popularity of Szol a Kakas Mar

[samweiss <samweiss...>]

From: Helene Century <helene (at) total(dot)net>
> I wonder why this song has become so popular, 
> what in it strikes so much to make it one of the rare
> songs that is widely known among 
> Hungarian Jews, Chassidic or not, pious or or not
> ... Any ideas ?

There are several ways to look at it. As far as the general Jewish population 
is concerned, I think you answered your own question: "Szol a kakas" is one of 
the rare Hungarian Jewish songs, period. Therefore it is widely known. I know 
it sounds like circular reasoning, but it's analogous to the situation in 
America before Fiddler and before neo-Klezmer: Hava Nagila was THE Jewish song 
for a broad segment of Jews because of the impoverished state of American 
popular Jewish culture, and one could not help but be familiar with it. Just as 
every club date musician in the 50's and 60's knew enough to pull out Hava 
Nagila when something Jewish was called for, so did any self-respecting 
Hungarian musician, particularly a Gypsy musician, since the melody was a 
shared patrimony and a good vehicle for heartfelt improvisation.   

As far as the pious/Chassidic population goes, it is a badge of pride for them, 
since the song and its progenitor (The Kalever Rebbe) put Hungary on the 
Chassidic map. While Chassidim in the Slavic countries had many Jewish songs in 
the non-Jewish vernacular to call their own, Hungarian Chassidim did not.  

_____________________________________________________
Cantor Sam Weiss===Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ

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