Re: Lipa Schmeltzer (was: Yom Tov Erlich)

[Sam Weiss <SamWeiss...>]

At 11:36 AM 3/9/04, r l reid wrote:
>can you recommend a couple of CDs that would show off
>some of the best of what Lipa Schmeltzer is doing in Yiddish songwriting?

His latest 2 albums, "Bederech" and "Letova." (BTW his name is also spelled 
"Schmelczer" in case you're trying to track him down.) The lyrics of this 
genre share the esthetics of badkhones and hip-hop, which is why they call 
their songs "gramen" (rhymes) rather than "lider".  Of course, the frame of 
reference of his songs is the Hassidic/Haredi world, so there is a wealth 
of cultural background that's assumed and necessary for a proper 
appreciation.  Liner notes have all the lyrics printed, but there are no 
translations. And typical of the songs consumed by that community, their 
tone is almost always moralistic (right, Lorin, no ode to reefers).
But there are many pieces that will speak to cultural "outsiders." [Full 
disclosure: I'm a double-agent.] A particularly accessible one that comes 
to mind is from his latest CD (Bederech) called "Kave" (="Coffee") a tune 
analogous to McCartney/Wonder's "Ebony And Ivory"
Sample lyrics in standardized Yiddish:

biter un zis - shvarts un vays
trukn un nas - kalt un varem
nor azoy kumt aroys a fayne kave

troyer un freyd - gring un shver
ruig, nervez - tunkl, likhtik
eyn tog geyt im gut - a likhtiks, a zisn
mitamol makht men mit di trern gisn
s'hot ober yo a taam
khotsh me farshteyt nit
me darf hobn ales tsuzam
on dem - es geyt nisht


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


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