Im Nin'alu
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Im Nin'alu" is a Hebrew poem by 17th-century Rabbi Shalom Shabazi. It has been set to music and sung by Israeli singer Ofra Haza and others. The poem opens with the words
- Im nin'alu daltei n'divim daltei marom lo nin'alu
- Even if the gates of the rich are closed, the gates of heaven will never be closed.
History
Ofra Haza first performed this song with the Shechunat Hatikva Workshop Theatre, appearing on television on IBA's General Television in 1978. She went on to become famous in Europe with the song in 1987, when a remixed version of the song, produced by Izhar Ashdot, reached the Top Ten in various countries and number one in several of these, most notably in West Germany where it topped the charts for nine weeks in the summer of 1988. In the UK the track was a Top 20 hit, peaking at #15 and in the U.S. it reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart and #18 on Hot Modern Rock Tracks. British duo Coldcut produced a remix of Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid In Full" which heavily sampled "Im Nin'alu". The single reportedly sold some three million copies worldwide, making it one of the first world music recordings to cross over to mainstream pop chart success. Even though Haza's version of the song shows her own interpretation, and its presentation was modern and popular, it still fits in with the Yemenite tradition that she represented.
The original version was included on the 1984 album Yemenite Songs, also known as Fifty Gates of Wisdom. The remixed version was part of her international debut Shaday of 1988. A version recorded in 1978 along with the Sadnat Te'atron Shechunat Hatikva (Hatikva Neighborhood Workshop Theatre) is available on YouTube.
In 1997 Haza re-recorded the track for her eponymous album Ofra Haza, produced by Frank Peterson of Enigma and Gregorian. The German promo 12" for the album's lead single "Show Me" also featured two remixes of "Im Nin'Alu".
In 2008 two new remixes were included on the greatest hits compilation Forever Ofra Haza – Her Greatest Songs Remixed.
The international follow-up single to "Im Nin'Alu (Played In Full)" in 1988 was a remix of the track "Galbi", also originally from the Yemenite Songs album.
Samples and other versions
The song was sampled by rap duo Eric B. & Rakim in their single "Paid In Full", Snoop Dogg used the same sample on his remake of "Paid In Full" titled "Paper'd Up" from his album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$.
Canadian band Delerium sample the lyrics in their song "Hidden Mask", from the 1989 album Faces, Forms & Illusions.
American Rap group Public Enemy also sampled the opening few seconds of the song (which are a cappella) on the track "Can't Truss It", featured on the 1991 album Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black.
The song features very briefly as background music in a restaurant at the beginning of the 2000 film American Psycho.
In 1998 Swedish DJ team C&N Project included a sample of the opening line "Im nin'alu" on their single "The Queen of Tel Aviv", which was credited to C&N Project Featuring Ofra Haza.
Israeli singer Michal Cohen performs "Im Nin'alu" on La Kahena (2005) by DJ Cheb i Sabbah.
In the album Confessions on a Dance Floor and in The Confessions Tour by Madonna (2007) the track "Isaac" includes a portion of the poem.
"Im Nin'alu" is the opening track on Eliyahu & The Qadim Ensemble's album Eastern Wind (2009), with lead vocals by Rachel Valfer.
In 2009 Panjabi MC remixed this song on his album named Indian Timing.
In 2012, jazz quartet Third World Love performed a version of Im Nin'alu on their album Songs and Portraits.
In 2014, Ishay Ribo released a version of the song on his debut album.
In 2018 the song was recorded by Israeli pop artist Harel Skaat.
