Khay
Encyclopedia
"Hi" was the Israel
i entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1983
, performed in Hebrew
by Ofra Haza
. The song title was transliterated at the contest as "Hi", and has also been credited in other media as "Khay", "Jai" and "Hay."
The song is a moderately up-tempo number, opening with two uncredited bars from the title song
from Andrew Lloyd Webber
and Tim Rice
's rock opera
Jesus Christ Superstar
. In the song Haza sings that, despite the "thorns" she has endured, she is still alive. As the song goes on, this is revealed to be a metaphor for "the nation of Israel" (the song is ambiguous as to whether this refers to the modern state or the global Jewish community) surviving various attempts at destroying it. The song had further profound meanings since it was performed on German soil with the Holocaust background and in the city of Munich
, the site of the Munich massacre
in 1972. Haza performed the entry with five backup singers, who were all dressed in yellow costumes.
The song was performed sixteenth on the night, following Denmark
's Gry
with "Kloden drejer
" and preceding Portugal
's Armando Gama
with "Esta balada que te dou
". At the close of voting, it had received 136 points, placing 2nd in a field of 20. Haza also recorded the song in English, German and French, entitled "High", "Frei" and "Va, Va, Va" respectively.
Israel opted not to enter the 1984 Contest
, but returned to the contest the following year. Thus, the song was succeeded as Israeli representative
at the 1985 Contest
by Izhar Cohen
with "Olé, Olé
".
Ofra Haza went on to have a worldwide hit in 1988 with a dance remix of the Yemeni
/Jewish traditional "Im Nin'alu
", which became the start of a very successful international career. This was cut short in 2000, when Haza very unexpectedly died at the age of 42.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1983
Eurovision Song Contest 1983
The Eurovision Song Contest 1983, the 28th in the series, was held in Munich, then West Germany, on 23 April 1983. The presenter was Marlene Charell. Corinne Hermes was the winner of this Eurovision with the song, "Si la vie est cadeau". This was Luxembourg's fifth victory in the contest which...
, performed in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
by Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer of Yemeni origin, an actress and international recording artist....
. The song title was transliterated at the contest as "Hi", and has also been credited in other media as "Khay", "Jai" and "Hay."
The song is a moderately up-tempo number, opening with two uncredited bars from the title song
Superstar (Jesus Christ Superstar song)
"Superstar" is the title song from the 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It was released as a single in 1969, before the album was completed. Sung by Murray Head with the Trinidad Singers, it reached number 78 on first release. Murray Head reached...
from Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
and Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
's rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
. In the song Haza sings that, despite the "thorns" she has endured, she is still alive. As the song goes on, this is revealed to be a metaphor for "the nation of Israel" (the song is ambiguous as to whether this refers to the modern state or the global Jewish community) surviving various attempts at destroying it. The song had further profound meanings since it was performed on German soil with the Holocaust background and in the city of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, the site of the Munich massacre
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
in 1972. Haza performed the entry with five backup singers, who were all dressed in yellow costumes.
The song was performed sixteenth on the night, following Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
's Gry
Gry Johansen
Gry Johansen-Meilstrup is a Danish singer who represented her country in Eurovision Song Contest 1983. She performed the song "Kloden drejer" . The song was placed seventeenth out of twenty. Johansen made further bids for Eurovision glory when she participated in the Danish national selection...
with "Kloden drejer
Kloden Drejer
"Kloden drejer" was the Danish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1983, performed in Danish by Gry Johansen.The song was performed fifteenth on the night, following Germany's Hoffmann & Hoffmann with "Rücksicht" and preceding Israel's Ofra Haza with "Khay"...
" and preceding Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
's Armando Gama
Armando Gama
Armando António Capelo Diniz da Gama is a Portuguese singer-songwriter and baritone opera singer, whose physical trademark for decades has been his shoulder-length jet black hair....
with "Esta balada que te dou
Esta Balada Que Te Dou
"Esta balada que te dou" was the Portuguese entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1983, performed in Portuguese by Armando Gama.The song, as the title suggests, is a piano-driven ballad...
". At the close of voting, it had received 136 points, placing 2nd in a field of 20. Haza also recorded the song in English, German and French, entitled "High", "Frei" and "Va, Va, Va" respectively.
Israel opted not to enter the 1984 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1984
The Eurovision Song Contest 1984 was the 29th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 5 May 1984 in Luxembourg. The presenter was Désirée Nosbusch. Nosbusch, only 19 years old at the time, hosted the show in a lax manner, which was quite unusual for this show back then...
, but returned to the contest the following year. Thus, the song was succeeded as Israeli representative
Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest
Although geographically not in Europe, Israel is within the European Broadcasting Area and can thus participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Israel is a member of the European Broadcasting Union, and made its first appearance in 1973. Israel has participated in the contest 34 times, and has won...
at the 1985 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1985
The Eurovision Song Contest 1985 was the 30th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 4 May 1985 in Gothenburg, Sweden. The presenter was Lill Lindfors, and Norwegian duo Bobbysocks! was the winner of this Eurovision with the song "La det swinge"....
by Izhar Cohen
Izhar Cohen
Izhar Cohen is an Israeli singer and actor.Representing Israel, he won the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest with the group Alphabeta performing "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" with music by Nurit Hirsh and words by Ehud Manor...
with "Olé, Olé
Olé, Olé
"Olé, Olé" was the Israeli entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1985, performed in Hebrew by Izhar Cohen. This was Cohen's second participation, in 1978 he and the group Alphabeta had won the Contest with "A-Ba-Ni-Bi"....
".
Ofra Haza went on to have a worldwide hit in 1988 with a dance remix of the Yemeni
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
/Jewish traditional "Im Nin'alu
Im Nin'Alu
"Im Nin'alu" is a Hebrew poem by 17th-century Rabbi Shalom Shabazi that has been set to music and sung by Israeli singer Ofra Haza and others...
", which became the start of a very successful international career. This was cut short in 2000, when Haza very unexpectedly died at the age of 42.