Name that tune

March 22, 2006 4:36 PM

Help me identify this "traditional Hasdic melody".

This song was played by Matisyahu (who is a Hasidic singer) live about a week ago. I taped the show (which he allows) but I don't know what to call this song.

Does anyone know what this song is called?

Here's an MP3 of the entire song (Warning: Site may issue a pop-up).

Thanks in advance.

posted by mge to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

Not certain, but it sounded like he's just messing around with the words from Hava Nagila, perhaps I'm mistaken.
posted by cloeburner at 5:41 PM on March 22, 2006

Hava Nagila lyrics
posted by cloeburner at 5:42 PM on March 22, 2006

Best answer: Self Answer:

It turns out the is called "Nigun" and is on some bonus cd that Matisyahu put out. Nigun is a hewbrew word that means "humming tune", so it's somewhat likely that this doesn't even have a "real" name.

Thanks for the insight, cloeburner.
posted by mge at 6:36 PM on March 22, 2006

"Nigun" is a generic term. There are a squillion tunes called "nigun" or with nigun in the name.

I don't recognise this paticular vocal noodling, from my admittedly limited knowledge of traditional Jewish music. Sounds pretty generic to me though.

If any mefite would redcognise it zaelic would. But you might have to help him out first.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:19 PM on March 22, 2006

Damn. I listened to it and listened to "short nigun" off of Shake off the Dust, Arise! I thought it sounded like it but I wasn't sure.
posted by puke & cry at 8:03 PM on March 22, 2006

I don't recognize it upon listening but the wikipedia entry on niggunim is good.

And as already stated niggunim are wordless hums.
posted by birdie birdington at 8:46 PM on March 22, 2006

Don't recognize that particular nigun. Matisyahu is a Lubavitcher hasid - a "Chabadnik." There are many different flavors and groups in Hasidism, each has its own repetoire and style of music. That MP3 sounds like what we would call a "deveykus nigun", or a devotional melody. You could get away with calling it a Lubavicher deveykus nigun and nobody in Crown Heights (Lubbieland) would complain.

You could look at this Chabad nigun samples page and see if you hear anything like it. If you surf around that site you will see lots of pictures of the late Rabbi Shneerson. Matisyahu is a Yechi, which is to say, he is one of the split within the Lubavitch movement who believes Shneerson is (not "was" mind you...) the Messiah. That is just one of the beliefs that make Lubavitch so radically different from other Hasidic groups such as Ger, Satmar, Bobov, or Skulen.

Personally, I like reggae better when it features that other short old guy messiah...
posted by zaelic at 2:28 AM on March 23, 2006

Click around in the Chabad.org Music site and you may find your melody. Sixteen CDs of nigunim to wade through, all with samples...
posted by zaelic at 3:06 AM on March 23, 2006