Im Nin'alu - History

History

Ofra Haza first performed this song with the Shechunat Hatikva Workshop Theatre, appearing on television on IBA's General Television in 1978. She went on to become famous in Europe with the song in the year 1988, when a remixed version thereof, produced by Izhar Ashdot, reached the Top Ten in various countries and number one in several of these, most notably in West Germany where it topped the charts for nine weeks in the summer of 1988. In the UK the track was a Top 20 hit, peaking at #15 and in the U.S. it reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart and #18 on Hot Modern Rock Tracks. British duo Coldcut produced a remix of Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid In Full" which heavily sampled "Im Nin'alu". The single reportedly sold some three million copies worldwide, making it one of the first world music recordings to cross over to mainstream pop chart success. Even though Haza's version of the song shows her own interpretation, and its presentation was modern and popular, it still fits in with the Yemenite tradition that she represented.

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 Shaday of 1988. A version recorded in 1978 along with the Sadnat Te'atron Shechunat Hatikva (Hatikva Neighborhood Workshop Theatre) is available on YouTube.

In 1997 Haza re-recorded the track for her eponymous album Ofra Haza, produced by Frank Peterson of Enigma and Gregorian. The German promo 12" for the album's lead single "Show Me" also featured two remixes of "Im Nin'Alu".

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", also originally from the Yemenite Songs album.