Amiga Quartett - Ofra Haza

Readers of this blog will be familiar with the formula of the Amiga Quartett EP's: a collection of hits from a certain artist, like A-ha, Nena or Sandra. In the case of Ofra Haza, there was only one hit that really counted: the remixed version of 'Im nin' alu'. Three other tracks were added on this disc, but they were never chart hits in most territories - although 'Galbi' actually reached number 20 in the West German singles chart. 

Amiga, of course, was the state-owned record company of East Germany, before the Berlin wall fell. These days it's not too difficult to get your hands on these EP's, but obviously before the Nineties they were strictly available in the German Democratic Republic only.

My collection: 7" single no. 8336
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'Im nin' alu', 'Galbi' / 'Eshal', 'Love song'

Vas vas vas - Ofra Haza

Back in 1983, the late Ofra Haza participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with Hi. Readers of this blog will know that I managed to buy the original version and the German version Frei in 2000 and 2011 respectively. I recently managed to add one more version to the collection: 'Vas vas vas', which is the French version.

I have to be honest: I almost didn't buy this single. Through the years I've seen this sleeve so often, that I almost believed I'd already bought it. But usually the price was too high, causing me to leave the single with the various suppliers. This time around, though, I got lucky. And it's a pristine copy too!

My collection: 7" single no. 5605
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Vas vas vas' / 'Hi'

Frei - Ofra Haza

One of Israel's most famous singers Ofra Haza competed in the 1983 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Hi'. Although the song title means 'Alive' in Hebrew, it was translated into English as 'High' and into German as 'Frei'.

This German version was released on the Jupiter Records label, owned by Ralph Siegel, who has written loads of songs for the Contest. The label has released many Eurovision-related singles through the years.

My collection: 7" single no. 5085
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Frei' / 'High'

Im nin' alu - Ofra Haza

Ofra Haza scored her biggest international hit in 1988 with 'Im nin' alu'. A sample of the track, which was originally recorded in 1984, appeared in Eric B & Rakim's hiphop track 'Paid in full' in 1987. Izhar Ashdot then remixed Ofra Haza's song, and this remix was released within months of the chart success for 'Paid in full'.

As a result, Ofra Haza reached number 15 in the UK singles chart and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40. Reportedly the song sold three million copies worldwide, making it one of the first so-called 'world music' recordings to cross over to mainstream pop chart success.

My collection: 7" single no. 2115
Found: Record fair, June 11, 1994
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Im nin' alu (Played in full mix - English vocal)' / 'Im nin' alu (Yemenite vocal)'

My love is for real - Paula Abdul

'My love is for real' was the first single from Paula Adul's 1995 album 'Head over heels'. The middle-eastern sounding groove is given more depth by guest vocals performed by Israeli singer Ofra Haza. The single did not become as big a hit as expected, peaking at number 28 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, it didn't even make the Dutch Top 40.

This 7" single is another surprise for me: while I was ordering some other singles this one popped up in the list. I wasn't aware it had been released on this format, so I snapped it up.

My collection: 7" single no. 3995
Found: eBay.com, received August 6, 2009
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'My love is for real' / 'Didn't I say I love you'

Hi - Ofra Haza

Without a doubt, the most famous track by Israeli singer Ofra Haza is 'Im nin' alu', released in 1988. But before she conquered the world with this track, she participated in the 1983 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, representing Israel. Haza reached second place in the competition.

The lyric of the song, written by Avi Toledano (who represented Israel himself in 1982 with 'Hora') states that the singer is still alive despite the 'thorns' she has endured. Later on in the song, this is revealed to be a metaphor for 'the nation of Israel' surviving various attempts at destroying it. The song had further profound meanings since it was performed on German soil with the Holocaust background and in the city of Munich, the site of the Munich massacre during the Olympic Games in 1972.

My collection: 7" single no. 3179
Found: Bea Records, April 16, 2000
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Hi' / 'High'