Song: “Kerachem Av—A Tatte Blabt a Tatte”
Composer: Chaim Meir Erps
Year: 2015
“I
can’t compose out of the blue” claims Chaim Meir Erps (aka C.M.E.) New York wedding-hall-manager-turned singer and composer. “Music has to come from somewhere deep within and for me it has to be inspired by some strong feelings or a special occasion.”
“Kerachem Av”— better known by its unofficial Yiddish title “A Tatte Blabt a Tatte” (A Father Remains a Father) — emerged in November 2015 on the heels of his compositions “Dus Lechtele” (about how each of us can change the world if we harness our own internal candles) and “Rabi Nachman.”
“I composed ‘Kerachem Av’ in honor of the wedding of my close friend Shauli Katz whose father passed away during his engagement” C.M.E. explains. “You can imagine how painful it was for him and how his father would be missed at the wedding. I was in the house a few weeks before the chasunah and I really felt for my friend. His father Yanky Katz was an extremely upbeat and warm Yid who always exuded a feeling of simchah. Baruch Hashem the song I composed emerged positive and upbeat not mournful. It expressed my feeling that he would be present at his son’s wedding taking part in the joyous occasion from his place Above. Of course the lyrics also refer to our Heavenly Father who always remains with us.”
