"Derech Ha-melech" (English: The King's Highway) was the Israeli entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988 in Dublin, performed by Gili & Galit.
As with 11-year old French entrant Nathalie Pâque, controversy arose due to the inclusion of 12-year old Netanel as a performer, which led to calls for the EBU to implement a minimum age rule for participants, meaning that from the following year onwards only participants who were 16 years old and above in the year of participation would be allowed to compete in the Contest.
The song went on to finish in 12th place with 50 points, just a single point behind the entry by Fani Polymeri & Yiannis Savvidakis of Cyprus.
Lyrics[]
Boker tlalim hirvuni ulefanai derech melech
Nevel vecheter chibruni leshir ma’alot
Od hagigai homim bi uletifat keren shemesh
Chut sar’apai gada ba’achat
Ani mabit, susi yafe
Hu al gabo oti nose el derech hamelech
Derech hamelech hi li darki hayechida
Nevel hamelekh hu shirati
Derech hamelech hi li chalom, hi li chida
Nevel hamelekh, ahavati hayechida
Yom shenolad im shachar kemo machzor shebateva
(Yom shenolad im shachar)
Ba vetsomeach ulfeta gove’a bala’at
Uvetochi notseret (Uvetochi notseret)
Shirat zahav nehederet (Shirat zahav)
El hayekum esa az tfila
Ani mabit, susi yafe
Hu al gabo oti nose el derech hamelech
Derech hamelech hi li darki hayechida
Nevel hamelekh hu shirati
Derech hamelech hi li chalom, hi li chida
Nevel hamelekh ahavati hayechida
Ani mabit, susi yafe
Hu al gabo oti nose el derech hamelech
(Derech hamelech)
Derech hamelech (Hi li darki hayechida)
Hi li darki hayechida (Hi li darki)
Nevel hamelech (Hu shirati)
Hu shirati
Derech hamelech (Hi li chalom)
Hi li chalom, hi li chida (Hi li chida)
Nevel hamelech (Ahavati hayechida)
Ahavati hayechida
A dew filled morning has quenched my thirst and the King's Highway is ahead
A harp and a crown had made me into a Song of Ascents
My thoughts are still loud within me, and the caress of a ray of sun
My string of thoughts was cut at once
Ascents
My thoughts are still loud within me, and the caress of a ray of sun
My string of thoughts was cut at once
I gaze up, my horse is beautiful
He carries me on his back onto the King's Highway
The King's Highway is my only path
The King's harp is my song
The King's Highway is my dream, is my riddle
The King's harp, my only love
A day that came with dawn like a cycle of nature
(A day that came with dawn)
Comes and grows and suddenly it quietly dies
And within me, being created (And within me, being created)
Is a glorious golden singing (Golden singing)
Unto the universe I'll then carry a prayer
I gaze up, my horse is beautiful
He carries me on his back onto the King's Highway
The King's Highway (Is my only path)
Is my only path (Is my path)
The King's harp (Is my song)
Is my song
I gaze up, my horse is beautiful
He carries me on his back onto the King's Highway
The King's Highway (Is my only path)
Is my only path (Is my path)
The King's harp (Is my song)
Is my song
The King's Highway (Is my dream)
Is my dream, is my riddle (Is my riddle)
The King's harp (My only love)
My only love
Trivia[]
- The song takes its name from a trade route of vital importance in the ancient Near East, which connected Africa with Mesopotamia and ran from Egypt across the Sinai Peninsula to Aqaba, then turned northward across Transjordan, to Damascus and the Euphrates River
Videos[]
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