TTT :: Sois Osis • Dovid Gabay

So vanilla as to not even be terrible. It's just not...anything. Lyrics are indiscernible, harmonies are haphazard, and yet, this tune almost escaped being TTT'd until the vocal effect at 3:09.

Monday Matchup :: Borchi Nafshi • Shlomo/Zohar

Shlomo Carlebach:




Zohar:




BONUS: Simply Tsfat, instrumental on Zohar version:

Lo Hameisim • The King of Cantors Event

Watch the whole thing, or watch this segment (from 12 minutes and 35 seconds. Can't get it to start there.)



Gut Chodesh!

TTT :: Speaking of Perfection...

HT:BW

Monday Matchup :: Who We Are? • 8th Day/P.O.D.

"Avraham" 8th Day: Chasing Prophecy


"We are the youth of a nation" P.O.D.

L'chaim Rebbe!

Today, 11 Nissan, marks the 112th birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Monday night, thousands of community seders will be held in every part of the world, inspired and established by the Rebbe.

When we take our seats at the seder, we’ll be celebrating with millions of our fellow Jews in shared pride and joy. As the Rebbe taught, please invite the “Fifth Son” too, the child not mentioned in the Haggadah because he or she did not plan to be present. Together, we can complete the vision of a truly united celebration of Jewish freedom.

Thank you Rebbe, for your enduring gift of unity.

Today's New York Times, page A17. Proud to have been

the content partner for this momentous birthday message.

Dedi, Baby! • Omar Rabbi Elozor

(Album, Vi'ohavto)

Yiboneh • Fried

Rewind Wednesday

TTT :: Yi-ha-li-lu • Yeshiva Boys Choir

This was literally shown to me on a silver browser. Top news on the Jew sites. Wow. It's like a parody of itself, only you're not sure if it's a willing partner to the joke.

Monday Matchup :: Niggun Simcha! • Avraham Fried/MBD

From "Hupp Cossack":

From "Kissufim":

Hank Williams Said It Best • Guy Clark

Emes!



HT:Yascher

Es Tzemach • The Rabbis' Sons

Of course the rest of you all know this, but I had a hard time remembering if it was "Rabbis apostrophe" or "Rabbi apostrophe s". Well, the group got its name because Chait, Sharfman and Weinberger were all sons of rabbis. (Wikipedia) So, "Rabbis apostrophe".

Again, friends: These gentlemen are rabbis' sons but are not The Rabbis' Sons. Photo for illogical illustrative purposes only.

Remember the Nossi • Retzoneinu Lir'os Es Malkeinu

And...we're live for Rosh Chodesh!

Ahhhh, Yerushalayim! • Tzlil V'zemer/MBD

Literally, the only picture that comes up when you search "Tzlil V'Zemer." Is it my fault?

Same with "King of Jewish Music". Go figure.

Shameless.

Shalom Aleichem • D'veykus

Tumba-la-shabbos? Sounds like a definite inspiration...

I mean, we all know what Abie looks like, no? Here's Rivie Schwebel.

Shabbos is playing! Come and listen.

Od Yishoma • Shlomo Carlebach

Do you know what keeps us going? One little prophecy! Ooooone little prophecy... Oooood Yiiishooomaaaa....

Impossible Dream • Britain's Got Talent

To skip the blabbing, start at 1:36. Wow. WOW! Fantastic stuff!



And for the full movie scene with this song (Man of La Mancha):

TTT :: Hashem Melech • Motty Steinmetz

The choir and orchestra opens sound very promising. That is all.

Monday Matchup :: Geshem Kaved/A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall

We've done this before, but we didn't know about Monday Matchups. Aviv Geffen translates and interprets...



...Bob Dylan's "A hard rain's gonna fall".

Niggun L'Shabbos v'Yom Tov • "Yaron Gershovsky on the Piano!"

And now...come hear the sound of Shabbos Kodesh!

Ribono Shel Olam • Louis Burko

Louis Burko, cantor emeritus at Shaare Zion Congregation, Montreal, since 1963. Passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 24. 2014.

Ani Ve'ata • Arik Einstein

TT Matchup? :: Jacky Mekaiton/Avi Piamenta

Two singers who started secular and became frum, if un-orthodox, and other parallels. Happy Tuesday!

As previously noted, Avi went and did this all by hisself. No backsies!

Godd Shabbos, Good Purim!

Suggest your favorites HERE!

A Person's Gotta Drink • Dov Shurin

Es Hashem Hamevorach • Diaspora Yeshiva Band

It needs no introduction and so won't receive one.

Borchu es Hashem hamevorach le'olam vo'ed! Bring back the joy and silliness, comfort, safety, understanding and contentment, G-d. Le'olam vo'ed.

TTT :: Lakol Zman • Amiran Dvir

Apparently popular on the Israel wedding circuit, Amiran (holding the keytar) is now presented for your Tuesday enjoyment.

THE Eishes Chayil • Benzion Shenker

Good Shabbos, friends. Come clickety-click to hear the sound of Shabbos!

Ich Hob Gevart • MBD

"I have waited and waited". "When did I find you? When I stopped looking."

The Candle Still Burns • Yehuda Green

It's never too late...we all make mistakes...no matter how far, whoever you are, it's never too late.

My people were on blissful vacation in the sun. Hence the lack of posting, and the lack of—נישט אויף קיין אידען געדאכט—Friday stream. Welcome back and thank you for surviving the silence!

Yuda, Yuda Ya Yuda! • Hasmachot

The craziest sound of late '90s Israel. Wow.

TTT :: Haleluhu • Nissan

Yossi Green: WHERE ARE YOU?

"Nissan" is a Shlomo Simcha production. This song is brought to you and harmonized by Yossi Green.



The sad is that I get tremendously nostalgic—Stockholm Syndrome?—when hearing this song, as it played incessantly in "86", our London flat. Eh.

Monday Matchup :: Bnei Beischa/Build Your House!

"V'saiorev" Arvinam Freed – Goodbye Golus



"Wake Up" 8th Day – Brooklyn

Mimkomcha • Shlomo Simcha (Nussach)

Plus, here's some Jewsic® for Shabbos.

Good Shabbos!

Gevald'she Brider! • Sung by Shlomo Carlebach

Koili El Hashem • Isaac Honig

We introduced him earlier this week with v'Olu Moshi'im. I've been on a bit of a bender with this guy because he's basically very varem.

TTT :: Yalla • Yaakov Shwekey

From Libi Bimizrach, 2010

Just good enough to make you listen again. Just earworm-y enough to make you wish you skipped it. Grrr. Terrible.

Monday Matchup :: V'olu Moshi'im • MBD/Isaac Hoenig

Similar songs, similar sounds.

This MBD has some serious power.



This Hoenig guy has some beautiful sweet.



This mountain needs immediate love.

Lecha Dodi • Baruch Levine, TTTO Yisroel Werdyger

This song covers a well-known story of a Muslim teen who left Ramallah and found his Jews.

"There is a song I'd like to sing, but I can't find it here. I really liked what we sang in the synagogue tonight. What was it called? Something ‘dodi.'" Read the whole story

 

Chosson Domeh Limelech • Eli Hertzlich

Composed by Mona (Moshe) Rosenblum, first heard by us on last Wednesday's wedding band compilation, sung very well by Berry Weber. Sourced by Benny Friedman (thanks!).

Great accompaniment down the vegetable aisle when shopping for Shabbos (an observation indirectly made in the first comment on the Youtube video).

Someday • MBD at HASC II (1989)

Ahhhh, much better.

TTT :: Daaga Minayin

"How", you ask, "can the best song ever composed and ever recorded and all that end up as a TTT?"

"For precisely that reason", I respond. "When such a song ends up like this, oy, TT!"

Monday Matchup :: Beggar Woman

Megama (part II of this song).



8th Day - Love the cover; don't know why the video (not theirs!) has a male beggar.

Ma Yedidus • Avraham Fried

Yossi Green! Where are you?... Oh! There you are again.



Good shabbos friendlies.
Right here, right now!

Shtar Hatnoim • Avraham Fried

"Umitzad haSHEEEEEEINEEEEEEEEEEEEE...haloy heeeee...."

Fun & Freilach! • Various Wedding Band People

Yoni Eliav Band, with Shloime Taussig, Berry Weber, ?Yossi Berger?, ?Nemuel Harush? and Mendy Jerufi!



Quite enjoyable compilation, and with several under-played tunes. I'd consider hiring them with Berry Weber.

Stay warm!
a

TTT :: Bracha ViHatzlacha • Oif Simchas

Monday Matchup :: Blues • Moshe Yess/Mendel Singer

Moshe Yess (Journeys), "Pesach Blues"


Mendel Singer, "Kosher Symbol Blues"

Ribono Shel Olam (Sefiras Haomer) • Yossele Rosenblatt via Meir Boruch Kohn

Not a bad effort for a sleeping Chazzan.



But in serious: It seems he is singing it to someone over the phone, hence, the lazy look. I recommend checking out on YouTube. Very pleasant, full voice.

Niggun R' Zalman Zatapolski • Various

"Rabbi Tuvia Bolton is a fascinating person; not your typical artist, by any means."

So begins the completely absorbing interview between JewishMusicReport.com writer "Hislahavus" and Rabbi Tuvia Bolton. In it, R' Tuvia delivers a raw peek into his soul-journey and the niggun that hooked him.

Album cover photo for "Gaaguim" by Miri Davidovitz 

Eventually, in 1971, I met up with a chassid named R’ Itche Meir Kagan. And he took me to the Rebbe. I lived in Detroit, and we drove 12 hours to New York. I went into the farbrengen, that Shabbos. I heard them sing a niggun when I went in, called the Niggun of R’ Zalman Zlatopolsky...

I heard this nigun, and it knocked me out. READ MUCH MORE

It truly is a knock-out niggun. And to think "they didn't used to sing this niggun at Farbregens." But a young Jew was itching to be knocked out.

With a humble request to R' CK to please share what you can about this story from the Detroit end.

Full niggun sung by R' Dovid Horowitz (two complete versions with Yiddish explanation before each). 

TTT :: Al Aileh • Amudei Shais

Great song, exceptional performance!

Monday Matchup :: Simple Isn't Easy • Lipa/Shloime Gertner

In the first, struggle-riddled song, Lipa describes how hard it is walk the walk. "I may not be the best...but I do try my best... The army's chef is still in the army... I'm not the greatest but I am trying hard; 'Tatty! Help me when I try!'"



In the second, reflective-mellow song, Shloime Gertner asserts that the Master of the world appreciates simple, honest steadfastness. "Oy, Riboin haoilomim, heint b'acharis hayumim... Oh G-d, today, the way we live, it's really hard to be wholesome...but I'll do what I can"

Plot twist: They're both by Lipa ;)

A Night of Peace and Joy • Benny Friedman

Here is where we thank Benny for his fun and freilach collection of classic Shabbos feelings. And the wonderful Sruly Meyer for pulling it together (thanks for the liner notes shout-out to SSY and its editors!) And Michoel Muchnik for drawing pictures of G-d.

Good Shabbos.

Won't you join us HERE?

Akiva • Yom Tov Ehrlich/Avraham Fried

What happened to the child born at 1:32? I don't think he showed up to the Great Parade at the end of the song.

If I would have the time,*
I'd sit and write a rhyme,
For the English words to Akiva!
Akiva, Akiva, Akiva.

*and talent.

Ohr Chodosh • Tzlil Vezemer with Avraham Fried

Israel, circa 1989.

TTT :: We Want Moshiach Now • Piamenta

Of course it hurts to put the title and performer up here. But alas, terrible is no good.

Working from memory, this recording was a low-budget non-Yosi production by Avi, some synthesizers, some flute interludes and some rock-and-roll samples. No good. Especially for Piamenta.

Monday Matchup :: Adon Olam • MBD/Zalman Levin MiNevel

From MBD & Friends, 1999

MBD with Friends, but not the ones singing.

From Zalman Levin & Friends, waaaaaay before 1999

Google says.

Yismechu Hashamayim • Eli Lipskier with child soloist Avraham Fried

Good Shabbos friends. Let the heavens rejoice and the earth itself dance in the knowledge of The King.
אלקות איז פלאם פייער!

Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos,
COME SING WITH US!

Ilan, Ilan • The Shabbaton Choir

Just, ya know, just ignore the drooping mic and drooping eyes and focus on the kid's voice. (He isn't trying to put you to sleep.)

Never Give Up • Safam

1993 - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

TTT :: Shehecheyonu • Amit Listvand

Now, we know about the dangers of blaming the victim. A delicate child cannot be expected to analyze, decide and act in the same way that a thoughtful adult can. Can young and vulnerable Amit be blamed for the hideous screeching he was forced to perform for his handlers? *shudder*

Monday Matchup :: Vha'arev Na • Berry Weber/MBD

"Generations", from SethKayeBlog.com

Berry Weber

MBD. I used to think this was the best song that MBD ever recorded. Now I just think it is spectacular. From The Double Album, Disc 2.

The Rebbe of Lublin • Journeys II

An income lesson,
From the soul of Moshe Yess,
Who understood things.

DISCLAIMER: This song is not about the Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz pictured, who is a mechanech from Monsey, New York. It is about his probable namesake, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz, "The Chozeh", of Lublin, Poland.

NEW! Ker a Velt • 8th Day

Translated: Those crazy enough to think they can improve the world are the ones who do. So if you're crazy and you know it, just change the world.



This track was pre-released some months ago to benefit a good cause.

It is imperative to remind oneself of the source and implications of the phrase.  Ker a Velt heint!

One of the most famous and emotional moments remembered since the Rebbe became Rebbe on 10 Shvat in 1951.

Let's each do one extra "crazy" action by nightfall that shifts the world a tiny bit closer to the right spot. This Shabbos is the 53rd anniversary of Yud Shvat.

TTT :: Be a Mentch

Yerachmiel Begun 
and the miami boys choir

Two extra points if you can place the source of this picture. Use the commenting feature to comment.