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RAFFI'S SPIRITUAL 'MICHAEL ROW THE BOAT ASHORE' MAKES PERFECT BEDTIME LULLABY FOR JEWISH KIDS
Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-7069- Philadelphia-Judaism-Examiner~y2009m7d27-Raffis-sp iritual-Michael-Row-the-Boat-Ashore-makes-perfect- bedtime-lullaby-for-Jewish-kids
July 27 2009
As a fairly newly inductee into the Parenthood Club, I can now
say this:
Any children's song that doesn't heave me, the grown up, into an
apoplectic shudder is a song worth its weight in gold-pressed latinum.
I had occasion to mull this new piece of awareness after a recent
family trip to the Haverford Library. There, we found and checked
out a delightful CD called Bananaphone by Raffi, an Armenian
singer-songerwriter born in Cairo - who himself has a fascinating
life story. (Check out this article).
The album included a recording of a song that has always been one of my
favorite black American spirituals: Michael, Row the Boat Ashore. What
a delight it was to discover that not only is the song every bit
as beautiful as I remember, but it actually has a subtle spiritual
message perfect for Jewish children, replete with a nod to Israel.
It turns out the first version of Michael was noted and transcribed
during the American Civil War at St. Helena Island, one of the Sea
Islands of South Carolina. It was sung by former slaves whose owners
had abandoned the island before the Union navy arrived.
A famous abolitionist, Charles Pickward Ware, who had come to supervise
the plantations on the island, wrote it down after hearing a group
of freedmen singing it. The song was first published in Slave Songs
of the United States in 1867.
The original version of the song, which had numerous Christian
references, can be read here. Over the years, however, many lyrics
have been added and substituted to the beautiful, one might even say
haunting, melody of the original.
The song always begins with the refrain, "Michael, row the boat ashore,
Hallelujah" - lyrics that describe crossing the River Jordan, probably
a metaphor for death. In 1963, Pete Seeger recorded a version similar
to the one Raffi has done, with such lines as:
Jordan's river is deep and wide, hallelujah.
Meet my mother on the other side, hallelujah.
Jordan's river is chilly and cold, hallelujah.
Chills the body, but not the soul, hallelujah.
According to the liner notes in Bananaphone, Raffi's version is his
own unique adaptation. The full lines are as follows:
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Sisters help to trim the sail, hallelujah Sisters help to trim the
sail, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
The river Jordan is chilly and cold, hallelujah Chills the body but
not the soul, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Jordan's river is deep and wide, hallelujah Milk and honey on the
other side, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Angel Michael in Jewish tradition
According to William Francis Allen, the reference to Michael in the
original song is the Archangel Michael, who in Christian tradition
is the conductor of the souls of the dead. The original Michael,
however, predates Christianity.
Michael (Michae'el in Hebrew) is an archangel from Jewish apocrophal
writings who was viewed as the field commander of the army of God. The
Talmud interprets his name to mean "Who is like El" [Mi = who and El =
God], and it is meant to be rhetorical.
Who is like El? Only El, of course.
Midrashim on the angel Michael entered Christian tradition via the
Book of Enoch - a pseudepigraphic work that did not make it into
the Jewish canon - dating to around 300 BCE-100 CE. The angel also
appears extensively in the book of Daniel, where he is an advocate
of Israel who sometimes has to fight against the other nations.
In post-rabbinic era Jewish writings, particularly in Kabbalistic
works, he is viewed as "the advocate of the Jews."
Whatever his grand and heedy theological overtones. however, to me,
the archangel Michael is simply a sweet and tender protector of
children. As I tuck baby Adi into bed at night, telling her to get
snuggly and have sweet dreams, it is Raffi's soft voice that helps
lull her to sleep.
Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-7069- Philadelphia-Judaism-Examiner~y2009m7d27-Raffis-sp iritual-Michael-Row-the-Boat-Ashore-makes-perfect- bedtime-lullaby-for-Jewish-kids
July 27 2009
As a fairly newly inductee into the Parenthood Club, I can now
say this:
Any children's song that doesn't heave me, the grown up, into an
apoplectic shudder is a song worth its weight in gold-pressed latinum.
I had occasion to mull this new piece of awareness after a recent
family trip to the Haverford Library. There, we found and checked
out a delightful CD called Bananaphone by Raffi, an Armenian
singer-songerwriter born in Cairo - who himself has a fascinating
life story. (Check out this article).
The album included a recording of a song that has always been one of my
favorite black American spirituals: Michael, Row the Boat Ashore. What
a delight it was to discover that not only is the song every bit
as beautiful as I remember, but it actually has a subtle spiritual
message perfect for Jewish children, replete with a nod to Israel.
It turns out the first version of Michael was noted and transcribed
during the American Civil War at St. Helena Island, one of the Sea
Islands of South Carolina. It was sung by former slaves whose owners
had abandoned the island before the Union navy arrived.
A famous abolitionist, Charles Pickward Ware, who had come to supervise
the plantations on the island, wrote it down after hearing a group
of freedmen singing it. The song was first published in Slave Songs
of the United States in 1867.
The original version of the song, which had numerous Christian
references, can be read here. Over the years, however, many lyrics
have been added and substituted to the beautiful, one might even say
haunting, melody of the original.
The song always begins with the refrain, "Michael, row the boat ashore,
Hallelujah" - lyrics that describe crossing the River Jordan, probably
a metaphor for death. In 1963, Pete Seeger recorded a version similar
to the one Raffi has done, with such lines as:
Jordan's river is deep and wide, hallelujah.
Meet my mother on the other side, hallelujah.
Jordan's river is chilly and cold, hallelujah.
Chills the body, but not the soul, hallelujah.
According to the liner notes in Bananaphone, Raffi's version is his
own unique adaptation. The full lines are as follows:
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Sisters help to trim the sail, hallelujah Sisters help to trim the
sail, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
The river Jordan is chilly and cold, hallelujah Chills the body but
not the soul, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Jordan's river is deep and wide, hallelujah Milk and honey on the
other side, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Michael row the boat ashore,
hallelujah
Angel Michael in Jewish tradition
According to William Francis Allen, the reference to Michael in the
original song is the Archangel Michael, who in Christian tradition
is the conductor of the souls of the dead. The original Michael,
however, predates Christianity.
Michael (Michae'el in Hebrew) is an archangel from Jewish apocrophal
writings who was viewed as the field commander of the army of God. The
Talmud interprets his name to mean "Who is like El" [Mi = who and El =
God], and it is meant to be rhetorical.
Who is like El? Only El, of course.
Midrashim on the angel Michael entered Christian tradition via the
Book of Enoch - a pseudepigraphic work that did not make it into
the Jewish canon - dating to around 300 BCE-100 CE. The angel also
appears extensively in the book of Daniel, where he is an advocate
of Israel who sometimes has to fight against the other nations.
In post-rabbinic era Jewish writings, particularly in Kabbalistic
works, he is viewed as "the advocate of the Jews."
Whatever his grand and heedy theological overtones. however, to me,
the archangel Michael is simply a sweet and tender protector of
children. As I tuck baby Adi into bed at night, telling her to get
snuggly and have sweet dreams, it is Raffi's soft voice that helps
lull her to sleep.