Of all things, songs in Hebrew reach straight into my gentile soul and grip and twist me and, like a full sponge, I’m emptied of tears without being able to control it.
You remember all those movies, especially in the nineties, that had the wailing woman in minor key? Ofra Haza, mostly, and she’s right up there with Nana Mouskouri in ridiculously beautiful female voices.
And from a movie she sang in, but not the song she sang (which is, nevertheless, ridiculously gorgeous): When You Believe. It’s on the edge of being glurgey in the first bit – maybe, depending on how you feel about it, over the edge. But the sheer beautiful joy it gets to at about 2:30 on that, right about the time it stops being English and starts being. Um. Aramaic? I think I remember that from the liner notes but I could be wrong, it could be Hebrew.
After all this time, I just remembered this one - beautiful song, stupid/clever punny song title: “Cowboy Take Me Away”, by the dreaded Dixie Chicks (zounds!).
We all know the Irish own the category of Songs That Make You Want to Kill Yourself, but one of the most heartbreaking songs I’ve heard is “My Youngest Son Came Home Today” performed by Billy Bragg.
I don’t know that at all, and I’m not Irish on St Patty’s day. I’m mongrel through and through.
But one of my old favorites is “Danny Boy”, and I do like a good Irish whiskey (with water). I also like very much Van Morrison. And whats-his-name, the famous poet.
But please, don’t let this old grump spoil your day.
Got it, Dylan Thomas!
I’m amazed no-one has mentioned one of the most beautiful songs: Don Henley’s A Month Of Sundays.
An old farmer regretting the loss of his former way of life.
*And I sit here on the back porch in the twilight
And I hear the crickets hum
I sit and watch the lightning in the distance
But the showers never come
I sit here and listen to the wind blow
I sit here and rub my hands
I it here and listen to the clock strike
And I wonder when I’ll see my companion again
*
