Here's an embarassing fact.

Until recently the only way I had ever heard Ofra Haza's hits "Galbi" and "Im Nin'Alu" were in their remixed versions from the album Shaday.

Of course I'd heard her voice in it's myriad of samples and background vocals for other people, but I don't think I'd ever heard her folk versions of these two songs, until I found the LP, Fifty Gates Of Wisdom in a bin at my favorite local used vinyl shop.

I'm gonna be honest here, and admit that "World Music" is my second least favorite genre next to "Modern Jazz". Genres that are used as methods of aural massage for lazy white folks.

But there is something enticing about these songs by Ms. Haza. They're distinctly middle-eastern in tonality, but mystically jewish in lyric and nature. I was surprised by the strict rules that these songs follow. For instance, each song is seperated into three parts. An opening, nashid, often of free rhythm, a center section, shira, of rhythmic singing, and an end section, hallel, primarily of rhythmic riffs meant for dancing to which trails off.

Since the Yemenite Jews live surrounded by orthodox Muslims who banned singing and musical instruments meant for praising anyone but allah (imagine that!), they resorted to banging on cans and bottles for rhythm.

The remixes I came to know as a teenager, by Mark Kamins and Pascal Gabriel from the double a-side 12" Im Nin'Alu/Galbi.

And speaking of Giving Me A Break: the use by cut and paste masters Coldcut of "Im Nin'Alu" on Eric B. and Rakim's remix single of "Paid In Full (Seven Minutes Of Madness)" was seen as a milestone in creative sample usage in Hip-Hop.

The remix of "Galbi", in particular, was a huge bomb from my teen years. It appeared on volume two of the Sire compilation series Just Say Yes! from 1988 called Just Say Yo!

I spent many days roaming the streets of Spokane, WA rocking that CD in my '67 Plymouth Barracuda....

Samples can be heard here.