Singer known for catchy No 1 Cinderella Rockefella
Born: October 5, 1937;
Died: May 4, 2018
ABI Ofarim, who has died aged 80, was a German-Israeli singer who had a Number One hit in Britain in the 1960s with the novelty love song Cinderella Rockefella.
Performed with his wife Esther, who represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963, the song was famous for the playful lyrics that batted back and forth between the pair. Abi sang "You're the lady, You're the lady that I love" with Esther replying "I'm the lady, the lady who"
Born Abraham Reichstadt in what is today Israel, Ofarim showed musical ability from an early age and was also a talented ballet dancer. By the age of 18, he had established his own ballet studio before doing his military service.
He started performing in the country with Esther Zaled in 1959, and the two married in 1961. One of their most high profile successes was at the Eurovision Song Contest two years later when Esther sang T'en Vas Pas with Abi on guitar and backing vocals. At one point, the song looked like it might win the contest, but it was pipped at the last minute by Denmark.
The couple then started having hits in Germany, including a version of the Bee Gees' Morning of My Life, and the song Noch einen Tanz. They then recorded Cinderella Rockefella, which had been written by the comedy writers Mason Williams and Nancy Ames.
The couple had no musical track record in the UK at that point, but an appearance on the Eamonn Andrews television show changed all that. The track was an immediate hit and reached No. 1 in Britain in 1968, staying there for three weeks. They followed up that success with an English language version of their first German hit, One More Dance, which gave them another Top 20 hit.
The couple then started to appear regularly on television, in guest slots, before embarking on a world tour which took in London and New York.
However, their personal relationship was not in a good way by this point and the pair eventually separated in 1970. Ofarim tried a solo career, but had little success; he later worked as a manager and composer.
In recent years Ofarim had been working with an organisation to help senior citizens. In 1979, he was arrested for possession of narcotics and suspected tax evasion and was sentenced to a year on probation. He later released a new album, Too Much for Something, his LP for 27 years.
Ofarim, who died in Munich, was divorced from his third wife and is survived by their two sons.
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