Dear Community,
In my Shabbat message last week I wrote about the Elul playlist I created and wrote about the first 5 songs. This week I want to return to the final five songs and why they made the list.
6. Natalie Merchant – Kind & Generous
The life of spiritual seeking is only made possible through the practice of gratitude. Another modern day psalmist, Merchant supplies us with the feelings of endless gratitude. She gives us a 90’s version of a niggun (an ancient wordless melody) and anyone can join in.
I want to thank you for so many gifts you gave
The love and tenderness
I want to thank you
7. Carl Carlton – Everlasting Love
There are plenty of love songs about Gd. Song of Songs (Shir Hashirim) is a biblical book of love songs said to be written by King Solomon. The metaphors are strong, and rabbinic tradition interprets the relation as one between Gd and the Jewish people.
There's also one prayer in particular we read about Gd’s endless love for us- Ahavat Olam. So, when Carl Carlton sings Everlasting Love I can’t help by think of the biblical and rabbinic songs detailing Gd’s all consuming and never ending love (Yes, Jews believe Gd's love too!) I could listen to this one on repeat forever.
Open up your eyes
Then you’ll realize
Here I stand with my
Everlasting love
8. John Boutte – My Life
In New Orleans, John Boutte is known as one of the greats. His version of My Life expresses so much of the weariness of life and our disappointments. But there is a small spark of hope in the lyrics. How can I make life easier? How can I be a better person? I can give joy to others. I can make it better at least for a while.
My life is tangled in wishes
With so many things that never turned out right
But I gave joy to my mother
And I made my lover smile
I can give comfort to my friends
When they are hurting
I can make it seem better for a while.
9. Annie Lennox – Why
Elul is a month filled with many prayers. Sometimes a prayer can be as simple as one word. “Why?” One tiny word can encompass a great amount of what we feel.
This is the book I never read
These are the words I never said
This is the path I’ll never tread
10. The Flaming Lips – Do You Realize?
As Maimonides said, “Awake, you slumberers! Awake from your sleep with the sound of The Flaming Lips.”
Sometimes happiness makes you cry. Do you realize what an incredible mystery this all is? Do you realize that it won’t last forever?
Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes
Let them know you realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
11. Louis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World
I said there was a final five, but really it's six, because it’s only right for Mr. Armstrong to have the last word.
Let’s be continuously amazed with this world around us. Never stop feeling that wonder. Never stop loving.
I see skies of blue
and clouds of white
The bright blessed day
the dark sacred night
and i think to myself
What a wonderful world
Once again, here's the list in full and a Spotify link :
Rabbi Janine’s Elul Mix 5784:
Tom Petty – Wake Up Time
Paul Simon – American Tune
The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony
Johnny Cash – Daddy Sang Bass
George Harrison – My Sweet Lord
Natalie Merchant – Kind & Generous
Carl Carlton – Everlasting Love
Annie Lennox – Why
John Boutte – My Life
The Flaming Lips – Do You Realize?
Louis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World
Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova,
Rabbi Janine Jankovitz
