Arik Einstein

Arik Einstein
Arik Einstein, singing to soldiers during the Yom Kippur War (1973)
Background information
Also known as	Ari Goren
Born	3 January 1939 (1939-01-03) (age 72) Tel Aviv, British Mandate for Palestine
Genres	Rock (Israeli rock)
Years active	1957–present
Labels	Israphone Helicon Hed Artzi Hagar-Phonokol BNE CBS Phonokol NMC HaTaklit Haifa Media Direct HaTav HaShmini
Associated acts	Green Onion Yarkon Bridge Trio The High Windows Shalom Hanoch The Churchills Peter Roth

Arik (Arieh) Einstein (Hebrew: אריק איינשטיין‎, born 3 January 1939) is an Israeli singer-songwriter.

Einstein was a vocalist for Batzal Yarok (Green Onion), Shleeshiyat Gesher Hayarkon (Yarkon Bridge Trio) and Hahalonot Hagvohim (The High Windows). His collaboration with Shalom Hanoch and the Churchills planted the seeds for the first Israeli rock albums. He dominated the nascent Israeli Bohemia scene along with his best friend, Uri Zohar. Einstein's influence has been so profound that virtually all Israeli pop music can be traced back to musical projects in which he participated. He managed to infuse the new styles of rock and pop with a deep Israeli flavor.

Einstein wrote many of the songs that he performed, among them "Ani Veata" (Me and You), "Sa Le'at" (Drive Slowly), "Yoshev Al HaGader" (Sitting on the Fence), "Ima Sheli" (My Mother), and "Uf Gozal" (Fly, Little Nestling).

Early life

Einstein's father, Yaakov Einstein, was a theatre performer and a member of Hashomer Hatzair, a left-wing Zionist youth movement. In his youth, Einstein was Israel's junior champion for the high jump. His father urged him to audition for an army entertainment troupe, and he was accepted into the Nahal Brigade troupe.

Music career

In 1959, after his release from the IDF, Einstein joined the Green Onion band and the Sambation theatre. In 1960, he released his first solo album. He sang in a band under the pseudonym "Ari Goren."

In the Yarkon Bridge Trio, he performed with Yehoram Gaon, Benny Amdursky and later Israel Gurion. In 1964, he played in the comedy film Sallah Shabbati, along with Chaim Topol, who was also from the Green Onion band.

In 1966, Einstein released the album Shar Bishvilekh (Singing for You), and joined the High Windows, in which he performed pop songs. Two years later, Einstein released the album Mazal Gdi (Capricorn), which was not very successful. He therefore looked for a new sound and went on to produce the album Puzi with the Churchills, considered the first Israeli rock album.

Einstein was part of the early 1970s TV series Lool (Chicken Coop), a sketch-and-song show with an original format and cast. The show had an off-the-wall sense of humor not unlike Monty Python's Flying Circus. However, Lool also featured songs written by prominent poets performed by some of Israel's best singers has ever produced. In spite of the fact that it had only four parts, it remains a cult-show to this day. It as well as movies such as Shablool (Snail), showcased Einstein both as a top-of-the-line singer and comedian.

Einstein continues to write songs and release albums. In 2004, he released Shtei Gitarot Bas Tupim (Two Guitars, Bass, Drums).

In 2005, he was voted the 22nd-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.^[1]

Einstein sang a duet with David D'Or on D'Or's CD, Kmo HaRuach ("Like the Wind") released on 27 March 2006.^[2][3]

Discography (incomplete)

• 1966 – Shar bishvileh (Singing for you)
• 1968 – Yashan vegamHadash" (Old and New)
• 1968 – Mazal Gdi (Capricorn)
• 1969 – Puzi
• 1970 – Shablul (Snail)
• 1970 – Plastelina
• 1971 – Shirey Yeladim (Kids' Songs)
• 1971 – Badeshe etzel Avigdor (At Avigdor's on the Grass)
• 1972 – Yasmin (Jasmin)
• 1973 – Hashanim Harishonot (The First Years)
• 1973 – Eretz Yisrael Hayeshana veHatova (Good Old Land of Israel)
• 1974 – Sa leat (Drive slowly)
• 1975 – Shirim (Songs)
• 1976 – Eretz Yisrael Hayeshana veHatova bet (Good Old Land of Israel part 2)
• 1976 – Yeladim (Kids)
• 1976 – Haahava panim rabot la (Love Has Many Faces)
• 1977 – Eretz Yisrael Hayeshana veHatova Gimel (Good Old Land of Israel part 3)
• 1978 – Leket (Medley)
• 1978 – Yeladudes (Kidoes)
• 1980 – Eretz Yisrael Hayeshana veHatova-Meshirey Sasha Argov (Good Old Land of Israel-Sasha Argov's Songs)
• 1980 – Hamush Bemishkafaim (Armed With Glasses)
• 1981 – Leket Leyladim (Collection for Kids)
• 1982 – Yoshev Al Hagader (Sitting on the Fence)
• 1983 – Shavir (Fragile)
• 1984 – Pesek Zman (Time Out)
• 1984 – Nostalgia-Eretz Yisrael Hayeshana veHatova (Nostalgia-Good Old Land of Israel)
• 1985 – Totzeret Haaretz (Made in Israel)
• 1986 – Ohev Lihiyot Babait (Love Being Home)
• 1987 – Al Gvul Haor (On the Boundary of the Light)
• 1988 – meshirey Avraham Halfi (Avraham Halfi's Songs)
• 1989 – hashanim Harishonot (The First Years)
• 1989 – Haiti Paam Yeled (I was a Boy Once)
• 1992 – Nostalgia-Eretz Yisrael Hayeshana veHatova (Nostalgia-Good Old Land of Israel)
• 1992 – Haarye, Hayona, veTarnegolet Kchula (The Lion, The Dove, and a Blue Chicken)
• 1995 – Yesh bi Ahava (Filled With Love)
• 1996 – Ktzat lakahat Hazara (Take Back a Little)
• 1997 – Lean Parchu Haparparim (Where Have the Butterflies Gone)
• 1999 – Muscat (types of grape)
• 2002 – Yahsan vegam Hadash-remastered (Old and New)
• 2002 – Shemesh Retuva (Wet Sun)
• 2004 – Shablool-remastered (Snail)
• 2004 – Shtei Gitarot, Bass, Tupim (Two Guitars, Bass, Drums)
• 2006 – Rega'im (Moments)
• 2007 – Kol Ha Tov Shebaolam (All the Good Things in the World)

With the High Windows:

• 1966 – Hahalonot hagvohim (The High Windows)

Bibliography

• 1981 – Arik Einstein: Songbook edited by Arik Einstein and Michael Tapuach
• 1989 – Lool (edited by Arik Einstein, Zvi Shisel)
• 1991 – Arik Einstein: Second Songbook (edited by Arik Einstein and Michael Tapuach; music editor: Bart Berman)
• 2006 – Arik Enstein: Zo Ota Ha-ahava (edited by Ali Mohar)

References

1. ^ גיא בניוביץ' (20 June 1995). "הישראלי מספר 1: יצחק רבין – תרבות ובידור". Ynet. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3083171,00.html. Retrieved 10 July 2011. 
2. ^ "Like the Wind". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N0TO2C. Retrieved 5 May 2009. 
3. ^ "Kmo HaRuach". daviddor.com. February 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20060517005232/http://www.daviddor.com/e_disc_8.htm. Retrieved 8 May 2009. 

External links

• Arik Einstein at the Internet Movie Database
• One Foot Here and One Foot There
• Lion in Winter

Persondata
Name	Einstein, Arik
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	3 January 1939
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death