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.
God Bless the Child
Esther Ofarim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Them that's not shall lose
So the Bible says and it still is news
Mama may have, Papa may have
God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
Yes, the strong gets more
Empty pockets don't ever make the grade
Mama may have, Papa may have
God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
Money, you've got lots of friends
Crowding round the door
When you're gone and spending ends
They don't come no, no more
Rich relations give
Crust of bread and such
You can help yourself
But don't take too much
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
Mama may have, Papa may have
God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
The lyrics of Esther Ofarim's "God Bless the Child" center on the universal theme of wealth and poverty. The song acknowledges the harsh realities of life, where there are those who have and those who don't. The opening line "Them that's got shall get, Them that's not shall lose" echoes the famous biblical verse "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." This powerful statement sets the stage for the rest of the song where it highlights the struggles of those who are born into disadvantage and lack opportunities.
The lines "Yes, the strong gets more, while the weak ones fade, Empty pockets don't ever make the grade" highlight the harsh reality that those who are already at an advantage often continue to build their wealth, while those who are struggling can't break free. However, the song also acknowledges the importance and the blessing of being self-sufficient. The lyrics "God bless the child that's got his own" repeats throughout the song as a prayer for those who are able to provide for themselves.
The final verse of the song warns against taking advantage of one's riches and true friends. The lyrics "Rich relations give, crust of bread and such, You can help yourself, but don't take too much" urge the listener to be mindful of their own privilege and not take from those who have less.
Line by Line Meaning
Them that's got shall get
Those who have wealth or privilege will continue to accumulate more of it
Them that's not shall lose
Those who lack wealth or privilege will continue to struggle and potentially lose what little they have
So the Bible says and it still is news
This idea has been around for a long time and sadly, it remains true today
Mama may have, Papa may have
Parents might have resources or connections
God bless the child that's got his own
Blessings to those who have self-sufficiency and don't rely on others for their well-being
Yes, the strong gets more
Those who have an advantage in society (e.g. wealth, connections, etc.) will continue to gain more of it
While the weak ones fade
Those without advantages will continue to struggle and potentially fail
Empty pockets don't ever make the grade
Lack of resources can prevent one from succeeding or reaching their full potential
Money, you've got lots of friends
People may be attracted to those with wealth or resources
Crowding round the door
These people will seek out and surround those with wealth
When you're gone and spending ends
Once one's wealth or resources are depleted, these people will disappear
They don't come no, no more
These people will not be around when one needs them most
Rich relations give
Those with wealth or resources may give to others, but often not in significant ways
Crust of bread and such
They may provide very basic or minimal help
You can help yourself
Those without resources must rely on themselves to succeed
But don't take too much
One must be careful not to become too greedy or reliant on others, even when resources are scarce
Contributed by Noah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.