Of Mizrahi Jewish (Yemenite-Jewish) descent, Haza's music is known as a mixture of traditional Middle Eastern and commercial singing styles, fusing elements of Eastern and Western instrumentation, orchestration and dance-beat, as well as lyrics from Mizrahi and Jewish folk tales and poetry.
By the late 1980s, Haza was an internationally successful artist, achieving large success in Europe and the Americas and appearing regularly on MTV. During her singing career, she earned many platinum and gold discs and her music proved highly popular in the club scene. By the 1990s, at the peak of her career, she regularly featured in movie soundtracks, such as that of Dick Tracy (1990) and famously in the Prince of Egypt (1998), and her vocals were popularly sampled in hip hop. Her death in 2000 from an AIDS-related illness shocked the Israeli public and was the subject of much controversy in Israel. In Israel, Haza was a highly influential cultural figure, referred to as one of the country's biggest cultural icons, who helped to popularize Mizrahi culture.
Biography
In 1969, at the age of 12, Haza joined a local theater troupe, and manager Bezalel Aloni spotted her singing talent. He staged many of his productions around Haza, and later became her manager and mentor. At the age of 19, she became Israel's first pop star and retrospectively, music journalists described her as "The Madonna of the East".
She came to fame in the late 80s, with her album Shaday and her single Im Nin'Alu which reached #1 on several European charts in 1988 and remained for nine straight weeks in top position on the German charts. Then she impressed the whole world with her album Yemenite Songs, which was later released in the US as Fifty Gates of Wisdom. She added more high-tech elements and worked with producers such as Thomas Dolby and Don Was.
She also lent her vocals to a 1992 re-recording of The Sisters of Mercy's single "Temple of Love," subtitled "Touched by the Hand of Ofra Haza" (a tongue-in-cheek reference to New Order who had a hit with "Touched by the Hand of God").
Her voice has been described as mezzo-soprano, of near-flawless tonal quality, capable of lending itself to a variety of musical styles with apparent ease. Her style, including elements of Hebrew pop, sounds tasty, yet exotic, and the strength of her voice gained her many admirers.
Ofra Haza died at the age of 42 in 2000 – the cause being widely reported as organ failure or pneumonia, reportedly arising from HIV/AIDS complications. Her family declined to confirm or deny these reports however, stating that it was Haza's wish that the matter should remain private. There was considerable media interest into the circumstances of her death. Ofra Haza married Doron Ashkenazi in 1997, who died in 2001 of an overdose of crystallized cocaine. He was suspected of having infected Haza with the HIV virus.
Ofra represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest in Germany in 1983 with the song “חי” (Chai (חי), usually pronounced like the English word “hi” or “high,” a word and symbol that means “life”) and finished second with six points disparity. Her greatest hits collections Melody of the Heart Vols 1 and 2 comes in two 3CD boxed set collections.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofra_Haza
Show Me
Ofra Haza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Learning the lesson of years
So far away in heaven
Someone is shedding a tear
Nobody knows,nobody knows
Who will pay, who will stay
Another day
Open the door
Tell me, tell me I'm right
Show me some more
Dancing around the table
Watching the candles light up
Feeling the fire inside me
Moving my lips to the cup
Everyone knows, everyone knows
When they pay, they will stay
Another day
I'm en ani li mi li mi li
I'm en ani li mi li mi
I'm en ani li mi li mi li
I'm en ani li mi li mi
Show me, show me the light
Open the door
Hold me, hold me so tight
Leave me no more
I'm en ani...
Ofra Haza’s song “Show Me” is a poignant and soulful piece. It begins with a poignant setting of people sitting around the table, learning the lessons of life through the years. It is a powerful message of people who are distant, even far away from heaven, but still tied to the human experience of pain and sorrow. One can sense the emotions building up in the song as the lyrics progress, painting a picture of someone shedding tears, but nobody knows who will pay the price for them.
As the song progresses, we see the singer asking to be shown the light, to be guided towards a brighter future, and to be reassured that they are on the right track. There is an intense yearning in the singer's voice, a plea for answers that only come from trust and hope. The climax of the song comes when Ofra Haza chants “en ani li mi” repeatedly, which translates to “I am for my beloved, and my beloved is for me”. There is a sense of serenity and comfort that surround these words, and it elevates the song to a spiritual plane.
Overall, “Show Me” is not just a song but a transformative experience, that reminds us of the universal human emotions that we all share, and the need for love, reassurance, and hope to get us through the trials of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting around the table
Gathering around with others
Learning the lesson of years
Reflecting on the experiences of past years
So far away in heaven
Feeling spiritually disconnected
Someone is shedding a tear
Someone is experiencing sadness and pain
Nobody knows, nobody knows
The situation is uncertain
Who will pay, who will stay
Uncertainty regarding who will take responsibility
Another day
Another day to face the uncertainty and struggle
Show me, show me the light
Asking for guidance and direction
Open the door
Looking for a new opportunity or hope
Tell me, tell me I'm right
Seeking validation and affirmation
Show me some more
Yearning for further guidance and instruction
Dancing around the table
Celebrating life and joy
Watching the candles light up
Observing beauty and wonder
Feeling the fire inside me
Experiencing passion and drive
Moving my lips to the cup
Drinking and enjoying life
Everyone knows, everyone knows
The situation is clear and understood
When they pay, they will stay
Those who contribute will be rewarded
Another day
Another opportunity to contribute and grow
I'm en ani li mi li mi li
A repeated affirmation of self
Hold me, hold me so tight
Asking for comfort and safety
Leave me no more
Begging for protection and stability
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LINCOLN PARISH, ADAM TAYLOR, MICAH PUESCHAL, WILLIAM REDISKE, JOSEPH DICKENS, JOSEPH KING, CAYSON PETERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Bakum_Mihail
Ofra haza was powerful mix from the Jewish and Arabic culture. She may be the bridge between two nations. So sad that she so early gone. 23 years we're missing here
@miklosbajszar3883
Ofra Haza was the most beautiful person alive. I'm jewish myself, and I miss her so much
@phuketfishingpro2800
is she dead???
@xxxthoughtlessxxx
@@phuketfishingpro2800 Ofra Haza died 21 years ago in February 2000.
@dimitrislamprinakhs5678
I miss her too my brother she is my first love as a young boy you know how it is
@SILVERONIN
The most beautiful Jewish woman I witnessed while she was alive, she will forever be missed
@martingries1150
@Miklos Bajszar Ofra lives in her music🎵 🎶 ✡
@renataorzech9174
Była piękną kobietą. Nie wiedziałam, że mieszkała w Izraelu. Dopiero utwór z 1982 roku, uświadomił mi to. Piękna kobieta, piękne utwry, znane, na całym świecie.👍🌹❤.
@SILVERONIN
My first ever crush as a kid. This woman was majestic!
@zdenekjuracka9470
Nádherná opravdu nádherná Zdravím z České republiky ahoj🇨🇿📻