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Category
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Translated Songs
Vaudeville
Work
Yiddish Theater
Original language
Title
Composer
Lyricist
Original lyrics
Hekher besser, Di rod, di rod makht gresser, Groys hot mikh Got gemakht Glik hot er mir gebrakht Hulyet kinder a gantse nakht - Di mezinke oysgegebn. Shtarker, freylakh, Du di malke, ikh der melekh Ay ay ay, ikh aleyn Hob mit mayne oygn gezeyn Vi Got iz mir matsliah geven - Di mezinke oysgegebn. Itsik shpitsik Vos shvaygstu mit'n shmitshik Oyf di klezmer gib a geshrey Tsu shpiln zey tsu shlofn zey Raysst di strines ale oyf tsvey Di mezinke oysgegebn. Ayzik mazik, Di bobe geyt a kazik Ken eyn hore zeyt nor zeyt Vi zi tupet vi zi treyt Oy a simkhe, oy a freyd Di mezinke oysgegebn. Mottl Reb Shimen Di oreme layt zenen ongekimen Shtelt far zey dem shensten tish Tayre vaynen, tayre fish Kum mayn tochter gibzhe mir a kish Di mezinke oysgegebn.
Translated lyrics
Dance higher, better, Make larger the dance ring, God has made me great, Has brought me good fortune: So rejoice children all night long. I gave away my youngest daughter tonight... With more might, joyful! Tonight you are the queen and I the king, Indeed I myself Have seen with my own eyes, How God has favored me. I gave away my youngest daughter tonight... Itsik, you lazy one, Why are you so silent with your bow? Yell at your musicians, Are they playing or sleeping?!-- I want you to rip the strings apart! I gave away my youngest daughter tonight... Ayzik, you good-for-nothing, Grandmother is getting up to dance, Long may she live; Just look How she hops and sets her feet, O what joy, O what gladness-- I gave away my youngest daughter tonight... Mottl Reb Shimen The poor people have arrived Set for them the most beautiful table Expensive wines, expensive fish Daughter, Give me a kiss! I gave away my youngest daughter
Notes
Martha Schlamme had a wonderful version of this on record back in the 50's and 60's. Also many other traditional Yiddish songs. Is she still around? Unfortunately she died about 15 years ago. Vanguard Records (or whoever owns it now, in whatever incarnation) has just begun to reissue her material on CD and two are available (try CDNOW or amazon.com). WBAI Radio in New York produced an excellent documentary shortly after her death. Perhaps it still exists on tape in their archives?
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