As the provincial nation that we are, no matter how many times we remind ourselves that we’re European and get invited to the Eurovision Song Contest, there’s something sweet and surprising about the sudden appearance of a familiar Israeli song in a successful international series like The White Lotus.
Without giving away any details of the plot from the HBO series—whose first episode premiered yesterday (Monday) on HOT, Yes, and Cellcom TV— just know that a Thai version of the Eurovision-winning song "A-Ba-Ni-Bi," performed by Izhar Cohen with music by Nurit Hirsch and lyrics by Ehud Manor, makes a brief appearance in the fourth episode.
The Thai version isn’t played in full, of course, but accompanies a rather pastoral transition between two scenes. But as you know, nothing is ever truly pastoral in The White Lotus, especially not its soundtrack. Hirsch, who composed the music, hasn’t watched the series but has heard of it.
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“Two weeks ago, a very good friend of mine from Los Angeles called me,” Hirsch told Ynet. “She works with the show’s music producer, and she connected us. He’s a nice American Jewish guy from Beverly Hills who has relatives in Israel. They asked me and Ofra Manor (Ehud Manor’s daughter) for permission to use the song in the series, and we agreed.”
Did you know about this version of the song?
“Honestly, no! I assumed it was a different version because a few years ago, an American lawyer reached out to me and said he was representing a Korean rock band that wanted to make a movie based on "A-Ba-Ni-Bi." The idea was that the band would have four main characters named Ah, Ba, Ni, and Bi. They sent me a nice recording, which I approved, and the movie came out. But I’ve never heard this Thai version. No one ever sent it to me—I just assumed it was the same performance. I’m really curious to find out how the producer discovered the song.”
It seems the Far East really loves "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" if it’s getting multiple covers.
" 'A-Ba-Ni-Bi' sold millions of copies in Taiwan, but we don’t have a royalties agreement with them, so I didn’t make a penny. Otherwise, I’d be a very wealthy woman.”
The White Lotus, written and directed by Mike White, became a global sensation during the COVID pandemic thanks to its blend of social critique and lighthearted style.
The first season was filmed in Hawaii, the second in Sicily, and the current season was shot in Thailand. Each season tells a new story about wealthy Americans vacationing at an exotic resort abroad—plus, of course, a mysterious murder.
First published: 12:25, 02.18.25