Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs

Subject: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Shula
Date: 14 Sep 97 - 01:53 PM

Saw earlier thread started by RS on Yiddish songs. Would like to find more, in Hebrew and Ladino as well. Saw klezmer sites -- good stuff there; more could be even better, nu? Also saw Laoise's father's friends' parodies -- still chuckling.

With High Holidays fast approaching, gettin' in "that ole time religion" mood. (Know some pretty carols to share, come X-mas; not all in the DT yet !) Thanks.

Shalom,

Shula

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 15 Sep 97 - 12:06 AM

Shula- So share, already.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Frank in the swamps
Date: 15 Sep 97 - 02:49 AM

Shula, there was a fella called Moshe Beregovski who had the misfortune to be a Jewish collector of folk song in Russia under Stalin's regime. My Darlin' has his collection called "Old Jewish Folk Music" published by University of Pennsylvania press, 1982. The songs are in Yiddish, which is Greek to me (or English, as spoken by some of the hillbillies I know), but the book includes translations at the end of each section. It's got a lot of songs, with music. A humorous one, sung between a girl and her suitor posing absurd challenges and ending with that delightful Jewish sense of humour goes like....

Get me a bear from the woods
And teach him to write
Only then and only then
Will I be yours.

I'll get you a bear from the woods
And teach him to write
If you'll make me seven children
And stay a maiden.

I'll make you seven children
And stay a maiden
If you'll make me a cradle
Without wood and without tools.

Etc. until...

I'll fry you up seven fish
And have them stay alive
If you'll make me a ladder
That will reach the sky.

I'll make you a ladder
That will reach the sky
I'm a fool, and you're a bigger one
Let's both keep quiet.

It's edited & translated by Mark Slobin.

Good Hunting,

Frank.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 15-Jul-02.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Laoise
Date: 15 Sep 97 - 09:14 AM

Shula,

There are a couple of good Klezmer CD's out there with some yiddish folk songs. Itzak Perlman's "In the Fiddler's House" and "Live in the Fiddler's House" are two excellent CD's with a few songs on them - very theatrical. They are also good introductions to some of the top Klezmer bands in the USA, the Klezmatics, Brave Old World and the Andy Statman Orchestra among others.

Some of the names of the Klez bands out there are hilarious: The Hot Latkes, THe Mazeltones, What the Chelm, See if you can find Ari Davidow's Klezmer pages, He has info on nearly every Klezmer band in existance, they are a real hoot! Below are some other linx I've collected:

http://pyrus.astrakan.hgs.se/~kryp/klezmer.htm http://members.aol.com/shawnkugel/kugel.html http://members.aol.com/mazeltone/web/mazeltone.html http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/1791/ http://members.aol.com/klezme2/index.html http://members.aol.com/shawnkugel/kugelsheet.html

L'chaim agus slan go foill.

Laoise.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Shula
Date: 16 Sep 97 - 12:51 AM

Dear Dick, all in good time -- working on Jewish material at the moment. Will post carols when someone puts up a seasonal thread.

Frank I.T.S., Thanks! Sounds like just the sort of thing I'm looking for. Will begin immediate search for a copy.

Dear Laoise, Love Klezmer, already know these excellent ref.'s; especially fond of the Perlman CD's. (Did you know he did a wonderful PBS special in the European birthplaces of the Klezmer music in these collections? Thought it fascinating.) Glad you posted, others may want to visit these sites.

For some reason, Yiddish material seems easier to find than Hebrew, and both are easier to find than Ladino. Like them all, but will admit that the lovliest Jewish folk music I've ever heard was in Ladino. (For those who have never heard of it, Ladino is to Spanish, roughly, as Yiddish is to German.) Anybody got a lead?

Thanks so much,

Shula

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 16 Sep 97 - 11:33 AM

Hi- I know a couple of singers who do Hebrew/Yiddish/Ladino material. I'll ask them id they wish to share it.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 17 Sep 97 - 01:20 AM

For Hebrew/Yiddish/Ladino songs, virtually the entire catalogue of Tara Publications is relevant. Velvel Pasternak is the head of this company, and they publish dozens (well, a couple of dozen at least) of songbooks of Jewish music. Many of them have accompanying tapes.

Another worthwhile source to obtain is the Harvard Hillel Songbook, published by David Godine, with musical transcriptions by Jerry Epstein.

In dealing with all of this material, the question of transliteration rears its ugly head. I've got a copy of the Beregovski book mentioned above, for example, which transliterates Hebrew and Yiddish into Roman characters, sometimes through the intermediary of Cyrillic. (It also transliterates into Russian.) The transliteration isn't even consistent throughout the book. I'm quite happy reading untransliterated source material in Yiddish or Hebrew or Russian, but I hesitate to transliterate it to post here. Is the sound at the beginning of Channukah to be ch or kh or x? If I use one system, and you prefer another, will you complain vociferously?

Somewhere, I've got singable translation of zemirot that I'll have to post here eventually. (A project begun several years ago with some roommates after going to a folk festival and realizing that the Jewish stuff wasn't going to have the same widespread following as gospel music as long as most of it remained in a language that the folk festival crowd couldn't understand.) One of these days I try to post it, probably after the Jewish holidays. [Sorry for the teaser without actually posting the stuff, but I've been too busy singing the last few weekends to talk about singing in this discussion group; and Jewish Holidays are about to hit with a vengeance]

Tzion go bragh!

Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Sep 97 - 02:59 AM

Let's see if Mr. Fixit can do it right this time....There! Are we still in italics?

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Laoise
Date: 17 Sep 97 - 11:00 AM

Shula,

Thanks for the translation of Ladino. I didn't know that - my family have seriously lost their roots in that only the religious traditions and very little of the cultural heritage have been passed down. My mother's family is of Sephardi origins and it is believed they left Spain during the inquistion / Armada years. Ladino stuff would certainly interest me there. My Father's family is Ashkenasi, Eastern European, most noteably from Poland and Lithuania. I wonder did my forefathers play Klezmer in shtetls? So there you have it, I am just a regular half-breed!

Charlie Baum,

I've visited the Tara Publications site a few times and I've a CD or two on order of old (1920's) Klez recordings. I didn't know where to start re: books of yiddish songs etc. Thanks for this post. Looking forward to the Zemirot project. I wanted to add, however, that Clannad and Enya and many other Irish, Breton groups etc - sing in Gaelic which is understood in only a few pockets of land in Ireland (including West Belfast). Unfamiliarity with a language shouldn't deter people from listening to it. It seems to me that the Irish traditional revival over the past few decades has infiltrated the mass mind and it has now become quite acceptable. The Yiddish revival (Klez, Ladino, Hebrew) will also have it's day.

Tiocfaidh ar la! (Our day will come, pronounced chucky ar lar)

Laoise.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Speed-1
Date: 18 Sep 97 - 12:16 AM

Can a linguist throw in a thought? If you plan to publish transliterations, set your ground rules in advance: ch=ch in Bach, oy= oy (Oy!), u= oo in moon, etc. With a basic list, most will be able to enjoy the transliterations!

With this in mind i= e in he, a=a in far, o=o in phone -

L'Hit-ra-ot!

Speed

Subject: Lyr Add: TUMBALALAIKA
From: rechal
Date: 18 Sep 97 - 09:23 PM

Hi gang! Tried to post from home the other night and my browser just wouldn't behave. Anyway, Frank ITS, loved the song. It's a genre that crops up fairly frequently in folksongs; Scarborough Fair and The Wind May Blow Your Plaid Away are two English (or Scottish; leastaways, they're not in Swahili) examples.


My Bubbie used to sing me a Yiddish song called TUMBALALAIKA. I don't speak Yiddish, but the English transalation is very singable. Far from being comical, this tune is quite mournful (as most good Jewish tunes are).

Tumbalalaika

Maiden, maiden, tell me true
What can grow without the dew
What can burn for years and years
And what can cry without any tears

Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika (something Yiddish that sounds like "spiel ein balaika")
Tumbalalaika, (something "frey something something.")

Silly boy, the answer true
A stone can grow without the dew
Love can burn for years and years
And a heart can cry without any tears
tumbala, etcetera

But my favorite Hebrew song is and always has been the one to which I used to dance with my first boyfriend in first grade.

Simi ya-day-ach, b'yadi
Ah-ni she-lach, v'aht shelli
Simi ya-day-ach, b'yadi
Ah-ni she-lach, v'aht shelli
Hey, hey, Dahlia, bat har-ee, y'fay-fee-ah!
Hey, hey, Dahlia, bat har-ee, y'fay-fee-ah!

The transalation is:
Put your hands in my hands
I am yours, and you are mine
(2x)
Hey, hey, Dahlia, daughter of the mountains, how beautiful you are!


I think the word is Dahlia, and I think it's a woman's name or sumthin'. But I just love the idea of a "daughter of the mountains," and the tune is so sweet and lilting.

My "adult" favorite is Erev Shel Shoshanim, or Night of the Roses, which I don't know the words to but really wish I did. The melody is incredibly haunting and seductive. Shula, can you help? B'vakashah?

Subject: Lyr Add: TUMBALALAIKA (trad Yiddish)
From: RS
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:22 AM

Well here we go; Tumbalalaika, as requested in the Hebrew / Yiddish / Ladino songs thread. This was from the Women's Song Evening songsheet I prepared recently - this song being on the theme of courtship. (I have posted a notice on the Women's Song Circle thread as well).

TUMBALALAIKA

Yiddish: Traditional / Folk Song

English: Teddi Schwartz & Arthur Kevess ©1988

Yiddish: CHORUS:
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbalalaika, shpil balalaika,
Tumbalalaika, freylekh zol zayn.

Shteyt a bokher un er trakht,
Trakht un trakht a gantse nakht,
Vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen; [or nisht]
Vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen. [or nisht]

Meydl, meydl, kh'vel bay dir fregn:
Vos ken vaksn, vaksn on regn?
Vos ken brenen un nit oyfhern? [or nisht]
Vos ken benken, veynen on trern.

Narisher bokher, vos darfstu fregn,
A shteyn ken vaksn, vaksn on regn,
Libe ken brenen un nit oyfhern, [or nisht]
A hartz ken benken, veynen on trern.

Singable English translation:

Hear my tale of a certain young man
Stayed up all night til he thought of a plan
He wanted a girl who would be his delight
A girl who was pretty, witty and bright

Tell me, my pretty one, tell if you know
What needs no rain and yet it can grow
Tell what can blossom, bloom through the years
Tell what can yearn, cry without tears

Oh foolish boy, now surely you know
A stone needs no rain, and yet it can grow
True love can blossom, bloom through the years
And a heart when it yearns, cries without tears

ANNOTATIONS:

[I use multiple sources for my song transcriptions, sometimes choosing among the different versions, sometimes indicating various options for the words & translations.]

Sources: Rise Up Singing page 26
NFTY Shiron page 20 (NFTY=National Federation of Temple Youth)
NFTY Shiron chordster page 72
Yiddish Songbook pages 200-1
Manginot pages 14-5
International Jewish Songbook page 94-5
New Jewish Songbook page 113

The above translation is in Rise Up Singing, NFTY Shiron, & NFTY Shiron Chordster.

Yiddish Songbook & International Jewish Songbook have unsingable translations, see below.

Manginot & New Jewish Song Book have singable translations that I don't like as much so didn't type up.

Per International Jewish Songbook: "This very popular song was first published in the United States in 1940. It has been recorded by many Yiddish singers since that time. Lyrics other than the ones presented here have also appeared. [Note: I J S only has Yiddish lyrics in it, plus an unsingable English translation]. These however are the most often used lyrics."

Chords from Rise Up Singing: Am - - E / F - E Am / - - Dm Am / Dm E - Am /

Chords from NFTY Shiron Chordster: Am - - E7 / - - - Am / - - - - / Dm - E7 Am /

Shpil = play; freylekh zol zayn=let it be lively (per Rise Up Singing)

A balalaika is a stringed instrument related to the guitar and banjo.

Translation from Yiddish Songbook:
(not singable, but seems to be fairly close to literal translation)
There stands a youth who's deep in thought,
Who thinks and thinks the whole night through
About whom to love without causing shame,
About whom to love without bringing shame.

Tumbala tumbala tumbalalaika
Tumbala tumbala tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika, play balalaika
Tumbalalaika, let joy prevail.

Maiden, maiden, I want to ask you
What can grow, grow without rain?
What can burn and not burn out?
What can yearn and cry without tears?

Silly fellow, why need you ask,
A stone can grow, grow without rain
Love can burn and not burn out,
A heart can yearn and cry without tears.

Translation from International Jewish Songbook: All night long a young man worries which girl to marry without embarrassing another one. "Young lady, can you tell me what grows without rain, what yearns without tears, what can burn forever?" "Silly lad, a stone can grow without rain, a heart can yearn without tears, and love can burn forever."

- R.S.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: RS
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:24 AM

Just posted the full words to Tumbalalaika on a separate thread.

Erev Shel Shoshanim to follow!

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Alice
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:34 AM

My voice teacher (who is an opera singer) is also a cantor. She assigned a Ladino song to me that is an excellent breathing exercise. My copy of it is from a book of Ladino songs that include English translation and a pronounciation guide. I will get the name of the book the next time I see her and post it here. The song I had to learn is "Yo M'Enamori d'un Aire". I love it, but it is a challenge.

Alice

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: RS
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:38 AM

Can somebody please turn off the BOLDFACE?

Thanks in advance!

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From:
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:42 AM

Will this turn off boldface?

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:47 AM

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: RS
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 01:26 AM

"Song requests no sooner asked than answered!" ... see the thread I just posted separately for "Erev Shel Shoshamim".

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 02:04 AM

Let's see....THERE! I TURNED OFF THE BOLDFACE. UH, OH.....NOW IT'S ALL CAPS.....

Oh, I'm just kidding. I couldn't resist.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 02:07 AM

Trying again. That durn Rechal did a double "b".

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Shula
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 02:09 AM

Joe: "Besotten WOMEN" is it, now?!

RS: Erev Shel Shoshanim is truly lovely, nice to have singable English, as well. Have you, perchance, the lyrics to Dodi Li, and maybe English for that as well?

Thanks,

Shula

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Bert
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 08:56 AM

Try this.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Bert
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 08:59 AM

Whoops that didn't work. Lets try a lot of them did that do it?

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: dani
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 11:58 AM

Speed-1, I am completely ignorant of both Hebrew and Yiddish, though love the sounds of the languages and the traditional music. There is a lovely round in our church's hymnal, and I never was sure of the correct pronunciations. You seem awfully knowledgeable, would you mind translating for me and telling me how to pronounce correctly?

Shalom, havayreem! Shalom, havayreem! Shalom, shalom! L'hitraot, l'hitraot, shalom, shalom.

gratefully, Dani

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Shula
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 12:16 PM

Dear Speed-1,

When you give over the pronunciation and translation of Shalom, Haverim! maybe you could put in the transliteration of Hinay Ma Tov as well. This seems to me especially apropos The Mudcat, as it is a song of a repeated single line with changing tune, which translates as "How good and pleasant it is to dwell among friends." Come to think of it, these would both do nicely as a change of pace in the Women's Song Circle, nu?

Shalom,

Shula

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 19 Sep 97 - 07:13 PM

Okay. Vowels as in Spanish:

a as father
e as in get (which means er as in very), or sometimes more like the e in beta (but not a diphthong)
i as in marine
o as in cold
u as in chute

That means ay as in "aye, sir"
ey as in they
oy as in boy

Otherwise consecutive vowels (like the a and o in l-hitraot, or the a and i in naim) are pronounced separately.

' for the schwa (a German word of Hebrew origin, if I'm not mistaken): the sound of a in about, i in rabbit, etc. In modern Hebrew it often sounds a lot like the e.

ch as in loch (the throat-clearing noise)

This is good enough to give an idea of the pronunciation, but of course scholars do better.

NOW THEN.
Shalom chaverim, shalom chaverim, shalom, shalom.
L'hitraot, l'hitraot, shalom, shalom.

("Good-bye friends, good-bye, see you later, good-bye." Not very inspiring words. The Oxford English Dictionary has shattered one of my illusions by claiming that the Australian "cobber" is NOT from the Hebrew "chaver", meaning friend, comrade.)

Hiney ma tov uma naim
Shevet achim gam yachad.

(I don't quite get the "gam", but this is something like "Here is how good and pleasant [it is] to sit as brothers in unity." A little more inspiring, but just wait.)

Lo yisa goy el goy cherev;
Lo yilmadu od milchama.

("Nation will not lift up sword to nation; they will not learn war any more.") As in "Hiney Ma Tov", you sing the same words to two tunes alternately (and maybe endlessly).

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: dani
Date: 20 Sep 97 - 09:47 PM

Thank you!

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: RS
Date: 21 Sep 97 - 03:54 PM

I have a draft of Dodi Li, but will have to tidy it up before I send it, so it may be a while.

For Erev Shel Shoshanim, the English translation I've included (separate thread) is very poetical but unfortunately _not_ singable. I wrote it out line by line, so that people who know a bit of Hebrew can follow the translation line by line with the original.

For Hinei Ma Tov, I have just posted a Lyric Addition thread with some comments, translation, and a new gender-inclusive variation.

Unfortunately there is no standardised transliteration format for Hebrew ... Jerry Friedman's list is a good guide, but not universal. On the other hand, the way I see it, if someone around does know Hebrew, they can help you out; and if not, well then no-one will know if you don't get it quite right!

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Speed-1
Date: 22 Sep 97 - 03:43 PM

RS - Good point! And given the general know-it-all-ness of this group, you can rest assured SOMEBODY will correct you if you need correcting!

Shula- who wanted the translation of "Shay-nees"?

Jerry - looks good, but beta should be transliterated "beyta". And the guy on Star Trak would be "Deyta"! And I will see you "Leyta"!!

Speed

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From:
Date: 22 Sep 97 - 03:51 PM

Your comment about "beta", Speed, is why I said it should be non-dipthongal. Unfortunately the sound doesn't exist in English (at least in any pronunciation I know of).

I once asked about the meaning of "sheynis" in a Jewish prayer (that will be sung on Rosh Hashanah a week from Thursday, incidentally). Are you about to tell me?

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Shula
Date: 22 Sep 97 - 04:01 PM

Dear Speed-1,

As you can see, it was Jerry F., so tell him already!

Tante Shula

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: RS
Date: 22 Sep 97 - 07:06 PM

To Jerry Friedman,

It's hard to translate a single word without a context, especially when there are pronunciation variations ... if you post the sentence, or at least the phrase, that "sheynis" is from, I may well be able to help ...

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: rechal
Date: 22 Sep 97 - 08:31 PM

Oh, brother. Did I cause that all that trouble with my boldness? Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima maxima culpa. How did what I do effect every post after that, and how was it fixed?

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Speed-1
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 12:12 AM

Jerry - The word sheynis,or sheynit means a second time. It is said as part of the additional service every Sabbath as well as on holidays. The entire phrase translation is: "and He will hear us in His mercy a second time in the presence of all the living (His promise)to be your G-d."

This is found in the congregational prayer called the Kedusha.

We also have to watch the las Hebrew letter which can be pronounced as a "t" or a "s". Modern Hebrew folksongs, will use the "t" and older folk songswill likely use the "s". That should keep us on our toes!

Speed

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From:
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 05:50 PM

Thanks, Speed! Apparently it's not my minuscule knowledge of Hebrew that's acting up, but my memory. I'd have sworn that a) that word was only in the prayer on the High Holy Days (maybe we didn't do the additional service, or I never went to it), b) it ended with a sin, not a tav (thav, sav, whatever), and c) that the temple I went to used the Sephardic pronunciation (in which case, for anyone actually reading this, the letter thav would be pronounced like a t, not an s).

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Speed
Date: 25 Sep 97 - 10:34 AM

Jerry - The additional service is called Musaf and is part of Conservative and Orthodox services. I don't know about Reform and Reconstructionist. It is usually right after the rabbi's sermon and the Torah scrolls get put away. The congregation says the Rabbi's Kaddish, then says the Amidah, then the Amidah is repeated, (it's during the repetition that the Kedushah is said in response form by the congregation and the leader/chazzan/cantor/rabbi/whoever's running theshow), then Eyn Keloheynu is sung, and on we go until Adon Olam and by golly it's time to eat and we're more then ready, ey?

The word ends with a BEGINS with shin - no right to left jokes, please - then nun then yud, then suf/tuf.

I have a friend who has a Hebrew songbook containing various traditional songs for piano with guitar chords I think. I'll try to get the name.

Speed

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Philippa
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 08:31 AM

Don't forget the Zemerl site for Jewish songs in various languages. It's very comprehensive

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Dec 99 - 08:24 PM

Although she still hasn't returned my entire collection of Jewish songbooks and CD's that I lent her months ago, Mrs. Lev partially redeemed herself today by pointing me to the Zemerl database of Jewish songs (Hebrew, Ladino, and mostly Yiddish). I rushed to this thread to post a link, and I see that Philippa posted it yesterday. It's a terrific site. Be sure to pay a visit. Mrs. Lev will be very happy if you do.
-Joe Offer-
(What will Mrs. Lev say when she finds out I've been talking about her?)

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Annraoi
Date: 13 Dec 99 - 08:53 PM

Philippa, Does the Zermel site have any examples of macarónachas ? Annraoi

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Philippa
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 08:40 AM

Annraoi means songs using a mixture of two languages. I think Charlie Baum could help you out there, Annraoi.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Jacob Bloom
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 02:39 PM

I see that no one has posted the rest of the chorus to Tumbalalaika here. When I sing it, it goes:

Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika, spiel balaika
Tumbalalaika, freylach zol zein

"Spiel" means "play". "Freylach zol zein" means "we should be happy". As with any other Yiddish words, the pronunciation varies depending on where you were born.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 11:49 PM

You want I should tell you a macaronic song? Here's a fine example: a Yiddish song that's a gloss on a Hebrew song: Lomir Ale Zingen (from the Zemerl site).

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 04 - 10:58 AM

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=LARONDINEL

Video/audio peformance from the Kennedy Center's Millenium Stage April 20, 1999; La Rondinella performs both Ladino songs and songs from the Spanish Renaissance.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 04 - 11:17 AM

Or this one also at KCMS:

October 10, 1999,
The Sahar Ensemble performs Hebrew and Ladino ancient prayers in song.

~S~

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 04 - 11:22 AM

Oops, that's http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=SAHARENSEM

~S~

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 04:15 AM

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 04:19 AM

Oops. Pressed wrong button...

Burning Bush do some good, eclectic, compilations of Jewish music.

http://www.theburningbush.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: fretless
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 05:27 PM

National Center for Jewish Film
http://www.brandeis.edu/jewishfilm/keyfromspain.html
2000 40 Minutes Color and B&W
Directors Ankica Petrovic
and Mischa Livingstone

According to legend, when the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, they took with them the keys to their homes and synagogues hoping that one day they would return. They never did, but their Spanish cultural heritage remained a powerful influence in their lives.

In this uplifting tale of survival and continuity, acclaimed Sephardic folksinger, Flory Jagoda, tells her story and sings songs both old and new in Ladino, the tongue of her ancestors. Flory grew up on the outskirts of Sarajevo, Bosnia. Under the threat of Nazi persecution, she fled to United States. Single-handedly she has revived the nearly forgotten musical traditions of her childhood.

Her songs range from tales of thwarted love to reflections on the destruction of Sarajevo in the recent Bosnian war. Flory tells the story of her life, as she sings with warmth and passion. She celebrates life itself, delighting audiences with her songs and touching them with her story.

Subject: RE: Hebrew/ Yiddish/ Ladino songs
From: Felipa
Date: 29 Feb 04 - 01:13 PM

It's interesting how many Irish speakers and learners have contributed to this thread: Laoise, Áine, Anraoi, Philippa, Alice.
People who speak one lesser-used language are often interested in or sympathetic to others.

I want to get in touch with Laoise. I don't know whether or not she's still in Belfast, and she hasn't written at Mudcat for some time. So if anyone can help me make contact, please p-mail me.

Subject: ADD: Rumenye, Rumenye
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 02:53 AM

The Limeliters version of this song was posted in a Limeliters thread. This version is taken from the CD booklet for the Klezmer Conservatory Band Thirteenth Anniversary Album. It's about as lively as a Yiddish song can get - and that's pretty darn lively.
-Joe Offer-

---

Rumenye, Rumenye (Rumania, Rumania) (Aaron Lebedoff)

Ah, Rumenye, Rumenye...
Geven a mol a land a zise a sheyne
Ah, Rumenye, Rumenye...
Geven a mol a land a zise a fayne.

Dort tsu voynen is a fargenign
Vos dos harts glust dir, dos kenstu krign.
A mameligele, a pastraniele, a karnatsele;
Un a glezele vayn, a-ha!

In Rumenye is dokh gut,
Fun kayn dayges veyst men nit.
Vayn trinkt men iberal
Me farbayst mit kashtaval

Hay, dige, dige dum...

In Rumenye is dokh gut,
Fun kayn zorgn veyst men nit.
Vayn trinkt men, s'meg zayn shpet
Me farbayst mit kastravet

Hay, dige, dige dum...

Oy vey gevald ikh ver meshuge
Kh'lib nor brinze, mamelige,
Kh'tants un frey zikh biz der stelye,
Van ikh es a patlozhele

Dzingma, tay didi didi dam...

Ay, s'iz a mekhaye
Beser ken nit zayn,
Ay, a fargenign iz nor Rumenish vayn

Di Rumener trinkn vayn un esn mamelige,
Ver es kusht zayn eygn vayb,
O yener iz meshuge.

Dzingma, tay didi didi dam...

Ay, s'iz a mekhaye
Beser ken nit zayn
Ay a fargenign iz nor Rumenish vayn

Hay, dige dige dum...

Y'kum purkun min shemaye,
Shteyt un kushat di kekhe, Khaye
Ongeton in alte shkrabes,
Makht a kugel I'koved Shabes.

Zets! tay didi didi dum...

Iz Moshe Khaym ongekumen
Di beste kheylik tsugenumen
Moyshe Khayim Boruch Shmil
Khapt a kitzl in di shtil

Zets!...

Un di meydl nebukh blost-zikh
Un zi vil nit nor di lost-zikh
Oy, Ah...

Zets!

Ay s'iz a mehkaye
Beser ken nit zayn
Ay a fargenign iz nor Rumenish vayn! Ay!

Ay, Rumania, etc...
Once there was a sweet and beautiful land.
Ay, Rumania. etc...
Once there was a fine and beautiful land.

To live there is a pleasure.
You can get whatever your heart desires.
A mamelige, pastrami, sausages,
And a glass of wine, A-ha!

It's good in Rumania.
You don't know worries
Wine is drunk everywhere.
And for dessert a kashtaval.

Hay digi digi dam etc...

It's good in Rumania.
You don't have troubles.
Wine is drunk til it gets late
And for dessert a kastravet

Hay digi digi dam etc...

Oh, help me. I'm going crazy.
I so love cheesy mamelige
I dance with joy up to the ceiling
When I eat a patlozhele

Dzingma Tay etc...

Oh, it's a pleasure.
It can't get any better.
Oh, Rumanian wine is a pleasure.

Rumanians drink wine and eat mamelige
Whoever kisses their own wife
Oh, that person is crazy.

Dzingma! Tay etc...

Oh, it's a pleasure.
It can't get any better.
Oh, Rumanian wine is a pleasure.

Hay digi digi dam etc...

Y'kum purkun min shemaye
Stand and kiss Chaye, the cook
Dressed in old rags
She's making a pudding in honor of the Sabbath.

Zets! Tay etc...

Moshe Khayim comes in
And takes the best part for himself
Moshe Khayim, Boruch Shmil
Grab a tickle when it's quiet

Zets!

And the girl, oh it's a pity, puffs herself up
And she doesn't want to but she still allows a hiss.
Oh, ha, ha...

Zets!

Oh, it's a pleasure.
It can't get any better
Oh, Rumanian wine is a pleasure.