Woody's Children Goes Hassidic

Bob Sherman on WFUV, for the next half hour, is playing Hebrew and Yiddish songs related to Jerusalem. Right now they're playing VeYerushalayim Irchah, by Jan Pierce, Chazanus style, with an orchestra. It feels like I went in a time warp back to my youth and WEVD is playing on the living room stereo.

Next up is Shlomo Carlebach, also with violins and his youthful voice singing LeShanah HaBa'ah BeYerushalayim from way back. The time work continues. The DJ is now talking about the refuseniks. Theodore Bikel put out an album called Silent No More (1972). They're playing a clip from it now, him singing his version of LeShanah Ha'Ba'ah BeYerushalayim, and then switching toLeShanah HaZot Be'Eraetz Yisrael.

Should I call WFUV and tell them that there's been Jewish music made in the last forty years? I don't think so - I'm enjoying the trip too much.

Now, the DJ is introducing Naomi Shemer's Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, which he explains was written before, not after - as many assume - The Six Day War. It's a pretty song, and she sings it well. Next up, Yaffa Yarkoni sings the same song in Spanish. And then the same song by David Eshet in English with a Hebrew accent - "Oh seedy weedt a hardt o' golt." At the end he switches to Hebrew, which is flawless.