out Four hundred thousand cavalrymen - Won't succeed in putting [me] out A million nine-hundred and ninety - Won't succeed in putting [me] out A thousand firemen won't succeed in putting me out back to menu |
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Song Title: Violets ("Sigaliyot") Musician: David Broza Video: live performace pulled from Channel 3 (probably early 1990's) Year Released: 1983 Credits: original lyrics and music: A. Sobredo / Hebrew adaptation: Yonatan Geffen / Musical adaptation: Louis Lahav and David Broza Website: www.davidbroza.net and David Broza @ MySpace Comments: A Hebrew version of the original "Cecilia" by Sobredo, one of Broza's favorite musicians, who died prematurely in a car accident. This song featured on Broza's 1983 album "The Woman With Me" ("HaIsha She Iti"), which has been for years Israel's best selling album ever. Bearing certain hallmarks of Julio Iglesias of that time, the whole album was dedicated to contemporary Spanish/Latin music of that time; 9 of 10 songs were Hebraicized covers of original Spanish songs. If memory serves me correctly, prior to being released, the record company "Hed Artzi" turned down the chance to produce this album feeling it would not be financially viable and missed out on the country's best selling album ever. Hear the song! |
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She got married and she's in bliss Even though her husband was a sort of ghost and mule All the time ill-tempered permanently And he doesn't even say why It's three years that she receives From a stranger, under the door Letters of song to her They brighten her world Tell me who is it that writes to you little girl, tell me who sends A wreath of purple flowers when spring blooms Who on the ninth of every November Without greeting, without name or riddle Send you violets in a wreath tied with a ribbon Whole nights that she doesn't sleep About him, while awake, she dreams He must be a guy with a romantic heart A good soul and a pleasant smile Three years he suffers in silence Yes, sometimes she almost shouts And what if her husband knows She hides her letters Tell me who is it that writes to you little girl, tell me who sends A wreath of purple flowers when spring blooms Who on the ninth of every November Without greeting, without name or riddle Send you violets in a wreath tied with a ribbon When her husband returns home Tired from work, casts downward a questioning glance He doesn't say yes he knows If she knows she'd definitely go crazy Yes, it's he who writes to her He the beloved, he her dream And what if her husband knows She hides her letters Tell me who is it that writes to you little girl, tell me who sends A wreath of purple flowers when spring blooms Who on the ninth of every November Without greeting, without name or riddle Send you violets in a wreath tied with a ribbon back to menu |
Contemporary Female
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Song Title: Kiss Me ("Nashki Oti") Musician: Sivan Shavit Year Released: 1996 Credits: lyrics by Sivan Shavit; music by Sivan Shavit and Amir Tzoref Website: www.sivanshavit.com and Sivan Shavit @ myspace.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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We're both traveling in the car I don't know where we'll get to When the wheel is in your hands You always have to surprise I can't stop looking at your face in the mirror And you feel every move Send a caress to my lips We're both traveling in the car You tell me the way will be long And that I can fall asleep Afterwards tell me everything that happened I don't sleep I count stars through the holes in the blanket And you, with a cigarette in your mouth, Sing to me a love song with the radio [said to a female]: "Kiss me strongly Kiss me until it hurts And the sun won't set You're the one and only My wonderful love And I love you" We're both traveling in the car If only we could drive forever You think that I've already fallen sleep and am not listening How you, with a cigarette in your mouth, Sing to me a love song with the radio back to menu |
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Song Title: (Through) Foreign Eyes ("Einayim Zarot") Musician: Rona Kenan (or Keinan) Video: live performance of the "Israeli Song Festival" on Channel 2 in 2006 - an excellent performance Year Released: 2007 Credits: lyrics and music by Rona Kenan Website: www.ronakenan.com and Rona Kenan @ myspace.com Comments: Rona is the daughter of a well known Israeli writer and journalist, Amos Keinan (whose credits include the lyrics for "Why Didn't You Tell Me" on this page). She wrote her first song at the age of 11, spent seven years preparing her first album and just three days writing and three days recording her second, from where this song is taken. Her songs also include pieces written and sung in English. Produced by Yizhar Ashdot, whose music I also hope to have here soon. Hear the song! |
![Rona Kenan album: [Through] Foreign Eyes (Einayim Zarot), 2007](rona-kenan-foreign-eyes-album.jpg "Rona Kenan album: [Through] Foreign Eyes (Einayim Zarot), 2007") |
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Darkness I didn't see anything Foreign eyes processed information I tried to turn my skin over But the skin inside is too similar to mine I tried to push back the years Which stand between us Without understanding That there is no weapon in the world Which by virtue of my love will defeat time I will not stop wanting I will not stop wanting I will not give in to this idea That it's not possible, and it's impossible because it's not possible It's a matter of survival Even if you [said to a female] tell me enough already, it's over I have no choice but to want the possible Days Days into nights A hug which never ends And suddenly in a moment it's over And when this emptiness reveals its face It seems that all I wanted Will never come (but) I will not stop wanting I will not stop wanting I will not give in to this idea That it's not possible, and it's impossible because it's not possible It's a matter of survival Even if you [said to a female] tell me enough already, it's over I have no choice but to want the possible Silence Silence in the living room Silence in the kitchen Silence also on the phone All I wanted was to sleep But the frightening noise penetrated into my dream And finally, the end of the story I sign without desire on the release form I will not stop wanting I will not stop wanting I will not give in to this idea That it's not possible, and it's impossible because it's not possible It's a matter of survival Even if you [said to a female] tell me enough already, it's over I have no choice but to want the possible back to menu |
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Song Title: Angels (Incitement) ("Malakhim") Musician: Metropolin (featuring Efrat Gosh) Video: not the actual video but an interesting interweave of a nature documentary with the song. Year Released: 2005 Credits: lyrics by Ofer Meiri; music by Ofer Meiri and Barak Gabizon Website: www.metropolin.net and Metropolin @ myspace.com Comments: Metropolin is a music project founded by Ofer Meiri, whose tracks feature different vocalists, and has released two albums to date. Efrat Gosh (pronounced "Gosch") is a successful singer in her own right now with two albums released. Hear the song! |
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[female:] There are no angels at all in the sky I'm here with just in the meantime To hold the head above the water To see everything and close the eyes [male:] How much concern and how much danger you bring And how much love How pretty you are and how much passion you reveal And what an incitement it is [female:] There are no angels at all in the sky I'm here with just in the meantime To hold the head above the water To see everything and close the eyes There are no such people with wings [male:] How much concern and how much danger you bring And how much love How pretty you are and how much passion you reveal And what an incitement it is And what a disappointment it is And what a disappointment it is There are no angels at all in the sky back to menu |
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Song Title: Sleeping Without Dreaming ("Lishon Bli Lakhlom") Musician: Metropolin (featuring Dana Berger) Video: Original music video. Year Released: 2005 Credits: lyrics by Ofer Meiri; music by Ofer Meiri and Barak Gabizon Website: www.metropolin.net and Metropolin @ myspace.com Comments: Metropolin is a music project founded by Ofer Meiri, whose tracks feature different vocalists, and has released two albums to date. Dana Berger is a successful singer in her own right, formerly with a band called "Balagan", then solo and on collaboration with Metropolin. This piece may have to do with the experience of foreign workers in Israel, among whom there are many Philippinos. Hear the song! |
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To sleep without dreaming, to sleep without knowing To lie without thinking, to love without touching Going to have a conversation without hearing To whisper from afar, to whisper and run away Airplanes fly low above Taxis return at night From north to south And I'm always below Below To sleep without dreaming, to sleep without knowing To lie without thinking, to love without touching Airplanes fly low above Taxis return at night From north to south And I'm always below Below [A Philippina speaks of working in the central bus station] [Another Philippina compares the winter and summer in Israel to that in the Philippines] To sleep without dreaming, to sleep without knowing To sleep without dreaming To sleep without dreaming To sleep without dreaming To sleep without dreaming back to menu |
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Song Title: Take Me There ("Kakh Oti LeSham") Musician: Sharon Khaziz Video: Original music video. Year Released: 1994 Credits: lyrics by Meir Goldberg and Shai Lahav; music by Shai Lahav Website: www.sharonhaziz.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Sometimes I think you're crazy Looking at the moon Like an enchanted cat Drumming on a garbage can Breathing the sea Do you know what Take me there You came from a dream Time stopped, the clock hands moved I don't have much now The greatest love Is all I'll be able to give When I wake up The dream doesn't go to sleep It has a smell, it has a taste of the sea Perhaps one day you'll tell me what you dreamt about And perhaps You'll take me there You came from a dream Time stopped, the clock hands moved I don't have much now The greatest love Is all I'll be able to give back to menu |
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Song Title: She Doesn't Say Anything ("Hee Lo Omeret Klum") Musician: Metropolin (featuring Sharona Nastovich) Video: Original music video pulled off Israeli music station Channel 24. Year Released: 1997 Credits: lyrics by Ofer Meiri and Erez Berzolik; music by Ofer Meiri Website: www.metropolin.net and Metropolin @ myspace.com. Sites for Sharona Nastovich: www.sharona-nastovich.co.il and Sharona Nastovich @ myspace.com. Comments: Hear the song! |
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She doesn't say anything Doesn't tell anything Just sometimes at night, she cries a little But she doesn't say anything We spoke all day long We told her everything And she's closed up in a room, silent And doesn't say anything And all day long, all day long People congregate, ask, speak a lot And all day long, all day long They try stories and players, they try everything But she doesn't hear anything Perhaps she doesn't know anything And even when they get close and... whisper to her It doesn't do anything to her [said to a male]: We wanted you to remember That there is a reason to return And she's alone in a room, lying down And doesn't say anything And all day long, all day long People congregate, ask, speak a lot And all day long, all day long They try stories and players, they try everything back to menu |
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Song Title: They'll Always Wait for You ("Tamid Yekhaku Lekha") Musician: Leah Shabat Year Released: 1997 Credits: lyrics and music by Leah Shabat Website: www.leahshabat.com Comments: Hear the song! |
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Oh, my boy the time has passed You left to search far from here And I've waited for you Oh, my boy in this world A bird-man like everyone Searching for the horizon Every plane that flies in the skies Every star that lights the eyes Reminds me of you A wagtail [a bird] before the rain Cricket chirps at evening-time Will always wait for you Oh, my boy when it's quiet I sit on the porch to play [an instrument] Songs of longing Oh, my boy make an effort To get here fast That's what I ask quietly Every plane that flies in the skies Every star that lights the eyes Reminds me of you A wagtail [a bird] before the rain Cricket chirps at evening-time Will always wait for you back to menu |
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Song Title: If They Will be Locked [remix] ("Im Ninalu") Musician: Ofra Haza Video: Original music video of the remix and the original 1978 recording Year Released: (1978) 1988 Credits: words by Rabbi Shalom Shabazi (circa. 17th Century) Website: www.ofra.haza.co.il and Ofra Haza @ Myspace Comments: The words of the song come from a poem written by the Yemenite Rabbi, Shalom Shabazi, in the 1600's; the poem is much longer than the opening lines translated below, but the remix of the song is mostly in English and Yemenite, hence a mercifully short translation/butchering of the original. Hear the song! |
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[Even] if the doors of the charitable will be locked The doors of heaven will never be closed A living G-d rises above cherubs Everyone in His spirit will rise A living G-d back to menu |
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Song Title: To See the Light ("Lirot Et Ha Or") Musician: Efrat Gosh Video: Original music video. Year Released: 2007 Credits: lyrics by Barak Feldman; music by Assaf Amdursky Website: Efrat Gosh on MySpace and Wikipedia Comments: Hear the song! |
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Because I saw my path disappear In a tangled forest Between thickets of walls And in the bleeding ground My legs got embedded And struck root And for a moment I could hear Leaves teaching their poetry And I wanted to rise up high To blossom with them I became familiar with the drops of the rain Pools inside me Falling beneath me and the wind is cold and desperate it froze me it burdened me And for a moment I could touch The edge of the gray pain And I wanted to rise up high To see the light To see the light They say There are blue skies Above us Full of light. Perhaps one day I too will be able to see to see And I fell to the ground quietly I closed my eyes I sealed my heart And felt how I'm breaking apart From all my pains From all my loneliness And for a moment I could run away Like a feather on the wing of a bird And I managed to rise up high To see the light To see the light And for a moment I could run away Like a feather on the wing of a bird And I managed to rise up high To see the light To see the light To see the light To see the light back to menu |
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Song Title: Boxing Match ("Krav Egroof") Musician: Efrat Gosh Video: Original music video. Year Released: 2007 Credits: lyrics and music by Efrat Gosh Website: Efrat Gosh on MySpace and Wikipedia Comments: Hear the song! |
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(sung to a female) First of all, defend the body So that no one from outside can enter you The hands hold close to the face This is the first place, they see what happens to you Cover well every wound which is exposed There he will try to strike Balance So you don't fall into madness Your body can handle it, a boxing match With all your strength... Laugh, roar, hit Wound, tear out, punch So that you don't be silent ever again Fight, strike, shout Drive them crazy, demand, conquer So that you don't be ashamed ever again Stand straight, eyes open You can hold on for at least three more rounds Don't surrender, dammit Now, without waiting, boxing match With all your strength... Laugh, roar, hit Wound, tear out, punch So that you don't be silent ever again Fight, strike, shout Drive them crazy, demand, conquer So that you don't be ashamed ever again With all your strength... Laugh, roar, hit Wound, tear out, punch So that you don't be silent ever again Fight, strike, shout Drive them crazy, demand, conquer So that you don't be ashamed ever again First of all, defend the body back to menu |
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Song Title: Just Like it Was ("Kmo Sheh Ze Haya") Musician: Efrat Gosh Video: Original music video. Year Released: 2007 Credits: lyrics by Barak Feldman; music by Yoni Bloch Website: Efrat Gosh on MySpace and Wikipedia Comments: Oh, nothing... Hear the song! |
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Just like it was, that's how it will be Without us interfering, without us changing things You weren't here I didn't speak over there Just like it was That way it's perfect Sit and smile Get enthusiastic say how good things are now how good things are forever. Let's sleep together now Let's wake up tomorrow Just like it was Bingo the same thing Nothing affects me Nothing happens to me Nothing passes me Ahhh... Sun overhead Peace and quiet Love and warmth Heat and love You don't have to think Beyond... Sun overhead Peace and quiet Love and warmth Heat and love Without saying hello Without giving a hug Just like it was Exactly like that Just like it was, that's how it will remain I don't want less And I don't want more Without saying hello Without giving a hug Just like it was Exactly like that So we don't need to sit And we don't need conversation And without being sad Without saying sorry Not into my eyes Not with all the heart Without "tomorrow perhaps" Without "I love..." Nothing affects me Nothing happens to me Nothing passes me Ahhh... Sun overhead Peace and quiet Love and warmth Heat and love You don't have to think Beyond... Sun overhead Peace and quiet Love and warmth Heat and love Without saying hello Without giving a hug Just like it was Exactly like that Sun overhead Peace and quiet Love and warmth Heat and love You don't have to think Beyond... Sun overhead Peace and quiet Love and warmth Heat and love Without saying hello Without giving a hug Just like it was Exactly like that back to menu |
Covers of Foreign Songs
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Song Title: I Feel Like a King (Mellow Yellow) ("Ani Margish Kmo Melekh") Musician: Arik Einstein Year Released: 1968 Credits: lyrics by Donovan; Adapted to Hebrew by Arik Einstein Website: arik220.tripod.com Comments: Israeli lyrics and arrangement for a song originally performed by Donovan. Hear the song! |
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It's good to lie on the grass It's good to run on the sand It's good to listen to some Mozart And to forget everything I feel like a king I feel like a king I feel like a king You want to win I'm willing to lose Come, come, come already the night You're mine for ever I feel like a king I feel like a king I feel like a king Yes, yes, a king Yes, yes, a king Yes, yes, a king It's good to see the gang Who came from afar It's good to see the sadness change to laughter I feel like a king I feel like a king I feel like a king It's good to lie on the grass It's good to run on the sand It's good to listen to some Mozart And to forget everything I feel like a king Yes, yes, a king I feel like a king Yes, yes, a king Yes, yes, a king Yes, yes, a king back to menu |
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Song Title: Shooting Star ("Kokhav Shavit") Musician: Yehuda Eder Year Released: 2007 Credits: lyrics and music by Bob Dylan; adapted to Hebrew by Yehuda Eder Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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Shooting Star 4... one, two, three, four... I see a shooting star on a cold night And you're with me You draw away into your own world Far from my world And if things were good for you And if things will be bad for you Now that you've already chosen a target for yourself I see a shooting star on a cold night I see a shooting star on a cold night I'm by myself When you see me, my life Accomplishing my dreams Did I miss an opportunity, make a mistake Through you I know who I am I see a shooting star on a cold night Listen to the engine, they rang the bell The train is rolling though fires of hell Rolling, prayers and moans Last thoughts, a quick self examination A reverberation rises above the city And the radio broadcasts announcements I see a shooting star on a cold night And draw away Tomorrow will be too late, so I keep quiet I wanted just to tell you tonight What you really needed to hear I see a shooting star on a cold night And draw away Listen to the engine, they rang the bell The train is rolling though fires of hell Rolling, prayers and moans Last thoughts, a quick self examination A reverberation rises above the city And the radio broadcasts announcements Tomorrow will be too late, so I keep quiet I wanted just to tell you tonight What you really needed to hear I see a shooting star on a cold night And draw away a shooting star on a cold night I see a shooting star on a cold night back to menu |
Israeli Soul Music
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Song Title: Delusions ("Ashlayot") Musician: Nisim Sarusi Year Released: 1973 Credits: lyrics by David Halfon; music by Nisim Sarousi Website: Comments: Unfortunately not the original recording (I winded up with some awful '90s remix). I'll post the original once I get my hands on it. Hear the song! |
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To live in a luxury apartment To think that you're a millionaire To wake up in the afternoon Next to a girl or two A car in red To sing songs of love and peace To wander in the outskirts of town To declare I'm the mayor ["king of the city"] Never to work Never to serve anyone Only the head is in the skies Rising up there in deceptions Delusions To set sail out to the yonders To float into every port To travel in Paris or Rome To live like a Casanova Delusions, many delusions But most never come to pass There, perhaps in dreams The sweetest delusions are fulfilled Never to work Never to serve anyone Only the head is in the skies Rising up there in deceptions Delusions back to menu |
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Song Title: That's How We Parted ("Nifradnu Kakh") Musician: Avner Gadassi Year Released: 1972 Credits: lyrics by Smadar Shir; music by Avner Gadassi Website: Comments: Hear the song! |
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That's how we broke up There was a silence There was nothing left to say The street was full of emotion The street was full of people As if nothing had happened All this was yesterday And it seems like a year has already passed From moments of a large dream Remains only a tune You said goodbye Perhaps you thought That everything can be changed It was sad That it's not so I simply said goodbye ["see you later"] All this was yesterday And it seems like a year has already passed From moments of a large dream Remains only a tune I remember There was a silence And we looked one at the other It was sad The heart was full of vitality And we parted with hope All this was yesterday And it seems like a year has already passed From moments of a large dream Remains only a tune back to menu |