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.
You're Always Looking for the Rainbow
Esther Ofarim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So you can find the gold
Bring that your luck could pull you through
You're always looking for the rainbow, babe
So you can find the gold
And all the time it's right in front of you
You're always looking for the greener pastures
Hoping that your dreams will all come true
You're always looking for the greener pastures
On the other side
And all the time they're right in front of you
Gypsy waggons leaving hear them singing ladidadida
Better run or you'll be left behind
Maybe somewhere ther's a strange young girl
You haven't met
Somewhere in the shadows of your mind
You're always looking for that paradise
You don't care whom you sacrifice
One day all your chances will be gone
That paradise is in storybooks
And all you can do is look
And if you ever get there you'll be all alone
The lyrics of Esther Ofarim's "You're Always Looking for the Rainbow" are a poignant reminder on how we sometimes become so consumed by our pursuit of happiness that we miss out on the beauty that surrounds us. The song captures the essence of the human urge to constantly search for the next big thing, the next new adventure, the next best thing that can make our lives more complete. But in doing so, we often ignore the blessings we already have in our lives, the friends, the family, the love that we take for granted.
The song starts with "You're always looking for the rainbow, so you can find the gold." The rainbow being a symbol of hope, the gold representing the ultimate outcome of our endeavors. The singer is questioning why people are drawn to this pursuit of an elusive happiness when they could find joy by just embracing what's already available to them. "And all the time it's right in front of you" is a line that emphasizes that we are sometimes blinded by our own search and fail to notice the things that are right in front of us.
The second verse further delves into the idea that we are always seeking something more, something different, something better. "You're always looking for the greener pastures on the other side." The metaphor of greener pastures is a common one used to represent the idea of a better life or a better opportunity, something that's more rewarding. The singer highlights the irony that while we are busy searching, the very things we are looking for might already exist in our lives. "And all the time they're right in front of you."
The third verse uses the imagery of a gypsy caravan, with its sense of adventure and the promise of a new horizon to further drive the point home. "Gypsy wagons leaving, hear them singing ladidadida, better run or you'll be left behind." The image of the caravan passing by, the urgency of having to follow them is a symbol of the constant search for something new. But the singer suggests that it's not worth losing what we have in our lives, the people we love for the sake of this constant search. The idea that we might be missing out on someone or something special somewhere and that we could be left alone only adds to the sense of regret.
Overall, the song is a reminder to slow down, to take a moment to appreciate the happiness that's already present in our lives, and to not always be consumed by the need to search for something more. Its poignant lyrics still ring true today, and its melody has stayed timeless through the years.
Line by Line Meaning
You're always looking for the rainbow
You are constantly seeking a sign of hope or good fortune
So you can find the gold
In order to attain riches or success
Bring that your luck could pull you through
Hoping that good luck will help you overcome difficulties
You're always looking for the rainbow, babe
Persistently seeking a sign of hope or good fortune
And all the time it's right in front of you
The opportunity for success or happiness is already present, but you may not be noticing or appreciating it
You're always looking for the greener pastures
Consistently seeking a better situation or circumstance
On the other side
In a place that is not currently accessible or attainable
Hoping that your dreams will all come true
Desiring for your ideals to become reality
And all the time they're right in front of you
The opportunity for a better situation or circumstance may already be present, but you may not be noticing or appreciating it
Gypsy waggons leaving hear them singing ladidadida
Hearing the cheerful sound of gypsies leaving
Better run or you'll be left behind
The need to take swift action to avoid missing an opportunity
Maybe somewhere ther's a strange young girl
There may be an unknown person or situation that could be meaningful or influential
You haven't met
An unfamiliar person who could potentially affect your life
Somewhere in the shadows of your mind
A concept or idea that remains hidden or unexplored in your thoughts
You're always looking for that paradise
The constant search for an ideal, perfect situation or place
You don't care whom you sacrifice
Willing to make significant sacrifices or trade-offs to attain your desired goal
One day all your chances will be gone
The missed opportunity to attain your desired goal will eventually be gone forever
That paradise is in storybooks
The ideal, perfect situation or place only exists in fiction or fantasy
And all you can do is look
All that remains is the desire to attain an ideal, perfect situation or place
And if you ever get there you'll be all alone
Even if you attain your desired goal, you may find a lack of real satisfaction or fulfillment
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
silkie09
Simply incredible, beyond words. How can you bear to show much of you heart, Esther. Thankyou, you make this earth a better place.
brett71jay
Yes, it is disappointing how few people have even heard of her. So they never get to know and appreciate how wonderful she was,and indeed still is. Just superb.
José Alonso
maravillosa voz. Preciosa canción
MsNurseBecky
Wow! As a teenager I won an album and this song was on it. I always liked it but could not remember the title and hardly any lyrics. I am 62 years old and after a 46 year search I FOUND IT! Still like this song.
Grunaubaby
A wonderful performance and a wonderful Esther. Thank you very much.
Philip Price
Excellent - I hope this song was released on disc in France and across Europe - it is a pity it was not included in her 73 Album.It is an important archive film of a French TV studio setting.
Phill Campbell
Whenever I rave about her to others, they say 'who?', and yet she was marvellous. Alas, such understated beauty and quality of vocal tone is not appreciated in today's world.
brett71jay
I found this song to be a heartbreaker. All chances gone. Beautiful though.
Alejandro Mosquera Souto
Para morirse con tanta belleza!!
Willy D
very kind words. and I agree.