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.
Old Devil Moon (from "Finian's Rainbow"
Esther Ofarim Lyrics
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Something in your eyes I see
Soon begins bewitching me
It's that old devil moon
That you stole from the skies
It's that old devil moon in your eyes
You and you glance make this romance
Stars in the night
Blazing their light
Can't hold a candle
To your razzle-dazzle
You've got me flyin' high and wide
On a magic carpet ride
Full of butterflies inside
Wanna cry, wanna croon
Wanna laugh like a loon
It's that old devil moon in your eyes
Just when I think
I'm free as a dove
Old devil moon
Deep in your eyes
Blinds me with love
In Esther Ofarim's version of "Old Devil Moon," a classic song from the musical "Finian's Rainbow," the lyrics describe the overwhelming, almost supernatural power of love. The song is from the perspective of someone who is falling deeply in love with another person. They look into the eyes of the other person and see a spellbinding force that captivates their heart and soul. They compare this force to the devil moon, a mystical and mythical concept that is often associated with magic and enchantment.
The lyrics convey the idea that this love is so powerful that it's almost too hot to handle, like stars blazing in the night that can't be held with a mere candle. The singer is enraptured, "flyin' high and wide on a magic carpet ride" and filled with emotions that make them want to "cry, wanna croon, wanna laugh like a loon." The final lines convey how the singer feels completely helpless against the power of this love: "Just when I think I'm free as a dove, old devil moon, deep in your eyes, blinds me with love."
Overall, the lyrics of "Old Devil Moon" describe the all-consuming passion of love and the mystical force that can be found in the eyes of someone you deeply care about.
Line by Line Meaning
I look at you and suddenly
As I gaze upon you, in that very instant,
Something in your eyes I see
I sense a certain something in your gaze,
Soon begins bewitching me
Suddenly, a captivating feeling washes over me,
It's that old devil moon
This enchanting allure can only come from that beguiling moon,
That you stole from the skies
That moon which looks as if you've plucked it from above,
It's that old devil moon in your eyes
This captivating magic is lurking in the depths of your eyes,
You and you glance make this romance
The love between us rekindles by your mere glance,
Too hot to handle
The passion between us is burning bright,
Stars in the night
The stars in the sky,
Blazing their light
Shine so radiant and bright,
Can't hold a candle
But their light pales in comparison,
To your razzle-dazzle
To the sheer brilliance and excitement that you exude,
You've got me flyin' high and wide
You've bewitched me and I'm euphoric,
On a magic carpet ride
It's as if I'm floating on air, experiencing pure magic,
Full of butterflies inside
I'm feeling all kinds of nervous excitement inside,
Wanna cry, wanna croon
I'm overcome with emotion and I feel like singing and crying all at once,
Wanna laugh like a loon
I'm so deliriously happy that I want to laugh uncontrollably,
It's that old devil moon in your eyes
All of these intense feelings are surely inspired by the irresistible magic of that moon in your gaze,
Just when I think
Every time I feel as though,
I'm free as a dove
I've finally freed myself from this spell,
Old devil moon
That old devilish moon,
Deep in your eyes
Hides deep within your eyes,
Blinds me with love
Only to captivate me again with the intense power and allure of love.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: Burton Lane, E. Y. Harburg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind