1. |
||||
YIDDISH:
a bisl zun, a bisl regn,
a ruik ort dem kop tsu legn,
abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
a shukh a zok, a kleyd on lates,
in keshene a dray, fir zlotes,
abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
di luft iz fray far yedn glaykh,
di zun zi shaynt far yedn eynem,
orem oder raykh.
a bisl freyd, a bisl lakhn,
a mol mit fraynd a shnepsl makhn,
abi gezunt ken men gliklekh zayn.
eyner zukht ashires,
eyner zukht gevures,
aynnemen di gantse velt.
eyner meynt dos ganse glik
hengt nor op in gelt.
zoln ale zukhn,
zoln ale krikhn,
nor ikh trakht bay mir,
ikh darf dos af kapores,
vayl dos glik shteyt bay mayn tir
ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
(courtesy of Milken Archive)
https://www.milkenarchive.org/music/volumes/view/great-songs-of-the-american-yiddish-stage/work/abi-gezunt/
A bit of sun, a bit of rain,
a peaceful place to lay your head …
so long as you’re healthy, you can be happy.
A shoe, a sock, an outfit without patches,
three or four measly coins in your pocket …
so long as you’re healthy, you can be happy.
The air is free, equal for all;
the sun shines for everyone,
whether rich or poor.
A little rejoicing, a little laughter,
some schnapps with a friend once in a while …
so long as you’re healthy, you can be happy.
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.
|
||||
2. |
Blue Lentils
04:44
|
|||
3. |
Papirosn (Cigarettes)
04:55
|
|||
YIDDISH:
A kalte nakht, a nebldike, finster umetum
Shteyt a yingele fartroyert un kukt zikh arum
Fun regn shitst im nor a vant, a koshikl halt er in hant
Un zayne oygn betn yedn shtum.
Kupitye, koyf zhe, koyf zhe papirosn
Trukene, fun regn nit fargosn
Koyf zhe, bilik benemones
Koyft un hot oyf mir rakhmones
Ratevet fun hunger mikh atsind
ENGLISH:
A cold night, foggy, darkness everywhere
A boy stands sadly and looks around
Only a wall protects him from the rain
He holds a basket in his hand
And his eyes beg everyone silently.
Please, Buy my cigarettes!
Dry ones, not wet from the rain
Buy real cheap
Buy and have pity on me
Save me from hunger now
|
||||
4. |
Seven Shekel Swing
05:41
|
|||
5. |
Gefilte Fish
03:12
|
|||
YIDDISH:
Zog vos esn Yidn mit groys kheyshek,
Bay yenem tsi bay zikh aleyn in shtub?
S'iz pareve, nisht milkhik un nisht fleyshik,
Nor a maykhl vos a yeder Yid hot lib.
Zog vos iz a yeder froys ambitsye?
Me hot es lib, me veyst take far vos,
S'iz a yidish maykhl mit traditsye
Un yedn erev-shabes est men dos:
Gefilte fish, gefilte fish!
S'iz a maykhl vos hot toyznt tamen,
Kh'hob tsu ersht farzukht es bay mayn mamen.
Es iz tayer, es iz voyl,
A maykhl far dem folk Yisroel!
Esndik tsegeyt es zikh in moyl.
Oy, di gefilte fish zey zenen yidish:
Me kumt fun shul un shtelt zikh makhn kidesh,
In shtub iz sheyn un reyn un frish,
Me zetst zikh tsum gedektn tish
Un me derlangt gefilte fish.
Gefilte fish, gefilte fish!
Der Unger hot lib gulyash mit paprike,
Der Polak hot lib bigos fleysh mit broyt,
Bay dem Rus iz royter borsht der iker,
Un der Yeke hot lib klise mit kroyt.
A mamelige glaykhn di Rumener
Un der Gruziner hot lib a shashlik,
Nor vos gut iz veysn zey nit keyner,
Un adrabe zogt mir vos iz gut?
ENGLISH:
(translation courtesy of Ellen Kellman)
Say, what do Jews eat with great enthusiasm
At someone else's house or at home?
It's parve, neither dairy, nor meat,
But it's a dish that every Jew loves.
Say, what is every woman's ambition?
People love it, and we really don't know why
It's a Jewish dish with its own tradition
And what do people eat every Sabbath eve? Well, what?
Gefilte Fish, Gefilte Fish!
It's a dish that has a thousand flavors
I first tasted it at my mother's (table).
Oy, it is precious, it is good
A dish that belongs to the Jewish people
When you eat it, it melts in your mouth.
These gefilte fish are Jewish!
You come home from synagogue and stand up to make kiddish (the blessing over the wine).
In the house it's beautiful, clean and fresh
You sit down at the prepared table
And they serve up gefilte fish.
The Hungarian loves goulash with paprika
And the pole loves bigos (a stew), meat and bread.
The Russian mainly loves beet borsht
And the German (Jew) loves pasta with cabbage.
Rumanians like mamelige (polenta)
And the Georgian loves shashlik (kebab).
But none of the them knows what is good
And by all means, people tell us, come on, tell us already, what is good?
|
Streaming and Download help
If you like Two Shekel Swing, you may also like:
Bandcamp Daily your guide to the world of Bandcamp