Tunes of My Dream

Although YOSSI MULLER was the composer of the song “RIBOIN,” he was surprised when he heard it on Beri Weber’s One Heart (Agudah Achas) album.

“Eli Lax, Beri’s producer, was in town, and he arranged for us three to meet,” says Muller, a talented musician who, in addition to having composed quite a few contemporary hits, is also a Lakewood-based nutritionist. “I played them a few songs, and they liked ‘Riboin’ the best. But after giving them the song, I had nothing to do with it, so I didn’t know what the finished product would sound like. Actually, I didn’t even know when they were going to use it. It was a total surprise when I played the album and heard ‘Riboin.’ Honestly, when I composed the song, I didn’t expect it to become a hit, but when I heard the arrangements, Beri’s vocals, and Mendy Hershkowitz’s piano, I thought it stood a good chance.”

The opening notes “Ri-boin-kol-ha-o-la-mim” start with a bit of a surprise — they fall instead of rise, an effect that is a bit haunting. The usual leap up the music scales from the low part to the high part is missing, and instead, the high part — “ki al rachamecha harabim” — is only slightly above the low.

“I love not typical,” says Yossi, noting that there are already dozens of versions of the song on studio albums and online, with each singer providing his own twist and expression. He had originally been tempted to adapt the tune to fit a more familiar pattern for popular frum songs, but is now glad that he stuck to his original inspiration.