Re: mitzvot music

[David Baron <d_baron...>]

Many of us American (-oriented) "klezmers" do parodies. Not necessarily for
humor, simply putting Jewish words to well loved standards. "This Land is
Your Land", Woody Guthrie's national anthem, is a perfect example. I know of
four Zionist versions including my own. Adom Olam to the English folksong
Scarboro Fair is another example. I have a "Hay Jew" to "Hay Jude"--I
thought it was the actual title of the song, btw. I was famous on the street
here in Jerusalem for an "If you want Moshiach now you gotta be a Torah Jew"
knockoff of "Alice's Restaurant" (Also by a Jewish Author--Woody's 2nd wife
was Jewish. Woody was well aware that Arlo is Jewish and wrote a Chanukah
song to an Irish melody which is a show stopper wherever I do it around that
time of year.).

While many would prefer more traditional klezmer at a wedding, the
distinctions have become quite blurred. Modern Chassidic music has become
more and more rock-n-rollish. I still prefer the quieter, more traditional
sound of Reb Shlomo (ztz"l) even though he drew as much from the American
folk revival of the 60s as from the Modsitz tradition. Others may vehemently
disagree. L'taam v'reach ....

Doing church stuff--NO and NO. BTW, I believe Ave M.. melody is by a Jewish
composer as are many of these compositions and carols. Irving Berlin gave
the American people "White Xmas"--We Jews like to earn a buck or two here
and there while making others happy! :-)

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