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1. |
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2. |
Unter Beymer
03:55
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Unter beymer vaksn grozn, Ay-la-lay-lyu-lyu,
Un di beyze vintn blozn, Shlof zhe, zunenyu.
Zits, mayn kind, nit bay dem fentster, Vayl du kenst dem vint derfiln;
Un ikh vil nit, du, mayn shenster, Zolst kholile zikh farkiln.
Himl iz shoyn khmarne-shvarts, Punkt azoy vi do bay mir in harts.
Ay-lyu-lyu, ay-lyu-lyu,
Shlof zhe, mayn kind, oy, harts mayns, Ay-lyu-lyu, ay-lyu-lyu,
Blayb mir gezunt.
TRANSLATION:
Beneath the trees the grass grows, / Ay-la-lay-lyu-lyu, And the cruel winds blow, / So sleep, my little son.
Don’t sit by the window, my child, / Because you can feel the wind; And I wouldn’t want you, lovely one, / To catch cold.
The sky is already dark with clouds, / Just like here in my heart.
Ay-lyu-lyu, ay-lyu-lyu, / Sleep, my darling child, Ay-lyu-lyu, ay-lyu-lyu, / And stay well.
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3. |
A Glezele Yash
03:21
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Ven ikh nem a bisele yash, oy-oy,
Finklt alts un glantst.
Kh’gib a varf di puste flash, oy-oy,
Un ikh gey a tants!
Oy-oy, tsuker-zis,
Halt mir bay di hent.
Flekhtn beygelekh di fis,
Di neshome brent!
Vos mir shviger, ver mir vayb, oy-oy,
Veys ikh zey di shlek!
Mitn ershtn kelishik vayn, oy-oy,
Shvimen zey avek.
Oy-oy, tsuker-zis,
Brider, kumt in kon.
Lomir vayzn vind un vist
Vos a kaptsn kon.
Vos mir dayges, ver mir zorg, oy-oy,
Shtrof nit far di reyd.
Gib mir, gotenyu, af borg, oy-oy,
Khotsh a tropn freyd!
Oy, tate, tsuker-zis,
S’redele zikh dreyt.
S’kostn tsores halb umzist,
Shpring tsezetsterheyt!
Ven ikh nem a bisele yash, oy-oy,
Bin ikh gor nit der.
Kh’gib a varf di puste flash, oy-oy,
Un ikh gey a sher!
TRANSLATION:
When I drink a little wine,
Everything sparkles and shines.
I throw away the empty flask,
and I do a dance!
Oh, sugar-sweet,
Hold me by the hand.
Feet braiding bagels,
The soul’s on fire!
Mother-in-law? Wife?
Who cares!
With my first glass of wine,
They just swim away.
Oh, sugar-sweet, brothers:
Come into the circle.
For whatever it’s worth,
Let’s show what a poor man can do.
What worry! What trouble!
May my words not be punished.
Lord, lend me
Just a drop of joy!
Oy, tate [father], sugar-sweet,
The circle is spinning.
Troubles half-price for free,
Jump until you burst!
When I take a little drink,
I’m not the same.
I throw away the empty flask,
And I dance a sher [scissor step]!
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4. |
Noiresque
05:50
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5. |
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Gloz iz gloz un es git a kling op.
Ven men iz farlibt shpayt men oys der ling [lung].
Abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
Heys iz heys, nit oystsihaltn.
Ven men iz farlibt blozt men op oyf kaltn.
Abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
Oy vey mir, vaser iz dokh nas.
Hayntike yinglekh iz tsu gleybn vi a hint af
der gas.
Eyner zukht ashires,
Eyner zukht gvires, aynnemen di gantse velt.
Eyner meynt dos gantse glik hengt nor op in gelt.
Zoln ale zukhn, zoln ale krikhn,
Nor ikh trakht bay mir,
Ikh darf dos oyf kapores
Vayl dos glik shteyt bay mayn tir.
Tinkl, tinkl [tunkl] vi a keyler.
Az men iz farlibt, krigt men lingen-feyler.
Abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
TRANSLATION:
Glass is glass and it makes a sound. / When you’re in love, you spit out your lungs.
As long as you’re healthy, you can be happy.
Heat is heat—unbearable! / If you’re in love, you blow on cold [instead of hot].
As long as you’re healthy, you can be happy.
Oy vey mir, water is still wet.
You can trust today’s boys like a dog on the street.
Some look for riches, / Some look for power to conquer the whole world. Some think that all happiness depends only on money.
Let them all search, / Let them all scrounge,
But I think to myself that I have no use for such things,
Since happiness is waiting at my doorstep.
Dark, dark, like a cellar.
If you’re in love, you get lung sickness [tuberculosis].
As long as you’re healthy, you can be happy.
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6. |
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Bin ikh mir ayn furman,
Hob ikh mir tsvay ferdelekh,
Ferdelekh – udlerlekh tsvay.
Ayner ayn vayser,
Der tsvayter ayn gruer.
Shoyn veltn oysgefurn mit zay.
Mayn haym iz dos feld.
Mayn bet iz der vugn.
Mayn arbayt: tsu shmaysn,
Di ferdelekh zoln geyn.
In az di ferdelekh geyen, geyen,
Ti ikh mit di laytsn tsien,
Makh mit di lipn,
“Hetta, vyo, vishta, prrr!”
Zits ikh mir oyf di nare,
Shtil ba di kelnye,
Un glet mit mayn arim di hor.
Dan dakht zikh mir di zangen,
Farshitn shoyn di felder, Farshitn shoyn a mul
Un nokh ayn mul.
TRANSLATION:
I am a coachman, / I have two sweet horses,
Horses like two fine eagles.
The first is a white one, / The second is gray.
I’ve already traveled the whole world with them.
My home is the field. / My bed is the wagon.
My work: To crack the whip / To make the horses go.
And when the horses get on going,
I get to pulling on the reins,
And giving out the calls,
“Turn right, giddyap, turn left, whoa!” [Lodz horse terms]
I sit along the plank bed,
Quiet near my driving perch
And stroke my hand through the horse’s[?] hair.
Then it looks to me like the rows of corn
Stretch out covering the fields
Filling them up, spilling over, / On and on again.
(English translation by Eve Sicular)
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7. |
The Poor Man's Akdomoys
03:33
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Akdómoys mílin v’shoróyus shúso ávlo shokílno hármon urshúso
ALEF – indikes – est der nogid
BEYZ – beyndelakh – grizhet der oreman
GIML – gendzlakh gebrotene – est der nogid DALET – dem dales – hot der oreman
HEY – hindlakh gepreglte – est der nogid VOV – veytikn – hot der oreman
ZAYEN – zeml mit puter – est der nogid KHES – khalasn – hot der oreman
TES – taybelakh gebrotene – est der nogid YUD – yesurim – hot der oreman
KOF – kaloshn – trogt der nogid
LAMED – laptshes – trogt der oreman
MEM – mashke – trinkt der nogid
NUN – nikhter – iz der oreman
SAMEKH – sametene kleyder – trogt der nogid AYIN – elnt – iz der oreman
PEY – pipkes gebrotene – est der nogid TSADIK – tsuris – hot der oreman
KUF – kotletn gepreglte – est der nogid REYSH – retakh – grizhet der oreman
SHIN – Shereshevski’s papirosn – roykhert
der nogid
TOF – titun [Southern: titin] pipket der oreman
TRANSLATION:
The rich eat turkeys / The poor gnaw bones
The rich eat roast geese / The poor remain poor
The rich eat fried chicken / The poor have aches and pains
The rich eat rolls with butter / The poor suffer disease
The rich eat roast pigeons / The poor have miseries
The rich wear galoshes / The poor wear “lapti” (coarse straw sandals)
The rich drink spirits / The poor are sober
The rich wear satin clothes / The poor are forlorn
The rich eat roast gizzards / The poor have troubles
The rich eat fried cutlets / The poor gnaw radishes
The rich smoke Shereshevsky’s cigarettes / The poor puff on weeds (cheap tobacco)
Translation and transcription of “Dem oremans akdomoys” adapted from Folks-gezangen: As Interpreted by Chaim Kotlyansky (Los Angeles: IKUF, 1944)
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9. |
Hert Zikh Aynet
02:53
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Hert zikh aynet, mayne libe mentshn.
Ay, hert zikh aynet vos ikh vel aykh fregn do!
Ay, vi kumt es aza veytik
In a kleynem, kleynem fidl?
TRANSLATION:
Listen up, my dear people.
Listen to what I am going to ask you here!
Oh, how does so much pain come
Out of such a tiny fiddle?
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10. |
Muzikalisher Tango
03:45
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Kh’bin oyf dir nisht in kas
Far dem troyerikn shpas.
Ot azoy iz bashert:
Ikh hob dikh nisht dervert.
Mankhes mol ven ikh kler
Falt a narisher trer.
S’vet aribergeyn. / Vest aleyn dos zen.
Kh’bin oyf dir nisht in kas.
Itst-a ze ikh shoyn, / Itst farshtey ikh shoyn:
S’iz a troyeriker shpas.
TRANSLATION:
I’m not angry at you
For this sad joke.
It was destined this way:
I wasn’t worthy of you.
Many a time when I think of it,
A foolish tear runs down my cheek.
It’ll pass. / You’ll see for yourself.
I’m not angry at you. Now I understand, / Now I see:
It’s a sad joke.
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11. |
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12. |
Farlangen
01:39
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Fort in vald a yidish meydl
Un es grint in gantsn land.
Zitst in alkerl a meydl
Mitn ponem tsu der vant.
Vos iz, meydl, dayn farlangen?
S’iz a shod a yeder trer.
Di vos iz avekgegangen
Vet tsurik nit kumen mer.
TRANSLATION:
A Jewish girl travels through the forest
As all grows green throughout the land.
A girl sits in an alcove
Her face to the wall.
What do you long for, meydl?
Every tear is a shame.
The one who has gone away
Will not come back again.
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13. |
Circus Lullaby
04:20
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Yiddish Lyric section (starts ca. 3:02 in audio)
Nakht iz itst fun rand biz rand
Kind, konst ruik shlofn
Hundert vegn do in land
Ale far dir ofn.
TRANSLATION:
Night is here from border to border.
Child, you can sleep in peace.
A hundred roads, here in this land,
All open to you.
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14. |
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Ven mentsn folgn nor mayn eytse
Makh ikh solem af der velt eyns un tsvey.
Men nemt dos gantse raykhtum tsuzamen,
Men tsumist es un men tut azey:
Men git a bisl, men nemt a bisl,
Me leygt tsuzamen in eyn sisl
Un men tsuteylt dernokh far yedn glaykh.
Men nemt di meykhes un di keykhes
Tsuzamen arbetn, gleyb ikh es,
Vet mer nit zayn keyn orem un keyn raykh.
Tsu vos zol der ments gor zorgn Far esn un dire-gelt,
Un hobn meyre far dem morgn? S’iz dokh do azey fil af der velt.
Az men git a bisl, men nemt a bisl,
Me leygt tsuzamen in eyn sisl
Vet zikher zayn a solem af der velt.
Ot der mosl azey: azey ze ikh di velt — her!
Men git a bisl un men nemt a bisl
Un me leygt tsuzamen in eyn sisl
Un dernokh — tsuteylt men far yedn glaykh!
Un yetst her!
Ir git ayere meykhes, un ir di keykhes,
Un tsuzamen — ye, tsuzamen arbetn!
Vet mer nit zayn keyn orem un keyn raykh.
Aderabe, zorg!
Far vos, tsu vos zol der ments gor zorgn
Far esn un dire-gelt
Un hobn meyre far dem morgn, gevald!
S’i’ dokh do azey fil af der velt!
Az men nemt a bisl, men git a bisl,
Me leygt tsuzamen in eyn sisl
Vet zikher zayn a solem af der velt...
TRANSLATION:
If people just took my advice,
I’d make peace in the world right away
Put all of the riches together,
Mix them all in just like so:
You give a little, you take a little,
You put it all into one bowl
“To each, according to their needs, divide!”
You take some brains, you take some brawn,
Then by working together, I believe,
There’d be no rich or poor anymore.
Why should people worry
About paying for food and rent?
Why be fearful of tomorrow
When there’s such abundance in the world?
So you give a little, take a little,
You put it all into one bowl.
Surely then there would be peace on earth.
{English translation by Eve Sicular}
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15. |
Weary Sun Tango
02:45
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Yiddish lyrics:
S’hot di zun oysgemidt zikh,
Mitn yam zikh gezegnt.
Nisht geven vos tsu fregn,
Di libe’z oys.
Es bafalt mir an umet.
Fun di reyd oysgetserter
Un ikh her dayne verter
Mit shmerts un vey.
Hot nit kayn fardros beys der tsesheydung.
Beyde zaynen shuldik – du un ikh...
TRANSLATION:
The sun has grown weary,
Said goodbye to the sea.
There was nothing left to ask,
The love’s gone out.
A sorrow befalls me.
Wasted from the talking,
I hear your words with pain and woe.
There should be no resentment in this parting.
Both of us are guilty—you and I...
{English translation by Eve Sicular with Yelena Shmulenson}
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16. |
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17. |
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18. |
Libes Shmertsn
05:14
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Dos lebn loyft gants shnel avek.
Ales, yo ales, iz azoy leydik,
Nor di libe, zi hot nit keyn breg.
Di libe blaybt, zi blaybt af eybik.
Keynig un betler, ales vos lebt,
Tsu libe, tsu libe shtrebt – akh...
Libes-shmertsn rayst in hertsn.
S’iz a gefil, oy a tayer.
Es brent in hertsn a fayer.
Ale taymim filt men tsuzamen.
Es brent un es brit un in hertsn es tsit.
Dos iz libe, libes-shmerts.
Dos ershte mol hob ikh dikh derzen,
Hob ikh gefilt, kh’ken on dir nit zayn.
Ikh hob genumen tsu dir oft arayngeyn.
Hob ikh bashlosn az du must zayn mayn.
On dir tsu zayn ken ikh nit mer
Bay got in himl, ikh shver – akh...
TRANSLATION:
Life runs away so quickly.
Everything, yes, everything is so empty
Only love has no boundary [end].
Love remains, it is eternal.
King and beggar, all that’s alive
Aspires to love, to love—akh!
CHORUS: The pain of love tears at the heart.
It’s a precious feeling.
A fire burns in the heart.
You feel all sensations together at once.
It burns and it blazes and pulls at the heart.
This is Love, Love’s Pain.
The first time time I saw you,
I felt I cannot go on without you.
I started going to see you often.
I decided that you must be mine.
I can’t bear to be without you,
By God in heaven I swear—akh!...
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19. |
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20. |
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Isle of Klezbos New York, New York
NYC-based ISLE of KLEZBOS approaches tradition with irreverence and respect. The soulful, fun-loving powerhouse all-women’s klezmer sextet has toured from Vienna to Vancouver since 1998. Repertoire ranges from rambunctious to entrancing: neo-traditional folk dance, mystical melodies,Yiddish swing & retro tango, late Soviet-era Jewish drinking song, re-grooved standards, & genre-defying originals. ... more
Isle of Klezbos recommends:
Mazel Means Good Luck
by Metropolitan Klezmer
Featuring several Isle of Klezbos performers plus virtuosi of Yiddish and interlocking genres, with both traditional and original music. "Mazel Means Good Luck" is our particular favorite!
go to albumIf you like Yiddish Silver Screen, you may also like:
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supported by 12 fans who also own “Yiddish Silver Screen”
One of the best new albums of Yiddish and Klezmer music on Bandcamp in my opinion. The collaboration of two sensitive artists of different generations who know a lot about Yiddish and American music.
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supported by 8 fans who also own “Yiddish Silver Screen”
One of my favourite musical discoveries in a while. These musicians are seriously talented. I can’t help imagining that there would have been a whole significant subculture of Yiddish psych rock like this in a different, kinder universe. For now, this is a window into that world that might have been. And I love every second of it.
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supported by 8 fans who also own “Yiddish Silver Screen”
This record feels fresh but reflects long traditions at the same time, and the playing is marvelous.
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Raw black metal that brooks no compromises, this has all the ferocious guitars, lo-fi aesthetics and infernal howling you crave.
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Cry My Heart, Cry! Songs from Testimonies, Vol. 2
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Originally sung by Holocaust survivors in Yiddish, Polish and French, this moving album is now available in a gorgeous LP package.
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