If you were writing a new Israeli song, you’d probably look for influences from other popular artists, no?
That’s exactly what music/comedy trio Ma Kashur did in writing their fun new song, “Od Laila” (Another Night). Released this morning, the song reads like a “who’s who” in contemporary Israeli music.
Could a simple refrain of “nai, nai, nai…” create the ultimate Israeli song?
“Another night in the moldy basement, we wrote words,” the song begins. “We wanted to write songs like we once did…we went with the familiar melody, we wanted another hit.”
So…
“We took a little from Shlomo [Artzi] and [Matti] Caspi and Omer [Adam] and [Pe’er] Tassi…Static, Ben-El, and also Dudu [Aharon]…Moshe [Peretz] and [Idan] Raichel and [Agam] Buchbut and [Noa] Kirel…
And the refrain? A simple “nai, nai, nai…”
The song goes on to throw out the names of another dozen or so of today’s top Israeli artists. If you understand the Hebrew, it’s a lot of fun…and if you don’t, well, the familiar names and the memorable chorus will get stuck in your head for the foreseeable future.
This isn’t the first time Ma Kashur name-dropped in their songs. My first introduction to them came back in 2005, when their song, “T’nu Lo Chance” (Give Him a Chance) became a major summer hit.
Although the group has been making music ever since, it’s been a while since they’ve released a comparable hit. Check out the Hebrew and English lyrics below. Do you think “Od Laila” has what it takes to reach the top of the charts?
Ma Kashur – Od Laila: Hebrew and English lyrics
| עוד לילה מרתף מעופש כתבנו מילים הבאנו בקבוק שירים רצינו לכתוב כמו שפעם אולי יוונית ασο σαφαπο σεωιακισ הלכנו על הלחן המוכר רצינו עוד להיט שיתנגן לנו אז לקחנו קצת משלמה וכספי ועומר וטסי סטטיק בן אל דודו גם משה ורייכל ובחבוט וקירל משינה ואתניקס כולם, ישירו את ה… רצינו משפט מרגש כזה שינעים אז ציון פתח תהילים אולי עוד מוואל ערבי, נקרא לנסרין “אלבי מעאק” חזרנו אל הלחן המוכר רצינו עוד להיט שיתנגן לנו אז לקחנו קצת מנצ’י וטונה עם מוש בקומונה ריטה אביב או גולן ההוא עם הכרס, מסיקה ופלס נרקיס שרית וחנן, ישירו את ה… | Another night in the moldy basement, we wrote words We brought a bottle to raise We wanted to write like we used to, maybe in Greek [Greek phrase…can someone translate?] We went with a familiar melody We wanted another hit that they would play for us So we took a little from Shlomo and Caspi and Omer and Tassi Static & Ben El, and also Dudu Moshe and Raichel and Buchbut and Kirel Mashina and Ethnix, everyone, They will nai, nai, nai… We wanted a meaningful sentence to make it pleasant So Tzion opened [the book of] Psalms Maybe another Arab “wail”, we’ll call Nasrin “Albi Mawak” We returned to the familiar melody We wanted another hit they would play for us So we took a little from Nechi and Tuna with Mosh in the commune Rita, Aviv or Golan The guy with the belly, Mesika and Peles Narkis, Sarit and Hanan, They will sing the nai, nai, nai… |
Israeli artists mentioned in the song:
(in order of appearance)
Shlomo Artzi | Matti Caspi | Omer Adam | Peer Tassi
Static & Ben-El Tavori | Dudu Aharon
Moshe Peretz | Idan Raichel | Agam Buchbut | Noa Kirel
Mashina | Ethnix
Nasreen Qadri | Nechi Nech | Tuna | Mosh Ben Ari
Rita | Aviv Gefen | Eyal Golan
The guy with the belly (?) | Miri Mesika | Keren Peles
Lior Narkis | Sarit Hadad | Hanan Ben Ari