The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #37200   Message #773105
Posted By: Genie
28-Aug-02 - 03:04 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: L'Chaim (from 'Fiddler on the Roof')
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'L'Chaim' (from Fiddler)
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.
Genie

L'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!