Lyr/Tune Req: Yiddle on Your Fiddle Play...Ragtime

Subject: music hall songs
From: GUEST,Graham Cooper
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 03:36 AM

I,m looking for a song which was, I think, entitled " Yiddle on The Fiddle ". I,ve only ever heard Cosmotheka perform it live. Does anyone have the lyric and music?

Subject: Yiddle On Your Fiddle
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:07 AM

Well, I found out here (click) that it might be a movie, or the theme from the movie. There's also an Irving Berlin song called "Yiddle On Your Fiddle, Play Some Ragtime" (or something like that).
-Joe Offer-

---

Yidl Mitn Fidl (Yiddle With His Fiddle)
Poland, 1936, 92 minutes, 35 mm, Yiddish with English subtitles
Director: Joseph Green

The great Yiddish actress Molly Picon cross-dresses to become Yidl, a fiddler in a band of musicians who roam the countryside in 1930s Poland. Yidl is sassy, independent, and hopelessly in love with a fellow band member, creating a series of hilarious and melodramatic situations. Location shooting in the shtetl Kazimierz, in the nearby countryside, and in Warsaw gives this film authenticity and atmosphere; we meet shtetl innkeepers, kidnapped brides on the run, big-time Warsaw producers, and hear some great music (including songs like "Oy Mama I'm In Love!"). Old world values and new world feminism exist side by side - in the end Yidl gets her career and her man! More than a great musical comedy, YIDL MITN FIDL was also an act of cultural solidarity, produced at a time of growing fascism and anti-Semitism. The film was an immediate smash hit, had worldwide distribution and became the most successful Yiddish musical of all time.

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:11 AM

Yidl Mitn Fiddle

Jeff

Subject: Lyr Add: YIDL MITN FIDL / YIDL WITH HIS FIDDLE
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:12 AM

YIDL MITN FIDL, written by Itzik Manger, is the title song from the 1936 Yiddish film of the same name. The movie stars Molly Picon, Leon Liebgold, and Max Bozyk, and was actually produced by Green Films in Warsaw. Besides being a cute story, Yidl Mitn Fidl offers a glimpse into Jewish life in pre-War Poland. (It is available on video from Ergo Media; I highly recommend that you get it!)

Reprinted from the e-mail list Mendele: Yiddish literature and language , vol4.323:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Feb 1995 20:25:35 -0500 (EST)
From: [e-mail]

I perform Yidl Mitn Fidl very often in concerts. Here are the lyrics:

Iber felder vegn, oyf a vogn hey
Mit zun un vint un regn, forn klezmer tsvey
A khidesh, oy, a khidesh, zog ver zenen zey?
Yidl mitn fidl, Arye mitn bas
Dos lebn iz a lidl, to vozhe zayn in kas.
Hey, Yidl, fidl, shmidl, hey, dos lebn iz a shpas.

A tsig shteyt oyf der lonke
Un meket troy'rik "me!"
Hey, du tsig, du shoyte, tro'rik zayn is fe!
Shoklt er dos berdl: "Take, take fe!"

Yidl...

A foygl flit "gut morgn, gut morgn, a gut yor"
Der troyer un di zorgn tsu al de shvartse yor!
Dem vint a lakh in ponem, un Yidl, Yidl for!

Yidl....

Enjoy!
Rhoda (Rokhl) Bernard


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And here's the translation:

Across fields we go,
Atop a wagon of hay
With sun and wind and rain,
Ride two musicians.
A novelty, oh a novelty,
Tell me who are they?

Yidl with his fiddle,
Aryeh with his bass,
This existence is a song,
Why should I be upset?
Yidl, fidl, shmidl - Hey -
This life is a pure fun.

A goat stands in the meadow
And bleats a sad "meh!"
Hey you goat, you foolish one,
Being sad is "feh"!
He nods his little beard,
"Truly, truly 'feh'!"

Yidl...

A bird flies by, "Good morning,
Good morning a good year"
The sadness and the worries
Should go to the devil.
Laughing in the wind's face,
Yidl travels on!

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:26 AM

Whoa, Pene, that's outstanding!
Now, can you figure out how to get the Irving Berlin song? I think it was written in 1909, so it should be out of copyright. The Levy Sheet Music Site, says it has two documents with "Yiddle," but neither one comes up.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:30 AM

Is it this? THE RAGTIME VIOLIN at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music

Jeff

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:31 AM

Oh, I guess not. I see what you mean. Hmmm...

Subject: ADD: Yiddle, on Your Fiddle, Play Some Ragtime
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:36 AM

Lyrics here: http://www.thepeaches.com/music/composers/berlin/1900.html


Yiddle, on Your Fiddle, Play Some Ragtime

[1st VERSE:]
Ev'ryone was singing, dancing, springing
At a wedding yesterday
Yiddle on his fiddle played some ragtime
And when Sadie heard him play
She jumped up and looked him in the eyes
Yiddle swelled his chest 'way out
Ev'ryone was taken by surprise
When they heard Sadie shout

[REFRAIN:]
Yiddle in the middle of your fiddle, play some ragtime
Get busy
I'm dizzy
I'm feeling two years young
Mine choc'late baby, if you'll maybe play for Sadie
Some more ragtime
Yiddle, don't you stop, if you do, I'll drop
For I just can't make my eyes shut up
Yiddle on your fiddle, play some ragtime

[2nd VERSE:]
At the supper table Sadie thought
Yiddle must have flew the coop
She looked all around, but could not find him
'Till she heard him drinking soup
Sadie waited till they served the fish
Then she jumped upon the floor
Put a quarter right on Yiddle's dish
And yelled to him once more

Subject: Lyr Add: YIDDLE, ON YOUR FIDDLE... (Irving Berlin)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:38 AM

"Nope. This one," he said, proudly....
-Joe Offer-

---

YIDDLE, ON YOUR FIDDLE, PLAY SOME RAGTIME
(Irving Berlin, 1909)

[1st VERSE:]
Ev'ryone was singing, dancing, springing
At a wedding yesterday
Yiddle on his fiddle played some ragtime
And when Sadie heard him play
She jumped up and looked him in the eyes
Yiddle swelled his chest 'way out
Ev'ryone was taken by surprise
When they heard Sadie shout

[REFRAIN:]
Yiddle in the middle of your fiddle, play some ragtime
Get busy
I'm dizzy
I'm feeling two years young
Mine choc'late baby, if you'll maybe play for Sadie
Some more ragtime
Yiddle, don't you stop, if you do, I'll drop
For I just can't make my eyes shut up
Yiddle on your fiddle, play some ragtime

[2nd VERSE:]
At the supper table Sadie thought
Yiddle must have flew the coop
She looked all around, but could not find him
'Till she heard him drinking soup
Sadie waited till they served the fish
Then she jumped upon the floor
Put a quarter right on Yiddle's dish
And yelled to him once more

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:39 AM

MIDI: Yiddle On Your Fiddle, Play Some Ragtime

"Yiddle, on Your Fiddle, Play Some Ragtime"
Words and Music by Irving Berlin
Copyright © 1909 by the Ted Snyder Co. Inc.

Sequenced 4/99 by Paul F. Wilson on NoteWorthy Composer
www.geocities.com/~pfwilson
[e-mail]
--------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 1:
Ev-'ry-one was sing-ing, dan-cing, spring-ing,
At a wed-ding yes-ter-day,
Yid-dle, on his fid-dle played some ragt-ime,
And when Sa-die heard him play,
She jumped up and looked him in the eyes,
Yid-dle swelled his chest 'way out,
Ev-'ry one was ta-ken by sur-prise,
When they heard Sa-die shout:

CHORUS:
Yid-dle in the mid-dle of your fid-dle play some rag-time,
Get bus-y, I'm diz-zy, I'm feel-ing two years young,
Mine choc-late bab-y, if you'll may-be
play for Sa-die, some more rag-time,
Yid-dle don't you stop, if you do I'll drop,
For I just can't make my eyes shut up,
Yid-dle on your fid-dle, play some rag-time.

VERSE 2:
At the sup-per ta-ble Sa-die thought, -
Yid-dle must have flew the coop,
She looked all a-round, but could not find him,
'Til she heard him drink-ing soup,
Sa-die wait-ed 'til they served the fish,
Then she jumped up-on the floor,
Put a quar-ter right on Yid-dle's dish,
And yelled to him once more:

CHORUS:
Yid-dle in the mid-dle of your fid-dle play some rag-time,
Get bus-y, I'm diz-zy, I'm feel-ing two years young,
Mine choc-late bab-y, if you'll may-be
play for Sa-die, some more rag-time,
Yid-dle don't you stop, if you do I'll drop,
For I just can't make my eyes shut up,
Yid-dle on your fid-dle, play some rag-time.

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:41 AM

Doesn't sound like the song I know! I'll have to look out the album when I get home to find the recording date, but I think the English (American?) Music hall song is earlier than the '30s. It was definitely an English MH performer who recorded the version I have. I always though it was one of those silly songs which revolve around a rather nonsensical but euphonious phrase ('Yiddle on the fiddle'), which just happens to take the Mickey out of London Jews a little, wthout being anti-Semitic (and I dont think it's offensive by the standards of the day); but maybe it's an expression that was already around for some years?

Here's the first verse and chorus for starters. Note that Yiddle is black, as well as Jewish (Sammy Davis Jr sprngs to mind!).

Ev'ryone was springing, dancing, singing
At a wedding yesterday.
Yiddle on his fidde played some ragtime,
And when Sadie heard him play,
She jumped up and looked him in the eye,
Yiddle puffed his chest right out;
Ev'ryone was taken by surprise
When they heard Sadie say:

(chorus)
Yiddle, on your fiddle,
In the middle play some ragtime!
I'm dizzy, get busy,
I'm feeling two years young!
My chocolate baby, if you'll maybe
Play for Sadie some more ragtime;
Yiddle, don't you stop, if you do I'll drop,
'Cause I just can't make my eyes stop up,
Yiddle, on your fiddle, play some ragtime!

Steve

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:43 AM

Bugger--you beat me to it guys! I'll have to learn to type faster ...

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: GUEST,Graham Cooper
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 05:55 AM

Thanks for all your help. I'm amazed as a virgin net user what has transpired as a result of my enquiry. Anyone have the melody?

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 05:57 AM

If I can find time in my busy schedule today, I'll try and knock it up for you.

Steve

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 07:50 AM

Graham, I've written the tune down in Noteworthy Composer and midi formats, but I've lost the utilites for converting midi to ABC, so I can't post the files here. If you want to give me an e-maill address I can send them as attachments; or if you have any other ideas that dont involve giving out your e-mail details, let me know.

Steve

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: GUEST,graham cooper
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 08:06 AM

Steve, My e mail is [e-mail]. I would love the tune as written. Isn't this a wonderful piece of technology/ Regards Graham

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: MMario
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 09:45 AM

steve - I believe there are links on both the noteworthy page and the abc home page for the NWC2ABC converter - which goes in both directions.

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: M.Ted
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 10:42 AM

Pene,

The MIDI link above goes to the Geocities "This page is not available" page--

Subject: RE: music hall songs
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 11:52 AM

I just tried that link three times: worked twice, and didn't work once. If you try a few times, you should be able to get it.

Jeff

Subject: RE: music hall songs - Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 01:37 PM

Sometimes, sites on places like Geocities and MSN won't let you access MIDIs and graphics directly. Go here (click) and then click on the link to the MIDI file (or right-click to download). I sent the tune to Graham by e-mail. Steve, if you have the tune in NWC format with lyrics attached, please e-mail it to me. It's a bear to match lyrics to a tune when you don't know the song.
-Joe Offer (click to e-mail)-

Subject: RE: music hall songs - Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Tinker
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 03:06 PM

Joe I can snail mail a copy of the original sheet music if you give me a day to remember the safe place I put it..A local antique store had it one day in a dollar pile and I couldn't resist.

Tinker

Subject: RE: music hall songs - Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 04:46 PM

Many moons ago (mid 1960s) I had an old piece of sheet music (can't even remember what the song was) and on the back of it were teasers for "When the Kaiser Does a Goosestep (to a Good Old American Rag)" and "With a Yiddle In the Middle of Your Fiddle Play Some Ragtime" -- always remembered the teasers because they were such great titles, but never saw/heard any more of the songs.

Should have known they'd show up here at some point. Thanks for posting this stuff!

Bat Goddess

Subject: RE: music hall songs - Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: GUEST,Steve Parkes
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 03:33 AM

The details from the recording I've got: performed by Albert Whelan (The Australian Entertainer) January 1912. They sure knew how to make up a snappy epithet in thse days!

Steve

Subject: RE: music hall songs - Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Troll
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 02:49 PM

Yidl Mitn Fidl was recorded by the Klezmer Conservatory band on one of their early albums and by the 24Th Street Klezmer Band on their first CD. The Movie with Molly Picon is available.Yiddish with sub-titles) If anyone is interested, PM me and I'll give you the Info.

troll

Subject: RE: music hall songs - Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 07 Jul 03 - 03:34 AM

I bought some 78s on Saturday, one of which was "Solomon's trombone" (no composer/writer) sung by Harry Hargreaves, "Comedian". It sounds so much like "Yiddle on the fiddle" it'sa hard to believe it's not connected; but whether it's by Irving Berlin or just a parody, I don't know. Any ideas?

Steve

Subject: RE: music hall songs - Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: GUEST,Abraham Diner
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 10:41 AM

This song is available in a compilation cd called shalom sung by
Molly Picon. Yiddl mit den fiddle. Also available sung by the Barry
Sisters in the soundtrack of the Yiddish Radio Project. It is a great tune, very popular todaty with klezmer bands.

Subject: Yiddle mitn Fiddle looking for download
From: GUEST,judy
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 10:03 AM

hi
does anyone know where i can download yiddle mitn fiddle...any version

judy

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: music hall: Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 10:59 AM

Will sheet music do?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: music hall: Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Flash Company
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:03 AM

Just read this thread out of curiosity, Steve, Irving never let anyone parody him! He had a sharp ear, a long arm and some class lawyers!
Remember this song, though.
Also remember a Mezz Mezzrow thing about a Jewish sharpshooter he met in Texas (Believe!) 'Don't fiddle with Yiddle, he'll riddle your middle!' They don't write 'em like that anymore!

FC

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: music hall: Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: Paul Burke
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:12 AM

Justyna Steczkowska in Polish I think (doesn't sound like Yiddish anyway).

http://justynasteczkowska.mp3.wp.pl/?tg=L3Avc3RyZWZhL2FydHlzdGEvMzQ2OCx1dHdvciwx

http://www.starkman.com/aviva/yiddish/yidl.html

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: music hall: Yiddle on The Fiddle
From: GUEST,morty
Date: 24 Jan 11 - 02:26 PM