She met Abi Ofarim, a guitarist and dancer, in 1959 and subsequently married him. With her husband and without him she began to sing Hebrew and international folk songs.
In 1960 Esther got a small role in the film Exodus. In 1961 Esther won the Song Festival in Tel Aviv, where she sang "Saeni imcha bemachol" and "Neama". Two years later, Esther made the 2nd place at the Eurovision Song Contest with "T'en vas pas", representing Switzerland.
From then on, her duo with her then husband Abi Ofarim began take off. In 1966 they had their first hit in Germany with "Noch einen Tanz". Their greatest success in Germany was "Morning of my Life" in 1967, which was written by the Bee Gees. In 1968 the Ofarims had their international breakthrough with "Cinderella Rockefella", which hit the top of the charts in a number of countries including the UK. They played many live concerts in New York and London, and in 1969 they toured around the world.
As result of problems in both business, and personal relations, they divorced in 1970 [1] (in German).
Esther started her solo career with several albums and concerts. In 1984 she played in Joshua Sobol's piece "Ghetto", produced by Peter Zadek in Berlin (Germany). There she sang some songs, including "Frühling" and "Unter deinen weissen Sternen". The play was extremely successful, which was attributed in part to Esther's strong presence.
Since 1998, Esther Ofarim has been performing several concerts each year, especially in Israel and Germany. This includes annual concerts in the Hamburger Kammerspiele.
Ofarim's songs were prominently featured in the 2004 Israeli film, Walk on Water.
Gnostic Serenade
Esther Ofarim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We meet to part and go our separate ways
And I am trapped on this crazy star
I've been a prisoner all of my days
Once we were young and we laughed a lot
And happiness wasn't peculiar like today
But I would give you everything you think I've got
Don't let the tears fall from your eyes
If you can't make it I'll find some other way
And try to be like the stars up in the sky
And shine on nothing, wait to the end of the day.
And try to be like the stars up in the sky
And shine on nothing, wait to the end of the day
In Esther Ofarim's song, "Gnostic Serenade," the lyrics express a sense of resignation and acceptance of the impermanence of life. The opening stanza highlights the passing of time and the inevitability of change. The singer feels trapped on this "crazy star," referring to Earth, and accepts that they have been a prisoner all their days. The second stanza reveals that there was once a time of happiness and laughter, but now the world seems to have lost its way. The singer would do anything to try and recapture that happiness, but ultimately accepts that things may not always remain the same.
In the final stanza, the singer tries to offer comfort to someone who is leaving. They urge them not to cry and offer reassurance that they will find another way. The line "And try to be like the stars up in the sky / And shine on nothing, wait to the end of the day" offers a metaphor for the impermanence of life. The stars shine on even when there is nothing to shine on, and the day will always come to an end. The song ultimately communicates a sense of acceptance and a recognition that sometimes all we can do is shine on and wait for the next chapter.
Line by Line Meaning
And try to be like the stars up in the sky
I will strive to emulate the unwavering constancy of the celestial bodies above
And shine on nothing, wait to the end of the day
I will still shine my light even when there is no one to see it, and persevere until the end of the day
Once we were young and we laughed a lot
In the past, we were youthful and carefree, with much merriment and mirth
And happiness wasn't peculiar like today
Joy and contentment were more widespread and not so rare like in the present day
But I would give you everything you think I've got
I am willing to sacrifice all that you assume I possess
Just to prove that it needn't remain this way
In an attempt to demonstrate that the present state of existence is not immutable and can change for the better
Don't let the tears fall from your eyes
Do not weep, despite the hardships and adversities present
If you can't make it I'll find some other way
In the event that you cannot persevere, I shall endeavor to discover alternate courses of action
And finally we are as the times are
We are but a reflection of the age that surrounds us, a product of the zeitgeist
We meet to part and go our separate ways
Although we convene currently, our paths shall eventually diverge
And I am trapped on this crazy star
I feel confined and restricted by the insanity of this world
I've been a prisoner all of my days
Throughout my life, I have been captive to the vagaries and exigencies of circumstance
Contributed by William P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Clifford Parmeter
I love that song one of the best ever sung.... great job..
Camilla Bichel
Thank you