Jewish Folk Song for Kids

Subject: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: wilco
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:17 AM

Thanks to everyone for sharing your knowledge. I play in many schools, and I want to add some Jewish folk songs. I have a few popular songs for playing in Hebrew Schools (Johnny Cash's "Bathshazer", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot,"), that are Old Testament based. Any suggestions??

Thanks!!!!!!

Wilco in Tennessee

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:27 AM

A lively children's song is chad gadya. Have ti look up the source at home.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:46 AM

Check this! out.

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:50 AM

Hi, Wilco - for Purim, I like A Wicked, Wicked Man (click) - and you'll find a couple of other good ones at that link.
Also try this thread on Ladino Hanukkah songs (click).
-Joe Offer, Roman Catholic raised in a Jewish neighborhood-

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: wilco
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 01:11 PM

Once again, THANK YOU Mudcatters. Best site on the net!!!

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 01:38 PM

Don't leave us, Wilco!
What are the lyrics to "Bathshazer"?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 09:01 PM

We've played in a lot of schools including a few Jewish schools but we've never sung a hebrew song in a school. However, two of our favorites are Hinneh Mah Tov and Kum Bachur Atzel both of which we learned as kids. Both can be sung as a round and are easily picked up by kids.

We also sing Rise and Shine whenever we're in a parochial school. It tells the story of Noah's ark and we learned it in summer camp shortly after the actual event. We never sing it in public schools because God is not allowed in public schools except in the pledge of allegiance and She's not always allowed even there.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:09 AM

Wilco - here the promised source, and another work I found rummaging throgh the shelves of your outstanding Library of Congress and Amazon:

Author: Rubin, Ruth, ed.
Title: A treasury of Jewish folksong, selected and edited by Ruth Rubin. Piano settings: Ruth Post, drawings: T. Herzl Rome, [poetry adaptations: Isaac Schwartz, Jacob Sloan and the editor]
Published: New York, Schocken Books [1950]
Description: 224 p. illus. 28 cm.
LC Call No.: M1850.R8T7
Dewey No.: 784.7
Notes: For voice and piano. Words in Yiddish or Hebrew (transliterated) with English translations.
Bibliography: p. 224.
Subjects: Folk songs, Yiddish.
Folk songs, Hebrew.
Jews -- Music.
Folk music.
Control No.: 748003

www.amazon.com:
A Treasury of Jewish Folksong by Ruth Rubin (Editor), T. Herzl Rome (Illustrator)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
Editions: Hardcover
From our Marketplace Sellers
Used & new from $27.50

This is a book I hold in high esteem. It gives you a good cross section of Yiddish and Hebrew folksong: children, love, work, war etc. There is a section with Israeli songs, too, in Ivrit. All lyrics are translated to English, some of the translations are easily to sing. Here sometimes the literal translation fell victim to the rhyme (oxen was changed to poodle because it has to rhyme with noodle). You should be glad if you are able to obtain it.

This book I don't know, but judging from Ms. Rubins work mentioned above I am sure that it is of the same high standard:
Title: Jewish folk songs : in Yiddish and English / compiled and edited, with English adaptations, by Ruth Rubin ; with guitar accompaniments by Ethel Raim.
Published: New York, NY (45 Gramercy Pk. No., New York 10010) : R. Rubin, 1989.
Description: 96 p. of music : ill. ; 28 cm.
LC Call No.: M1852.R75J5 1989
ISBN: 0962293008 (pbk.)
Notes: Words in Yiddish (transliterated) with English translations. Unacc. melodies with chord symbols.
Subjects. Folk songs, Yiddish. Jews -- Music.
Other authors: Rubin, Ruth. Raim, Ethel. arr
Control No.: 11788491

www.amazon.com:
Seller usually ships in 1-2 business days
Used & new from $29.95
Edition: Paperback

Sing ye and chant it
Wilfried

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:22 AM

Wilco - a fine source of Yiddish and Ivrit songs on the web is http://www.princeton.edu/zemerl/. Unfortunately the links to the different song pages seem not to be in working order; I have informed the webmaster.
Fortunately the link page is functioning well; here you can find a lot of interesting links to collections and audio material.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 03:10 AM

Wilco - and here again the kid (chad or had gadya). In "Zemerl" you can find 5 entries; there also is an English version with an advice how to sing it with children. Click here. I strongly recommend it remembering the fun I had in the happy days of youth.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Mr Happy
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 04:00 AM

joe,

when i click on your 'wicked man' blicky, i get this message:

'You are not authorized to access this site.'

how can this be?

---

That's because I goofed on the link, Mr. Happy. Wilfried and I aren't doing too well on the links on this one, I guess. I fixed mine, and I'll fix Wilfried's.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Genie
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 05:47 AM

Good links, folks. A few well-known songs that work well with children are Dayenu, Zum Gali Gali, Hine Ma Tov, Hallelu, Shalom Chaverim, and the Hanukkah songs mentioned above. These are all in Hebrew.

For Yiddish songs, how about Sha! Stil! (Der Rebe Tanzt) and Hob Ich Mir A Mantl (I Had A Little Overcoat)?

Genie

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Genie
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 05:51 AM

Tzena, Tzena (Hebrew) is also easy for kids to sing, as is the chorus of Tumbalalaika(Yiddish); school-age kids probably do sing Tumbalalaika, verses and chorus.

Genie

Subject: ADD: BATHSHAZZER or Weighed in the Balance
From: wilco
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 12:27 PM

BATHSHAZZER or Weighed in the Balance

(D) Well that Holy Book tells us about a man
who ruled Babylon and all (A7)its (D)land.
Around the city he built a wall,
that he declared would (A7)never (D)fall.
He had concubines and wifes
And called Babylon (A7)para(D)dise.
On his throne he done drank and ate,
but for Bathshazzer it was (A7) gettin' (D)late.

CHORUS: For he was weighed in the balance and found wanted
His Kingdom all divided and can't (A7) stand.
He been (D) weighed in the balnce and found (G) wantin',
His (D) houses been built (A7) upon the (D) sand.

Well, the people ate and drank their wine.
Praised the false gods of their time.
All holy things they done scorned and mocked,
but, suddnely all the mocking stopped.
For upon the wall appeared a hand,
Nothing else, the weren't no man.
And then the hand began to write,
And ol' Bathshazzer couldn't hide his fright.

Chorus

Well, no one around could understand
what was written by the nystic hand.
Bathshazzer looked but couldn't find
someone who could give him peace of mind.
But Daniel the prophet, a man of God,
he saw the writing on the wall in blood.
Bathshazzer asked him what it said.
And daniel turned to the wall and said.

Bathshazzer (real loud) you been weighed in the balance and found wanting,
your kingdom is divided and can't satnd.
You done been weighed in God's balance and found wantin',
Your castles are built upon the sand.

Subject: ADD: Belshazzar (Johnny Cash)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 01:46 PM

Good song, Wilco. I found a couple or more alternate spellings and transcriptions of the song. On its lists of Johnny Cash recordings, CDNOW has it listed as "Belshazar" several times, and once as "Belshazzar." It also appears on Bob Dylan's "Basement Tapes."
-Joe Offer-

---

from http://www.bobdylanroots.com/belshazar.html


BELSHAZZAR
(Johnny Cash)

Well, the bible tells us about a man
Who ruled Babylon and all its land.
Around the city, he built a wall
And declared that Babylon would never fall.
He had concubines and wives.
He called his Babylon "Paradise."
On his throne he drank and ate,
But for Belshazzar, it was gettin' late.

For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting.
His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand.
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting.
His houses were built upon the sand.

Well, the people feasted and drank their wine
And praised the false gods of his time.
All holy things they scorned and mocked,
But suddenly all their mocking stopped.
For on the wall, there appeared a hand,
Nothin' else; there was no man.
In blood, the hand began to write,
And Belshazzar couldn't hide his fright.

For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting.
His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand.
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting.
His houses were built upon the sand.

Well, no one around could understand
What was written by the mystic hand.
Belshazzar tried, but couldn't find
A man who could give him peace of mind.
But Daniel, the prophet, a man of God,
He saw the writing on the wall in blood.
Belshazzar asked him what it said,
And Daniel turned to the wall and read:

"My friend, you're weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Your kingdom is divided; it can't stand.
You're weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Your houses are built upon the sand."

© 1964 Southwind Music, Inc.

---

Also take a look at this thread (click) on the "Feast of Belshazzar."

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: GUEST,Sonja
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:55 PM

How about "Finjan" (or "Hafinjan")? It's a campfire song and has easy lyrics in Hebrew and English, including a lot of "...la, la, la's."

Then there's always "Hava Nagila" (..."Have two Nagila, Have three Nagila...," etc.)

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: GUEST,Sonja
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:59 PM

Several of the Hebrew and Yiddish songs mentioned above (lyrics and chords) are printed in "Rise Up Singing," as are some OT-based spirituals/freedom/underground-railroad songs like "Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho," "Go Down, Moses," "Wade In The Water," etc.

The Carter Family's "Little Moses" would also be good, as would PP&M's "Man Come Into Egypt"or their version of "Go Tell It On The Mountain."

SWO

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: wilco
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 03:33 PM

Guest Sonja: Thanks!!!! great ideas. Most people associate these songs (Little Moses, Joshua Fit the Battle of Jerico, Swing Low, Climbing Jacob's ladder, Take Your Shoes off Moses, etc.), with Christian tradition, and I wish i could get some assurance that these would be appropriate for singing in Hebrew schools. Wilco in Tennessee

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 02:38 AM

Check out _The Mazeltones: Dancing With the Little Ones_. They're from Washington State. My kids love the CD my dad sent them a few years ago. CD info says "Contact the Mazeltones, 2012 Third Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109 206-282-7298."

Stilly River Sage (been called "Silly" and "Stage" lately, so I'll spell it out now and again).

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 02:52 AM

Link corrected - my fault giving an incorrect link. I corrected it the same day but the letter is missing.
Here again the correct link to: Zemerl (fine collection of Yiddish and Hebrew folksongs at Princeton).

Wilfried

---

Hi, Wilfried. I corrected your links above in your original messages, and deleted your subsequent messages that had the corrections.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 10:29 AM

Just found this page. Lots of lyrics.

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Genie
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 11:19 PM

Wilco, I play in Jewish retirement homes and convalescent centers a lot, and although some of the activity directors bend over backwards to avoid offending the few residents who are hypersensitive to anything remotely associated with Christianity (e.g., not singing "Let It Snow!" or "Frosty The Snowman" because they tend to be sung at Christmas time), I have had no problem with songs about God or Old Testament figures if they make no reference to Jesus, the resurrection, etc.

Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho, for instance, is strictly an account of the battle -- no reference to salvation, heaven, etc. When I do Go Down, Moses -- usually in connection with Passover --, I tell them about the song's history re Harriet Tubman (a woman called "Moses"), too. The struggle of American slaves seems to be something they can see as parallel to the Israelites' struggles in their own captivity and search for escape from bondage.   I use these along with Dayenu and other passover songs. If I ever have any feedback that someone is offended, I will be glad to change the playlist, but so far they seem to be accepted. (I'm not sure how many of the Jewish residents are very familiar with The Carter Family, anyway.) If I do Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (which I usually don't), I tie it to the underground railroad and its "code message."

I DON'T do Jacob's Ladder, BTW! (Think about the lyrics and you'll understand why!)

Genie

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: wilco
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 09:12 AM

Genie: Would it be an imosition for ne to ask you to post your paly lists? Thanks!!!! Wilco

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 10:28 PM

While we're on the topic, I'm leading a Jewish Songs workshop at the FSGW Getaway next weekend (see the Getaway thread), 10am Saturday. So if any of y'all reading this thread are going to be there, stop by and request or offer a song.

I've sung "Tzena Tzena" and "Tumbalalika" before (in fact, I think we did the former at the session last year).

-- Gary

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Genie
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 11:12 PM

Sure, Wilco.

Some of the songs I regularly sing at Jewish retirement homes which I think would also work well with kids are:
Tzena, Tzena
Finjan
Tumbalalaika
Sha! Stil!
Ocho Kandelikas
My Dreydl
O Hanukkah!
Zum Gali Gali
Dona Dona
Ale Brider ("All Brothers")
I Have A Little Coat
Hineh Ma Tov
Havenu Shalom Aleichem
Shalom, Chaverim
Lo Yisa Goy (Vine And Fig Tree)
Sovivon!

Others which are not as likely to be embraced by the kids are:
Bei Mir Bistu Shön
Hatikvah
Bashana
Sunrise, Sunset
If I Were A Rich Man
Matchmaker
Ma Oz' Tzur
Erev Shel Shoshanim
Erev Ba
Dodi Li
Los Bilbilocos
My Yiddishe Mame
O My Papa
Kinder Yoren

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Genie
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 11:21 PM

I should add:
Light One Candle
Go Down, Moses
Little Moses
Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho
Down By The Riverside (sans the references to Jesus)
By The Waters Of Babylon
Man Come Into Egypt
Dayenu
L'Chaim
Otchee Tchornya
Kaleenka
 

and other non-Jewish songs such as:
Bèsame Mucho
Que Sera Sera
Always
Anniversary Song
Sentimental Journey
Blue Skies
Edelweiss
Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen
Beer Barrel Polka
God Bless America
America The Beautiful
Lara's Theme
Let Me Call You Sweetheart

and Allan Sherman parodies such as:
Camp Granada
Harvey And Sheila

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: GUEST,if i were a rich man
Date: 01 Oct 10 - 12:53 PM

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Stringsinger
Date: 01 Oct 10 - 04:07 PM

One of the few Israeli songs that makes sense in today's violent world is:

Shalom Chaverim.

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Genie
Date: 10 Dec 12 - 05:52 PM

So do "Lo Yisa Goy" and "Hevenu Shalom Aleichem."

Subject: Lyr. req: Sovivon (Kids' Hanukkah song)
From: Genie
Date: 10 Dec 12 - 11:42 PM

I'm still trying to find the lyrics to "Sovivon" - which I used to have.

Believe it or not, when I try to 'google' it, I keep getting directed to threads about "Survivor" or "Survivor guilt!"
(No, Google - or Bing or whoever -, I mean "Sovivon," NOT "Survivor!"   If I'd wanted "Survivor," I'd have TYPED "s-u-r-v-i-v-o-r," not "s-o-v-i-v-o-n.")

Anyway, I can find links to albums that have this song on them but I can't find the lyrics anywhere.

I know the last line goes, "Sov, sov, sov, sov, sov, sov, Chanuka ba tov!"

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: Crowhugger
Date: 11 Dec 12 - 01:58 AM

Try a search with the spelling "sevivon" or "sivivon".

Subject: RE: Jewish Folk Song for Kids
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 11 Dec 12 - 05:48 PM

More than ten years have passed since the OP, so that answers to it will not be expected. But often I read, here and elsewhere, about "Jewish" or "Hebrew" songs, tales, jokes, etc., without the necessary distinctions.

Generally, performers who are not well acquainted with the culture of their particular audience must be very careful. "Jewish" can mean

1. related to Biblical Judaism
2. related to Jewish religion as practiced today
3. written in a language or dialect mainly spoken by Jews (quite a different category!)
4. related to the general culture of a Jewish ethnic/cultural group, e.g. Yiddish-speaking in Ukraine
5. political (directly or implied), usually about the land Israel.

Most songs in (Neo-)Hebrew language are of the last category; there is a high risk to pick the wrong ideology. Note also that a "Hebrew school" can either be a school for religious studies in ancient Hebrew or a school for Israelis - possibly quite secular.