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.
Night And Day
Esther Ofarim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only you beneath the moon and under the sun
Whether near to me or far
It's no matter, darling, where you are
I think of you, night and day.
Night and day, why is it so
That this longing for you follows wherever I go?
In the silence of my lonely room,
I think of you, night and day.
Day and night under the hide of me
There's an, oh, such a hungry yearning burning inside of me
And its torment won't be through
Till you let me spend my life making love to you
Night and day
Night and day
The song "Night and Day" by Esther Ofarim is a romantic ballad that expresses the intense and timeless love felt by the singer towards someone who occupies their thoughts and feelings incessantly. It is a testament to the power and depth of human emotion, especially that which is associated with romantic attachment. The opening lines, "Night and day you are the one, only you beneath the moon and under the sun" set the tone for the remainder of the song, which is an exploration of the unique and all-consuming passion felt by the singer for the object of their desire. The use of the phrase "under the sun" suggests that this love is total and complete, experienced at all times and in all places.
The chorus of the song is repeated twice, and each time it emphasizes the theme of longing and desire. The singer cannot escape the pull of their love, no matter where they are or what they are doing. The phrase "It's no matter, darling, where you are" suggests that the singer is not interested in the practical aspects of the relationship, such as distance or logistics. Rather, they are fixated on the emotional and spiritual connection shared between them and the object of their love.
The final verse of the song reinforces the idea that the singer's love is all-consuming and powerful. The use of the phrase "there's an, oh, such a hungry yearning burning inside of me" suggests that this love is not simply an emotion, but a physical need. The singer cannot be satisfied until they are able to love and be loved by the object of their desire. The repetition of the chorus at the end of the song reminds the listener of the intensity of this love, which persists even when the singer is denied the object of their desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Night and day you are the one,
You are the constant object of my affection and attention, regardless of the time of day or night.
Only you beneath the moon and under the sun
No one else can compare to you or take your place, whether it is day or night.
Whether near to me or far
Distance between us doesn't change my thoughts and feelings for you.
It's no matter, darling, where you are
Regardless of where you are, my love and yearning for you remains.
I think of you, night and day.
You are constantly on my mind, both during the day and in the night.
Night and day, why is it so
I am puzzled by the fact that my longing for you persists all the time.
That this longing for you follows wherever I go?
No matter where I am, my longing for you is always present.
In the roaring traffic's boom,
Even in the midst of loud and noisy traffic noise, I can't stop thinking about you.
In the silence of my lonely room,
Even in the quietness of my alone time, without any distractions, I can't stop thinking about you.
I think of you, night and day.
You are constantly on my mind, both during the day and in the night.
Day and night under the hide of me
Deep within me, there is a continuous yearning and desire for you.
There's an, oh, such a hungry yearning burning inside of me
I have a strong, almost unbearable desire for you within me.
And its torment won't be through
This yearning and desire will persist and cause me discomfort until it is satisfied.
Till you let me spend my life making love to you
I only see the resolution to this yearning in spending my life with you and expressing our love physically.
Night and day
This yearning and desire for you persists both during the daytime and nighttime.
Writer(s): COLE PORTER
Contributed by Elizabeth H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.