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.
Shir Hanoded
Esther Ofarim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bin'dudei ein sof nafshi ma mit'ana.
Oh..
Nafshi ma mit'ana,
Oh..
Bin'dudei ein sof,
Nafshi ma mit'ana.
Asher baken hatov tanu'ach sha'anana.
Oh..
Tanu'ach sha'anana,
Oh..
Asher baken hatov,
Tanu'ach sha'anana.
Ah, ke'of nedod, anud ani gam ken,
Ach et yaf me'od, lanu'ach ein li ken.
Oh..
Lanu'ach ein li ken,
Oh..
Ach et yaf me'od
Lanu'ach ein li ken
Esther Ofarim's song "Shir Hanoded" tells the story of a bird whose soul is tired and lost. In the first verse, the bird longs for wings so that it can fly away from the endless waves of the sea that have left its soul weary. The repetition of "nafshi ma mit'ana" emphasizes the bird's exhaustion and desperation. The bird then wishes to be small and simple, like a little bird, free to rest on branches and find peace in the good and simple things in life.
The second verse continues the longing for rest and the desire to be carefree. The bird wishes to be like the shade of a tree where it can be free from worry and rest comfortably. The phrase "tanu'ach sha'anana" evokes the feeling of rest and relaxation in nature. However, the bird acknowledges that it is still lost and wandering, like a lost bird, even though it is enjoying the comfort of the shade. The repetition of "lanu'ach ein li ken" reinforces the bird's sadness and longing for a real sense of belonging and peace.
Overall, "Shir Hanoded" is a beautiful and introspective song about longing for rest and peace of mind. The lyrics paint a vivid and emotional picture of the bird's inner turmoil and search for meaning and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
Mi yitneni of, tzipor kanaf k'tana
Who will give me wings, a little bird's wing
Bin'dudei ein sof nafshi ma mit'ana
In the endless silence, my soul is hurting
Nafshi ma mit'ana
My soul is hurting
Bin'dudei ein sof
In the endless silence
Asher baken hatov tanu'ach sha'anana
That in the good nest, the tranquility rests
Tanu'ach sha'anana
Tranquility rests
Asher baken hatov
In the good nest
Ah, ke'of nedod, anud ani gam ken
Oh, like a wandering bird, I am also lost
Ach et yaf me'od, lanu'ach ein li ken
But a very pretty place, to rest I don't have
Lanu'ach ein li ken
To rest I don't have
Ach et yaf me'od
But a very pretty place
Contributed by Julian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Libelle1963
Boooaaahhh - genau , meine Musikrichtung... Ich bin sowas von begeistert! Soooooo schöööön! Ich sende einen lieben Gedanken durch die Nacht! Kerstin
@brett71jay
Amazingly beautiful voice, and at 57 , an amazingly beautiful woman ..
@MusikMessi
wunderschön .... und es klingt so friedlich ... :)