A few weeks ago, I heard an interview with Josh Kun on the NPR program Fresh Air. Kun is a part of a group of 4 men who founded the Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation. It is a non-profit organization that devotes it’s time to restoring and re-releasing Jewish music.
The group is named after Abraham Idelsohn who is credited with the lyrics from the song Hava Nagila.
Hava Nagila has been performed by dozens of different artists throughout the last century, and it was made famous by Harry Belefonte.
I don’t remember hearing the song, but I’m sure I have at some point. It has common folk-dance sound to it.
Why do I care about Hava Nagila?
During the interview with Josh Kun on NPR, he described the song as a command. Interesting…a command…a command to do what?
Look at the lyrics in English:
Let’s rejoice
Let’s rejoice
Let’s rejoice and be happy
Let’s sing
Let’s sing
Let’s sing and be happy
Awake, awake, brothers!
Awake brothers with a happy heart
Awake, brothers, awake, brothers!
With a happy heart
Hava Nagila in 2012!
This is the first Monday morning in 2012. Rejoice! Rejoice and be happy!
You soon will have your first shoot of 2012. Rejoice! Rejoice and be happy!
You will soon have your first complaint of 2012. Rejoice! Rejoice and be happy!
Remember, it’s a command. Not a suggestion, not an opinion, it’s a command. So, with as much authority as I hold in your life, I command you to rejoice! Rejoice and be happy in 2012!
header image courtesy of Flickr user: kelsey_lovefusionphoto
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