Jerusalem – Israeli Radio Station Bans Lipa New Song “Bueh, Bueh” (audio)

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    FILE - American ultra orthodox Jewish singer Lipa seen at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, where he filmed a music clip. August 13, 2012. Photo by Mendy Hechtman/FLASH90Jerusalem – A Chareidi Israeli radio station has banned a new song by Chasidic singing sensation Lipa Schmeltzer, saying that the song did not show proper respect to several prominent rabbonim who are mentioned in the lyrics.

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    The electronically styled song, titled “Bueh, Bueh,” describes Schmeltzer’s visit to three gedolim for brachos: Reb Chaim Kanievsky, the Tosher Rebbe and the Skulener Rebbe. The word “Bueh” is an acronym for “bracha v’hatzlacha,” the bracha given to Schmeltzer by Reb Chaim Kanievsky.

    Listen below to the new song “Bueh, Bueh”. Courtesy of Mostlymusic.com

    An article that appeared on Israeli news site Kikar HaShabbat said that the song had been banned on Radio Kol Chai, a first for radio personality Menachem Toker who was quoted in the article as saying that the song was an affront to the gedolim in question. Toker, who is currently on vacation, confirmed that he never banned the song, which had been scheduled to air on the station on Wednesday.

    “Radio Kol Chai banned it and I work there,” Toker told VIN News. “It’s not me. It was supposed to be on my show today and they banned it and decided not to play it.”

    The song is the second of 13 tracks on Lipa’s newly released B Positive album, a joint collaboration with Matt Dubb, former keyboard player for EvanAl Orchestra. The two hope that B Positive, which features electronic dance music, will attract teenagers who might typically be listening to secular music.

    “Teenagers are very into electronic music,” explained Schmeltzer. “We are trying to bring Jewish music to the next level, by creating music that can match the music that our teens are already listening to. What the OU has done for kosher food, by making available high quality kosher food and restaurants, Lipa is doing for music.”

    Schmeltzer noted that while Jews tend to be trailblazers in many fields, they tend to settle for second best when it comes to the arts.

    “I think we are behind a lot and I don’t think it has to be that way”,” said Schmeltzer. “We can be frum Jews and great artists and be the best in everything. Of course there are certain boundaries that we keep. I don’t sing about adultery and I don’t sing about violence.”

    The song begins with Schmeltzer describing a visit to Reb Chaim Kanievsky, who bentshed the colorful singer with the words “Bueh, bueh.”

    “I had no idea what it meant when he said it to me,” Schmeltzer told VIN News. “His grandson told me and I walked out of there humming ‘Bueh, Bueh.’ I knew I had to make a song out of it.”

    In another visit, this time to the Tosher Rebbe, Schmeltzer recalls how he waited on line all night for a bracha, but was asked to leave just as it was his turn for an audience with the Rebbe because it was time for the Rebbe to eat. Devastated, Schmeltzer waited outside, ultimately receiving the sought after bracha.

    The third verse describes Schmeltzer’s visit to the Skulener Rebbe, shortly before the Skulener Rebbe signed on a ban prohibiting Lipa from staging a Madison Square Garden concert in 2008. Schmeltzer admitted to being hurt by the Skulener Rebbe’s participation in the ban, but said that focusing on his many positive moments spent at the Rebbe’s melava malkas and other positive occasions was a cathartic experience, allowing him to finally let go of resentment he had been harboring for the last seven years.

    By using this particular genre to appeal to the younger generation, Schmeltzer hopes to introduce his audience to an experience they might have never considered before: visiting with a gadol.

    “If I can get the youth to relate to a gadol, they will be more likely to get a bracha from a rebbe. There are rebbe pictures and rebbe magazines, what could be nicer than a song about rebbes?”

    Schmeltzer acknowledged that there are those who might not approve of electronic dance music as a Jewish music genre, but that he felt the need to create music that would appeal to the younger generation.

    “I am always advancing, always making changes,” said Schmeltzer. “It is no secret that a lot of things that other singers are doing now I did five years ago and I broke the ice. By me, it is a different style and you can purify anything. I can’t keep on running trying to please the people who don’t appreciate anything I do and would rather focus on those who enjoy my music.”


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    38 Comments
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    YekumPirkan
    YekumPirkan
    8 years ago

    Nothing like a ban to make it a best seller. Lipa – you rock! Love the song and the message. Those that have a problem with the song please explain yourselves as after listening to it three times there is nothing in it that is unrespectful.

    8 years ago

    Does anyone else think this was influenced by J Bieber . baby…

    mit-seichel
    mit-seichel
    8 years ago

    How about ask R’ Chaim Kanievsky whether he’s looking for this kind of “respect”?

    8 years ago

    Kol Chai thinks that the Bu’eh expression is baby’ish, and since Lipa is emphasizing it, they banned him.
    Ko,Chai is wrong because Reb Chaim Kanievsky has a right to say any expression he wants, he is not hurting anyone by saying Bu’eh.

    mit-seichel
    mit-seichel
    8 years ago

    This whole lecture is painfully shallow. You cannot make an unkosher, wild tune “kosher” by changing lyrics. As far as I know, OU only gives a hechsher on stuff that are actually kosher.

    8 years ago

    Love the song . I do not think it is demeaning to rebbes at all . It actually shows how precious the rebbes time/words are and he uses them sparingly .
    This ban is actually great advertising .

    aliva123
    aliva123
    8 years ago

    They requested this song the first one before it even came out, give it a few hours and you will hear it on there too, Bueh Bueh…

    8 years ago

    Will he at least play Lipa’s song “Positive” from the new album where he sings about negativity

    8 years ago

    I think this backward minded radio station is dissing Kanievsky (whose use of an acronym they don’t like) rather than Lipa (whose genre of music they don’t like). Kanievsky is highly respected among most Chareidim and I doubt he really cares about Lipa or the DJs on this radio station. Much ado about nothing other than the chareidim again showing their profound lack of common sense and respect for the tzibur.

    BenMelech
    BenMelech
    8 years ago

    Lipa, Bueh Bueh to you!!! Finally I can listen to kosher trance with good and holy Bueh messages. I and thousands other young people are finally being kosherized by reciving it on a kosher style.

    Don’t worry about those people looking for the “negative” within you, they’re “nega tzaras”. If 8th day would make a “Bueh” song they wouldn’t have any critic. Realize that it is you that they want to ban not your music. Even if you will sing “sol hakokosh” they’ll find reasons to come out against you. Negative people are experts to find the negative within everything. Just ignore them and let them enjoy their misery…

    yankie
    yankie
    8 years ago

    To Lipa. Bueh. (Bracha vehatzlacha). keep rockin. 🙂

    IzzyK
    IzzyK
    8 years ago

    How pathetic & absurd : “What the OU has done for kosher food, by making available high quality kosher food and restaurants, Lipa is doing for music.”

    Does Lipa really compare the 2? You know what. He’s SICKER then I thought.
    Btw, I have nothing against him and I happen to love his music in general, but to make such ridicules statements is unacceptable & dangerous!!!

    mit-seichel
    mit-seichel
    8 years ago

    The tired, old excuse of “This gives people who listen to it anyway a better version” only holds any water if they listen to this and really stop (or at least highly cut down on) the nonkosher stuff. I’m still waiting to see the crowds of people who abandoned secular music before of songs like this.

    In their absence, all it does is give some people who only listen to Jewish music an excuse to listen to to tunes and styles a lot less kosher than what they would otherwise listen to.

    Anyway, OU and any other respected kashrus org has major rabbanim supporting it. Where are all the respected rabbanim encouraging us to listen to these songs?

    Please provide list. Thanks in advance.

    8 years ago

    Lipa’s message of of working on one’s self to over come negativity and resentment is priceless! Kol hakavod.

    8 years ago

    Brilliant PR by Lipa. An otherwise unmemorable song will now be a huge hit. Thanks also to that radio station banning it.

    mutti
    mutti
    8 years ago

    I give Lipa credit for this song. R. Chaim wouldn’t waist his time to talk to him. In Tosh he couldn’t even get in and the Skulener Rebbe banned his concert. Yet, he turns around and makes a beautiful song out of this. Kol HaKavod.

    simcha47
    simcha47
    8 years ago

    Banning is probably the most counterproductive tool in the arsenal of the Yeshiva World. It only makes the item or person more popular. I think Lipa’s songs promote a very positive message overall and don’t see why he has to be disparaged for everything.

    sane
    sane
    8 years ago

    I find it difficult to believe that people are actually inspired by this vaudeville performer. Oh how the maturity and wisdom of the generations have declined!

    CommonSense
    CommonSense
    8 years ago

    What a stupid and awful song.

    What you don’t get Schmeltzer is that teenagers listen to those songs because there’s an authenticity to it….it comes from the artists heart…. Not frivolous silly lyrics like this with synthesizers that are an affront to good taste.

    8 years ago

    Bc of this article I just bought the album on iTunes. Thanks once again lipa and matt dub for your high quality JEWISH music. If people think that all Frum ppl will just listen to a certain genre if ‘kosher’ music but anything else no, they need to wake up and smell the coffee. It’s not asur at all to listen to music w positive and Jewish values. Let’s stop this extreme pretend Frum garbage. If you are so shtark that you find a song with an upbeat vibe offensive, I am happy for you. You probably are a Baal madraga. But to start banning music bc it’s not ‘ kosher’ enough is extreme and wrong. Is there nevul pey? No. Lashon hara? No. So what’s the problem????? If I’m exercising and need something upbeat this album is perfect.

    8 years ago

    Sorry Lipa and everyone else, but if the nigun cannot be used for L’cho Dodi , Mimkomcha, or Kal Adon then it is a flop -and this nigun is a super flop.

    8 years ago

    Nigunim relate directly to the neshama. There is absolutely no Jewish neshama in this song. If someone out there in Lipa Land disagrees and believes that this song stirs his/her neshama, then I suggest that you carefully check out your purported Jewish lineage, as you may not be authentically Jewish. If you don’t like what I post here then Buah Buah to you too!!!

    heyward
    heyward
    8 years ago

    Lipa….. You should do one C.D. A photo with your Square’r boots on. Like the olden day’s.

    bsocheami
    bsocheami
    8 years ago

    People weren’t listening to the gedolim, so they gave Lipa their message and banned him so that the message will get out. Most people don’t know this

    GilMoNayO
    GilMoNayO
    7 years ago

    I’ve always seeked and listened to truly great artists/musicians who are incredibly talented and unique (and do what they do while still managing to appeal to the mainstream.)
    Lipa’s a really really sweet kid, a cutie pie, I like him A LOT as a person, but from an artistic, musical perspective, there’s really nothing epic about anything he’s ever done. It’s kind of like some kind of pathetic joke. Sorry.