Lay Down Your Arms (Doron Levinson song)
| "תפילה לשלום (Prayer for Peace)" |
|
|---|---|
| Song by Doron Levinson, Hamutal Ben Zeev-Efron | |
| Songwriter(s) | Doron Levinson (music) The Bible (excerpts) Hamutal Ben Zeev-Efron (Hebrew lyrics) |
| "Lay Down Your Arms" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Doron Levinson, Lisa-Catherine Cohen and Harry Lewis | |
| Songwriter(s) | Doron Levinson (music) The Bible (excerpts) Lisa-Catherine Cohen and Harry Lewis (English lyrics) |
"Lay Down Your Arms" is a peace song originally in Hebrew language as תפילה לשלום (i.e. "Prayer for Peace") composed by the Israeli Doron B. Levinson in 1973 in the aftermath of Yom Kippur War when Levinson was temporarily blind at the time, having been injured during the war. The Hebrew lyrics are by Hamutal Ben Zeev-Efron. The song is a tribute to a fallen Israeli soldier. The lyrics written by Hamutal Ben Zeev-Efron are inspired by the Isaiah (2:4) that says "And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they teach their children war anymore".
At a later stage, the English lyrics were added, which are not direct translations, but whole new lyrics. They are written by Lisa-Catherine Cohen for the main text and by Harry Lewis, the latter contributing the bridge. Through Ms. Cohen in California, Hal Leonard/Cherry Lane Music, a large sheet music publishing company, acquired the sheet music rights, helping to distribute the song through its vast network.
"Lay Down Your Arms" has been performed by many children's and adult choirs, and audiences throughout Canada, the United States and Israel. It has been sung by congregations in synagogues and churches, as well as schools, camps and many social occasions. The song has been used in a number of films and features and has been broadcast on radio and television in Canada and the United States, and is a regular feature on Israel television's Yom Hazikaron broadcasts.
Doron Levinson was commanding a tank battalion in the Israeli Army (IDF) when one of his men confided in him his belief that this would be his last battle. Doron calmed the nervous soldier down, assuring him they would return from this encounter unscathed. But, Doron was wrong, and his soldier's premonition was accurate. In a fierce tank battle, his gunner was killed and Doron himself was temporarily blinded.
During his convalescence at an Israeli hospital, Doron, unable to see, found himself with time on his hands. A piano in the hospital beckoned him. He found his fingers tracing out a melody expressing his anguish over his fallen comrade, and over other close friends he had lost in previous battles.
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Wikipedia