Saturday, January 1, 2011

Now you know

In honor of the upcoming Hasc concert, I thought it'd be a good idea to go through my favorite Hasc songs, in no particular order. The number next to them is the number of times I've listened to them on my iPod, which of course does not reflect the number of times I listened to them on my previous 1.5 iPods.

1. Yoel Sharabi's Hineni Kahn (1023). As many of you will know, I sang together with him, and yes, he really had that hair.

2. MBD's Golus Paroh (1185). Apparently this is the Weiss family's favorite song, and truth be told, I really can't blame them.

3. It took this long to get to Avremel? But here he is, with Eliyau Hanavi (127).

4. And again, with L'shana Habah (1279) . No words, just right. Well, almost no words. Still just right.

5. And back with MBD, Daagah Minayim (31). What can I say? He's right.

6. Tzadik, from Avraham Rosenblum and Ruby Harris (1551).

7. MBD again, with Ko Amar (63). I think this might be my favorite song of the bunch. Maybe that's because it's so easy to sing.

8. MBD with Mimkomcha (703). I love this song to bits, but the intro is a bit grating after the first thirty listens. But that's ok.

9. It's funny, because I really don't listen to that much MBD in general, but he's on the list here again with Heaven on Earth (1032).

10. The one and only Dedi with Elokai Neshoma (1536). On a side note: isn't everyone one and only? I mean, even people with identical DNA are different, no?

11. Chaim Dovid with Nafshenu Chiksah (1535). Truth is, his Open Up Your Gates (327) should also be on this list. As should the finale of Hasc III, There's a Small Piece of Heaven (3). As should the finale of Hasc IV, Candles (19), even if MBD sounds terrible there. And once I'm there, is it fair to leave out either Forever One (10, 63)?

12. Piamenta's Birkat Hamazon (67). I didn't always appreciate the brilliance of this one, but now I do. Strange things happen, eh?

13. Avraham Fried, Dedi, and Ohad's Yossi Green medley (641). Gorgeous. I wish Avremel would put out a cd of oldies, and give prominent billing to Kadaish (112) off of Goodbye Golus. My heart stops every time I hear that chorus. Fortunately it's not a very long one, otherwise I'd have to put Hatzalah on speed dial. But yeah, the first two numbers covered in the Hasc medley should certainly receive preferential treatment. V'zakeinu (79) and Keayol (15) are, as I already said, gorgeous.

14. The next two songs are, now that I'm further reflecting, possibly unworthy of their place on this list. Boruch Haboh (38) from last year's Hasc is great, but is it an all time great? Especially with Lipa cracking in the middle? Which brings up another point. Some people are fantastic in the studio, like Yaaov Shwekey, but aren't worth a lick live. Or else, maybe he is amazing live, but recordings of him live aren't much. I wouldn't know. Others are fantastic in studio and live and in subsequent recordings thereof, like Avraham Fried. Everyone knows that I love Lipa, but recordings of him live aren't so great. When in a studio he's able to do a lot more than when he's bound by the laws of physics, but seeing him on a stage? His presence more than makes up for any deficiencies in his voice. Not that there are many, but they certainly do exist. The same applies to the next song, the greatest hits medley (40), also from last year's (XXIII) Hasc. I really had it on this list (which mirrors the "Hasc Classics" playlist of the official iPod Touch of TRS) because of one song, Vehi Sheomdah 7). Like everyone else, I love that song. But now that I actually have Shwekey singing it, do I need this version? Especially with Fried's corniness? I understand that it's a family trait (ouch! that wasn't nice!), but again, after thirty listens, is it really necessary? Ich vais nisht.

36 comments:

Yossi said...

Thanks for sharing such an intimate part of your soul. The playlist is the deepest part.

sarabonne said...

I think you need some variety in your selection.

Just like a guy said...

Yossi: now that I've bared my soul...

Sara: huh? Why?

e said...

As many of you will know
Delightful line.

e said...

Were there girls in the Pirchei Hillel Children's Choir of Milwaukee?

Just like a guy said...

e: I'm glad you liked it.

And not just any girls... Lubavitchers!

e said...

but on the cover it looks like they were segregated. Do elaborate.

Just like a guy said...

I don't recall the particulars, but certainly we all sang together. I can't tell you what was going through the photographers mind. Perhaps Sara, our inhouse artist, can help with that.

Yossi said...

trs: "now that I've bared my soul..." and? what does the ellipsis mean?

Anonymous said...

Of course it happened in Milwaukee. These anti shluchim are not religious.

bonne said...

Nevermind, i guess it's hard to have variety with Jewish music.
I know nothing about photography but if you send a link I can try to make something up.

Just like a guy said...

Yossi: It's sort of a fill-in the blank.

Anon: You know too much to be anonymous.

Sara: No, there is variety, just not necessarily from a very specific list of albums.

There's only one link in the post...

bonne said...

That pic of the kids sitting in rows? I don't think the phographer was trying very hard to be artistic.

Just like a guy said...

Back then people had different artistic sensibilities.

sarabonne said...

What I mean is, I think he was just aiming for a neat, organized shot on a minimum wage pay, not some novel way of arranging humanoids that would play out as an artistic manifestation for MoMa. By the way, MoMa is having some nice shows these days, there's a guy in a piano who plays while he walks around a giant room.

Just like a guy said...

O, ye little faith...

e said...

Sarabonne: how does one play piano while walking around the room? And are you enjoying the free admission that CUNY studenthood brings?

TRS: Can a real shliach quote Jesus?

bonne said...

He carved a hole through the body of the piano and stands inside, playing it backwards.

e said...

and manages to walk while inside a piano?

In unrelated news, have you heard of Jonathan Keats? I read his wikipedia page. I hate him.

Just like a guy said...

e: apparently.

Keats: why do you hate him so?

e said...

If he would be an author for The Onion, I would love him. But he probably thinks that he's doing humankind a huge favor by enlightening them and provoking much thought. Let him jump in fucking lake.

Just like a guy said...

Maybe he's just trying to make a living?

bonne said...

You should write him a letter. You should ask him if he really takes himself seriously, some artists are just developed pranksters. In either case, he's not asking you to watch his plant porn.

e said...

TRS: doing this kind of stuff does not money make.

Sarabonne: I'd love to. How could I get his contact information?

Just like a guy said...

e: Which is why he's been trying increasingly desperate things.

http://tinyurl.com/392okpc

bonne said...

http://www.wired.com/beyond_the_beyond/2007/08/jonathan-keats/

e said...

trs: what kinds of desparate things?
http://bit.ly/fIgCG5

Sarabonne: many thanks. We'll see where this goes.

Just like a guy said...

e: Apparently, both Sara and I were able to easily find this info...

Anonymous said...

Its almost February, are you preparing your new post?

Just like a guy said...

Any topic suggestions?

Anon II said...

your mom

Just like a guy said...

Always keeping it classy, eh anon?

Anonymous said...

Anon II said... Chanan we need tachlis, something with a little twist!

Anon II said...

so you're not interested in TRS' mom? Because I personally find the topic fascinating. Did you know, for example, that she is so corpulent that when she sits around the house, she sits around the house?

Just like a guy said...

If you can behave yourself, I'll write a whole post for tonight.

Anon II, not behaving said...

Yo mama so old I told her to act her own age, and she died.