Im Nin'alu

"Im Nin'alu" (אם ננעלו‎) is a Hebrew poem by 17th-century Rabbi Shalom Shabazi. It has been placed 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. She went on to become famous in Europe with the song in 1987, when a remixed version of the song, produced by Izhar Ashdot, reached the Top 10 in different countries. The single reached #1 in Finland, Norway, Spain,[1] Switzerland and West Germany, where it topped the charts for nine weeks in the summer of 1988. In the UK, the track was a Top 20 hit, peaking at #15; and in the US it reached #15 on Billboards Hot Dance Club Play chart and #18 on Hot Modern Rock Tracks. London-based duo Coldcut produced a remix of Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid In Full" which heavily sampled "Im Nin'alu". The single reportedly sold some three million copies worldwide, making it one of the first world music recordings to extend over to mainstream pop chart success. 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 Shaday of 1988. A version recorded in 1978 along with Sadnat Te'atron Shechunat Hatikva (Hatikva Neighbourhood Workshop Theatre) is available on YouTube.

"Im Nin'alu"
Single by Ofra Haza
from the album Yemenite Songs (Original version) / Shaday/ Ofra Haza
B-side"Remix"
Released
  • 1984
  • 1987
Genre
Length3:28
LabelTeldec
Ariola
Hed Arzi
Songwriter(s)Trad.
Shabazy
Rabbi Shalom-Shabazi
Producer(s)Bezalel Aloni
Izhar Ashdot
Ofra Haza singles chronology
"Hi"
(1983)		 "Im Nin'alu"
(1984)		 "Galbi"
(1988)
Music video
"Im Nin'Alu" on YouTube

Even though Haza's version of the song shows her own interpretation, and its reception was present-day and popular, it still fits in with the Yemenite tradition that she represented. In 1997 Haza re-recorded the track for her eponymous album Ofra Haza, produced by Frank Peterson of Enigma and Gregorian. The German promo 12" for the album's lead single "Show Me" also featured two remixes of "Im Nin'Alu". And in 2008 two new remixes were included on the greatest hits compilation Forever Ofra Haza – Her Greatest Songs Remixed.

The international follow-up single to "Im Nin'Alu (Played In Full)" in 1988 was a remix of the track "Galbi", also originally from the Yemenite Songs album.

Poem "Im Nin'alu"

The poem begins with the words

אם ננעלו דלתי נדיבים דלתי מרום לא ננעלו‎

Im nin'alu daltei n'divim daltei marom lo nin'alu

Even if the gates of the rich are closed, the gates of heaven will never be closed.[2]

Official versions and remixes

1984

  • Original recording, Yemenite Songs album a.k.a. Traditional Version - 5:18

1988

  • Shaday Album Mix (Played In Full 7" Mix - English Vocal - Edited) - 3:29
  • Played In Full Edit (Ariola Records 7", West Germany) - 3:53
  • Played In Full 7" Mix - 4:05
  • Played In Full 7" Mix - English Vocal - 4:05
  • Played In Full - 7" Yemen Vocal (Teldec 7", West Germany) - 4:50
  • Played In Full Mix (12") - 5:45
  • Instrumental Dub (U.S. 12") - 5:49
  • Extended Mix (12") - 6:40
  • Gates of Heaven Mix (Mark Kamins and Frank Inglese, U.S. 12") - 6:54

1997

  • "Im Nin'alu 2000" - 1997 re-recording, album Ofra Haza - 3:38
  • 1997 Re-Recording - Ofra Goes To Hollywood Mix ("Show Me" Promo 12", Germany) - 5:15
  • 1997 Re-Recording - Some Skunk Funk Remix ("Show Me" Promo 12", Germany) - 7:30

2008

Charts

Samples and other versions

The song was prominently sampled in the chorus of the 'Seven Minutes of Madness' remix of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim's 1987 single "Paid In Full" and Snoop Dogg used the same sample on his re-recorded version of "Paid In Full" titled "Paper'd Up" from his album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$.

Canadian band Delerium sample the lyrics in their song "Hidden Mask", from the 1989 album Faces, Forms & Illusions.

American rap group Public Enemy also sampled the opening few seconds of the song (which are a cappella) on the track "Can't Truss It", featured on the 1991 album Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black.

In 1998 Swedish DJ team C&N Project included a sample of the opening line "Im nin'alu" on their single "The Queen of Tel Aviv", which was credited to C&N Project Featuring Ofra Haza.

Israeli singer Michal Cohen performs "Im Nin'alu" on La Kahena (2005) by DJ Cheb i Sabbah.

In the album Confessions on a Dance Floor and in The Confessions Tour by Madonna (2007) the track "Isaac" includes a portion of the poem.

"Im Nin'alu" is the opening track on Eliyahu & The Qadim Ensemble's album Eastern Wind (2009), with lead vocals by Rachel Valfer.[29]

In 2009 Panjabi MC remixed this song on his album named Indian Timing.

In 2012, Jazz quartet Third World Love performed a version of Im Nin'alu on their album Songs and Portraits.

In 2014, Ishay Ribo released a version of the song on his debut album.

In 2018 the song was recorded by Israeli pop artist Harel Skaat.

References
  1. Spanish press citing Ofra Haza's song .
  2. Full Hebrew text of the poem is available here.
  3. "Austriancharts.at – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  4. "Ultratop.be – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  5. Danish Singles Chart 5 August 1988
  6. "Music & Media issue Aug 13 1988" (PDF). Music & Media. August 13, 1988. p. 8. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  7. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  8. "Lescharts.com – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu" (in French). Les classement single.
  9. "Music & Media issue Aug 13 1988" (PDF). Music & Media. August 13, 1988. p. 9. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  10. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie Archived 2009-06-03 at WebCite (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  12. "Norwegiancharts.com – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu". VG-lista.
  13. "Music & Media issue Sep 17 1988" (PDF). Music & Media. September 17, 1988. p. 16. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  14. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  15. "Swedishcharts.com – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu". Singles Top 100.
  16. "Swisscharts.com – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu". Swiss Singles Chart.
  17. UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
  18. Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 11 August 2008)
  19. "Ofra Haza Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Ofra Haza – Im nin' alu". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  21. 1988 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at Archived 2011-05-22 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 11 August 2008)
  22. "1988 Year End Eurocharts" (PDF). Music & Media. January 1, 1988. p. 30. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  23. 1988 German Singles Chart offiziellecharts.de Archived 2015-06-27 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 27 June 2015)
  24. 1988 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch Archived 2011-08-07 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 11 August 2008)
  25. "Reshet Gimel Year-end chart 1988". icast (in Hebrew).
  26. French certifications Chartsinfrance.net (Retrieved 11 August 2008)
  27. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Im+Nin%27alu')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
  28. Swedish certifications Ifpi.se Archived 2012-05-21 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 11 September 2008)
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