הצפור בכלוב | Ha-tzipor ba-kluv | The Caged Bird (1912)

Artist: Abraham Zvi Idelsohn (1882-1938)

Lyrics: From Ha-Zamir

Tune: Foreign Melody

The text of this song was published in Ha-Zamir (Odessa, 1903: p. 20), with instructions that Idelsohn omitted in Sefer Ha-Shirim. A different melody was published in Ta'ame Zimra le Shire Ha-Zamir (Warsaw, 1904: p. 12).

The instructions call for a group of children to stand in a circle. One child pretends to be a captive bird standing at the circle’s center. The bird begs for her freedom, and attempts to escape from the circle.

Idelsohn adapted the text to a foreign melody, which is not identified. The melody is in a major key.