Thanks, Sorcha, guest, and Gargoyle.Joe emailed me the words to "L'Chaim" long ago, with a PS "Chords? We don't need no steenking chords!" So, although the song seemed to call for a rather complicated (by folk standards) chord progression, I figured I must be making it more difficult than necessary -- blocking, as it were.
Seeing the chords you folks have posted, I realize my first inclination was not far off. I kinda suspected there were a couple of "sus" chords in there. I toyed with diminished chords and they didn't sound right. Interesting that I didn't "hear" the major 7ths (the nemesis chord of some folkies, apparently) -- but I hadn't really sat down and worked through it.
Sorcha, yeah, if it's no trouble, do email me that piano score. I already know "Sunrise, Sunset" and I have the lyrics and chords to "Matchmaker" and "If I Were A Rich Man." But if it's easier to just email the whole thing, great. And thanks.
Of course, piano scores for pop music and jazz are usually written in keys like E flat and B flat -- which are great for singing but not especially "guitar friendly," so I usually transpose to F, G, D, or C. (Thank goodness there are capos!)
Here is what you gave us, Gargoyle, reformatted.
GenieL'Chaim! (from Fiddler on the Roof -- Sheldon Harnick & Jerry Bock, 1964)
D7-9 D7 G7sus G7 Cm
To Life! To Life! L'Chaim!
C7 Fm
L'Chaim, L'Chaim! To Life!
Bb7 Ebmaj7
If you've been lucky, then Monday was
Abmaj7 Db Dbmaj7
no worse than Sunday was.
Bbm7 G7 D7-9
L'Chaim! To Life!D7-9 D7 G7sus G7 Cm
To Life! To Life! L'Chaim!
C7 Fm
L'Chaim, L'Chaim! To Life!
Bb7 Ebmaj7
One day its honey and raisin cake;
Abmaj7 Db Dbmaj7
Next day a stomach ache!
Bbm7 G7 D7-9
Drink L'Chaim! To Life!Fm Cm
Our great men have written words for wisdom to be
D7 G7 Cm C7
Used when hard-ship must be faced.
Fm Cm
Life obliges us with hardship, so the words of
G
wisdom shouldn't go to waste!D7-9 D7 G7sus G7 Cm
To us and our good fortune.
C7 Fm
Be happy, be healthy, long life
Bb7 Ebmaj7
And if our good fortune never comes
Abmaj7 Db Dbmaj7
Here's to what ever comes
Bbm7 G7 D7-9
Drink L'Chaim! To Life!