Anyone familiar with Jewish Music knows that Jewish music occasionally “borrows” from its secular culture. There are parody groups such as Shlock Rock and Rechnitzer Rejects,¹ who perform with an obviously humorous, satirical, or educational purpose. Some bands blatantly use secular music ironically:

Then are the examples of outright plagiarism, the most notable one pointed out way back by Rabbi Avraham Bronstein²

Even the Hatikva, the Israeli National Anthem, appears to find its origins elsewhere:

And I’m sure my astute and cultured readers can drudge up other examples. But this begs the question if Jews borrow liberally from secular music, does the converse also hold true with non-Jews using “Jewish” music as well?³ Let’s take a look:

Loyal readers of the blog may have picked up on my interests in shtick and music, so it not come as a surprised to know that I would enjoy some of Peter Schickele’s work on P.D.Q. Bach.1 Last night I was fortunate to have attended my first P.D.Q. Bach Concert at Lincoln Center.
The best way to describe the experience would be to combine the music of classical composers, the irreverence of Frank Zappa, and the audience of Rocky Horror (though thankfully, without the drag). I’m not sure how else to explain the surreal and seamless synthesis of balloons, bicycles, basketballs, power outages, the hokey pokey, and a bagpipe vibrato.
If you find this sort of thing appealing or happen to be completely drunk, then check out come clips and the upcoming concert schedule.2

1. Many thanks to Ben Resnick for the introduction.
2. Though I doubt I can attend, I’m loving the fact that the April Fool’s concert will be held in a place called Fredonia.

Weddings are supposed to be happy occasions celebrating the love and commitment of two individuals who choose to spend the rest of their lives together. And yet for some reason, bands play songs which are completely incongruous with the theme of the day, and incredibly they do so often at the couple’s request.

AskMen listed 10 Wedding Songs to Avoid where people think these songs are romantic but have obviously never listened to the lyrics. While many Jewish weddings don’t usually play secular music in full, every now and again the band will play a riff or two from rock songs just to shake things up a bit. And here too many of the selections can seem a little bit strange.

I first commented on this a while back, and noticed it again at the first wedding I officiated. Since I hear new things all the time I’ve decided to keep a running list of all the well intentioned but probelmatic songs I’ve actually heard at weddings. To narrow things down, I’m just focusing on songs in which the lyrics don’t fit in with the spirit of the day. For example, while Get Down Tonight might not be the most romantic or subtle song in the world, it still makes sense in its own way. On the other hand, the ones listed below are a little more difficult to explain.

• Live And Let Die
• Od Lo Ahavti Dai
• Mrs. Robinson
• Angry Young Man
• Beat It
• Stairway To Heaven1
• Baker Street – The sax solo doesn’t mitigate the song’s meaning
• I Will Survive²
• Desperado
• Added 3/7/2010 – Yesterday
• Added 1/10/2011 – Cats in the Cradle
• Added 1/10/2011 – The Boxer
• Added 6/19/2011 – Brown Sugar
• Added 6/19/2011 – Private Dancer

I’m sure I’ll be adding more in the future – especially if I get married myself.

1. Though in fairness, Robert Plant does refer to Stairway as a “bloody wedding song.”
2. For Jewish weddings, note that the “Yiddin” dance fits perfectly.

In what is not considered to be a blasphemous rumor, Depeche Mode cancelled their upcoming Israeli concert. Either the tech crew just had enough of the dangerous situation or it’s some form of condemnation, but cancellations such as these are becoming a pain that Israel is used to.
All right, I’m done now.

I was just asked to audition for the End The Madness! Talent Show on Aug 25. Sure I can play a bit and figure out chords, but I’ve never really considered myself a performer and this isn’t the same as an open mic night or a random talent show.
I could use some help here, especially from people who have heard me play. Whaddaya say?

Keep in mind that if the audition does go well – or at least better than everyone else – I’d probably have to actually perform.

Back in the Gush days, I met a really cool guy from Chicago Ben Draiman – a great guy who does the best Louis Armstrong impersonation I have ever heard.¹
Anyway, it turns out he’s brothers with David Draiman lead singer of the band Disturbed and was apparently referenced in this interview.

1. Two Louis Armstrong references in one week. Not bad…