Well, The Hesh drove his dad’s brand new beamer into town the other night
Took a right on King George, slammed on the brakes, pulled up to the light
Parked the car, went down to Champs to watch the drunken dibs fight
What a sight
Joe and Moe are making hakofos looking for something to do
BT makes his grand appearance in his silver Subaru
Boruch and the G-d Squad are trying to find lost Jews
I think he’s got the blues
JAPs all gathered on Ben Yehuda for the usual weekend bash
Bus drivers race down King George never dreaming of a crash
Soldiers head out to the bars on the weekends and by Saturday night they’re smashed
Nothing too rash
The dark side of the midrechov is lined with hippies and punks
And other assorted lowlives trying to hawk their junk
Some young kid trying to act so cool with his boombox blasting out funk
It’s all bunk
Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
It’s been a long time since the heyday of JBR and JBB
A dozen other local bands that you’ll probably never see
A music scene that once bloomed waiting for discovery
But now it’s only a memory
Starry eyed would be lovers meet under the Talitha Kumi
Girls from Machon Gold parade their latest wardrobe from Bloomie’s
Trying to look their best as they noodge the soldiers for a goomie
Va va voomie!
Stiff necked clerics and proper laymen with baznatim down their backs
Naïve and curious they stop to hear the wisdom of Meshugena Max
While all the locals who’ve heard it all before can’t control their wisecracks
And give old Max the axe
Blues
Ah got de Jerusalem Blues
Blues
Got dose ol Jerusalem Blues
No one seems to remember the way it used to be
Looks like everybody’s new here but the old chevra and me
We can try to recapture the old glories of 82 and 83
But now it’s only a memory
When the shooting’s over
We’ll still be here
But there’s every reason to live in fear
When the shooting’s over
There’ll be no peace
But the day to day living
Will never cease
Until the music stops
Until the music stops
Until the music stops
Until the music stops
The music won’t stop
The music won’t stop
Sharona waits in front of Atara with no patience—she outgrew it
She wanted The Hesh to call her but he never got down to it
Picks herself up and leaves took her last fuse and blew it
Don’t do it
The dogs of Katamon bark like banshees as they go mad in the heat
And B company doesn’t have to go back to base, they’re stone happy as can be
‘Cause they just found the lieutenant in an overturned jeep
No one weeps
Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
Blues
Ah got de Jerusalem Blues
Blues
Got dose ol Jerusalem Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
Got those Jerusalem Blues
Listen to the music you’ll find your reason to be
Listen to the music the beat will set you free
Listen to the music you’ll forget the futility
Of living out your high school memories
Jerusalem blues
Jerusalem blues
Jerusalem blues
Jerusalem blues …
©2023 The Hesh Inc.
This song was my snapshot of Jerusalem street/night life as it was, or how I wished it would be, in the mid-1980s, written in a sort of Doors/"LA Woman" style. I was in the army at the time but my off-base social life was centered in the Holy City where, believe it or not, there is much more to do besides Sit And Learn, seek spiritual highs, or get involved in various political activities. Names have not been changed (!) but some scenarios have been embellished. If you were there, you'll recognize a lot of this.