The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #45455   Message #3579487
Posted By: Jack Campin
27-Nov-13 - 08:16 PM
Thread Name: Help: Meaning of 'Donna donna' in Yiddish
Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of 'Donna donna' in Yiddish
Hebrew and Yiddish songs often use those kinds of "nonsense" syllables...especially among the Hasidim, where wordless melody is central to the tradition.

The tune of "Dona, dona" is actually pretty close in idiom to a lot of nigun melodies. The words are about as far from the Hasidic worldview as you can get, though.