Simplest-shop.com

     

online shopping, the simple way

Welcome | Help
Search for
in
Home > Popular Music > Today's Deals in Music > Folk > Jewish & Yiddish Music > All Bargain Titles > Barry Sisters Greatest Yiddish Hits
This website will be shutdown on 2008-04-01.
my cart Add to shopping cart

The Barry Sisters - Their Greatest Yiddish Hits

 Rating 4
enlarged image: The Barry Sisters - Their Greatest Yiddish Hits
enlarge imageEnlarge image
80% Recommended by our customers.
Label: Legacy
Catalog: Music
Release date: 1994-07-18
Media: Audio CD
discs number: 1
Ean: 0076637033629
Upc: 076637033629
tip Tip: compare prices with similar music CDs

Artist:
The Barry Sisterssee more Popular Music by The Barry Sisters

Top stores Description Price Link to shop
amazon.com check store check now!

Album tracks: (16)
 Hava Nagila - The Barry Sisters, Traditional
 Bublitchki Bagelach - The Barry Sisters, Traditional
 Vyoch Tyoch Tyoch - The Barry Sisters,
 Yingle Nit Vain (Little Boys Don't Cry) - The Barry Sisters,
 Zug Es Meir Noch Amool (Tell Me One More Time) - The Barry Sisters, Ellstein, Abraham
 Yuh Mein Tiere Tochter (Yes, My Darling Daughter) - The Barry Sisters, Ellstein, Abraham
 Tum Balalaika - The Barry Sisters,
 Ich Hob Dich Gayn
 Eishes-Chiyell (A Woman of Value) - The Barry Sisters, Traditional
 Vie a Heen Zol Ich Gayn (Where Shall I Go) - The Barry Sisters,
 Dem Neyem Sher (The New Sher) - The Barry Sisters,
 Fargess Mich Nit (Forget Me Not) - The Barry Sisters,
 Ketzele Baroiges (Why Are You Angry) - The Barry Sisters, Traditional
 Ain Kik Auf Dir (One Look at You) - The Barry Sisters,
 Chiribim Chiribom - The Barry Sisters, Traditional
 Tsi Shpait (Too Late) - The Barry Sisters, Traditional

User Reviews:
 Rating 5   Written on July 10, 2007
   Summary: "Every part of you was a dream came true But your beauty lays in your big dark eyes"
***This review applies to 2CD set "Selection of The Barry Sisters. Their Greatest Yiddish Hits", 36 songs***

Originally known as the Bagelman Sisters, the Barry Sisters were the most popular singers in the genre called Yiddish Swing, which popularized Yiddish folk songs. They were often featured on the New York radio show "Yiddish Melodies in Swing" and also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show where millions of Americans watched them. They toured with Mickey Katz (father or Joel Gray, the Oscar winner for "Cabaret" and grandfather of Jennifer Gray of "Dirty Dancing" fame). They were the first Jewish performers of their genre to tour the former Soviet Union in 1959, during the short period of "ottepel'" or "the thaw" after Stalin's death when the iron curtain had lifted just a little, and they had achieved the legendary status there. Until this day, they are hugely popular and admired by the Russian Jews (by those who still live in the countries of the former Soviet Union and those who have immigrated to America, Canada, Israel, Germany, Australia, and all over the world just like their ancestors in the late 1890's and early 1900's) and known among them as The Sisters Barry. The sisters might not have even known what their songs had done for the Jewish population of the former Soviet Union. Forever grateful listeners suddenly realized that it was not a shame to be a Jew, to love your culture and be proud of your heritage, to sing and dance freely to the songs of your grand-grand fathers, to be able to share these treasures with the audiences around the globe. The fascinated listeners had learned that the Jewish songs were not always sad and heartbreaking, no, many of them were full of humor, laughs, and literally made you want to "turn right, turn left, and dance, everyone, dance". The sisters sang in different languages, combining in one song Hebrew and English or Yiddish and English, or Russian and English. No matter in what language they sang, the songs still have an universal appeal for the listeners of any background, not only Jewish. Many of the songs that Clair and Myrna Bagelman-Barry were singing for the Russian-Jewish audiences in Moscow of 1959 were brought to America at the time of the huge wave of Emigration of Eastern European Jews in the early 1900s. After many years, the sisters brought the songs back home...

As much as I like the "happy", joyful songs by Barry Sisters, my favorites are the somber, melodious, sad songs, so called "romances" that tell about unhappy love, regrets, and nostalgia. The one of them is "Ich Hob Dich Zifeel Lieb (I Love You Much Too Much):

I Love You Much Too Much
I've known it from the start,
But yet my love is such
I can't control my heart

I admire the sisters' ability to create a character while singing the song, and to make a listener to care and sympathize with that character. In this regard, nothing can compare to their mournful song, "Papirossen" which is set on the beautiful slow tango and is sung by a young poor boy, an orphan who lost his parents and his little sister to war, hunger, and illnesses. "Papirossen" never fails to reduce me to tears when I listen to it.

I remember my first encounter with the Barry Sisters' songs many years ago in Moscow. It was a real floppy disc made from the used X-Ray film, thus the name of those more likely "pirate discs", "the rock on the bones". The record consisted of two songs, the traditional Yiddish song, "Tumbalalaika" and "Ochi chyornye" or "Big Dark Eyes" which is widely known as a Russian gipsy song. Actually, the lyrics for "Ochi chyornye" derive from a poem by Yevgeniy Pavlovich Grebyonka, a Ukrainian writer which was first published in 1843. The words were set to Florian Hermann's Valse Hommage (in an arrangement by S. Gerdel') and published as a romance in 1884. The song had become enormously popular and has been performed by the most famous singers and musicians around the world. Among them were the artists as diverse and celebrated as Russian Feodor Chaliapin and American Louis Armstrong. I've heard the song perhaps hundreds of times in dozens of versions but one performance that truly stands out, passionate, dramatic, and emotional, is by the Sisters Barry whose voices complete each other beautifully, the velvety smooth and rich Myrna's lower voice and Clair's, sweet, tender and crystal clear higher voice. The lyrics adaptation for the Barry Sisters' performance of "Ochi chyornye" is one of the best ever done. It is not a word for word translation of the Russian poem but the spirit of the song has been transformed carefully and lovingly:

I once had a dream of a love supreme.
Then, you came my way - I still bless that day...
Every part of you was a dream came true
But your beauty lays in your big dark eyes.

The sisters sing "Ochi chyornye" in two languages, in Russian and English and of 36 gems that are included in their 2CD "Selection of The Barry Sisters greatest Yiddish hits", "Ochi chyornye" is my absolute favorite. I can listen to it over and over again and it always takes me back, "to the place of my youth", where I heard the sweet harmony of those two marvelous voices for the first time.

P.S. Claire is still active and performing. Her younger sister Myrna, sadly, passed away back in 1980.


 Rating 5   Written on December 24, 2006
   Summary: They make sadness a bit too happy
The Barry sisters sing Yiddish favorites with verve and full- throated ease. They lead off with the Hebrew favorite 'Hava Nagila' and also sing English words sometimes, but essentially the words are Yiddish. I am sure many lovers of Yiddish song will not be taken by the quite upbeat tone of the whole disk. The Barry sisters even make 'sadness' a bit too happy. But on the whole the music is enjoyable.
It does not however in my opinion touch the heart of Yiddish song, with its sadness, irony, humor and bitter, bitter sweetness.


 Rating 5   Written on November 10, 2006
   Summary: This will take you back ...
If you have any Ashkenazic background, this collection of Yiddish songs will take you back to happy times. Even if you don't, you'll hear part of the origin of swing jazz in some of the peppy Barry Sisters renditions. My wife and I used to listen to the 33 1/3 RPM version of this very same recording fifty years ago when we were teenagers. The songs are just as fresh, and just as traditional, today as they were then.

 Rating 5   Written on May 16, 2006
   Summary: A great collection of well done Yiddish hits!
I think people forget that The Barry Sisters were quite the talented duo; and this CD proves it. The songs are beautifully sung and on this CD their voices are rich, smooth and exciting. The musical arrangements are very well done as well.

The CD starts off with the jazz-flavored "Hava Nagila." Only the Barry sisters could do it this good! They both emote so well the excitement and joy of the song that encourages people to dance and enjoy life!

These songs are sung in Yiddish and they represent a selection of songs that Russian Jews brought with them when they came to America. However, most if not all of the songs have a universal appeal which is apparent when the songs are translated into English. The two Barry sisters sing of a love that just isn't going quite right "Ich Hob Dich Zifeel Lieb (I Love You Much Too Much)," the plea of a woman for her man to never forget her because she loves him deeply "Fargess Mich Nit (Forget Me Not)," and the desire to make things right with the song "Ketzele Baroiges (Why Are You Angry)."

The quality of the sound is excellent. Their voices and the music provide a strong performance that leaves you wanting more! This album also has a strong nostalgic quality for Jewish people practically everywhere.

The liner notes are average. There is a brief history of the act including mention of how the two sisters originally billed themselves as The Begelman Sisters until they changed their name to The Barry Sisters. Song credits are not provided; this is probably because most if not all of these songs are so old that we're simply not certain who wrote them!

Overall, I recommend this CD not just for the Jewish community but also for fans of international music. It's also a great starter CD for people who want to get to know the talent of these two ladies. Enjoy! I give this CD 4.5 stars because the liner notes give little information about the two sisters.


 Rating 4   Written on January 20, 2004
   Summary: Great Yiddish Jazz
From the opening track of Havah Nagilla, the listener knows just what they are in for; good jazzy music with a Yiddish twist.

Yiddish music used to be quite popular and the Barry Sisters did it right. Simply put, you know the music is good when you can enjoy it without understanding the lyrics. Of course understanding the lyrics just makes it better. There are even some English lyrics on the disc.

If you like Jazz, Klezmer or other Jewish music you are sure to love this collection.


Comparison map
Wondering how the music CD "The Barry Sisters - Their Greatest Yiddish Hits" relates to similar music CDs? Find out at a glance here:
Price comparison The Barry Sisters - Their Greatest Yiddish Hits
The Barry Sisters - Their Greatest Yiddish Hits
Brighton Beach Memories - Neil Sedaka Sings Yiddish
Brighton Beach Memories - Neil Sedaka Sings...
Yiddish Songs
Yiddish Songs
Sings Jewish Favorites
Sings Jewish Favorites
Yiddish Folksongs
Yiddish Folksongs
Jan Peerce Sings Yiddish Folk Songs
Jan Peerce Sings Yiddish Folk Songs
Our price-$14.99$9.97--$11.98
List price$7.98$14.99$15.98$12.98$5.49$11.98
Lowest used price-$11.99$9.00$39.89$3.99$9.59
Lowest new price-$14.99$8.99$39.99$5.03$8.94
CatalogMusicMusicMusicMusicMusicMusic
Release date1994-07-182003-10-312000-02-012006-04-041990-01-231995-04-16
MediaAudio CDAudio CDAudio CDAudio CDAudio CDAudio CD
discs number111111
Ean007663703362906356690305270724352051427085776400115200181115185290015707213523
Upc076637033629635669030527724352051427857764001152018111518529015707213523
Link to shop*
(opens in a new window)
BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*BUY IT NOW*
take one out?

I am here:
Home > Popular Music > Today's Deals in Music > Folk > Jewish & Yiddish Music > All Bargain Titles > Barry Sisters Greatest Yiddish Hits
This website will be shutdown on 2008-04-01.

tell a friend about this pageE-mail this page

 
About the Simplest Shop | Help | Term of Use | Privacy Policy
Home | Contact us | Bookmark us | get paid for writing
Copyright Simplest-Shop.com 2004. All rights reserved