His vocal - sounding very much like the legendary Janis Joplin - is unmatched; and he sings primarily in English. "A genius... A new Messiah" (Rolling Stone Mexico) and "The most interesting voice in the Israeli music scene" are some of the accolades he has received.
Born in Jerusalem, Israel, to diplomats for the Israeli Foreign Office, Avidan spent four years of his childhood in Jamaica and also grew up in New York. In 2006, after breaking up with his long-time girlfriend, he moved back to Jerusalem desiring to pursue a music career. From 2006–2011 he featured in Asaf Avidan & the Mojos.
In 2012, Avidan released the single "Different Pulses", followed by the premiere of his debut solo studio album of the same name. The singer's follow-up record Gold Shadow (2015) was similarly successful in Europe, reaching Gold status in France. The Study on Falling followed in 2017.
Poor Boy
Asaf Avidan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without the insides of his chest
He didn't know how he was blessed
And all the little girls thought it a blast
To shake his body really fast
To see the impact never last
Some said "poor boy"
He used to live with different families
That nurtured his disease
Then he'd float out with the breeze
And he implanted kaleidoscopes instead of eyes
To see the girls in multiplies
To try to figure their disguise
Some said "poor boy"
Some said "lucky man"
He tried to fill his chest with pretty jewels
But then he figured out the rules
And left the jewelry for the fools
And one day the doctors said they found a cure
Said the found a beating heart that's pure
And they believe it will endure
Some said "poor boy"
Some said "lucky man"
Asaf Avidan's "Poor Boy" tells the tale of a boy who grows up feeling different from everyone else. He feels as though he doesn't have the same emotions as others, and describes himself as lacking "the insides of his chest." He doesn't understand why he is different, but it becomes clear that he is looked upon scornfully by some and with amusement by others. He doesn't seem to have any friends or allies, as many of the little girls around him find it fun to shake his body and see how he reacts.
Despite his struggles, the boy finds some ways to cope. He lives with different families and finds some solace in their care. He also begins to see the world in a different way, implanting kaleidoscopes for eyes so he can see the world in a more magical way. He's fascinated with the girls he sees, trying to figure out their "disguises" and perhaps see beyond their outward appearances.
The song's lyrics finally suggest a glimmer of hope for the poor boy. The doctors believe they have found a cure for his condition- a "beating heart that's pure" that will allow him to fit in better with those around him. However, even afterwards, people are still divided on how to see the boy, with some seeing him as "poor" for having been born different and others calling him "lucky" for having lived through his struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
One boy grew up different from the rest
There was a boy who was unlike the others from the beginning.
Without the insides of his chest
The boy was born without a heart.
He didn't know how he was blessed
The boy was unaware of his unique nature.
And all the little girls thought it a blast
Young girls found it exciting to play with this boy without a heart and observe his reactions.
To shake his body really fast
They would shake him to see if he could feel the stimulation.
To see the impact never last
However, no matter how much they played with him, his reactions always fell short of their expectations.
Some said "poor boy"
Some sympathized with him and felt sorry for him.
Some said "lucky man"
Others saw him as blessed, perhaps because of his unique qualities.
He used to live with different families
He had to live with various families who could look after him because of his heart condition.
That nurtured his disease
The families had to take care of him and his sickness.
Then he'd float out with the breeze
After staying with the different families, he would leave, maybe because he never felt completely integrated.
And he implanted kaleidoscopes instead of eyes
As he grew older, he started to see the world differently, maybe becoming more creative and imaginative.
To see the girls in multiplies
He was interested in girls and experimented with his unique lens to observe them in a new way.
To try to figure their disguise
But despite these unique observations, he still struggled to understand their true selves.
He tried to fill his chest with pretty jewels
He tried to find things to replace the void that was missing in his chest.
But then he figured out the rules
He realized that the things he was trying to fill his void with were meaningless and worthless.
And left the jewelry for the fools
He started to let go of the material things that he had been filling his heart with.
And one day the doctors said they found a cure
One day, the doctors found a heart that could be transplanted into him.
Said the found a beating heart that's pure
The heart they found was healthy and pure.
And they believe it will endure
They expect that this heart will be strong and last for a long time.
Some said "poor boy"
Some may still pity him, perhaps for the struggles he had to go through.
Some said "lucky man"
Others may see him as fortunate now that he has a new heart.
Contributed by Oliver T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.