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a friend of mine tells me that L.C. has a rendition of some of the prayers of the high holidays- particularly unitana tokef..a very emotional prayer.maybe even kol nidray..i wonder if this is factual or not.if yes,is it available for public consumption???i would "die" to get my hands on this.

salut
elazar

Oh, wow Elazar, me too!
I hadn't noticed this query from you before. Would Jarkko know?

Elazar, maybe you could help me translate a song I learned, and always loved, from music class in high school (my phonetic transliteration may be pretty bad, so please forgive that). 'Shalom' I understand; the rest?

"Shalom kavarim, shalom kavarim
Shalom, shalom
Lu heet rha'oot, lu heet rha'oot
Shalom, shalom"
(repeated)

~Makera

makera,
i would think Jarkko would know.

cute song.

shalom kavarim (haveirim) = peace,friends

lu heet rha-oot (lehitraot) =to see you
used the same as adiou,ciao,goodbye

salut,
elazar

Listening to my cd of "Kol Nidre Night" with Moishe Oysher [narration by Barry Gray], sent to me by a dear friend, I would love to hear a Leonard rendition of some of the prayers of the high holidays.

~ Elizabeth

Elazar~
Thank you! I really appreciate that. I've always wanted to know what it meant exactly but never got an opportunity to find out.
It does sound cute, by the seemingly simple words, but the beautiful melody has a haunting, traditional tone that gives it great emotional gravity. I love singing it, it's real 'soul-food' to me. I love "Hope" also.

Shalom haveir,
Makera

Thank you for reminding me of that song, Makera, and for the translation, Elazar. I first heard it at a folk concert many years ago. After singing it through a few times themselves, the band encouraged the audience to join in. Eventually, they split the hall into four groups, and we sang the song as a round, each group coming in one line behind the last. The effect was amazing, with the word shalom appearing to be borne on a continuous wave of sound round and round the hall. Several thousand people left the gig humming that song that night, and I still love to sing it to myself and remember the feelings of peace and love that were generated.

That sounds wonderful, Linmag!
Great to find someone else who knows it . It was apparently meant to be sung as a round - gave me goosebumps just imagining the affect! Doesn't it have an amazing soul-stirring melody?

That reminds me of a live concert of Don McLean (in Oz in the '70s) where he got the audience to sing his Rivers of Babylon as a round; that was surprisingly affective also.

~Makera

Yes, Makera, it's very satisfying to sing - and incredibly difficult to stop once you start. I've been singing it on and off for the last few days When it's sung as a round, it's the second line that dominates - like a mexican wave of shalom

I don't think I know Don McLean's Rivers of Babylon. That's not the one that Boney M had a hit with, is it?

Hi Linmag~
It is 'addictive' isn't it!
The Don McLean "Rivers of Babylon" is completely different from Boney M's (which I also like). I think it was on his original 'American Pie' album, (or 'Chain Lightning'?).

"By the rivers
the rivers
of Babylon,
We sat down
and wept
and wept
for thee Zion,
We remember
we remember
We remember thee Zion"

~Makera

Hi Makera, Elazar and Linmag,

We learned Shalom Haveirim at school too, and every now and then it comes to my mind. Then I sing it and - just like you, Linmag, - simply can't stop!
Isn't it amazing - it seems you have to sing this haunting, beautiful and peaceful song only once, and you will never forget it!

Love, Susanne

Thanks, Makera. I think we have the American Pie album somewhere. I'll dig it out and have a listen. I haven't played it for years.

Linmag~
So, did you find it?.... was as it on that album?

~Makera

Yes Makera, it's the last track on that album, and it's almost as addictive as Shalom. I have a feeling that I have heard it somewhere before though, in the original Hebrew (?). It may have been recorded by the group that did Shalom live.