Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as "the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-soprano. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Haza at number 186 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Vincent John Martin, known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously the main songwriter for several groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and the Assembly. In Erasure, he is known for his deadpan and low-key onstage demeanour, often remaining motionless over his keyboard, in sharp contrast to lead vocalist Andy Bell's animated and hyperactive frontman antics.
"Give Peace a Chance" is an anti-war song written by John Lennon, and recorded with the participation of a small group of friends in a performance with Yoko Ono in a hotel room in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Released as a single in July 1969 by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records, it is the first solo single issued by Lennon, released while he was still a member of the Beatles, and became an anthem of the American anti-war movement during the 1970s. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the British singles chart.
The Judybats were an American alternative rock band from Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, active primarily in the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. The band released three successful singles that charted on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart: "Native Son", "Saturday" and "Being Simple", the latter of which peaked at No. 7.
Desert Wind is an album by the Israeli singer Ofra Haza, released in 1989. Popular in Israel, Haza was unknown in the rest of the world until the previous year, when the song "Im Nin'Alu" and the album Shaday were released. Desert Wind was therefore more oriented toward the international market.
Released on November 4, 1987, Just Say Yes is the first volume of Sire Records' Just Say Yes promotional CD sampler series. It contains "both hard-to-find numbers by the label's established artists and tempting introductions to its promising new artists."
"Im Nin'alu" is a Hebrew poem by 17th-century Rabbi Shalom Shabazi. It has been set to music and sung by Israeli singer Ofra Haza and others. Haza first performed this song with the Shechunat Hatikva Workshop Theatre, appearing on television on IBA's General Television in 1978. The original version was included on the 1984 album Yemenite Songs, also known as Fifty Gates of Wisdom. The remixed version was part of her international debut album Shaday of 1988.
Kirya is a 1992 album by Israeli singer Ofra Haza. Intended as the follow-up to Haza’s internationally successful Shaday (1988) and Desert Wind (1989) albums, it built on her successful blend of Electronic dance music and traditional Middle Eastern sounds, being a logical next step for Haza. Musically, it applied the sensibilities of pop producer Don Was to traditional song writing and instrumentation; lyrically, it delivered powerful themes of longing, joy, and the plight of the downtrodden in several languages, much like Haza's earlier work.
"My Love Is for Real" is a song by American singer and songwriter Paula Abdul with backing vocals from Israeli singer Ofra Haza. It was released on May 30, 1995 by Virgin and Captive, as the first single from Abdul's third studio album, Head over Heels (1995). Intended as Abdul's comeback single, "My Love Is for Real" reached number one in Hungary and the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, but it stalled outside the top 20 in the United States, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and failed to make a major impact in Europe. The song's music video was directed by Michael Haussman.
Hits 8 is a 33-track compilation album released in the summer of 1988 by CBS, WEA and BMG Records in the UK. It was released as a double LP, MC and CD. Also known as The Hits Album 8, the compilation was successful and reached #2 in the UK Albums Chart and achieved a Platinum BPI award.
Shaday is an album by Israeli singer Ofra Haza, released in 1988. Shaday, recorded in both Tel Aviv and England, became Haza's international breakthrough album and includes the Hebrew-English language remix singles "Im Nin'alu" and "Galbi," as well as "Shaday" and "Da'Ale Da'Ale," also released as remix singles.
Yemenite Songs is a 1984 album by Ofra Haza, in which the Israeli pop star returned to her roots interpreting traditional Yemeni Jewish songs with lyrics coming from the poetry of 16th century Rabbi Shalom Shabazi. The album was recorded with both traditional and modern musical instruments; wooden and metal percussion, Yemenite tin and tambala, strings, brass and woodwind as well as drum machines and synthesizers. The songs are sung in Hebrew with a Yemenite accent and in Arabic.
Ofra Haza is an eponymous 1997 album by Israeli singer Ofra Haza. The album was produced by Frank Peterson, recorded both in Hamburg as well as at legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, and includes the single release "Show Me", an updated version of "Im Nin' Alu", songs co-written by Peterson, Haza and manager Bezalel Aloni as well as a cover version of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend". Although Haza continued recording until 1999, mainly songs for movie soundtracks and collaborations with other artists, this was to be her final full-length studio album before her death in 2000.
Forever, subtitled as Her Greatest Songs Remixed, is a 2008 greatest hits album of recordings by Israeli singer Ofra Haza, released on the Edel Records label. The compilation features remixed versions by production team Ferris Bueller and Kai Panschow of tracks from Haza's international albums, mainly focussing on material from the bestselling Shaday (1988) and Desert Wind (1989), including some of her best-known songs like "Im Nin'alu", "Galbi", "Shaday", "Love Song", "Ya Ba Ye", "Fatamorgana" and "Kaddish" as well as the previously unreleased recording "The Poem".
"Galbi" is an Arabic musical poem by Israeli Yemenite Aharon Amram, notably sung by fellow Israeli Yemenite singer Ofra Haza and others. The 1988 remix of the song, taken from the album Shaday, was issued as the follow-up to Haza's worldwide chart hit "Im Nin'Alu ".
"Paid in Full" is a 1987 song by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. Written and produced by group members Eric Barrier and Rakim Allah, the song was released as the fifth single from the duo's debut studio album of the same name. It became one of the group's most successful singles, owing heavily to a popular remix of the song by English electronic dance music duo Coldcut.
Just Say Mao was Sire Records' Volume 3 of Just Say Yes and was originally released on July 11, 1989 as a CD sampler. It contained remixes and non-album tracks of artists on the label, most of which were considered new wave or modern rock.
Just Say Da was Sire Records' Volume 4 of Just Say Yes and was originally released on September 4, 1990 as a winter CD sampler. It contained remixes and non-album tracks of artists on the label, most of which were considered new wave or modern rock. This was the first of the 'Just Say' themed albums to carry the Parental Advisory labeling.
Just Say Anything was Sire Records' Volume 5 of Just Say Yes and was originally released on July 23, 1991 as a CD sampler. It contained remixes and non-album tracks of artists on the label, most of which were considered new wave or modern rock. This album carried the Parental Advisory labeling—this was noted in the album's opening track, "Warning Parental Advisory".
Just Say Yesterday was Sire Records' Volume 6 of Just Say Yes and was originally released on September 1, 1992 as a CD sampler. It contained remixes and non-album tracks of artists on the label, most of which were considered new wave or modern rock.
