New York – Gershon Veroba Converts Secular Music, Is It Kosher?

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    New York – “Kosher” covers for international music hits are not a novelty in Jewish music, and countless songs have already been “converted to Judaism” for the ultra-Orthodox sector.

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    Admittedly, the genre may not represent creativity and originality at their best, but still there are times when a more professional product emerges. An example for this is the album “Second Impressions” by New York-based singer and producer Gershon Veroba. Although in the past he produced “kosher” versions for popular hits, two years ago Veroba released a solo album titled “Reach Out” and it seemed that he was headed for a career based on his own materials.

    In a conversation with Ynet Veroba admitted that he did not really want to make the new album, but was persuaded to do so after pressure from his audience whom he did not want to disappoint. “If people enjoy it so much, why not give it to them?” he said.

    Veroba stressed that the new album was produced at the highest professional level, and that a lot of thought has been put into the lyrics, which are probably the most important part of the project. “By the way,” he added, “these are not parodies but an attempt to give new meaning to songs of a non-religious nature and adapt them for the Jewish-religious audience.”

    Most artists, said Veroba, were either positive or indifferent towards the initiative to ‘”convert” their songs, while some “made life tough.” For example, in order to get permission to use the song “Incomplete” by the Backstreet Boys Veroba had to get the signatures of 10 different people.

    How did you decide which songs to “convert”?

    “It’s very hard work. We had close to a 100 songs from which to choose… sometimes people think that it’s enough to include the words ‘Torah,’ ‘mitzvah,’ ‘Messiah’ and ‘oy vey’ and then they’ll have a good Jewish song, but it just doesn’t work like that. There has to be a musical justification for changing the lyrics.”

    The new album, which was recently released in the United States and is being distributed in Israel by RNY Productions, includes 12 pop hits from the years 1976-2007. Among them are the Backstreet Boys’ “Incomplete”; “Everybody Knows God Rules the World” (based on Tears for Fears’ song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World); and “Run from the Egyptians” (based on The Bangles’ “Walk like an Egyptian).

    Run From The Egyptians/ The lyrics

    All the old paintings on the tombs

    Don’t have our ancestors in the shot

    They carry bricks, they’re falling down

    dying on the spot

    Slavedriver man by the Nile

    He whipped me and now he turns to you

    400 years

    The suffering’s all we ever knew

    Time for us to board the bus. Say

    ”Run from the Egyptians”

    Saved by the water, Moshe

    Grew up to be our super man

    Walked up to Phar’oh

    Said: time for the Jews to leave the land

    The king kept changing his mind

    His hardened heart brought the plagues of ten

    Darkness & death

    Came down upon all Egyptians

    Royal swells in the king’s hotel say

    ”Run from the Egyptians”

    The recipe for the bread, eighteen minutes,

    maybe less, no more

    Don’t you complain

    Your life will be better than before

    They want us back, we won’t return

    we trust in one god. His name is one

    He split the sea

    Egyptian guards drowning as they run

    Children of Israel rejoice and thanking Hashem

    they see the light

    They sing and dance

    Accepting the Torah Moshe writes

    Philistines in smithereens know

    No fun for the Egyptians

    Run from the Egyptians


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    66 Comments
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    Kalev
    Kalev
    14 years ago

    This has been done by many Tzaddikim

    bar yochui
    bar yochui
    14 years ago

    I really think its the bad thing is the way he tries use similar words from the original song, if he would just take the tune and put some lushon koidesh words then it would not be that terrible.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    All I can say how low will we go we are all ready in the 48 gates of tumah this will take us into the threshold of the 49th

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Well Does He Look Kosher ? Does He Sound Kosher ? Does It Smell Kosher ? . . If It Walk’s And Talks Like Its A Duck It Is A Duck .

    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    14 years ago

    So he is the “Weird Al” of Jewish music?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, who is Gershon Veroba offering flattery to?
    I’d rather he imitate holy people.

    who cares
    who cares
    14 years ago

    If you dont like it, dont listen. zeh hu!

    huh?
    huh?
    14 years ago

    what does lubavitch have to do with this?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I started to get hooked to nonjewish music thanks to variations

    BinderDundat
    BinderDundat
    14 years ago

    In reply to #3. The Ribbono Shel Olam has given us BECHIRA. We all have a right to choose which music we like and which we don’t. And I say this to our self righteous “Gedolim” too. If you don’t like it, DON’T LISTEN!!. But you do not have a right to tell me not to listen. Music is not tumah. Get a life.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    this song is great. Sometimes you just need the “beat” and this(and others) fills my need.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I guess if the original artists signoff and take the royalties, its ok — but the whole point is that these songs are important artistic creations — eg “everybody wants to rule the world” was so powerful because it precisely defined the “me” culture of the 80’s — the whole point was that it captured society at a point in time which is why it remains a deeply ingrained icon of that era. Changing the words to make them kosher, kind of loses the reason artists create songs in the first place.

    Concerned Member
    Concerned Member
    14 years ago

    to # 3 and #4 … there are therapists, both in and out of the frum world (in case you’re embarassed) who can help you out with the problems you both appear to have. Perhaps chat with a Rav and see why it is that you are so profoundly dragged down by innocent activities of others. If these activities are destroying your souls then maybe solitary confinement would be good for you.

    Those of us who are mentally stable however will find that we are not “brought to the 49th gate of tumah” or “hooked” on things based on the music entertainment of Mr. Veroba.

    Seriously, seek help for your families’ sake.

    CHAIM HIRSCHMAN
    CHAIM HIRSCHMAN
    14 years ago

    Its sad that we hit this state
    the skulener rebbe spoke out against this kind of music
    and he does and knows kirruv so that heter is useless
    all we can say is nebach

    yoelish
    yoelish
    14 years ago

    I think i’ll stick with classic rock. I can’t stand pop music

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Silly and harmless. Enjoy if you do; don’t enjoy if you don’t.

    skazm
    skazm
    14 years ago

    I just went to a really charedi wedding and I hate to tell you, they played the Beatles and no one there knew it… most of the Jewish music we have today is completely secular in origin, including (the shock) some niggunim, so like, wake up.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I don’t understand! How come no one came out against The Jewish Version….the Album that NCSY put out?

    anonimous
    anonimous
    14 years ago

    please everybody listen too me. i am a singer who resently had all this gabage said about me. stop talking about rabunim and what you think is right or wrong. it did nt help the story it just ripped apart klal yisruel. at the end of the day all the loshin horah that went on was worse then anything that i could have singged on stage. in the end i sang on stage anyway. let gershin do his thing and you do your thing. thank you.

    Double Standard?
    Double Standard?
    14 years ago

    Why is ther a Double Standard here? Why do idiots in her complain about Gershon’s music, when they have been listening to and dancing to MBD’s Music for years which has been taken from Secular music? The tune of ‘Yeeden’ was directly taken (without permission) from a German Group in the 80’s – Ghingas Khan. So all you fake jews go to h***

    Jack
    Jack
    14 years ago

    He is really for people who were not so frum and are becoming frum and want to enjoy the music they used to listen to in a “kosher” way. Otherwise, in my opinion this music isn’t for a real frum Jew who never listened to the goyish version in the first place…

    SaddenedByTheStateOfTheWorld
    SaddenedByTheStateOfTheWorld
    14 years ago

    Some people really surprise me. And I don’t mean the musician here – I’m talking about some of the people commenting with things like “How much lower can we get” and such.

    I would like to say the following but preface my own comment with these words:

    I do not speak for others. I am not making light or little of other people’s opinions. I am not saying it’s kosher or unkosher, good or bad. Do not put words into my mouth when you respond and do not assume that because I speak my opinion, that if it does not match you own, it isn’t equally important or true. In the past I have had too many people tell me that I don’t know what I’m talking about or that I’m wrong. We are all entitled to an opinion and we all deserve respect. As a reader and poster her, I have respected your right to speak your thoughts; allow me the same courtesy. Thank you.

    On to the comment.

    Throughout the years, Jews from all levels of religious practice and thought have tried to steer current and future generations in a better direction, a Torah based path.

    I will not compare Mr. Veroba to Tzaddikim and Gedolim – even Tzaddikim will not compare themselves to Tzaddikim! They are too humble for that! – but I *will* liken him in deed, if not by madreiga in that he is attempting to take something that is unholy or that which we may normally consider unsuitable for observant/religious Jews, and breathing some holiness and hope into it.

    It may come as a surprise to some that some chassidishe niggunim are based on secular melodies. And there are plenty of “variations” that have been around for twenty years or more by famous, yiddishe singers such as Mordechai Ben Dovid, Avrohomm Friend and others of their ilk and reputation who have used if not full tunes then portions of tunes and melodies that have basis in secular music.

    But that aside, what I think many people fail to realize, is that while they are pointing fingers, condemning others or clucking their tongues at the “unorthodox approach” or questioning the reasoning behind – the very idea – that a frum Jew would try to convert secular music to some semblance of music acceptable to the frum public, there are a great many Jews in the world today who DO listen to secular music regularly – and enjoy it. As a result, there is a *much* greater likelihood that if they were to hear songs that are familiar to them (in English – not everyone speaks or understands Hebrew or Yiddish), it will be that much more effective in bringing them closer to the fold or strengthening their already existing levels of committment to Hashem, the Torah and/or Avodah in general.

    I would also like to say in particular to the person who stated that due to “conversion”, he or she has grown to like secular music – and to those people who. because of this danger and problem. might blame Mr. Veroba and others like him in the music “conversion” business:

    It all comes down to your own choices. Yes, this type of music may open a door to temptation, but doors work both ways and you alone are responsible for your decisions.

    In closing, I would like to wish those who may be feeling the tempation the strength to withstand it and remain strong and steadfast.

    And to Mr. Veroba I wish much Hatzlocha in this project and may his efforts succeed in bringing more Jews closer to Avodas Hashem.

    PMO
    PMO
    14 years ago

    Do you people realize how much of the “chassidishe” music you listen to is based on melodies from the secular world? I have known Veroba for many years and I know many of the people he works with. This music is not really produced for the chassidishe world. It is produced for the modern world (who are not interested in MBD or Dedi). M.O. kids are really into this kind of stuff. Key kiruv groups like NCSY and JEP make this music part of their programs. This kind of music does far more good than harm, and his motivation to bring people closer to H” is 100% pure.

    Lenny Solomon (Shlock Rock) has been doing things like this for 20+ years and MBD has no problems sharing the stage with him. Why would should anyone reject this kind of music? Because it is in English? For many MO, that makes it even more meaningful for them.

    Pinny
    Pinny
    14 years ago

    For those of you out there who live in the “real world”, and its been touched on previously, we all have “tayvos” and yes we have “bechira” as to what we listen to.
    Last I checked, listening to any one of Gershon’s “Variations” arrangements has NOT reported anyone going off the derech or doing things that are not for a ben/bat torah.
    My family has known Gershon for several decades, and what he does is unique no doubt. He has an artistry some of you wish you could attain, and you are exhibiting signs of “kanaus” (jealousy) which is a very bad character trait for Jews to have.
    You should all think of what you said here. As someone who knows Gershon personally, I think you should definitely not judge him simply because you feel he is “out of line” for wanting to brind something other than “heimishe” music to the masses.
    There are soo many new artists on the Jewish Music scene now, and they are all just trying to make it out there in this troubled econonomy but few will have the impact, artistry and the charisma that Gershon Veroba has.