Sunday, March 16, 2008

Are there any songs that you listen to, that almost anytime you hear them, chokes you up and fill your eyes with tears? For me, the answer is yes. I have a great attachment to music, and definitely, there are songs, that everytime I listen to them, I always get emotional.

One of them is Barbara Streisand's Papa Can You Hear Me, from the movie Yentle. When I was just 19 years old, my father passed away in Israel. Soon after he died, and I returned back to the US, this movie came out. And to this day, everytime I listen to it, I cry.

Here is a clip of the song.




The Hatikva is another one of those songs, I get so emotional over. I don't know when it began, but whenever I hear it, no matter where I hear it - on TV, a school function, browsing through youtube, or even like today at the closing ceremony of my daughter's Bnei Akiva meeting - The Hatikva always has the same affect on me ... tears.

Well, here is a funny coincidence. When I was thinking of what I wanted to share in this post and the meaning behind the song, Papa Can You Hear Me , I thought about a small soundbite of my father's voice that my brother had a recording of. My brother Steve put together a little presentation that he sent to all the family which included one of these priceless moments. I hadn't listen to this in a long time, so I forgot that not only was I on the clip, but, I am singing The Hatikva.

So like me, but probably for a VERY different reason, after you listen to this version (circa 1977), you too will cry, everytime you hear it played.

(btw, the photos in the presentation were taken a few years after the recording. They are mostly of me at my Bat Mitzvah - where you can see I still had lots of babyfat.)

10 comments:

SuperRaizy said...

I cry when I hear "When A Man Loves A Woman" by Percy Sledge. It just seems like he really means it.

Another meshugannah mommy said...

Same Old Auld Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg. Gets me every time.

Anonymous said...

I am HUGE Papa can you hear me Fan, Ever since i watched Yentl for the first of many times. amazing how music can stir our souls.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Don't Know Why by Nora Jones

is another one of those songs that I just tear up whenever I listen to it. (listening to it now and trying hard not to have my co-workers wonder why I keep grabbing for the tissues.)

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Hadasah - beatifully said

AMM - I love that song

SuperRaizy - another classic example

cruisin-mom said...

loved the slideshow, and your adorable, sweet singing Jaime.
There are so many songs that bring me to tears, but a few I can think of right off the bat are:
I Will by the Beatles
Circle Game by Joni Mitchell.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Two songs that I need to listen to. I've never heard of them, at least by title.

cruisin-mom said...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=go2wjF7f-zw

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hjcKHEuOcxQ&feature=related

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Ah yes - I do know them. Thanks.

torontopearl said...

At some point in my blog or in the comments section of another blog, I've also written how "Papa, Can You Hear Me" moves me to tears. The main theme from Schindler's List has the ability to do so too.
When I'm at a public Jewish gathering in a synagogue or in a concert hall and we start by singing Oh, Canada, followed by Hatikvah, I also am moved with the Jewish theme song and the hundreds of voices joining together as one to sing it.