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Category
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America
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Dixieland
Family
--- Children
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Translated Songs
Vaudeville
Work
Yiddish Theater
Original language
Title
Composer
Lyricist
Original lyrics
IF I WERE A RICH MAN DAIDLE, DEEDLE DAIDLE DIGGUH DIGGUH DEEDLE DAIDLE DUM ALL DAY LONG I'D BIDDY BIDDY BUM IF I WERE A WEALTHY MAN I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORK HARD DAIDLE DEEDLE DAIDLE DIGGUH DIGGUH DEEDLE DAIDLE DUM IF I WERE A BIDDY BIDDY RICH DIGGUH DIGGUH DEEDLE DAIDLE MAN I'D BUILD A BIG TALL HOUSE WITH ROOMS BY THE DOZEN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOWN A FINE TIN ROOF WITH REAL WOODEN FLOORS BELOW THERE WOULD BE ONE LONG STAIRCASE JUST GOING UP AND ONE EVEN LONGER COMING DOWN AND ONE MORE LEADING NOWHERE JUST FOR SHOW I'D FILL MY YARD WITH CHICKS AND TURKEYS AND GEESE AND DUCKS FOR THE TOWN TO SEE AND HEAR SQUAWKING JUST AS NOISILY AS THEY CAN AND EACH LOUD QUACK AND CLUCK AND GOBBLE AND HONK WILL LAND LIKE A TRUMPET ON THE EAR AS IF TO SAY HERE LIVES A WEALTHY MAN IF I WERE A RICH MAN, ETC. I SEE MY WIFE, MY GOLDE, LOOKING LIKE A RICH MAN'S WIFE WITH A PROPER DOUBLE CHIN SUPERVISING MEALS TO HER HEART'S DELIGHT I SEE HER PUTTING ON AIRS AND STRUTTING LIKE A PEACOCK OH WHAT A HAPPY MOOD SHE'S IN SCREAMING AT THE SERVANTS DAY AND NIGHT. THE MOST IMPORTANT MEN IN TOWN WILL COME TO FAWN ON ME THEY WILL ASK ME TO ADVISE THEM LIKE SOLOMON THE WISE "IF YOU PLEASE, REB TEVYE ... PARDON ME, REB TEVYE ..." POSING PROBLEMS THAT WOULD CROSS A RABBI'S EYES. (HE chants) AND IT WON'T MAKE ONE BIT OF DIFFERENCE IF I ANSWER RIGHT OR WRONG WHEN YOU'RE RICH THEY THINK YOU REALLY KNOW. IF I WERE RICH I'D HAVE THE TIME THAT I LACK TO SIT IN THE SYNAGOGUE AND PRAY AND MAYBE HAVE A SEAT BY THE EASTERN WALL AND I'D DISCUSS THE HOLY BOOKS WITH THE LEARNED MEN SEVEN HOURS EVERY DAY THIS WOULD BE THE SWEETEST THING OF ALL ... (Sigh) IF I WERE A RICH MAN DAIDLE DEEDLE DAIDLE DIGGUH DIGGUH DEEDLE DAIDLE DUM ALL DAY LONG I'D BIDDY BIDDY BUM IF I WERE A WEALTHY MAN WOULDNT HAVE TO WORK HARD DAIDLE DEEDLE DAIDLE DIGGUH DEEDLE DAIDLE DUM..... LORD, WHO MADE THE LION AND THE LAMB YOU DECREED I SHOULD BE WHAT I AM WOULD IT SPOIL SOME VAST, ETERNAL PLAN ... IF I WERE A WEALTHY MAN?
Translated lyrics
Notes
clip here is by one of the great klezmer clarinet masters Giora Fiedman from his CD The Dance of Joy
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