English Lyrics

My yiddishe mame

Of things I should be thankful for I've had a goodly share
And as I sit here in the comfort of my cosy chair
My fancy takes me to a humble eastside tenement
three flights up in the rear to where my childhood days were
spent
It wasn't much like Paradise but 'mid the dirt and all
There sat the sweetest angel, one that I fondly call

My yiddishe mame I need her more then ever now
My yiddishe mame I'd like to kiss that wrinkled brow
I long to hold her hands once more as in days gone by
and ask her to forgive me for things I did that made her cry
How few were her pleasures, she never cared for fashion's
styles
Her jewels and treasures she found them in her baby's smiles
oh I know that I owe what I am today
to that dear little lady so old and gray
to that wonderful yiddishe mame of mine

My yiddishe mame I need her more then ever now
My yiddishe mame I'd like to kiss that wrinkled brow
I long to hold her hands once more as in days gone by
and ask her to forgive me for things I did that made her cry
How few were her pleasures, she never cared for fashion's
styles
Her jewels and treasures she found them in her baby's smiles
oh I know that I owe what I am today
to that dear little lady so old and gray
to that wonderful yiddishe mame of mine

Translation

Ikh vil hay aykh a kashe freygn
Sogt mir ver es kem
Mit velshe tayere fermeygens
Ventsht Got alemen
Men koyft es nit far kayne gelt
Dos git men nor umsist
Un dokh as men farlirt
Dos vi fil trern men fargist.
A tsveyte git men keynem nit
Es helft nit kayn geveyn,
Oy! ver es hot farloyrn
Der veys shoyn vos ikh meyn.

A Yiddishe mame
Es gibt nit beser in der velt
A Yiddishe mame
Oy vey, bi bitter ven si feylt
Vi sheyn unt likhtig is in hoys
Ven di mame's do
Vi troyrig finster vert ven Got
Nemt ir oyf ola habo

Du vaser unt fayer
Volt si gelofen far ir kind
Nit haltn ir tayer
Dos is gevis di greyste sind
Oy vi glikekh un raykh
Is der mensh vos hot
Asa sheyne matone
Geshenkt fun Got
Asa altitchke yiddishe mame,
mame mayn.
A Yiddishe mame mayne.

Ver bashikt un bahirmt dos kind,
Vi do shvartzapfl fun oyg?
Ver shloft nit durkh di lange nekht.
Ven es filt ir kind zikh shlekht?
Af dem tzu entfern iz nit shver,
Un yeder veys gevis.
Der nomen is undz zeyer tayer:
A mamenyu dos iz.

Ver gliklekh iz nor vi a mame,
Ven dos kind af di fis zikh shtelt?
Ver sholem vil nor, vi a mame,
Zol shaynen af der velt?
Es zoln bombes mer nit shrekn,
Iz ir grester vuns.
A mame vil, dos kind zol vaksn
Un zol zayn gezunt.