It's Sad and It's Sweet
Music. How do you write about it? Maybe that's why I don't. Not much. But recently there's been some talk here about music. So here's a bit of an elaboration.
John Prine has a song about a heroin addict that has a happy tune accompanying words about the hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes. This daddy is a Vietnam vet. The Prine song is a prime example of a song and a tune that don't seem to match. He does it on purpose. And others were inspired by that idea and its impact. I know musician Treppenwitz is a fan.
There are Jewish songs where there seems to be no concern about the tune fighting against the mood of the words. Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, it seems to me, was a master of matching tune and words. His Kah Ribon is a regal waltz (that he imagined couple dancing to when mashiach arrived) and Pe'er VeKavod is splendorous.
Adon Olam sounds more right to me when it's not sung to Yellow Submarine. I find the old standard tune to be a perfect fit. And there are many more examples.
What examples can you add? What are your thoughts here. Uri and I want to know.
posted by rabbi neil fleischmann @ 2:41 PM
8 Comments:
I don't know if you're looking for Jewish examples or not... but Lifehouse matches tunes to words really well. Most "Jewish" stuff doesn't... such as "Chazak" (A.Fried) or "Yehai" (Chevra). Some of the older tunes that were stolen for Shabbos zmiros are okay though.
I learned a really great tune for Modeh Ani at my school/work ("school=work"?) which fits the idea perfectly.
Thanks Ezzie. Agreed.
Steg - Is that the tune of You Are My Sunshine? Somewhere there are Ethiopians walking around who think that's an old traditional Modeh Ani.
Did you know that You Are My Sunshine is actually a very depressing song?
You Are My Sunshine Lyrics:
The other night dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed i held you in my arms
When i awoke, dear, i was mistaken
So i hung my head and i cried.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much i miss you
Please don't take my sunshine away
I'll always love you and make you happy,
If you will only say the same.
But if you leave me to love another,
You'll regret it all some day:
Chorus
You told me once, dear, you really loved me
And no one else could come between.
But not you've left me and love another;
You have shattered all my dreams:
Chorus
Adon Olam- I have heard that done to so many different melodies. It was a bit of a gimmick at camp to try and figure out who could come up with the most.
Your example of You are My Sunshine being a sad song reminded me of how many times we see something like this.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the music that we miss the lyrics.
Thanks, Neil.
My favorite mismatched Jewish text and tune is "Elokai," the second track on the early album "Victory Entebbe" by The Miami Boys Choir. The words are the incredibly depressing ones from Yom Kippur, about how worthless I am. And the tune? A nice upbeat chant! Excuse me?
Naaa, not "you are my sunshine"... i've never heard the tune anywheres else as far as i can tell.
Part of the gestalt approach is that we are all like toons in that we need to complete the "shave and a haircut..." tune. Just like Mirty who needed to complete the Piano Man.
>The "You are My Sunshine" was on a Country Yossi and the Shteeblehoppers album in the early 1980's.
Yup. The song is "Modeh Ani," on the album Strike Again.
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