Sunday, August 14, 2011

The Parvarim- Sing Simon and Garfunkel {In Hebrew} (Israel *1972, CBS 64829)




Yossi Hurie and Nisim Menachem-- original line-up of the celebrated Israeli folk-pop duo, The Parvarim -- cut this harmonious selection of Hebrew-translated Simon & Garfunkel hits back in 1971. These renditions are, in general, nicely realized; with tasteful arrangements and subtle production values. I'd reckon that The Sound of Silence, America, El Condor Pasa, The Side of the Hill, The Boxer and April Come She Will are the highlight tracks for me. I must admit that The Parvarim's take on Bridge Over Troubled Water, while delivered with care and sensitivity, does little to alter my own supreme ambivalence toward that song. So it goes. 320 vinyl rip by yours truly. Enjoy.



Download; The Parvarim- Sing Simon and Garfunkel {In Hebrew} (CBS 64829, 1972)



11 comments:

Holly said...

I share your 'Bridge' ambivalence & raise you a general vague antipathy toward Paul Simon (please do not ever, EVER, play anything from Graceland in my presence or I will get a horrid nervous tic) - but I cannot deny my fondness for classic S&G. The arrangements here are indeed lovely. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

what a nice find. thanks for another gem.
u rule!
so did simon & garfunkel.
and so did this...
k from the north

Anonymous said...

Nice new upload. This duo was originally two Army bands' singers in the early sixties, singing guitar sing-alonga songs as a way to entertain the recruits and cadets back then. Kibbutz songs were the building block of all popular Israeli music from the days of independence in 1948, on through the late 60s when most singers collaborated and got together to form real bands. Some of those Army bands were so large, that they would include twelve or more members in them.
Ha Parvarim (or, The Barbarians), took their name from such American 50s harmonizing bands as Brothers Four who sang folk songs that depicted the rustic, gypsy-life post-WWII mentality of an American nation coming victorious after that terrible war.
So, the connection was there: these Israeli bands were dreamy attempts at harking back to platitudinous days of peace and an easy way of living so much - up to this time in Israel - absent because of the constant knack to stay at war all the time (a very Jewish mindset).
Their earlier works were all schamltzy songs played on just an acoustic guitar, or two sang with precision, and delicateness. Then, and in the late 60s, their sound grew more 'heavier', adding electric guitars with fuzz pedals, heavy bass, and mad drumming.

Good band.

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shiner said...

i must say i hate the parvarim (and simon and garfunkel for that matter).
you know, israel didnt really had a 60s generation (when everyone was getting high in 67, my father had to conquer jerusalem), and i can count the israeli real time psych albums on one hand.
and no one even heard of LSD!
and still there are many many better albums to post from the israeli 60s than this piece of crap.
still i appreciate your doing. keep up the good work

nicholab said...

@shiner--i must say, i'm happy with the straight-up sincerity of your feedback. and i would love for you to spill the beans on those israeli psych records. i am always down to get schooled on the real things i need to know. this may seem strange, but i'm also stoked to get your encouragement, basically, for posting something you've said you hate. that kind of rules. more to say, when time allows....paz

øשlqæda said...

yea shiner, you've schooled me on some shit too, but you & yer bro are owlviously the ambassadors of israeli psych. drop the knowledge son!

shiner said...

wow guys!
thanks!
i will sit today and try to make a mixtape for you, and if i wont succeed. ill just send you some name dropping.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great blog!

You might like this-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtLaz3YpkFU

Neil Sedaka sings in hebrew

The PopCulturist said...

Found my way here from Doom and Gloom. Great stuff! Todah rabah for this (that's thanks a lot in Hebrew).

Check out my blog sometime if you'd like:
http://therarestuff.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Thank you! B'shalom