Re: Four Quesions on Am Yisroel Chai

[Eliezer Kaplan <zelwel...>]

'Am Yisroel Chai' is Raymond Scott's 'Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry
Cannibals'- but I have NO idea which came first.
                                        ek


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gavriel Bellino" <gavbellino (at) yahoo(dot)com>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 9:12 AM
Subject: Four Quesions on Am Yisroel Chai


> Does anyone know of the history of the song "Am Yisroel Chai" ?
>
> 1. What is the source of the words? (I researched the phrase in the
> Biblical and Rabbinic literature and drew a blank. Is it a loose
> rephrasing of a biblical theme? If so which one? I have a few ideas, but
> nothing too elucidating. ) Is it a poetic creation for the sake of a
> song, like Hava Nagilah?
>
> 2. When did it become part of our national consciousness?  When was it
> first sung? As far as I know it appeared in a couple of folk melodies
> from of the 20's and 30's, with popularity extending thru the 70's.
>
> 3. How was it first sung? I've heard that the lyrics were actually, " Am
> Yisroel Chai, Ad B'li Dai" or "Am Yisroel Chai, Amcha Yisroel Chai".
>
> 4. Shlomo Carlebach used the phrase coupled with the words "Od Avinu
> Chai." Was this his doing? Was this another popular phrase? If so, was
> he the one to make the shidduch? Or, did he actually pen the phrase?
>
> All best, GZB
>
>
>
>


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