"Footsteps in the Sand" & Big Gedaliah Goomber

Last edited by grin on Sat, Dec 25 2010, 4:17 pm; edited 2 times in total

I remember seeing a thread here about someone curious who wrote this poem. I was always under the impression that it was written by a Jew, but today I discovered that it is by a Canadian gentile - great poem though!
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Posted: Sat, Dec 25 2010, 1:56 pm Post subject: re: "Footsteps in the Sand" poem

I thought you mean the friendship song towrds the beginning of Bracha Goykadosh's book Footprints in the Sand. I wrote the words to that song in 1987. But I have no proof (other than friends who might remember - we sang it sometimes in high school). It was not copyrighted, so I have no complaint. In fact, the teacher in the novel says that she took the words from "that famous song". I thought it was cute, and funny to find my lyrics in a frum novel like 20 years after I wrote them! But my daughters thought I was joking.
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Posted: Sat, Dec 25 2010, 3:25 pm Post subject: re: "Footsteps in the Sand" poem

That's interesting. your lyrics are famous and left you behind, huh? That reminds me of the 3rd grade rebbe in our school who wrote the original lyrics to "great Gedaliah Goomber" and never got credit either.

Posted: Sat, Dec 25 2010, 3:43 pm Post subject: re: "Footsteps in the Sand" poem

Who wrote the Big Gedaliah Goomber lyrics?

Did you know that Penina Klaver wrote the lyrics to Forever One, and Rochel Miller wrote the tune to the Shalom Aleichem that Avraham Fried sings? I also know who wrote Mikimi and Vehayu Lemeshisa, and it wasn't Carlebach. That same person wrote a few Uncle Moishy songs.

Posted: Sat, Dec 25 2010, 3:50 pm Post subject: re: "Footsteps in the Sand" poem

His name is Rabbi Reuven Levinson from chgo.

Posted: Sat, Dec 25 2010, 3:56 pm Post subject: re: "Footsteps in the Sand" poem

he's best known as a wonderful and loving teacher. didn't know he was still writing songs though.

Posted: Sat, Dec 25 2010, 4:00 pm Post subject: re: "Footsteps in the Sand" poem

These songs are all old. I heard that he is knows as a wonderful and loving teacher. You can hear that in his songs.

WHAT???? Are you guys serious???!?!?! I can not believe it - craziness! I've known R. Levinson from Chicago for ages and I had NO CLUE that he wrote those things!! WOW!!
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Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48136

You talking about the Footsteps in the sand, where sometimes there are 2 sets and sometimes one?

It's a Zohar.

Executive Member Joined: Sep 28 2010 Posts: 344

can you source that precisely?

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48136

Sure. 3:7b. It's an Ibn Ezra too, but I don't know exactly where.

Executive Member Joined: Sep 28 2010 Posts: 344

thanks!

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Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18276

There is a camp cheer I wrote as a day camper a bunch of years ago that has moved on to another small camp elsewhere. I'm very curious if it will still be around in 20 years.
And there is a tune I suggested would work well with maoz tzur that apparently was sung when my sister was in seminary six years later.
Smile

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Platinum Member Joined: Nov 17 2008 Posts: 5047

And, BTW there are always rumors going around that Rabbi Levinson is the rebbe in the song about the rebbe stepping in to play baseball with his class, but he claims it is not him.

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Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48136

I don't have a zohar handy, sorry. it's from a bentcher that quotes this.

Senior Member Joined: Mar 16 2010 Posts: 194

Actually, Isramom8, Yocheved Reich wrote the lyrics to Forever One.... Smile