Song Name in Trailer for House of Sand

October 21, 2008 1:51 AM

Can anyone tell me the name of the song that starts playing 1 minute and two seconds into the movie trailer for The House of Sand (Casa na Areia). The trailer link is here. The song sounds jewish, but I can't remember what it's called.
posted by leybman to media & arts (6 comments total)

Heiveinu shalom aleichem
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:08 AM on October 21, 2008

Thank you very much. That's it, you're right.
posted by leybman at 5:51 AM on October 21, 2008

Just to be pedantic, a song may not "sound Jewish," since there is no "Jewish" language. It may sound Hebrew or Yiddish, perhaps, but not Jewish.

Which just gives me a small opportunity to plug Leo Rosten's unbelievably great book The Joys of Yiddish, which I recommend to anyone even slightly interested in language (and humor).
posted by Dr. Wu at 6:28 AM on October 21, 2008

Actually music can sound Jewish - as there is the the cantorial,liturgical melodies which are the prayers sung either by a cantor alone, with the congregation or at times with a choir and music accompaniment and niggunim that utilize certain minor chords and utilize specific instruments such as reed instruments (as in the case of Klezemer) or in the case of the holy piyut where there is more usage of the voice, though support of drums, oud and other instruments is not uncommon.

This particular song mentioned in the OP actually utilizes the klezemer chords *minors and 7ths) and is often sung at events that require an uplifting of spirits and instills a sense of community and togetherness. The words being - *We have brought peace to you! We have brought peace to you!*
posted by watercarrier at 9:35 AM on October 21, 2008

Just to be pedantic, a song may not "sound Jewish," since there is no "Jewish" language. It may sound Hebrew or Yiddish, perhaps, but not Jewish.

Wait, so my gigantic collection of CDs with titles like "The Lost Jewish Music Of Maramures" are all fraudulent?

C'mon, that's a ridiculous comment, even if one ignores the fact that Yiddish actually *means* Jewish. Music can sound "Asian" or "hillbilly" or "southern rock," but those aren't languages either. Is instrumental music not music because it's not based in a language? The comment is an insult to many generations of wonderful musicians who created distinctly "Jewish" musical genres. There are Jewish music festivals in Budapest and San Francisco and London and many other cities . . . Jewish music exists, obviously.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:02 PM on October 21, 2008

OK, you guys are right. I was responding to what I perceived, apparently incorrectly, as the OP suggesting that the language in which the song was sung was "Jewish." Obviously I know that there are Jewish musical traditions - I have some of those same CDs. I suppose I responded a little too quickly, as this is a pet peeve for me.
posted by Dr. Wu at 1:55 PM on October 21, 2008