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.
Guten Abend gut' Nacht
Esther Ofarim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mit Rosen bedacht
Mit Näglein besteckt
Schlupf unter die Deck
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt
Guten Abend, gute Nacht
Von Englein bewacht
Die zeigen im Traum
Dir Christkindleins Baum
Schlaf nun selig und süß
Schau im Traum ′s Paradies
Schlaf nun selig und süß
Schau im Traum 's Paradies
The song Guten Abend gut' Nacht, also known as Brahms Lullaby, is a traditional German lullaby written by Johannes Brahms in the 19th century. The lyrics, sung here by Esther Ofarim, follow a child being put to bed by their mother or caregiver, as they are tucked in with roses and carnations around them. The child is told that they will be awakened in the morning, if God is willing.
The second verse indicates that the child is not alone, as they are guarded by angels who bring dreams of the Christ child's tree. The lyrics encourage the child to sleep soundly and sweetly, and to imagine themselves in a paradise-like dream world. The melody is soothing and calming, perfectly suited for a lullaby.
The song has been popular for over a century and has been translated into many languages. It has been recorded by various artists and used in movies and TV shows. Despite its popularity, the origin of the lyrics is unclear, as they may have been passed on orally for generations before Brahms set them to music. The song has become a staple in many cultures as a lullaby for children.
Line by Line Meaning
Guten Abend, gute Nacht
Good evening, good night
Mit Rosen bedacht
Covered with roses
Mit Näglein besteckt
Adorned with little nails
Schlupf unter die Deck
Slip under the covers
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt
Tomorrow morning, God willing, you will be woken up again
Von Englein bewacht
Guarded by angels
Die zeigen im Traum
Dir Christkindleins Baum
Who will show you, in your dreams, the Christmas tree
Schlaf nun selig und süß
Schau im Traum ′s Paradies
Sleep sweetly and blissfully, and see paradise in your dreams
Writer(s): Hans-ullrich Sellnow, Johannes Brahms
Contributed by Kaelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.