"Im Nin'alu" () (English: ''If the gates are locked'') is a
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
poem by 17th-century
Rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
Shalom Shabazi
Shalom Shabazi (1619 – c. 1720) was the son of Yosef ben Avigad, of the family of Mashtā, also commonly known as Abba Sholem Shabazi or Saalem al-Shabazi (; ). He was a Jewish rabbi and poet who lived in 17th century Yemen, often referred to a ...
. It has been set to music and sung by Israeli singer
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza (; 19 November 1957 – 23 February 2000) was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as " the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-sop ...
and others. Haza first performed this song with the Shechunat Hatikva Workshop Theatre, appearing on television on IBA's General Television in 1978. 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 album '' Shaday'' of 1988.
"Im Nin'alu" went on to become famous in Europe when a
remix
A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
ed version of the song, produced by Izhar Ashdot, reached the top 10 in many countries. The single reached number one in Finland, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany, where it stayed nine weeks atop the singles chart in mid-1988. In the United Kingdom, the track was a top-20 hit, peaking at number 15, and in the United States, it reached number 15 on ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
s
Hot Dance Club Play
The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...
chart and number 18 on the
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks between 1988 and 2009, and Alternative Songs between 2009 and 2020) is a music chart published in the American magazine ''Billboard'' since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-playe ...
chart. The single reportedly sold some three million copies worldwide, making it one of the first
world music
"World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...
recordings to extend over to mainstream pop chart success. London-based duo
Coldcut
Coldcut are an English electronic music duo composed of Matt Black and Jonathan More. Credited as pioneers for pop sampling in the 1980s, Coldcut are also considered the first stars of UK electronic dance music due to their innovative style, ...
produced a remix of Eric B. & Rakim's " Paid In Full", which heavily samples "Im Nin'alu".
Even though Haza's version of the song shows her own interpretation, and its reception was present-day and popular, it still fits in with the Yemenite tradition that she represented. In 1997, Haza re-recorded the track for her eponymous album ''
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza (; 19 November 1957 – 23 February 2000) was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as " the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-sop ...
'', produced by Frank Peterson of Enigma and Gregorian. The German promo 12-inch for the album's lead single "Show Me" also featured two remixes of "Im Nin'Alu". And 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
''Galbi''
* (), ''kalbi'', ''galbi-gui'' (), or grilled ribs is a type of '' gui'' (grilled dish) in Korean cuisine. "''Galbi''" is the Korean word for "rib", and the dish is usually made with beef short ribs. When pork spare ribs or another m ...
Melody Maker
''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...
'' said "something in THAT VOICE ''does'' ring four-dimensional, mysterious, and otherworldly in my uninitiated Western ears." Myrna Minkoff from ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'' named "Im Nin'alu" Single of the Week, writing, "A thrilling happening. Not in a ''prickly, shiver, shiver'' thrilling kind of way nor in a ''whoosh! loop-the-loop'' thrilling kind of way. Thrilling in a steady way. It's as magnificent and unfathomable as the reasoning behind a suspension bridge, governed by the same miracles as tension. Even the bits that sound like the ''
South Bank Show
''The South Bank Show'' is a British television arts magazine series originally produced by London Weekend Television and broadcast on ITV between 1978 and 2010. A new version of the series began 27 May 2012 on Sky Arts. Conceived, written, ...
'' theme. Original producer Izhar Ashdot is the remixer who works wonders amongst the sheaves of sequencers and Yeminite percussion."
Official versions and remixes
1984
* Original recording, '' Yemenite Songs'' album a.k.a. Traditional Version - 5:18
1988
* '' Shaday'' Album Mix (Played In Full 7" Mix - English Vocal - Edited) - 3:29
* Played In Full Edit (
Ariola Records
Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola Express, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international ...
7", West Germany) - 3:53
* Played In Full 7" Mix - 4:05
* Played In Full 7" Mix - English Vocal - 4:05
* Played In Full - 7" Yemen Vocal (
Teldec
Teldec (Telefunken-Decca Schallplatten GmbH) is a German record label in Hamburg, Germany. Today the label is a property of Warner Music Group.
History
Teldec was a producer of (first) shellac and (later) vinyl records. The Teldec manufacturing ...
7", West Germany) - 4:50
* Played In Full Mix (12") - 5:45
* Instrumental Dub (U.S. 12") - 5:49
* Extended Mix (12") - 6:40
* Gates of Heaven Mix (
Mark Kamins
Mark Kamins (April 11, 1950 – February 14, 2013) was an American record producer, remixer, and disc jockey famous for his role in the New York club scene. He is best known for helping launch the career of singer Madonna by bringing her to Sir ...
and Frank Inglese, U.S. 12") - 6:54
1997
* "Im Nin'alu 2000" - 1997 re-recording, album ''
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza (; 19 November 1957 – 23 February 2000) was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as " the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-sop ...
The song was prominently sampled in the chorus of the 'Seven Minutes of Madness' remix of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim's 1987 single "Paid In Full" and
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
used the same sample on his re-recorded version of "Paid In Full" titled "Paper'd Up" from his album ''
Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$
''Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss'' (stylized as ''Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$'') is the sixth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 26, 2002, by his Doggystyle label, alongside Priority and Capitol Records. Follow ...
''.
Canadian band
Delerium
Delerium is a Canadian new-age ambient electronic musical duo that formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act Front Line Assembly. Throughout the band's history, their musical style has encompassed a ...
sample the lyrics in their song "Hidden Mask", from the 1989 album ''
Faces, Forms & Illusions
''Faces, Forms & Illusions'' is the debut studio album by the Canadian ambient/electronic music group Delerium that was released on January 6, 1989 on the Dossier label. The album was re-issued in 1997 on Cleopatra Records with the bonus track "D ...
''.
American rap group
Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
also sampled the opening few seconds of the song (which are
a cappella
Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
) on the track "Can't Truss It", featured on the 1991 album '' Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black''.
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
Serge El Beze, best known as Cheb i Sabbah"Jewish DJ Captivates Arab Ears" ''
Confessions on a Dance Floor
''Confessions on a Dance Floor'' is the tenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on November 9, 2005, by Warner Bros. Records. A complete departure from her previous studio album '' American Life'' (2003), ...
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
(2007) the track "
Isaac
Isaac ( ; ; ; ; ; ) is one of the three patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith. Isaac first appears in the Torah, in wh ...
" 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
Rajinder Singh Rai (born February 14, 1973), better known by his stage name Panjabi MC, is an English recording artist, rapper, record producer and DJ. He is best known for the worldwide Bhangra 2002 hit " Mundian To Bach Ke", which sold 10 m ...
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
Harel Skaat (; born 8 August 1981) sometimes known by the mononym Harel is an Israeli singer and songwriter. He represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Milim" ("", "Words").
Skaat has been singing and performing in publi ...
.
In 2019 the song was used in the opening of the
Eurovision Song Contest 2019
The Eurovision Song Contest 2019 was the 64th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Tel Aviv, Israel, following the country's victory at the with the song "Toy" by Netta. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union ...
along with
Toy
A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and p ...
In 2021, the song was recorded by Israeli singer Narkis.