7.19.2006
Ron Eliran s/t
Ron Eliran s/t LP (Polydor, 1968)
If you would asked there was such a thing as Zionist funky drum, pop psych, I would have replied, "Oh sure, Ron Eliran, Israel's Ambassador of Song and the writer of the Broadway musical Don't Step on My Olive Branch." Not that I am a Zionist funky drum, pop psych expert. Rather I found this promising looking album at a radio station record sale for a buck and discovered a gem.
Eliran was born in Haifa, a native of Israel. He had already established himself as an entertainer in his homeland before appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show in the mid 1960s. He played for Israeli troops in the first Sinai and Yom Kipper Wars, where he wrote patriotic songs. He has toured the world and wrote musicals for Broadway and Off Broadway.
Eliran's debut is as far out as he gets and, truth be told, Ron isn't a psych king. What Eliran has mastered is a fusion of pop, Yiddish music, funk, Middle Eastern melody, Vegas production, and LA session horn arrangements. Ron Eliran could be thought of as the Lee Hazelwood of Israel. Fire in the Jordan Valley has a nice Brit Beat Them/Yardbirds thing going on in it. My favorite, High in the Desert is a fantastic blend of the elements listed above. I've played it at dance parties and people dig it. Honesty is funk Yiddish style. It kind of reminds me of Robert Charlebois.
What Eliran is singing about, I don't know. Hell, I don't even know if this is inappropriate to post given the fact that Israel is stomping around Lebanon again and Hezbollah rockets are littering Eliran's hometown. What I do know is that the two countries directly involved in this war (and it is a war) have turned out some great music and that is what I chose to celebrate rather than debate which camp's bloodletting is "justified" or not. Personally, I think they are all a bunch of murderers and goons - and you can extend that to any state you want to, not just the two (or four or six or...) involved in this one. Forgive my lack of subtly - I am impatient with the bloodshed and people surrendering their reason to the dictates of some Sky God. Arm them with guitars, I say.
I scored this over five years ago and have been looking for a second copy. Never seen a reliable listing of or have stumbled upon another.
# posted by Scott Soriano : 15:22
Comments:
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Hell man! My sister was in Israel all week. I made a special request for her to pick me up a couple [hands full] of 45's. I guess it's true what they say..."life is mostly about timing"...or something like that. Your collection is awesome, though I'm sure you've only been able to post a small fraction of it. Thanks.
# posted by 
: 22:38
: 22:38
Dude,
Can you post the rest of this thing??? Looove it and what are the odds of this thing ever turning up. Zero I tell ya.
LA
Can you post the rest of this thing??? Looove it and what are the odds of this thing ever turning up. Zero I tell ya.
LA
# posted by : 17:36
: 17:36
Dude,
I dont post whole LPs. One reason is bandwidth space, but most of all is I want you folks to get up from behind your computer and over to the local record store to try to find these things like I did. Consider this a sample of the pleasures to come if you put the work into finding it.
There is also the fact that sometimes there are only three songs from a record worth posting.
In other words, you get what I give you. As Wire once said, "We dont take requests."
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I dont post whole LPs. One reason is bandwidth space, but most of all is I want you folks to get up from behind your computer and over to the local record store to try to find these things like I did. Consider this a sample of the pleasures to come if you put the work into finding it.
There is also the fact that sometimes there are only three songs from a record worth posting.
In other words, you get what I give you. As Wire once said, "We dont take requests."
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