Yiddish Song Book by Jerry Silverman (paperback)

Yiddish has always been a family affair. In the Old Country, Jews spoke Russian or Polish or Hungarian or Romanian or Lithuanian or whatever else outside the home -- but when they cam home and closed the door it was mame loshn, the mother tongue, that they spoke.

Music and history are combined in this tribute to Yiddish culture. Here are 114 songs, in transliterated YIddish and translated into singable English, that tell of love, of life, of how hard it is to be a Jew, of the "Golden Land" America, and of the Holocaust. The musical arrangements have been kept simple, and the chords are well within the grasp of amateur guitarists. The book is illustrated with 37 photos, including powerful scenes of pre-war Warsaw and of the Vilna Ghetto under Nazi occupation.

1. Fun Vanen Heybt Zich On A Libe? / How Does a Love Start?
2. Vuszhe Vils Tu? / What Do You Want?
3. Di Gildern Pave / The golden Peacock
4. A Libe, A Libe / A Love, Yes, A Love
5. A Cholem / A Dream
6. Martgaritkes / Daisies
7. Tum Balalaika
8. Papir Iz Doch Vays / Oh, Paper is White
9. Libster Mayner / My Sweetheart
10. Yomi, Yomi
11. Her Nor, Du Sheyn Meydele / Listen, My Sweet Pretty Girl
12. Gey Ich Mir Shpatsirn / Once I went Out Strolling
13. Du Meydele, Du Fayns / You pretty Little Girl
14. Lomir Zich Iberbetn / Let's Make Up
15. Di Zun Vet Arunter Geyn / The Sun Will Soon Set
16. Unter a Leyn Beymele / Sitting 'Neath a Little Tree
17. Oy, Dornt, Dortn / Away Out Yonder
18. Bin Ich Mir Gegangen Fishelech Koyfn / I Went to the Market, to Buy some Fish There
19. Biztu Mit Mir Broygez? / Are You Angry With Me?
20. Oyfn Ganikl / Upon the Doorstep
21. Shvartse Karshelech / Black Cherries
22. Jamele
23. Unter Dem Kinds Vigele / Under Baby's Little Crib
24. Shlof, Mayn Feygele / Sleep, My Little Bird
25. Oyfn Pripetshok / On the Hearth
26. Shlof, Mayn Kind / Sleep, My Child
27. Vigndig a Fremd Kind / Rocking Someone Else's Child
28. Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen / Raisins and Almonds
29. Dray Yingelech / Three Little Boys
30. Bay Dem Shtetl Shteyt a Shtibl / In the Village There's a Cabin
31. O, Ir Kleyne Lichtelech / Oh, You Little Candle Lights
32. Hulyet, Hulyet, Kinderlech / Play, My Dearest Little Ones
33. Birobizhaner Viglid / Birobidjan Lullaby
34. A Fidler / A Fiddler
35. In der Kuznye / In the Smithy
36. Di Bord / The Beard
37. Di Mechutonim Geyen / The Inlaws Are Arriving
38. Di Soche / The Plow
39. Shprayz Ich Mir / Walking Dwon the Highway
40. Dos Lidl fun Broyt / The Song of Bread
41. A Chazzandl oyf Shabes / A Cantor for the Sabbath
42. Bayt Zhe Mir Oys a Finfuntsvantsiker / Change for Me This Twenty-Fiver
43. Ale Mentshen Tantzendik / folks Are at Their Dancingest
44. A Glezele Lechayim / A Toast to Life
45. Chatskele, Chatskele
46. Hey! Zhankoye
47. Hamentashn
48. Birobidjan
49. Vi Azoy Trinkt a Keyser Tey? / How Does a Tsar Drink Tea?
50. Achtsik Er un Zibetsik Zi / Eighty He and Seventy She
51. Di Mezinke Oysgegebn / My Youngest Daughter's Married
52. Ch'bin a Bocher a Hultay / I'm a Wandering Fellow
53. Kum Aher, Du Filozof / Come to Me, Philosopher
54. Di Ban / The Train
55. Sha! Shtil! / Shh! Quiet!
56. Tshiribim
57. Lechayim! / To Life!
58. Der Rebe Elimelech / Rabbi Elimelech
59. Moyshele, Mayn Fraynd / Moyshele, My Friend
60. Tsum Hemerl / To the Hammer
61. Lomir Ale Zingen a Zemerl / Everybody Sing a Little Song
62. Hirsh Lekert
63. Dem Milner's Trern / The Miller's TEars
64. Keshenever Pogrom / Kishinev Pogrom
65. Fonye Ganev / Fonye, the Thief
66. Fonye Dinen Iz Zeyer Biter / Serving Fonye Is Very Bitter
67. Fraytik in der Fri / Early Friday Morn
68. Farvos Zol Zayn Mayn Chosn a Soldat? / Why Should They Make a Soldier of My Love?
69. Zayzhe Mir Gezunt / I Must Say Farewell
70. Yoshke Fort Avek / Yoshke's Leaving Now
71. Dos Fertsnte Yor / In Nineteen-Fourteen
72. A Ganyeve / A Robbery
73. Hot Rachmones / Have Compassion
74. Mit a Nodl, On a Nodl / With a Needle, or Without One
75. Zol Ich Zayn a Rov? / Should I Be a Rabbi?
76. Maykomashmalon / What Dies It Mean?
77. Shlof Mayn Kind, Shlof Keseyder / Sleep My Child, Sleep Securely
78. Ot Azoy Neyt a Shnayder / Stitch Away, Little Tailor
79. Un Du Akerst / Oh, You Plow
80. Dire Gelt / Rent Money
81. Bulbes / Potatoes
82. Bin Ich Mir A Shnayderl / I'm a Little Tailor
83. Vi Zenen Mayne Yunge Yoren? / Where Are My Youthful Years?
84. Lidl fun Goldenem Land / Song of the Golden Land
85. Shikt a Tiket / Send a Ticket
86. Eyn Zach Vel Ich / One Thing I Ask
87. Frahayt Statue / Statue of Liberty
88. Kesl Gardn / Castle Garden
89. Lebn Zol Kolombus / Long Life to Columbus
90. Kolombus, Ich Hob Tsu Dir Gornit / Columbus, I Give You the First Prize
91. Elis Ayland / Ellis Island
92. New Yorker Trern / The Tears of New York
93. Eyder Ich Leyg Mich Shlofn / No Sooner Do I Lie Down
94. Mayn Rue Plats / My Resting Place
95. Mayn Yingele / My Little Son
96. Svetshop / Sweatshop
97. Dem Pedlers Brivl / The Peddler's Letter
98. Arbeter Froyen / You Working Women
99. A Briv fun Amerike / A Letter from America
100. In Kamf / In Struggle
101. Vos Vet Zayn der Sof? / What Will Be the End?
102. To Gey Zich Lernen Tantsn / Just Go and Learn to Dance Now
103. Es Brent / On Fire
104. Unter di Churves fun Poyln / Under the Ruins of Poland
105. Itzik Vitnberg
106. Aroys Iz in Vilne a Nayer Bafel / In Vilna Was Issued a Brand-New Decree
107. Geto Lid / Ghetto Song
108. Yeder Ruft Mich Zyamele / People Call Me Ziamele
109. S'Dremlin Feygele / Birds are Dozing
110. Yungt-Himn / Youth Hymn
111. Neyn, Neyn, Neyn / No, No, No
112. Shtil di Nacht / Still the Night
113. Zog Nit Keynmol / Never Say
114. Ani Maamin / I Believe
     

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