Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 07:18 PM

Lots of good songs listed here. I've gone through the messages above and made clickable links to the lyrics we have. I underlined the lyrics we don't have. If you have them, please post them in this thread.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: DonMeixner
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 06:06 PM

Would "Rubenstein Remembers" fall into this bin? A very touching song.

Don

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: Jack The Lad
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 05:42 PM

For me, Mayn Shvester Khaye sung by Chava Alberstein on her excellent Cd The Well, is the most poignant and moving Holocaust song I've ever heard. It is a poem by Binem Heller set to music by Chava Alberstein, arranged by The Klezmatics.
The whole CD is excellent, and is not by any means a CD of Holocaust songs- it is simply a joy of Yiddish poems set to music.
Jack The Lad

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: Jeanie
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 05:25 PM

What a wonderful song, Gary. Is there any way you can let us have the melody ? I find your song particularly moving because I am right now in the middle of running a series of improvised drama sessions on Anne Frank with a class of 10/11 year olds. For most of the children, all that they are learning is new to them, and I have seen in them all the responses you describe in your song as the occupants of the secret Annexe, Miep Gies and the other helpers "live again", as in your song. A story that needs to be retold for each new generation, and related to their present-day world, for the future.

Tom Bliss (of Napper and Bliss)has written a poignant song, 'The Violin', tracing the history of his violin made in Salzburg in the 1930s, whose "silence sings loudest of all". Lyrics here.

- jeanie

Subject: SBADD: through a Child's Eyes (Gary Ehrlich)
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 04:33 PM

Are you looking specifically for Yiddush or period songs or are you open to more contemporary songs? If the latter, a personal favorite of mine is Fred Small's "Denmark 1943". There's also my own setting of Anne Frank's story:

Through A Child's Eyes
by: Gary Ehrlich © 7/95

Through a child's eyes, a tale of hope against despair.
Through a child's eyes, a tale of lives cut short.
The doors that will not slam shut, the walls that won't close in.
The good that lies within the heart, that won't let evil win.
The horrors brought by people who let hatred rule their lives
I see the fires burn through a child's eyes.

Through a child's eyes, I see her words take flight again.
Through a child's eyes, The fam-'lies live once more.
Across the years her story will briefly take the stage.
Their joys and terrors passing by, a diary's turning page.
While heroes from the outside try and help them to survive.
I see them live again through a child's eyes.

Through a child's eyes, I see the tears are falling down.
Through a child's eyes, I see the shock and pain.
A soul is deeply moved by a young girl's tragic fate.
A mind has learned from history what happens when we hate.
I feel hope that the millions will not once more have to die.
And see the future born through a child's eyes.
I see the future born through a child's eyes.

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 04:31 PM

I have a book published by the Workmen's Circle in 1983 called "Mir Zaynen Do: Lider Fun Di Getos Un Lageren (We Are Here: Songs of the Holocaust [literal translation: Songs of the Ghettos and Camps])," compiled by Eleanor Mlotek and Malke Gottlieb, with 43 songs in Yiddish, transliterated Yiddish, and English. It appears to be out of print, though. But Jerry Silverman has a new book (2001) called Undying Flame: Ballads and Songs of the Holocaust, with 110 songs in 16 languages. That would be a good place to start.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: mg
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 03:26 PM

Is Die Gidanzen Sind Frie?? specific to the Holocaust? I know someone used to sing it in their honor at a workshop. Also peatbog soldiers???? mg

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 12:58 PM

The Hebrew song "Ani Maamin" (I believe), is the last song that the Jews sang as they marched into the gas chambers at Auschwitz. SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 12:03 PM

We haven't had a thread directly about Holocaust songs, although you'll find many Holocaust songs posted in the threads crosslinked at the top of this page. It certainly would be nice to post a few songs. It takes some work to see if the songs have already been posted, since varieties of transliteration make searching difficult.

I recently bought a Tara Publications songbook and CD called Songs Never Silenced, by Velvel Pasternak (published in 2003). It's a nice book, but I think it's better to get the three Eleanor & Joseph Mlotek songbooks from Workmen's Circle first: Pearls of Yiddish Song, Songs of Generations: New Pearls of Yiddish Song, and Mir Trogn a Gesang: Favorite Yiddish Songs. The Mloteks cover Holocaust songs well, but also have many other songs. Workmen's Circle has CD's for sale, but I don't see songbooks just now. You can get all the Mlotek and Pasternak songbooks and others at http://www.jewishmusic.com.

I think the Holocaust song that strikes me most is Tsen Brider. It's an old song, but it applies so well to the horrible loss that took place in the Holocaust.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Vu Iz Dos Gesele
From: GUEST,Abraham Diner
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 10:14 AM

I started a new Thread: HOLOCAUST/SONGS IN MEMORY.
hOW DO i JOIN THE MENTIONED THREAD TO THE JEWISH
SONGS THREAD ALREADY IN EXISTENCE? pLEASE LET ME KNOW,
OR MAYBE YOU CAN DO IT,= tHANK YOU.

Subject: BS: Holocaust/shoa songs. In memory.
From: GUEST,Abraham Diner
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 10:10 AM

Starting a list of songs which relate to the holocaust tragedy
in memory of those who suffered/ and/or died in this period.
Here are some songs I considered. Please add any you may have:
1) Where is the Village? ( Vi iz dus gesele) bilingual yiddish/english song by Jay and the Americans in their LP
TRY SOME OF THIS. Sung in perfect yiddish by Howie Kane.
2) El Diario de Ana Frank.- song about Ann Frank sung in Spanish by Italian singer Mino Reitano. Also sung in the original Italian
version.
3) Es Brennt.- Many versions of this holocaust song by Gebirtig.
in yiddish.
4) Zog nit kein mol.- yiddish partisan song of the holocaust period.
Many versions, but one very interesting one by Paul Robeson, sung
live in moscow in the 1940's ( in yiddish)
Please add more songs this list. Thank you.