A version of a humorous song that was popular in the Yiddish Revue theatres of Eastern Europe and the United States. Written by the folklorist and writer Wolf Younin and the Vilna poet Sh. Kahn, about 1927-1928. One version was previously published by Emil Saculet in 1959.
Should I sign myself up
for the Fire Brigade
and put on a red uniform?
Tell me my darling,
tell me, my lovely,
for I will listen only to you.
And I will dress up
in my calico dress
and wash my hair with kerosene.
We will promenade
with a desultory gait
and carry on a tender tête-à-tête.
Oh, I will ride around
with you all over the town
in my shiny cowhide boots,
I’ll treat you
to soda water
and call you my dearest, my precious.
And you will put on
the brass helmet
that shines like a golden crown,
and my girlfriends
will envy me
and say that you are a Somebody.
— Tsi zol ikh zikh farshraybn
In der pozharne komande
Un onton a roytn mundir?
Zog mir nor, lyubenyu,
Zog nor, krasavetse,
Vayl folgn folg ikh nor dir.
— Un ikh vel mir oysputsn
In mayn tsitsene platetse,
Un oystsvogn mit kerosin di hor,
Mir veln gulyayeven
Mit a medlener pokhodkele
Un firn a nyezhnem razgovor.
— Oy, ikh vel zikh arumfirn
Mit dir ibern shtetele
In glantsike shtivelekh fun yukht,
Kh’vel dir traktireven
Mit seltserske vasern
Un rufn mayn libste, mayn tsukht.
— Un du vest zikh onton
Di meshene kaskele
Vos glantst vi a gilderne kroyn,
Un mayne podrugelekh
Veln mikh mekane zayn
Un zogn az du bist a parshoyn.
— צי זאָל איך זיך פֿאַרשרײַבן
אין דער פּאַזשאַרנע קאַמאַנדע
און אָנטאָן אַ רױטן מונדיר?
זאָג מיר נאָר, ליובעניו,
זאָג נאָר, קראַסאַװעצע,
װוײַל פֿאָלגן פֿאָלג איך נאָר דיר.
— און איך װועל מיר אױספּוצן
אין מײַן ציצענע פּלאַטעצע,
און אױיסצװאָגן מים קעראָסין די האָר,
מיר װעלן גוליאעװען
מיט אַ מעדלענער פּאַכאָרקעלע
און פֿירן אַ ניעזשנעם ראַזגאַװאָר.
— אױ, איך װועל זיך אַרומפֿירן
מיט דיר איבערן שטעטעלע
אין גלאַנציקע שטיװעלעך פֿון יוכט,
כ’װעל דיר טראַקטירעװען
מיט סעלצערסקע װאַסערן
און רופֿן מײַן ליבסטע, מײַן צוכט.
— און דו װעסט זיך אַנטאָן
די מעשענע קאַסקעלע
װאָס גלאַנצט וױ אַ גילדערנע קרױן
און מײַנע פּאָדרוגעלעך
װעלן מיך מקנא זײַן
און זאָגן אַז דו ביסט אַ פּאַרשוין.
Song Title: Pozharne Komande
First published in 1972, Mir Trogn A Gezang: Favorite Yiddish Songs was reprinted six more times (in 1977, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000) due to popular demand. The songs in this anthology represent a sampling of beloved folk and well-known Yiddish songs, many of which are scattered in various song collections; some appear in very rare and inaccessible collections; and some were never before published. Folk songs comprise about a third of this volume and were selected mainly on the basis of popularity and sometimes for their historic significance. Needless to say, they are only representative of the vast, rich treasure of Yiddish folk material. The selection was made not only on the basis of personal preference, but in the knowledge they are favorites of many who sing these songs. Most of the songs represent the repertoire that was sung at Yiddish summer camps, May 1st demonstrations and at social gatherings. Many songs were introduced to American Jewry by Jewish immigrants who came to the United States after World War II, for whom these songs had been favorites in Poland and other East European communities destroyed by the Nazis.
