Unique CD uses Beatles songs for Sabbath prayers

What inspired doing the CD? "The CD was inspired by next door neighbor, who came up with the idea," group leader Lenny Solomon says.  "He said, 'For my 40th birthday, can you make me an album of Beatles songs put to the Sabbath prayers and songs?'  I looked at him like he was crazy.  

 

"The next day I received an email from him with an Excel spreadsheet containing all the Beatles songs on one side and all the Sabbath Prayers and Songs on the other.  I became inspired as I worked on it as I realized the beauty of this music.  I had always been a Beatles fan, but never appreciated the melodies as much until I started working on this project.  But what was even more inspiring was hearing from the 'Kabbalists and other spiritually inclined Jews' that  this music coupled with the Hebrew texts would help people come closer to God.  This was what I learned as I worked on the project."    

 

Solomon says the project took a year to complete. "I worked for nine months matching the songs with the prayers and then went into the studio and recorded the album in three months."

 

He says picking the songs was by trial and error.  "I needed Beatles songs that were musically syncopated with the Hebrew texts.  Some worked beautifully.  Others needed help, meaning I had to adjust a Hebrew pronunciation to make the melody break right.  

 

"In one case I repeated a melody even though the Beatles did not in their original song. I would try out the melodies with the words on the Sabbath at the Sabbath table.   No instruments are played on the Sabbath so everything is done accapella.  You can hear right away what works and what does not."

 

The licensing of the songs for the project was not easy. "It was extremely difficult to license the songs.  But in the end (five years later - my friend was 45!), we went through the Israeli licensing company ACUM.  They are the Israeli equivalent of ASCAP and BMI.  In the beginning, I had grandiose ideas of meeting Sir Paul as I do believe that he would love this project, especially since his children are Jewish.  I still believe one day I will meet him and present him with the project."

 

Solomon says he may do a second volume in the future. "Not at this point, although I do have material of songs which did not make album one and if I chose to could pursue a second one.  But as I am smack in the middle of touring I can't really think about it objectively.  Perhaps, down the road, a second one is possible."   

 

Solomon says even if fans don't understand the Jewish prayers, the songs on the CD can have a very positive effect.

 

"The rabbis say, 'Music goes straight to the soul.'  The people that have heard this album call it 'supernaturally wonderful'  and a 'spiritual massage.'  I think that there is something mystical about using these melodies (and I daresay - these are the best melodies of the 20th century in contemporary Rock Music) to the sacred Hebrew texts. 

 

"I think that even if you don't understand Hebrew," Solomon says, "it will go into your soul and perhaps make you feel closer to God.  So this is not something that I can document.  I believe everyone will react differently.  

 

"But at the end of the day we are all striving to be the best that we can be and I think that this music can help do that!"

 

The album is available through the group's website (http://www.shlockrock.com/).