Birthday (song)

About a month ago, I was considering which song I would choose for the Yom Kippur song evening, should it take place. Originally I was going to use 'I like the sound of falling rain', but at some stage I heard the song 'Birthday' by Chani Livneh, which is a song that I have always liked since I first heard it in about 1986, but had long forgotten.

Finding the words wasn't a problem but working out how to play it was more complicated. Although Livneh wrote the song, it shows the arranging chops of Matti Caspi. Somewhat unusually, it's in 3/4, but there seem to be a few 'hiccups' in the B section of the song. After listening to the song in order to learn it, I noted that it is has an opening section starting on Am and finishing on G; this section is repeated, having two bars merged into one towards the end and then finishing on Gm. The B section starts off with a descending bass line played twice before leading into an ascending bass line - this section is quite weird harmonically as apart from the bass line (Gm - Eb - Gm6 - Gm7), the tune spends most of its time on A, making the opening chord Gm9. The B section is repeated, but like the A section, the second time around is subtlely different from the first time.

Eventually I had the chords and melody sequenced, more for reference purposes than as part of the final arrangement. I worked on various approaches, finally arriving at something suitable; it's not exactly how I had intended, but it's not bad. I ignored the rhythmic hiccup in the B section by extending the sung note as opposed to shortening the bar.

Singing as usual was problematic; unlike my usual recording technique, I sang to a version in which the tune was playing, in order to aid my accuracy. I think that a few takes were required after which parts were taken in order to compile a complete version. I had more difficulty than usual in achieving a good vocal sound; unusually I didn't use any reverb but rather a short analog delay that sounds good for most of the time (there are a few staccato notes where it does not sound so good).

I don't know whether this version will ever see the light of day.

Following is a translation of the lyrics (mainly Google translate with some additions and corrections by me)

The cake is in the oven, the candles are all ready, 

A birthday is not just for children. 

And I was sad when I thought in the morning, 

How I have passed my years? 

My pockets are empty of surprises. 

Smiles are not something that come too easily, 

And outside the sun is shining whereas for me, another groove [on my face] is engraved. 

And for the hundredth time I see how I have lived my life in a tunnel of darkness. 

The candles on the cake quietly light up the time. 

And now is the time. God, give me strength 

To stop the minute race on the clock,

To watch and breathe as the grass grows, 

And to get up and sing in his honor. 

And now I know clearly: The greatest gift that can only be taken, 

It's the same feeling when you're seeing for the first time 

That the sun has never shone like this 

And the rain has never sounded so beautiful, 

The candles on the cake give me light as a gift.