… Read Full Bio ↴The Klezmatics are an American klezmer band based in New York City.
Formed in New York's East Village in 1986, the band plays an updated form of the music, mixing it with other musical traditions, singing in English and Yiddish. They have also participated in cross-cultural collaborations, most notably with the Palestinian musician Simon Shaheen.
Holy Ground
The Klezmatics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This place you're standing, it's holy ground
Take off, take off your shoes
The spot you're standing, its holy ground
These words I heard in my burning bush
This place you're standing, it's holy ground
I heard my fiery voice speak to me
That spot is holy holy ground
That place you stand it's holy ground
This place you tread, it's holy ground
God made this place his holy ground
Take off your shoes and pray
The ground you walk it's holy ground
Every spot on earth I trapse around
Every spot I walk it's holy ground
Every spot it's holy ground
Every little inch it's holy ground
Every grain of dirt it's holy ground
Every spot I walk it's holy ground
The Klezmatics's song Holy Ground opens with the repetitive instruction to "take off your shoes" because the spot being stood upon is "holy ground." These words were heard by the singer in a "burning bush," where a fiery voice spoke to them. The song continues to reiterate that every spot on earth is holy ground and that God has made every place his holy ground. The lyrics seem to suggest that the holiness of a place comes from a connection to a higher power, and that by acknowledging this sacred connection, one can elevate their own experience of the world.
There is a strong sense of reverence and awe in these lyrics, which is further supported by the use of the phrase "burning bush," which refers to the biblical story of Moses encountering God in the form of a burning bush. The repetition of the words "holy ground" serves to emphasize the sacred nature of the places being referenced, and offers a humbling reminder of the interconnectedness of all things.
Overall, The Klezmatics's song Holy Ground delivers a powerful message of spiritual connection and reverence for the world around us. By acknowledging the holiness of every spot on earth, the song encourages listeners to cultivate a sense of gratitude, joy, and humility in the face of the divine.
Line by Line Meaning
Take off, take off your shoes
Remove your shoes from your feet
This place you're standing, it's holy ground
The current location where you're standing is sacred
Take off, take off your shoes
Eliminate your footgear from your feet
The spot you're standing, its holy ground
The exact place where you're located is consecrated
These words I heard in my burning bush
The following phrases were spoken to me through my blazing shrub
This place you're standing, it's holy ground
The current site that you're standing on is sanctified
I heard my fiery voice speak to me
I listened to my passionate voice conversing with me
This spot you're standing, it's holy ground
The specific spot that you're positioned at is hallowed
That spot is holy holy ground
That specific location is extremely sacred
That place you stand it's holy ground
The place where you're currently standing is consecrated
This place you tread, it's holy ground
The location where you're stepping is a sacred place
God made this place his holy ground
The divine being has declared this area to be his sanctified location
Take off your shoes and pray
Remove your footwear and engage in silent communication with God
The ground you walk it's holy ground
The earth where you walk is a sacred place
Every spot on earth I trapse around
Every single location on our planet I explore
Every spot I walk it's holy ground
Anywhere that I walk becomes a sanctified place
Every spot it's holy ground
Every specific location is considered a sacred area
Every little inch it's holy ground
Even the smallest amount of space is sanctified
Every grain of dirt it's holy ground
Each particle of soil is a sacred place
Every spot I walk it's holy ground
Every place I tread upon becomes a consecrated location
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nora Lee Mandel
on Happy Joyous Hanuka (Hanukkah)
I think 8 is "altar piece" not "place". But thanks! I was having trouble figuring out # 7.