My Yiddishe Momme (English version)

Jack Yellen and Lew Pollack

Jack Yellen

English Lyrics

MY YIDDISHE MOMME

1. (Introduction) Ich vill bay aych a kashe freygen,
Zugt mir ver es ken,
Mit vifl tayere farmaygns,
Bensht Gott allamen?
Men kriegt dus nit far kayne gelt,
Dus krigt men nur im zist,
Und der vus hot verloren,
Der vays shoyn vus ich mayn.
2. A yiddishe mamma,
Nisht du kein besser in der welt.
A yiddishe Mamma
Oy vey tzis bisser ven zie fehlt,
Vie shayn und lichtig tzis in Hois,
Ven die mama's du,
Vie traurig finster tzvert,
Ven Gott nehmt ihr oyf Oylam habu.
3. In vasser und fayer,
Vollt sie geloffn fahr ihr kind,
Nisht halt'n ihr tayer.
Dos iz geviss der greste Zind.
Oy vie gliklach und raych
Is der Mensch vus hut,
Az a tayere matune geschenkt fun Gott,
Wie an altechke Yiddishe Mamma,
Mamma, oy Mamme mein.
(To the best of my recollection this yiddish version was
sung by
Sophie Tucker on a 78 RPM RCA Victor recording circa 1929-
1932.
Submitted by [email protected]

Of things I should be thankful for,
I've had a goodly share;
And as I sit here in the comfort,
Of a cozy chair;
My fancy takes me to a humble,
East-side 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;
A Yiddishe Momme,
Tse kimpt nisht besser in der velt??? <--------------------
----
A Yiddishe Momme,
Oy vey ve bitter ven ze felt.

Vie sheyn und lichtig is in hoys.
Ven di mame's doo,
Vie troirig finster vert,
Ven Gott neymt ihr oyf Oylam HaBo

In vasser und fayer,
Volt sie geloffen far ihr kind,
Nisht halten ihr tayer,
Dus iz geviss der grester zind,
Oy vie gliklach und reich ,
Iz der mensch vos hot,
Az a shayne matone,
Geschenkt fun Gott,
Nur an altichke Yiddishe Mamma,
Mamma oy mama mein.

Nisht halten ie tire,
Dost is geven der greste zin,
O vi gliklaht, on shein is der mench vos hot,
A za shena matona ge shempt fon got,
Vi an altecha yidesha moma
Momma of mine. <------------------------

Her jewels and her treasures;
She found them in her baby's smiles;
Oh I know that I owe what I am today;
To that kind little lady so old and gray;
To that wonderful Yiddishe Momme,
Momme Of mine.

This is English version as sung by Barry sisters (date of
recording
unknown):
1.
My Yddishe momme
I need her more than ever now
My Yddishe momme
Id like to kiss her wrinkled brow
I long to hold her hand once more
As in days gone by
And ask her to forgive me
For things I did that made her cry
2.
How few were her pleasures
She never cared for fashion styles
Her jewels and her treasures
She found them in her babys smiles
Oh I know that I owe what I am today
To that dear little lady whos gone away
To that wonderful Yddishe momme
momme, momme of mine

[third verse they sing in Yddish, In vasser und fayer,
however it differs from the version posted above,
but I don't speak the language so I can't transcribe it
correctly; it
ends with English line]
3.
....
Such a wonderful Yddishe momme
momme of mine

* posted by Dima *

Translation

MY YIDDISHE MOMME

1. (Introduction) Ich vill bay aych a kashe freygen,
Zugt mir ver es ken,
Mit vifl tayere farmaygns,
Bensht Gott allamen?
Men kriegt dus nit far kayne gelt,
Dus krigt men nur im zist,
Und der vus hot verloren,
Der vays shoyn vus ich mayn.
2. A yiddishe mamma,
Nisht du kein besser in der welt.
A yiddishe Mamma
Oy vey tzis bisser ven zie fehlt,
Vie shayn und lichtig tzis in Hois,
Ven die mama's du,
Vie traurig finster tzvert,
Ven Gott nehmt ihr oyf Oylam habu.
3. In vasser und fayer,
Vollt sie geloffn fahr ihr kind,
Nisht halt'n ihr tayer.
Dos iz geviss der greste Zind.
Oy vie gliklach und raych
Is der Mensch vus hut,
Az a tayere matune geschenkt fun Gott,
Wie an altechke Yiddishe Mamma,
Mamma, oy Mamme mein.
(To the best of my recollection this yiddish version was
sung by
Sophie Tucker on a 78 RPM RCA Victor recording circa 1929-
1932.
Submitted by [email protected]

Of things I should be thankful for,
I've had a goodly share;
And as I sit here in the comfort,
Of a cozy chair;
My fancy takes me to a humble,
East-side 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;
A Yiddishe Momme,
Tse kimpt nisht besser in der velt??? <------------------
-
-
----
A Yiddishe Momme,
Oy vey ve bitter ven ze felt.

Vie sheyn und lichtig is in hoys.
Ven di mame's doo,
Vie troirig finster vert,
Ven Gott neymt ihr oyf Oylam HaBo

In vasser und fayer,
Volt sie geloffen far ihr kind,
Nisht halten ihr tayer,
Dus iz geviss der grester zind,
Oy vie gliklach und reich ,
Iz der mensch vos hot,
Az a shayne matone,
Geschenkt fun Gott,
Nur an altichke Yiddishe Mamma,
Mamma oy mama mein.

Nisht halten ie tire,
Dost is geven der greste zin,
O vi gliklaht, on shein is der mench vos hot,
A za shena matona ge shempt fon got,
Vi an altecha yidesha moma
Momma of mine. <------------------------

Her jewels and her treasures;
She found them in her baby's smiles;
Oh I know that I owe what I am today;
To that kind little lady so old and gray;
To that wonderful Yiddishe Momme,
Momme Of mine.

This is English version as sung by Barry sisters (date of
recording
unknown):
1.
My Yddishe momme
I need her more than ever now
My Yddishe momme
Id like to kiss her wrinkled brow
I long to hold her hand once more
As in days gone by
And ask her to forgive me
For things I did that made her cry
2.
How few were her pleasures
She never cared for fashion styles
Her jewels and her treasures
She found them in her babys smiles
Oh I know that I owe what I am today
To that dear little lady whos gone away
To that wonderful Yddishe momme
momme, momme of mine

[third verse they sing in Yddish, In vasser und fayer,
however it differs from the version posted above,
but I don't speak the language so I can't transcribe it
correctly; it
ends with English line]
3.
....
Such a wonderful Yddishe momme
momme of mine

* posted by Dima *

These lyrics were deciphered from a Connie Francis tape (found on the jewish-music list archive at http://www.shamash.org/lis tarchives/jewish-music/971120

Media

Added August 13th, 1999