Libi Bamizrach

Dov Bear laments the absence of brilliant writers like R. Yehuda Halevi:

My heart is in the east, and I am in the furthermost west--
How can I enjoy food? Can it be sweet to me?

How shall I make vows and honor bonds, while yet
Zion is held by Edom, and I by Arab chains?

Shouldn't it be easy for me to leave all the good things of Spain --
Seeing how precious it is to behold the dust of the desolate sanctuary.

Says the Bear:

[I]n our day Shiny Shoe Music(c) passes for brilliance.

That, too, is something to mourn as we, again, come to Tisha B'av.

I agree that this is very sad.

I am also reminded of a story about one of the remaining brilliant poets in the (non Shiny Shoe) Jewish music world, Aron Razel.

The first time I met Aron, I picked him up at his cousin's house in Manhattan on an Erev Shabbos. Aron and his wife were going to stay with us for Shabbos and perform at my shul motzai Shabbos.

Aron rode shotgun and Efrat was in the back with Aron's guitar. As we were riding on the Van Wyck, Aron turned around and asked Efrat to pass him his guitar. He started to compose a song on the spot, strumming his guitar (whose neck was lodged in my shoulder).

Aron hadn't been out of Israel in a very long time and was moved to put music to the words, "Libi Bamizrach...". "My Heart is in the East..." He played the lovely song that motsai Shabbos but I don't think he's ever recorded it.

(For a taste of Aron's own poetry, listen to the words of his songs "Mincha" and "Chagigah")