Why this tune? This week’s song was written 50 years ago, in the midst of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, by the great Israeli poet and songwriter Naomi Shemer. The lyrics started as a Hebrew version of the Beatles’ hit “Let It Be,” but Shemer was persuaded to write her own original melody for herContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Lu Yehi לו יהי (Let It Be)”
Author Archives: Oren Levine
Tunes on Tuesday: Yesh Ai Sham (There Is Somewhere)
Why this tune? I spent several years in Israel in the late 1980s and early 90s, and to this day have a strong emotional connection its music. This week’s song, “Yesh Ai Sham,” is one example of the work of Yoni Rechter, a giant of Israeli music, contributing his talents for decades as a composer,Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Yesh Ai Sham (There Is Somewhere)”
Tunes on Tuesday: Autumn Leaves
Why this tune? The thermometer here in Washington, DC tells us that it’s truly autumn in our region. That and the falling leaves, which bring to mind this week’s tune “Autumn Leaves.” “The falling leaves…” is the start of Johnny Mercer’s English-language lyrics for the chorus of Joseph Kosma’s melody, a departure from the originalContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Autumn Leaves”
Tunes on Tuesday: Hallmark Movie Marathon
Why this tune? This week’s tune is another collaboration I posted to the FAWM 50/90 community (fawm.org), which closed on October 1. My new songwriting friends David Graham and Vaughan Ray Daniel sent me lyrics for “Hallmark Movie Marathon,” and I took up the challenge of writing a Hallmark-movie worthy pop song around their gentleContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Hallmark Movie Marathon”
Tunes on Tuesday: Longue Maladie
Why this tune? This week’s tune is part of a four-song collection of French tunes I recently recorded with Barbara Papendorp, which we released on September 28 as “Amuse-bouche” under Barbara’s band name “Barbara et les bon vivants.” Barbara introduced me to “Longue Maladie,” which was written and recorded by Michel Delpech, a French singerContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Longue Maladie”
Tunes on Tuesday: I-66
Why this tune? I first thought about updating the Bobby Troup classic “Route 66” for the infamous Northern Virginia Interstate 66 soon after I moved back to the area in 2010, but didn’t get around to it until last week. It was only last week, on a drive back to DC on I-66 from aContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: I-66”
Tunes on Tuesday: Imagination
Why this tune? I’m preparing for a solo piano gig on Sept. 29, and plan to include this week’s tune“Imagination” in my set list. It’s one of my favorite ballads, written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke in 1940 for Glenn Miller’s swing band. I first heard it in the early 1990s,performed by theContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Imagination”
Tunes on Tuesday: Strange Fire
Why this tune? This week’s tune is another addition to my evolving “Parsha Songs” project, a collection of songs inspired by each of the 54 weekly Torah portions in the Jewish tradition. The title comes from Leviticus 10:1 in Parashat Shemini, describing how two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, brought to the sacrificial altarContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Strange Fire”
Tunes on Tuesday: Blame It On The Snake
Why this tune? This week’s tune is the result of another collaboration in the FAWM community (fawm.org). I connected on the website with two very talented writers, David Graham and Vaughan Ray Daniel, and set their words to music. Their creative take on the first story in the Torah seems like a good fit forContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Blame It On The Snake”
Tunes on Tuesday: Peace
Why this tune? This week’s tune is another jazz classic, the beautiful ballad “Peace” written by Horace Silver in 1959. Silver would have celebrated his 95th birthday this week (Sept. 2). He was a pioneer of “hard bop” in the 1950s and 60s and wrote many tunes that have become jazz standards, like “Song ForContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Peace”
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 