Oy, Mame, Bin Ikh Farlibt (Oh, Mama, I'm in Love)

When he plays on his fiddle a pretty heartfelt Yiddish song,

Oh, mama, I’m good & happy.

With his pretty black eyes, he has me sworn to him.

Oy, mama, nice and good am I.

 And when he says, “Hey girl, you’re so lovely and fine,”

And his playing creeps into the heart, makes one dance, makes one sing,

Oy gevalt, I’m jumping, I couldn’t be more into him.

Oy mama I'm so in love. Oy mama I'm so in love.

A musician boy I’m devoted to.

I’ve lost my sense.

I cry and laugh and just don't know what world I'm living in.

Oy mama I'm so in love. Oy mama I'm so in love.

I’d go around the whole world pressed close to him.

Oy mama, I'm so in love.

YIDDISH:

Ven er tsu-shpilt zikh oyf zayn fi-dl, a sheyn hart-sig Yid-ish li-dl,

Oy, ma-me, vert mir gut on a shir.

Mit zay-ne shey-ne shvar-tse oy-gn, hot er dan mir tsu-ge-tsoy-gn,

Oy, Ma-me, voyl un gut iz mir.

Un ven er zugt, "Hey, du mey-dl, bist doch azoy lib un ey-dl,"

Un zayn shpi-ln krikht in har-tsn a-rayn.

Vilt zikh tan-tsn, vilt zikh zing-en, oy ge-valt ikh ver-tsu-shpring-en

On im oy ken ikh mer nit zayn.   

Oy ma-me bin ikh farlibt

Oy ma-me bin ikh farlibt

A klezmer yingl mame ge-trai-e ligt mir nor in zin

Ickh veyn un lakh un veys nit mama, oyf vel-che velt ikh bin.

Oy ma-me bin ikh farlibt

Oy ma-me bin ikh farlibt

'kh'volt di gantze velt arum-ge-numen un tzu-ge-drikt tzu zikh, oy

Oy ma-me bin ikh farlibt!

Words and music by Abe Ellstein

My Heart Belongs to Daddy (Mayn Harz Iz Nor far Tateh)

Katchie's Yinglish version of Cole Porter's lyric:

Vayl shpilen off a round of golf,

I may shpilen zikh mitn caddy

But when I do, I’ll not follow through

‘Cause my heart belongs to Daddy.

When I in-vite a boy some night

Far esn mayn fayn finnan haddie

Oy, ikh adore his ask-ing for more,

Vayl mayn harz iz nor far Daddy.

Oy, mayn harz iz nor far Tateh

Hok mir nit kayn tchaynik mayn fraynt,

Oy, mayn harz iz nor far Tateh

Ta-ta-ta-boy-boy-boy-day-day-day.

So I have to warn you, lad-die,

Though I know you're per-fect-ly swell,

Vayl mayn harz iz nor far Daddy

‘Cause my Tateh, he treats me so well.

Ikh Zing (I Sing)

King Solomon sang a love song to his Shulamit.

And just like Solomon, my love, I now bring my song to you.

I sing my Song of Songs for you.

With love I adorn it,

only for you, soul of mine,

I sing my dreams

My love for you is like a dream

Only for you, my comfort,

When I’m about to die from longing

for you, my beloved.

And when I still think

that you will once again be mine,

I sing my song from the heart,

my Song of Songs again.

Beloved, for you I sing.

YIDDISH:

Ikh zing far dir mayn shir ha-shi-rim,

Mit li-be ikh ba-tsi-rim,

Far dir nor ne-sho-me mayn.

Ikh zing, far dir may-ne kha-loy-mes,

Mayn li-be vi a troym iz,

Fun dir nor ne-kho-me mayn.

Ven ikh gey oys fun ben-ken

nokh dir ge-li-bte mayn.

Un ven ikh halt in eyn den-ken

az du vest nokh a-mol

may-ne zayn.

Ikh zing fun har-tzn may-ne li-der,

Mayn shir ha-shir-im vi-der  

Ge-lib-te, far dir ikh zing.

By Abe Ellstein and Molly Picon

Bay Mir Bistu Sheyn (By Me, You're Lovely)

Yiddish:

Kh’vel dir zogn, dir glaykh tzu hern
Az du zolst mir libe erklern
Ven du redst mit di oygn
Volt ikh mit dir gefloygn vu du vilst
S'art mikh nit.
Un ven du host a bisele seykhl
Un ven du vaytzt dayn kindershn shmeykhl
Ven du bist vild vi Indiana
Bist afile Galitsianer
Zog ikh: dos art mikh nit.

Zog mir vi erklerstu dos?

‘Kh’vel dir zogn shoyn farvos.

Bay mir bistu sheyn,

Bay mir hos tu kheyn

Bay mir bistu eyner oyf der velt.

Bay mir bistu gut

Bay mir hostu “it”

Bay mir bistu tayerer fun gelt.

Fil sheyne Yinglekh

hobn shoyn gevolt nemen mikh,

Un fun zey ale oysgeklibn hob ikh nor dikh.

English:

I'll say to you so you'll hear it, "I love you."

When you speak with your eyes,

I’d fly with you wherever you wish, I don’t care where.

Whenever you have a bit of sense,

And when you show your childlike little smile,

Whenever you’re as wild as a crazy person,

Even when you're a Galitzyaner,

I say, "It doesn't bother me."

How do you explain this?

I want to tell you why already.

To me, you are lovely,

To me, you are charming.

To me, you’re the only one in the world.

To me, you are good,

To me, you have “it,”

To me, you’re more precious than money.

Many pretty boys

Wanted me for a wife already

But among them all I chose only you.

Abi Gezunt (You Got Your Health)

Yiddish lyric:

A bisl zin, a bisl regn

A ruig ort dem kop tzu leygn

Abi gezint, ken men gliklakh zayn

A shikh a zok, a kleyd on lates

In keshene, a dray fir zlotes

Abi gezint, ken men gliklakh zayn

Di luft iz fray far yedn glaykh

Di zin zi shaynt far yedn eynem, orem oder raykh.

A bisl freyd, a bisl lakhn

A mol mit fraynt, a shnepsl makhn

Abi gezint, ken men gliklakh zayn

Eyner zikht ashires, eyner zikht gevires

Aynemen di gantze velt

Eyner meynt dos gantze glik

Hengt nor up in gelt

Zoln ale zikhen, zoln ale krikhen

Nor ikh trakht bay mir

Ikh darf dos oyf kapures

Vayl dos glik shteyt bay mayn tir

A bisl zin, a bisl regn

A ruig ort dem kop tzu legn

Abi gezint, ken men gliklakh zayn

Katchie's English lyric (some poetic license, but fairly literal)

A little sun, a little rainin’

A quiet spot to lay your noggin

You got your health? Thank your lucky stars.

A shoe, a sock, a dress sans patchin’

A little jar to keep some cash in

You got your health? Thank your lucky stars.

The air is free for all who breathe it

The sun will shine on everybody--who can feel it

A little joy, a little laughter

A toast with friends, some schnapps for after

You got your health? Thank your lucky stars.

Some’ll chase a fortune

Some are seekin’ stardom

Others want the whole shebang

Some folks think that all that counts is what’s in the bank

Let ‘em all keep lookin’

Let ‘em all keep searchin’

I don’t ask for more

I can do without, as long as luck stays by my door

A little sun, a little rainin’

A quiet spot to lay your noggin

You got your health? Thank your lucky stars.