May We Be Happy: Golem and "Tum Balalaika"

Today's random song is presented by rock-klezmer band Golem, which was created in 2000 in New York City by Annette Ezekiel Kogan, who serves as bandleader, vocalist and accordionist. The band describes their music as Eastern European Jewish folk-rock, and combines elements of rock, punk, and klezmer with lyrics in mainly English, Yiddish and Russian. The name of the band refers to the monster created out of clay to protect the Jewish people, and turned back to clay when it got out of control. The band calls themselves a collective monster that approaches traditional music with respect, but without timidity and resistance to change. This song, Tum Balalaika, can be found on Golem's 2014 CD Tanz. The song chronicles the uncertainty that comes with beginning new love, and a young man asks "Young lady...what can grow without rain? What can burn and never be consumed? What can yearn, cry without tears?" And she answers "Foolish boy, why do you have to ask? A stone can grow without rain. Love can burn and never be consumed. A heart can yearn, cry without tears."

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem_(klezmer_band)