Zohar Argov was born on July 16, 1955 and died on the 6th of November 1987. He was raised in a poor family, one of ten children, in Rishon LeZion, Israel. His musical talent was developed through his upbringing in the singing and the chanting of the religious Yemenite community in his hometown.+Argov's debut album, Elinor (1980) featured the hit songs, "The Secret of the Zodiac" and "What Do You Have Girl," a tribute to his ex-wife, Bracha, who remained the love of his life.
Overnight, Zohar became a star and a living legend in Israel.
Argov is considered a musical genius as he was able to perform a track for recording in one studio session and improvise a tune in a moment. Moreover, he applied his religious soulful Oriental style of music to universal and western themes such as love, heartache, disappointments, joy and addiction.
His career and life were marred by his heroin and drug addictions which led to his death at the age of 32 years old. Argov committed suicide in his jail cell following an arrest on rape charges.
After his death, Argov continued to be a legend and a legacy in Oriental and Mizrahi music. His contribution to Israeli Sephardic and Jewish cultures made him widely acclaimed worldwide and in Israel. Zohar catapulted Mizrahi and Oriental music, formerly enjoyed exclusively by Sephardic communities, into mainstream Israel National, Ashkenazim and Jewish ethnic cultures.+ His greatest hit songs, "The Flower in My Garden," "What Do You Have Girl," "There Were Times (In The Past)" and "Badad" are now Israeli and Jewish classics while reaching International recognition too.
The communities of Rishon LeZion and Tel Aviv wanted to name street signs after him but controversy arose between his artist and criminal backgrounds. Still, get acquainted with Zohar Argov's music before passing judgement.
List of Songs: 1. The Flower in My Garden 2. Elinor 3. Marlen 4. To Be Human 5. Barcelona 6. Like Dawn 7. Life Passes By 8. A Day Will Come 9. The Way The Years Pass 10. Man is an Actor 11. Love Song in the Heart 12. Secrets of the Zodiac