Dear Jon W.,

Didn't post this before because the whole cut is more than twelve minutes long, and the best part is the prolonged klezmer instrumental, during which the audience is urged to get up and dance a rousing hora up and down the aisles. The words, like those of many "secular Jewish" (yes, I know that OUGHT to be considered an oxymoron), compositions, are determinedly pedestrian, as if trying to adandon biblical poetics as well as theology, but they do have a certain plain, robust charm, especially when companioned with such engaging music. The lyrics are based on Morris Winchevsky's poem, "Achdus," meaning "Brotherhood."

ALEH BRIDER


Un mir zaynen aleh brider, oy, oy, aleh brider,
Un mir zingen sheyne lieder, oy, oy, oy!
Un mir halt'n zikh in eynem, oy, oy, zikh in eynem,
Azelkhes iz nito bay keynem, oy, oy, oy!

Un mir zaynen aleh eynik, oy, oy, ale eynik,
Tsi mir zaynen fil tsi veynik, oy, oy, oy.
Un mir libn zikh dokh aleh, oy, oy, zikh dokh aleh,
Vi a hchos'n mit a kalleh, oy, oy, oy!

Un mir zaynen aleh shvester, oy, oy, aleh shvester,
Azoy vi Roch'l, Rus, un Esther, oy, oy, oy.
Un mir zaynen aleh freyleckh, oy, oy, aleh freylekh,
Vi Yoynason un Dovid H' Melech, oy, oy, oy!


The translation in the song notes is neither singable nor quite accurate, so perhaps someone could give it a go.


Shalom,


Shula