Hebrew School

No idea who this is (help!) but, I love this video, fish, bangs and all. It’s by Lahakat Nachal (trans. “The River Band”) and the song is “Shalva” (”Serenity”). (Thanks, Avishai and Ofri!).  I found this all very happy and innocuous until I learned that nachal, here, is a Hebrew acronym for Noar Chalutzi Lochem, which means “Fighting Pioneer Youth.”  It’s a military band.

Same, I think…

Yardena Arazi- “Od Nagia” (1985)

Esther Ofarim in rehearsal (1966)

Woody Allen- from Deconstructing Harry (1997)

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Trayf:

Mellotron!

Song written by a Jew about Jesus, covered by a gentile. An ’80s gentile.

Pais Tropical - Songs From Brazil (1977)

As you may know, I’m in a band of mostly Americans who pretend to be French. So perhaps I shouldn’t be so surprised to think that 30 years ago, there were Israelis in fake Brazilian bands.

This album of Brazilian hits of the day, sung in Hebrew, apparently caused quite a frenzy in Israel when it was released.  Nationally renowned composer Ehud Manor translated and re-wrote the lyrics (he also wrote the Eurovision winner “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” which I wrote about here); Matti Caspi did the arrangements. Included are songs like “A Felicidade” from Black Orpheus by Antonio Carlos Jobim and the title track by Jorge Ben (originally recorded by Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘77). Here’s the latter:

Here’s “Casa de Bamba,” also from the record:

And in case that did not quench your thirst for Hebrew Bossa (and what would, really?), here’s more of this stuff than you’ll know what to do with.

Shanah tovah everyone!

(real audio links)

Can’t Stand You

Seagulls

Kathmandu

A Different Song

Do You Believe In Fairytales? (youtube)