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I’m not familiar with too much of A.R.’s material, but for those of you who know both men’s bodies of work: In your estimation, can Abie Rottenberg do funny as well as Country Yossi can do touching?
Also, is there any other Jewish musical personality with a similar profile (probably not exactly, but the same general idea) ?
I suppose Lenny Solomon and Gershon Veroba are there, but they’re both almost entirely parodists, right? (CY has more original material than you might think.) There’s the Destiny series, but I
don’t know if that’s primarily the work of one man…
I think you have it totally wrong – Country Yossi is the funny one, AR is the touching one! (See: My Little Yingele and Seven Little Kids (not sure what the song is actually called) plus all the Kivi and Tuki songs; see: Neshomele, Mama Rochel and Teardrop) Never heard of Lenny Solomon…Gershon Veroba I’d say is most similar to CY, I wouldn’t compare him to AR though
Lenny Solomon makes Shlock Rock.
Country Yossi does have some touching songs (Deaf Man in the Shteeble, anyone?), but mostly does funny. He also doesn’t write much original music, although he does write his own lyrics.
IMO, Abie Rotenberg is one of the best (if not the best) composer of Jewish music over the last century. Look how many of his songs are known by almost the entire Jewish world! They have withstood the test of time. He also has some funny songs, but I don’t know if he wrote his own lyrics or someone else did it for him. They’re in the Journeys series: Ninth Man on the Team, The Wedding Song, Atheist Convention, etc.
But yes, AR does touching better than most. Some songs were pointed out already. I’d add In a Vinkaleh, Conversation in the Womb, Who Am I?, Memories, and some others.
Randomex – Put that way, I have to say – CY does touching better than AR does funny. (In saying that, though, ‘I Went With All Of My Kids To a Store’ (from MMM) and ‘Yeshivishe Reid’ are VERY funny!)I don’t know most of the songs you mentioned, however, I don’t think Phantom is a moving song, since he ‘talks’ the song – it is more like a story than a song, and I don’t find it particularly emotional. Rebbe which you quoted from K&T is a stunning song, I love it! Also Kayli is gorgeous 🙂 Deaf man makes me cry also stunning.
Randomex, I don’t know if I’d consider some of those songs as emotional. I Will Follow Him? Really? That’s emotional? Mitzvah Tantz?
The other issue is that as I said, he doesn’t write his own material. Take Deaf man in the Shteeble. Yes, it’s a touching story. Many people enjoy it. But they don’t know that it’s taken from a song about a baseball player whose father was blind, and after his father dies, he says, “It’s the first time that my father saw me play!” It takes away a lot from it.
Abie’s “The Wedding Song” is also funny, and he actually put out a comedy album, called, IIRC, “Time to Laugh”.
They are both (YT and AR) immensely talented.
DaMoshe, I believe “In a Vinkel’e” is not Abie’s own composition, but rather, R’ Menachem Davidowitz’.
Edit: I just found this:
What about Pesach Blues? That’s another funny one from Abie.
Which, in your opinion, is better; Ninth Man I or Ninth Man II?
I’m not a big CY(T) person so I can’t really help with that.
Abie is THE BEST Jewish English song writer of all time. He also has very good Hebrew songs but I love (almost) all of Journeys!
Someone mentioned here (different thread) that “Dreams Come True” from Journeys IV is originally a Diaspora Yeshiva Band song (and Google seems to agree). Anybody know the story of this song? Who composed it? Etc…
(Randomex, I will try to get to our other discussion after YK.)
Ninth Man 1 is DEFINITELY better!!!!
Many people don’t realize that Marvelous Middos Machine was Abie. And much of it (including many songs) are cute/funny.
CIJ, I agree!
I also LOOOOVE the song Together, it’s a STUNNING song. I’m pretty sure Abie composed it and wrote lyrics. I think MBD and Yeedle sing it together….?
As a musician I need to constantly learn new songs. Yet whenever I want to sit at my keyboard/piano and jam, I somehow almost always find myself playing Deveykus songs. My all time favorite songs are Lev Tahor and Ani Maamim. Journies songs such as Neshamela, ride the train, A place where I belong are amazing.
memories?
I don’t really know, but I thought it was called “What Will Become of All the Memories” (if you’re referring to the song about the old man). Memories is an MBD song…..I think. I don’t know it so well
They are both called “Memories” (Abie’ Memories I don’t really like – too sad. Together with Teardrop and Little Kite. Those three I don’t care for.) MBD’s is a beautiful song! I can listen to it over over! I think everyone has a special someone that they can fit into this song.
Now, I was left with memories, sweet, sweet memories…
I love teardrop and memories, the old man one – yes they both make me cry (particularly a video of the latter sung by MBD and Avraham Fried at an Ohel concert – stunning and really really sad) that’s why I like them. A lot of songs these days are devoid of any emotion whatsoever. Anybody can stick some words to a tune and boom you got a song. Abie’s songs are full of emotion, and reflect deep ideas and feelings.
True. I like Abie’s other emotional songs but their is something about these three songs that I don’t like. Could be, as a kid I got a distaste for them and now can’t truly appreciate there beauty.
Do you know that it took 5 years to write Memories (Abie’s)? And less then 4 hours to write Who Am I! (Another beautiful Abie song)
Here’s an old thread with many good suggestions and discussions about Jewish music:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/most-heartfelt-jewish-song-in-your-view/
No, I didn’t know, interesting! I can imagine why Memories took so long to write! It’s a beautiful song! BTW – does anyone know a song by Abie called “Kavei”? And if you do, what album is it on?
I got the last Destiny a couple of years back when in Israel (it’s actually about 10 years old) and grew up with Destiny 1 & 2. The arrangements on the last album are particularly good. As a musician, I would say they were somehow overlooked, but are just as emotional as Abie’s songs. I believe they were written by a guy named Eli Nathan and are actually available on CD baby.
I also want to mention another overlooked album from Miriam Israeli, the lyricist for Benny Friedman’s Yesh Tikvah, Ari Goldwag’s Am Echad and a few other recent songs. It’s an all male album, with both Hebrew and English songs. I believe she is American, because because her English is as fluent as her Hebrew. And Ari Goldwag sings 4 of the songs on it!
It’s called ‘Amen’ and probably available on mostlymusic.com
Kay I found it on Mostly Music 🙂 Thank-you SIDI for the link:)
Yes Abie does have a song called Kavei and it is in Journey’s 3
My pleasure!
I just listened to Little Kite – havent heard it for years….really, sidi? It’s sad? Even if you do find it moving – you would put it together with teardrop and memories? Interesting…..I think there are more moving songs out there than Little Kite….(Neshomele, Piano Boy, Next Gadol Hador, Daddy Dear, for instance…)
Don’t forget the Golden Crown also i think by abie rottenberg. You can hear him singing the songs.
miriam377 – yes. Although I love the Golden Crown, it is, um, *officially* a kid’s tape, so none of the songs are exactly tearjerkers, although they are all stunning in their own right
I wouldn’t necessarily call the Sefer Torah song a children’s song.
AR journeys is imho one on the best series on music in the jewish world.
the touching songs are obviously amazing, but i find that the faster, thought not necessarily funny, ones are also great. (e.g. Sfaskenaz, The ninth man, country boy etc.)
the amazing thing about abie Rotenberg is that his songs are amazing both as stand alone nice music to listen to, and as deep thought provoking songs as well. his music has the ability to uplift ones spirit and to bring one closer to hashem.
regarding the poster who wanted to know about dreams come true, it is a diaspora song that was composed by abie for them
regarding the OP , I think that they both are similar in that they are very versatile in their music. they both do happy, sad , deep , and exhilarating music well. countr Yossi is also underrated for the work he did with ohr chodosh ( remember eileh borechev?) not just as a song parodist ( forgive me oh comlink -x, grammarian of the CR, if that is not a real word)
Abie Rotenberg is now an author too. He recently published a book called The Season of Pepsi Meyers.
yeah i saw that, although i don’t think they sell it in eichlers.. would love to get it as a present (hint,hint, significant other of mine : ))
Don’t forget the Golden Crown also i think by abie rottenberg. You can hear him singing the songs.
I think Baruch Levine did the singing on that album.
Country Yossi is also underrated for the work he did with Ohr Chodosh ( remember “Eileh Borechev?”) not just as a song parodist ( forgive me oh Comlink-X, grammarian of the CR, if that is not a real word)
I found out somewhat recently that at least
one of Ohr Chodosh’s songs was a parody as well.
(It’s a real word. Thanks for the title, though
I doubt I’d win a grammar fight with haifagirl.) 🙂
since she is no longer around you will have to do. or call her a grammarista (female version)
Yes, they do sell it in Eichlers, it is Item#: F05-0-9 on their website.
thanks! now i know what chanuka present i’m getting! ( although i think the whole plot is basically a team trying to find the ninth man )
CR wrote lyrics for YBC- “Those were the nights” and possibly “SDaddy Come home”
I just saw that a sequel to The Golden Crown just came out featuring Abie and the whole midos team. Anyone hear it yet? Is it anything like the original?
Did you hear it?
It’s not a sequel, it’s just made by the same people.
(I just saw the poster tonight too.)
Didn’t hear it yet, thinking of getting it for Chanukah. Just wondering if if people heard it, if it’s good etc. Have to say it looks pretty cool, a lot of big names beside Abie and the Midos guys.
at the end of the golden crown the kids get invited back to hear another story. this is the other story
This review was on Mostly Music:
This CD is AWESOME!!!! I’m a huge fan of The Golden Crown, and was skeptical if it was possible to make a befitting sequel, but boy oh boy, they blew it out of the park! Every actor sounds exactly like they sounded 25 years ago, and Abie Rotenberg, who is the main character, does such an amazing job, I never before heard anything like it. The sound is also very clear, and the music is real and the songs are great, really befitting for a Golden Crown sequel. I especially liked that they redid The Story Song so beautifully, with real violins. It really made me teary eyed. All in all, it brought such nostalgia, because it really reproduces the distinct feel of the Golden Crown, and it brought me back to my childhood. I strongly recommend it! I even plan on buying copies for my mother and my Shviger!
this is the other story
Have you heard the new thing, or is that an assumption?
(Also, if it’s true, would you call it a sequel?
That’s the problem with meta-narratives…)
I hear your safek. I can let you know once I hear it. Meanwhile, anyone feel free to enlighten us. Thanks!
thats what shimmy shtauber told me
Woohoo! Hooked up! Any other inside hock from the source?
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