The Esther Song (Featuring Alicia Jo Rabins)

(c) 2011 Stereo Sinai. All rights reserved.

Stereo Sinai
http://www.stereosinai.com

Featuring Alicia Jo Rabins of Girls in Trouble:
http://www.girlsintroublemusic.com

We are so excited, just in time for Purim, to release the first single off our upcoming album "The Revelation Will Not Be Televised," "The Esther Song." We had the immense pleasure of working with the crazy-talented and oh so cool Alicia Jo Rabins. (You may know Alicia from the punk-klezmer outfit Golem or her art pop project on incredible biblical women, Girls in Trouble. They will both rock your world and we highly recommend checking them out!) She added so much depth and richness to this tune, and we can't sing her praises enough.

And now, the song. It's taken from a moment in the Book of Esther when Esther realizes she can't just sit there and let the world fall apart. In the song's refrain she says, "‎For how can I endure the evil that shall come unto my people? How can I endure destruction? How can I stand back and watch my kindred suffer?"

Of course she can't, none of us can. She stands up to the king, in front of the King. Where we see the world crumbling - be it as big as an earthquake in Japan or as (seemingly) small as a friend who needs a shoulder to cry on - you do what you gotta do.

Here's hoping this song will be a call to action, and a call to empathy. May we not stand idly by.

Translation:

For how can I [do nothing but] watch the perishing of my people?
For how can I [do nothing but] watch the perishing of my heritage?

I will come to the King as it is uncustomary to do
I will come to the King, hoping that the King finds it acceptible
I will come
And as I perish, I perish

For how can I [do nothing but] watch the perishing of my people?
For how can I [do nothing but] watch the perishing of my heritage?

If I've found favor in Your eyes, favor in Your eyes, O King
If I've found favor in Your eyes, O King
And if the King finds it acceptible
You will give me my life upon my beseeching
And my people upon my request

For how can I [do nothing but] watch the perishing of my people?
For how can I [do nothing but] watch the perishing of my heritage?

(Translation by Alan Jay Sufrin)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Stereo Sinai
• pop music
• Esther
• book of esther
• megillat esther
• Hebrew
• Alicia Jo Rabins
• Girls in Trouble
• Biblegum Pop
• Jewish
• judaism
• Purim
• music
• japan
• earthquake
• friend
• cry
• shoulder
• action
• empathy
• violin
• religious
• synth
• guitar
• song
• world

[ninocacon]

Love it! Great song! Look forward to seeing you at CBH on November 4th!

[dischwar]

Terrific song! I especially loved the way the trope was seamlessly woven in. Keep up the great work!

- David Schwartz

[Jay3fer]

Beautiful!