Meir Ariel - Neshel Ha'nachash

Meir Ariel (1942-1999) [wikipedia / HE] [wikipedia / EN]was one of Israel's loved singer-songwriter. Most people remember him for his sad ballads. His style reminiscent of Bob Dylan, in blogs you see comments on his songs "it's the words..." His first song was written during the six day war, Jerusalem of Iron [HE] was influenced by the Neomi Shemer song Jerusalem of Gold [EN] [HE]. The song's success lead him to the belief that his role as a soldier in the fight for Jerusalem and the war's success contributed to the song's success. He called his song's success "just a gimmick". This lead him to return to his kibbutz (Mishmoret) and to normal life. He married and volunteered for a mission to the US where two children a boy and a girl were born. In the US he was influenced by the music of Bob Dylan. He wrote in his style and kept that style for most of his life. In his return to Israel he tried his hand at the movie business in Tel Aviv. In 1973 at the break of the Yom Kippur war he served in the Suez canal. He returned to his kibbutz and was appointed the kibbutz's secretary. In 1978 he released his first album "holiday and event song and falling". The album contained three hit songs which put Meir on the Israeli pop map. -- For more on Meir Ariel's story see the wikipedia page in English [also Hebrew]