| [ Ofra Haza – “Im Nin’ Alu”, 1984 ] |
[ Info ] “Im Nin’alu” (If the gates are locked) is a Hebrew poem by 17th-century Rabbi Shalom Shabazi. It has been set to music and sung by Israeli singer Ofra Haza and others. The original version by Ofra Haza was included on the 1984 album Yemenite Songs, also known as Fifty Gates of Wisdom. The remixed version was part of her international debut Shaday of 1988. “Im Nin’alu” went on to become famous in Europe when a remixed version of the song, produced by Izhar Ashdot, reached the top 10 in many countries. The single reached number one in Finland, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany. In the United Kingdom and in the United States the track was a top-20 hit. The single reportedly sold some three million copies worldwide. In 1997, Haza re-recorded the track for her eponymous album Ofra Haza. The international follow-up single to “Im Nin’Alu (Played in Full)” in 1988 was a remix of the track “Galbi”, also originally from the Yemenite Songs album. The poem begins with the words – Im nin’alu daltei n’divim daltei marom lo nin’alu [ Even if the gates of the rich are closed, the gates of heaven will never be closed ]. [ wikipedia ] |