Songs from "Mayn Yiddishe Velt" and other favorites

Kh'vil nit aza khosn - I don't want this bride-groom

Brengt der shadkhn mir a shidekh.
Kveln fun im ale.
Heyst der khosn gor Benyomin,
Mir gefelt nisht aza nomen,
Kh'vil nisht zayn zayn kale.
Oy, kh'vil nisht zayn zayn kale.

Oy vey, mamenyu!
Far vosgistu mir keyn ru,
Kh'vil nisht nemen
abi vemen,
tayere mamenu,
Oy, tayere mamenyu!

Brengt der shadkhn mir a shidekh,
Tnoyim shoyn bashlosn,
Heyst er Yankl nokh zayn zeydn,
Kh'ken dem nomen, oykh nisht laydn,
Kh'vil nisht aza khosn.

Brengt der shadkhn, mir a khosn,
Zogt r'iz gor a srore,
Heyst er nebekh Shloyme-Zishe,
Redt nor yidish, fe, a bushe!
Kh'vil nisht aza tsore,
Oy, kh'vil nisht aza tsore.

Brengt der shadkhn mir khosn,
An oysnam fun ale,
Heyst er Vladek nor a tsore-
Vladek's mame heyst oykh Sore,
Punkt vi ikh zayn kale-
Oy, vil zi nisht di kale.

Oy vey, mamenyu,
Shikt shoyn got mir eynem tsu,
Treft a tsore,
Heys ikh Sore,
Vey mir, mamenyu,
Oy, tayere mamenyu.

The matchmaker brings a suitor that everyone praises, but the suitor's name is Benyomin, and I can't stand such a common name. So I won't be his bride.

Oh woe is me, Mama!
why I will have no rest
I don't want just anyone
not just anyone,
O my dear Mama!

The matchmaker brings a suitor
It is already decided
He is called Yankl
He is named Yankl after his grandfather
I also can't stand this name,
Oh, I don't want this bridegroom.

The matchmaker brings a bridegroom,
This is a problem
He is a annoying man named Shloyme -Zishe
He speaks only Yiddish! What an embarressment!
I don't want that problem
Oh, I don't want that problem.

When the matchmaker brings an ideal suitor with the wonderful name of Vladek, it turns out that vladek's mother's name is Sore-just like mine, his bride to be.

So, Vladek's mother doesn't approve of me.
Oh, woe is me, mother dear. When the right one comes along, my name has to spoil everything.


Es felt ihr die rozshinke - There is something missing - Molly Picon and Joseph Rumshinsky

Ikh ken a maydl
sis fine un eydl trugt shoyn a kleydl
nor epesfelt ihr
Sie geht oyf behler
krigt shnel a feller derseht er shneler
as epes felt ihr
gebildet is sie sehr in sie spielt klavir

Sie hot gebabt die noz
a taten a gevir sie hot maniren ken koketiren
nor kein sach wet nit hel fen ihr veil....
Es felt ihr die roszhinke
es felt ihr der yiddishe chein
Es fehlt ihr die roszhinke un dem is yeder ayner bleh.

Sie meg in shayn in reich
in frum wie unsere bubes suress nor on die roszhinke
oy tog dus alles af kapores
s'fehlt ihr die roszhinke, es felt ihr der yiddishe chein.

I know a girl,
sweet, fine, and gentile.
She wears a pretty dress but there is something missing.
She gets a guy he see's right away
there's something missing.
She is educated plays piano she fixed her nose
she has a rich father, she has manners
she is not a coquette, but there is something missing.

What's missing is the raisin
she is missing those yiddish dimples

There is something missing, and everyone is blah.
She may be rich, pretty or pious like grandma,
but without the raisin its useless.

Refrain

Dus Zigaener Maydl - The gypsy girl - Molly Picon and Joseph Rumshinsky

Ikh bin a zigaener maydl frei mein hartz mein sinen
Ver s'vet lieben feier heis der vet mein hartz gewinen
vet er lieben mir nor gieb ikh mein hartz in ganzen
koym betrigter mir nor geh ikh far wehtig tanzen
Ikh bin a Zigainer maydl rein is mein neshume
vet sein liebe sein untrei bitter is die nekume vet er nor zi a zweiter mit die oygn glantzen shtech ikh a meser
un ikh geh far wehtig tanzen. Jing rah!

Oh Zigaener maydl die
kum mit mir avek un flee
Oh zigaener maydl mayn ikh lieb nor dich alein
west sein mine mine licht in shine
Shenk mir liebe shenk mir glik
Shenk mir frayd an oygn blik
Oh, Zigaener maydl die kum mit mir avek un flee.

I am a gypsy girl with a free heart and mind.
Whoever loves me like a fire will win my heart
if he would only love me then I would give my heart completely
as soon as I see him I start to do an aching dance.
I am a gypsy girl my soul is clean
When his love is bitterly untrue is the revenge
when he looks at another with a glance of his eyes,
I stab a knife and I go for an aching dance.

Oh gypsy girl come and fly away with me.
Oh my gypsy girl I love you alone
you will be my light and shine
grant me love grant me luck
grant me happiness and a glance
Oh gypsy girl come fly away with me!


Unter beymer - Beneath the trees - Moishe Oisher and Alexander Olshanetsky

Unter beymer vaksn grosn, Ay-lu-lu...
Un di beyze vintn blozn, schlof zhe zunenyu.
Zits mayn kind, nit bay dem fenster,
vayl du kennst dem vint derfiln,
Un ikh vil nit du, mayn shenster,
Zolst, kholile, zikh farkiln.
Himl iz shoyn khmarne shvarts,
Punkt azoy vo do bay mir in harts.
Unter beymer vaksn grosn, Ay-lu-lu...
Un di beyze vintn blozn, schlof zhe zunenyu,
Ay-lu-lu schlof zhe, mayn kind, oy, harts mayns,
Ay-lu-lu blayb mir gezunt.

Beneath the trees grass is growing
Ay-lu-lu . . .
Cruel winds blow. Sleep my little one.
Do not sit near the window
you may feel the wind and
I don't want you to catch a cold.
The sky is already a cloudy gray
Just like my heart. Sleep my child, my own heart
Ay-lu-lu
Stay healthy and well

Got hit op mein bashertn...God take care of my beloved - Louis Markowitz and Ilia Trilling

Ikh bin gliklich geven blois a kurtze tzeit
Gelebt mit a ruhig gevisn
Itzt bin ikh alein un er azoy veit
Mein lebn is iber gerisn
Es brent izt a flam of erd un of yam di luft brent fun feier fun dem
Ikh bin geistig krank
Veil yeder gedank vet shtendik zein dortn mit im
Ikh fil shoin di nacht
Ikh lig un ikh tracht
Es fibert un es tzitert mir mein leib
Ikh veis as Got er zeit
Un hert tzu dos gebet
Fun yedn soldiers mame un zein veib.
Got hit op mein bashertn
Ze er zol tzurik kumen gezund
Shtel op dein mensh dem of geklertn
Fun hargenen a tzveitn mames kind
Oh breng tzurik den sholem dem tzustertn
Tzubrech dem vildn soynes krig mashin
Oh Got hit op mir mein bashertn
Un hit op ale mames zeire zin.

I was lucky for a short time, I lived with a peaceful conscious
I'm alone and he is so far, my life is torn apart
Now it burns a flame on the earth and sea
the air burns from the flame that I am spiritually sick
because every thought will always be there with him
I already feel the night I am lying and thinking
my body shaking and trembling
I know that God see's and hears the request
from each soldier's mother and this wife.

God watch over my beloved see he comes back healthy
Stop this unknown person from killing another mothers child
Bring back the peace now disturbed, break the wild enemies battle machines
Oh God, take care of my beloved and watch over all mothers' sons.


Dos lied der liebe - The song of love - A. Schorr and J.M. Rumshisky

A liebes lied zing ikh far dir
ah wie es gleet in herzen bein mir
Oh mein Amor
dir dien ikh nor mein Apolon herzi mein ton
her mein gezang ein harphenklang
der liebes trank ...Ah....
Lieb mich nor fiel lieb in der still der liebes trank er schmekt so sis
Kum nor zu mir ikh vart far dir
in liebes Paradiez lieb un wer nit meed
Zing a liebes lied lieb mich nor fiel lieb in der stilll
lieb, lieb, lieb, ahhh...

A song of love for you
Oh my love
My Apollo in my heart
Love me so much your love tastes so sweet
Come to me lovingly in Paradise
Sing a love song for me, love.


Skrip, klezmerl, skripe - traditional - arr. Jacques Verheijen

Chorus:
Skrip, klezmerl skripe
shpil a freylekhs tsi der khipe
Es laykht a yeder punim fin di mekhetonim
tsi der khipe lomir geyn, oy!
Klapt poyker in di tatsn fidler zoln shtrines platsn
freylekh zaynen ale kikt nor on di kale zi is mule kheyn.

Oy af tsu steen kinder ot dos iz a winder
fil mer vi geboyrn zayn aleyn.
Ikh hob dokh tog un nakht keyn oyg nit tsigemakht
bis ikh hob derleybt dikh groys tsi zeyn.
Ikh vel trinken vi a fish in kh'vel tantsn bay der khipe
Ikh zug es "yasne ve yavne!"
Ikh vel shpringen af 'n tish in komandeven vi a mekhtin glavner!

Chorus

Oy oy, shtarker, beser, makht dos reydl gresser!
Oy, oy! nemt a rayn di kale in dem kon, oy!
Kikt on die mume Leyeh, zi zugt yedern a deye
In die mume Mashe lozt nit shpay'n in kashe
stibt zikh oybn un

Skrip, klezmerl skripe
shpil a freylekhs tsi der khipe freylekh zaynen ale kikt nor on di kale zi is mule kheyn.

Oy mama am got it bad/ Oy mame, bin ikh farlibt - Molly Picon / Dan Kahn translation

English first (Daniel Kahn translation)/
Yiddish (chorus only)

When he fiddles with his bow and it faster to and fro
Oy mama it really does me good and when his dark eyes say come hither, something in me starts to quiver.
Oy mama, I really feel like I should and when he tells me I'm so lovely and he stands so tall above me and his fiddle fiddles inside my head
I start dancing I start singing in my ears, the bells are ringing
without him, I would rather be dead
Oy mama I got it bad (2x)
a klezmer boy has stollen my heart away, oh mother dear
I laugh and cry and laugh until the difference isn't clear
I tell you this oy mama from my heart, but don't tell Dad,
Oy mama, I got it bad.

Oy mame, bin ikh farlibt,
Oy mame, bin ikh farlibt
A klezmer yingl, mame getraye, ligt mir nor in zin,
Ikh veyn un lakh un veys nit, mame,
Oyf velkher velt ikh bin.
Oy mame, bin ikh farlibt,
Oy, mame, bin ikh farlibt, kh'volt di gantse velt
arumgenumen, Un tsugedrikt tsu zikh,
Oy! Oy, mame bin ikh farlibt.

Du shainst vi di sun - Ilia Trilling and Isidore Lillian

Sei og sei nacht denk ikh un kler fun dir
Un ikh bin gliklich ven ikh her fun dir
Far vos brent in mein harz a feier
Far vos bist du mir azoy teier
Ikh gleich tzu hern deine sheine reid
Veil vos du zogst mir dos farshaft mir freid
Dem tog ven ikh hob dich derseen
Bin ikh farlibt in dir geven
Darling dear zog hob ikh dich di vert
Fihlst du as du bist nor mir bashert
Kh'hob mein hartz gegebn dir
Ven du host gezogt tzu mir

Du shainst vi di zun un du leichst vi di levon
Deine oign vi di shtern
fun dem himl leichtn zei
Un on dir tze zein is mein lebn in sakone
Ven ch'derzei dich git mein hartz zich a der frei
Ven du bist do is tog ven du bist nit do iz nacht
Dem himl of di erd hostu mir rop gebracht
Du shainst vi di zun un du leichst vi di levone
kh'hob dich emes lib dos shver ikh dir bei zei.

By day and by night I think and think of you
and I am lucky when I hear from you
Why does a fire burn in my heart
Why are you so dear to me
I like to hear your nice talk
because what you say gives me joy
The day when I saw you I fell in love with you
Darling dear am I worthy of you
Do you feel you are only for me
I have given you my heart
When you said to me

You shine like the sun and you illuminate like the moon
your eyes like the stars from the sky they illuminate
and to be without you my life is in danger
When I see you my heart becomes happy.
When your here its day when you're not here it is night
The sky on the earth you have brought down for me
You shine like the sun and you illuminate like the moon
I trully love you, that I swear to you by them.