Video of my Poem/Song, Performed on Israeli Radio
Singer-songwriter, Shira Z Carmel, of Israeli swing band The Hazlenuts shared with me this live version of a poem of mine they turned into a song for their new album.
Here is their performance of our song on the most popular national radio station in Israel, Galgalatz :)
Below, is the text to my poem, if you want to read along:
You again, of the singing wound
here again, lost and found and lost
trafficking in metaphysics and eternity
as your nearest hopes
where to, pilgrim
outdistancing chasms
rationing emotions
seeking sustenance
for the self too subtle and proud
for words
nocturnal flower, nurtured solitude
watered night
there you go, restraining the impulse
to say it all at once
even surrounded by silence
still filled with noise
now, having stirred some thrumming
hour when the moon throws
her full-bodied light
over all, like a silver screen night
of silent films, the whirring
of the reel...
© Yahia Lababidi
The crowdfunding campaign for this album ends, tomorrow, and you can read a short Q&A with the artists (where they mention yours truly) in The Jerusalem Post.
Awesome - I tried so many times to hit the play button on your last post before realising, it was not my computer playing tricks, but the image itself :P
I love how they found a chorus in that second stanza, it works beautifully and is so soulful. The harmonies overall make it such an interesting way of reading this piece. In my head it reads softly, more contemplative, but they can't help shout it to the rafters!
Totally changed my impression, for the better, in a way only hearing a work out loud can. Wonderful post :)
I’m such a fool—just realized, today, I’d not shared this video & so made this post!
Yea, I marveled, too, at the gusto with which they sang this poem. Heck, I marveled why they chose it! But, that’s the minor miracle of art, the more inward you go, the more likely you are to connect with perfect strangers —who, will doo wop your struggles :D
Really glad you enjoyed it, thanks, Lazarus 🙏🏼
Haha, 'doo wop your struggles' - it blows my mind and makes me smile, how the same words can bring out so many different emotions and ideas.
In a strange coincidence, this morning I woke up to a message on soundcloud from a budding EDM producer who wants to sample some of my poetry in a new track. Can't imagine what they have planned but I'm keeping an open mind ;)
Hey, that’s terrific news, man! Collaboration is a strange, marvelous beast; who knows what direction it’ll take. May EDM bring you a new, wider audience — I’d love to rave to your words :)
The song is pleasant and their voices harmonize well. I think they did a good job with your fine poem about seeking sustenance. I imagine this will bring more notoriety to you and them! It's good to get your work out among as many listeners as possible.
Happy to hear you enjoyed it :) I’m so pleased with results that I’m thinking of exploring how to become a lyricist. There’s much poetry in songs (at least, ones I admire) and, yes, the much wider audience is an incentive, too!
Gorgeous poem. Yahia. And they did such an amazing stylizing it. They have beautiful tone and rhythm.
Thank you, friend. I'm very pleased with results and find myself humming it throughout the day :) They captured the sense of the spiritual quest in the poem & it's exciting to also think of the non-poetry readers that the song will reach.
That is very exciting:)
Oh wow! I love it! This is such a unique style and I think they did your poem justice. :D
Thank you, l'il brother, your opinion as a musical guy matters to me :) I believe this style is called doo-wop, or close harmony singing. And, I like how they elaborate on it, in the interview I linked to:
It's neat how they mixed doo-wop with electronic music though. And I like that quote <3
I'm excited for the CD now!
Very nice creative recording in steemit
Wow that's great, congratulations!
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