Posted December 31 2007
Life Ain’t Easy for a Man Named “Country”
vs. 
We all have those stories of people with funny names. I happen to know a Rabbi Jesus, a Mashiach Ben David and a lovable guy a year older than I whose legal first name is Doctor. I kid you not. We all also know people who have been given highly recognizable and slightly suspicious nicknames. Some of us are those people.
Traditional Judaism has known two country singers: Richard Friedman and Yossef Leib Toiv.
Richard “Kinky” Friedman, according to a close personal friend, followed Judaism traditionally in his youth. At some point of putting out the various “Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys” albums, authoring over twenty novels, running an animal shelter and for governor, he built a character which he then became. In terms of his religiosity today, Kinky is the first to admit that if he is a practicing Jew, “he needs to practice a little more.”
Kinky is a real bundle of laughs for anyone who is interested in that sort of thing. I’ve often found myself laughing out loud when approaching the word smithing hammered in the lines of his books. His songs range from the chillingly sobering like “Ride ‘em Jewboy” and “Carrying the Torch” to the intoxicatedly giddy like “Waitret, Please Waitret” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed.” Some of his songs are also deep and reflective like “Dear Abby,” “Rapid City, South Dakota” and my personal favorite, “Wild Man from Borneo.”
Kinky, if you couldn’t tell by his name, caters to a more adult crowd. He does have a few songs geared to a younger crowd. “Ol’ Ben Lucas” is the only one I can think of at the moment. When you want something a little more along the lines of the Jewish family fun, you’re likely to pick up one of Yossef Leib’s albums.
If you call Yossef Leib Toiv, he answers the phone with one word. “Country.”
“Country Yossi” is also a real bundle of laughs. It isn’t as easy to tell that from his albums since his “Kivi and Tuki” line is really geared towards children and the songs are borrowed from the likes that have been passed from Shari Lewis to Barney. What with songs that are rehashed versions of “The Name Game,” “Simple Simon Says,” and “Ten in the Bed (Roll Over),” it’s hard for an adult to really appreciate his humor.
If you look at Country’s “Shteeble Hoppers” line you see some of what he is trying to bring to the closed off Jewish community. Although he has a handful of original songs, most of his “Shteeble Hoppers” songs are Jewified versions of songs by popular comedy song writers. Ray Stevens’ “Along Came Jones” and “Alley Oop” have become “Along Came Moish” and “Chicken Soup.” Dave Seville’s “Witchdoctor” became “My Little Yingeleh.” As the title of this post alludes, he also did a version of Shel Silverstein and Johnny Cash’s “Boy Named Sue.”
Incidentally, Country and Kinky overlap by having both done versions of Ray Stevens songs. Kinky did a version of “Ahab the Arab.”
Within Country’s “Shteeble Hoppers” albums, there are also some real tear-jerkers. David Geddes’ “Blind Man in the Bleachers” became “Deaf Man in the Shteeble.” Kenny Rogers’ “Coward of the Country” became “Nebich of the Shteeble.” Beyond that you can look to his old days with Or Chodosh. A handful of his Or Chodosh songs are available on his “These I Remember” album.
None of those can really give you an idea of why Country puts me in tears once a week when listening to his radio show. His program is in no way essential listening, but if you think that making fun of children can be funny, Country Yossi is hilarious. His radio show personality is a very interesting blend of Groucho Marx and Jackie Mason, each at his best.
Some particularly humorous callers have been immortalized on his “Classic Calls” album. When you hear Country’s reaction to a tenth grader who has to ask her mother how many feet are in a yard, how can you help laughing? That’s just where it starts. To hear this for real you have to hear a full hour of his radio game show, which airs live on 620 AM (New York Metro), Wednesday nights at 10 PM. I hear they are working on putting archives on the website.
“This is one of my favorites, Heshy: Time flies like an arrow…”
Add This Blog to Your Technorati Favorites
Jewish Blog, Jewish, Jewish Leadership, Jewish News, Jewish Values, Jewish Events
2 Comments currently posted. 
Moshe Glasser says:
David Gertler says:
For those unfamiliar with soft rock, “Blind Man in the Bleachers” tells the story of a baseball player who, having just lost his bind father, realizes that in heaven, his father can finally see him play. And yes… the line “it’s the first time that my father’s heard me pray” only changed one letter and one word from the original.
I have to be honest - “Big Moish” and “Deaf Man in the Shteeble” put me in tears every single time I hear them, to the point where I have to fast forward them when they come on in the car, because I won’t be able to drive with them on. For our readers out there, “Big Moish” is the story of a very large but unassuming man who sacrifices his life to save his fellow congregants when his synagogue burns down. “Deaf Man in the Shteeble” tells the story of a cantor who, having just lost his deaf father, realizes that in heaven, his father can finally hear his prayers.