Music perhaps serves as the strongest reminder that I’m still – to some extent – Israeli. If there’s something I truly miss being away from Israel is Israeli music and having the chance to go to live concerts where I can listen to artists, preferably up close and in person. Music is so strongly embedded within my highly suppressed memories of past, that it always surprises me just how intense memories and emotions are that simple melodies raise within me.
Beit Avichai, a terrific little place 5 minutes away from my parents’ house in Jerusalem, has done a remarkable job of offering exactly this type of intimate interactions with Israeli musicians for ridiculously cheap tickets (subsidized by a visionary patron of the arts). Some of those musicians have had considerable influences over certain periods of my life. This week’s artist was Daniel Salomon.
I can’t recall the exact dates, probably back in 2003 or so, when I first listened to his tunes and had this strong sensation that some of the texts Daniel wrote he actually wrote for me. :S
“Coming from pain” from his first album, for instance, is a good example :
Coming from pain
I don’t come from a loving home,
where they always smile.
I don’t come from a loving home,
where they are always supportive.
I don’t come from a big important place.
I come from dust,
I come from dust,
and to dust I will eventually return.
I don’t come from a rotten family,
where they are insecure.
I don’t come from a broken home,
where they are all separated.
I don’t come from a difficult sad place.
I come from dust,
I come from dust
and to dust I will eventually return.
If there’s God in my heart,
then why is he running away?
comes and goes,
far above us all,
deep in the ocean,
If there’s God in my heart,
then why does it scream –
“now for war!”
then, even though you’re cold,
embrace me, my love.
I don’t want a happy home,
with analytic parents,
Every small thing the child thinks,
they always worry,
I don’t want to heal every wound in the body.
I come from pain,
I come from pain,
and to pain I will one day return.
If there’s God in my heart,
then why is he running away?
comes and goes,
far above us all,
deep in the ocean,
If there’s God in my heart,
then why does it scream –
“now for war!”
now, even though you’re cold,
embrace me, my love.
This intimate performance was a special occasion to see Daniel in real life. It’s such a tiny stage in a such a small room that you might feel as though you’re sitting down together for coffee. Though Daniel was charming and full of funny sarcasm, there was evident pain and hurt regarding his personal stories that he made no attempt at hiding. Disappointments, lost love, human weaknesses, everything you could expect from someone who writes such texts with those slow melancholic melodies. To me, his voice and melodic choice is so recognizable that I feel as though I could pick out his songs just by listening to the first chord, even for the new ones.
Some of his work I’d say is not too special, and some of what I thought was special I grew to dislike when those became radio hits that were playing in repeat for almost a year, but there are the occasional gems and quite a few of those he played in that performance and titled “his favorites”.
This next one is from a good movie that you should watch “Some one to run with” …
Someone to run with
Now, it’s my turn,
my turn, my turn to love,
now, it’s my turn,
that someone will come close,
embrace me, sooth me.
One by one, daemons of this war,
one by one, the wounds that never heal.
Someone to run with, or separately,
someone to run with, to get lost,
someone to run with, through the strong rain,
that’s in my heart always pouring down, never stops.
now it’s my turn,
now it my turn, not to suffer,
now me, I deserve it,
someone that won’t let go,
will fight and win,
one by one, in the battles in this war of mine,
will heal my broken dreams.
Someone to run with, or separately,
someone to run with, to get lost,
someone to run with, through the strong rain,
that’s within my heart always pouring, never stops.
This next one is from an upcoming album to be released in two-three weeks.
Same theme, the familiar Daniel tune, but completely different.
Night flower
At the house, behind close walls,
one guitar, two notebooks,
on the door, a letter,
that no one will read.
There light at the window, at her apartment,
perhaps she, like me, is awake at night,
looking up there’s a star,
calling for help.
What my soul seeks,
my voice in shatters,
come rain on me,
tears falling.
There are flowers that only bloom in the emptiness,
closing up as the sun rises,
opening only in the darkness,
smiling at the white moon,
that guards me from the light,
night flower, dark flower.
There’s another soul in the world,
like me, a bit shy, always alone,
perhaps she was like me if she was near,
look at the skies,
clouds floating,
like us in the dark, strange flowers,
you, just like me, will know in silence,
What my hearts seeks,
when my voice is unheard,
come rain on me,
tears falling.
There are flowers that bloom in the emptiness,
closing up as the sun rises,
opening only in the darkness,
smiling at the white moon,
that guards me from the light,
night flower, dark flower.
The last one was one of my favorites, and accompanied me through some tough times. Now, in retrospect, I can even overlook the catastrophe of this song becoming one of the most overused radio hits of the following year.
Many ways to love you
[F] Luggage open again on my bed,
packing all the lies you’ve told me,
story of death and separation
hello longing, goodbye love,
the memories will remain frozen,
at the souvenir shop, I’ll go buy new ones.
In flight into dark skies,
I swear not to look back,
you’re probably sleeping, so you won’t hear me,
I won’t break down, won’t take it back.
My friends will remain for you,
they have always been there and only for you.
[M] There are many ways to love you,
the longest way is the way of forgetting,
we loved deeply, we truly loved,
but the truest way is from afar.
[F] In every ending there’s a beginning of something new
and from afar it’s not blurry
your love for me was suffocating,
closed up in a box, hung up like a puppet on a string,
the pain will scar me for good,
many ways, indeed, but leading to where??
[M] There are many ways to love you,
the longest way is the way of forgetting,
we loved deeply, we truly loved,
but the truest way is from afar.
Go buy his new album. If you get the chance, catch him for an intimate performance. It’s a unique experience.
Tight words with rhythm 😛
Interesting that I came across the meaning of “fili” in Irish is poet.
Ny – in Australia I was told for the first time Filly means a “really young female horse” 😛 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filly)