Jerusalem (Out of the Darkness Comes Light)
Encyclopedia
"Jerusalem" is a song by Hasidic Jewish
reggae
singer Matisyahu
, produced by Jimmy Douglass & The Ill Factor, and first released in 2006 on his major label debut, Youth
. A new version was recorded later in 2006 with Sly & Robbie and was released as a digital single on September 19, 2006.
The song itself is based on Psalm 137
, verses 5-6, one of the most well known of the Psalms:
expressing the desire of the Israelites to return to Jerusalem.
Matisyahu used the chorus lyrics of Break My Stride
by Matthew Wilder
as the bridge in this single. There are two versions of the song, the single version which is subtitled (Out Of Darkness Comes Light) which is a funky-rock version, and an alternative slower dancehall reggae version.
, as well as using pictures to create a central composite of the Western Wall
. This is the first of Matisyahu's videos which does not take place outdoors, and is the first which contains extensive symbol
ism rather than straightforward scenes.
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer Matisyahu
Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
, produced by Jimmy Douglass & The Ill Factor, and first released in 2006 on his major label debut, Youth
Youth (Matisyahu album)
Youth is an album by American Hasidic Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu, which was released on March 7, 2006. It is his second proper studio release, as Live at Stubb's is a live album...
. A new version was recorded later in 2006 with Sly & Robbie and was released as a digital single on September 19, 2006.
The song itself is based on Psalm 137
Psalm 137
Psalm 137 is one of the best known of the Biblical psalms. Its opening lines, "By the rivers of Babylon..." have been set to music on several occasions....
, verses 5-6, one of the most well known of the Psalms:
"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither, let my tongue stick to my palate if I cease to think of you, if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory even at my happiest hour."The psalm is said to have been written during the Babylonian Exile by Jeremiah
Jeremiah
Jeremiah Hebrew：יִרְמְיָה , Modern Hebrew:Yirməyāhū, IPA: jirməˈjaːhu, Tiberian:Yirmĭyahu, Greek:Ἰερεμίας), meaning "Yahweh exalts", or called the "Weeping prophet" was one of the main prophets of the Hebrew Bible...
expressing the desire of the Israelites to return to Jerusalem.
Matisyahu used the chorus lyrics of Break My Stride
Break My Stride
"Break My Stride" was a major hit single for Matthew Wilder in 1983 and 1984. Wilder co-wrote the reggae/New Wave song, which was his biggest hit, becoming a multiformat success in the U.S., charting on the Pop, Black, Dance and Adult Contemporary charts....
by Matthew Wilder
Matthew Wilder
Matthew Wilder is an American musician, composer and record producer, best known for his 1983 Top 5 hit, "Break My Stride"....
as the bridge in this single. There are two versions of the song, the single version which is subtitled (Out Of Darkness Comes Light) which is a funky-rock version, and an alternative slower dancehall reggae version.
Video
On 31 September 2006, Matisyahu released a video for "Jerusalem (Out Of Darkness Comes Light) ". The video utilizes extensive imagery from the Holocaust and Eastern European Jewish History, and the Civil Rights MovementCivil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
, as well as using pictures to create a central composite of the Western Wall
Western Wall
The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount...
. This is the first of Matisyahu's videos which does not take place outdoors, and is the first which contains extensive symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
ism rather than straightforward scenes.
Charts
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Portuguese Singles Chart | 18 |