Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Hatikvah - Hip-Hop Version by Francky Perez and Broadway

Hip-Hop Hatikvah?  That's what French singer Francky Perez has written and recorded, first in French and now in English. The new version is performed with a group of singers who call themselves Broadway. It's Hatikvah like you've never heard it before.

Perez has written new words to accompany the traditional lyrics, and sings them in a rap style while the familiar Hatikvah melody plays in the background.

At a time when supporters of Israel are rallying in cities all over the world, let's focus on the words, old and new, of this beloved song and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  The words sung by Perez are displayed just below the video clip.  Enjoy!
If you knew how I love her, you'd see how I feel
If you know where I'm from then you know what Is-real
If you've bled like we've bled, died like we've died
Seen what we've seen and cried like we cried.

You know how we love her, treat her like a son does his mother

Or a father does his son, and the brothers do each other
For every stone we move, and all the land we lose
As life get hot like the desert sands in June

And everywhere is the same, and the only real change is

Everyday new faces that feel the same hatred
It's like we're caught in the Matrix, we need The One to save us
The can bomb us, the can kill us, but they will never break us

The beach air is so clear, and the sand is like cotton

In a land that's been forsaken but has never been forgotten and
I turn to the East and pray as the sun warms my skin
The voices of my elders and the places they have been

We have overcome the wait, overcome our fate

Underestimated and overcome the pain
5000 years of history, whether you know it or not
That's why we defend the Land like it's all that we've got

'Cause it's the only safe place to raise my kids

The family how can it be so hard to let us live
They welcome me with open arms, even though times are hard
As peace is like a memory that drifts between the songs

We built this city out of blood, made buildings out of mud

That's why I wrote this song -- for respect and out of love
For my descendants, every like every sentence
It's time for us to celebrate our independence

This is God's city, Jerusalem -- Yerushalayim

The only place where we live without the fear of dying
Doctor, mothers, sons, prophets and teachers
Believe is what we do -- od lo avda tikvateinu

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