Discover the Music

Folksong; the text of one stanza was published in 1912 by Y. L. Cahan. The Ukrainian equivalent, beginning with “Gdye eto ulitsa” was published by Z. Skuditski in 1936. Dov Noy and Meir Noy bring the first stanza in Yiddish, Hebrew and Russian. It also appears in another folksong “Du zolst nit geyn mit keyn andere meydelekh” (You Shouldn’t Go With-Any Other Girls). The second stanza of the present text was transcribed by the compilers from a recording of Jan Peerce. A related theme is in the song “Fargangene yorn” by Leyb Ayzn in Leye Bloch-Lederer’s collection Di shenste geklibene yidishe lider: “lkh ze nokh dem shtetl, ikh ze nokh di shil / lkh ze nokh dem taykhl vi oykh di vaser-mil / lkh ze nokh mayn libste fun vayt ergets dort / Zi kumt mir in kholem un redt nit keyn vort” (I still see the town, I still see the synagogue, I still see the brook and the mill. I still see my beloved in the distance. She silently comes to me in my dream.) Actress Mina Bern sang the song in the musical Those Were the Days.

Song attributed to Ben Zion Wittler (1907-1961). Popularized by Mike Burstyn.

Words and music by David Meyerowitz (1867-1943), published in 1934. In her book about the Lodz Ghetto, Gila Flam cites a song “It’s Shackles and Chains” with the opening melody of this song. A parody by Ruvn Lipshitz about the DP camp appears in his book Lebedik amkho (Bergen Belsen, 1946). The song was revived in the musical The Golden Land by Joanne Borts.

Words and music by David Meyerowitz (1867-1943).

S. Kaczerginski notes in Khurbn vilne that this was one of the songs the Jews of Vilna sang before meals at the order of the Nazis. Herman Yablokoff also writes of similar Nazi coercion in Grodno, his hometown, where he returned in 1960 and documented a survivor’s memories. She told him that on December 19, 1942, the “German murderers with blackjacks, knouts with pronged rods, butts of rifles, drove the Jews — children, old people, women with infants in their arms — through Zamkove Street. The ragged, naked skeletons, swollen from hunger, were forced under ‘threat of death’ to sing loudly “Yidl mitn fidl” (Yidl with the fiddle). . . ‘Vu zaynen mayne zibn gute yor’. . . it was a singing to the heavens that froze the blood in one’s veins.”

Hebrew words by the poet Judah ha-Levi (est. 1075-1141). Translated into Yiddish by Chaim Nachmen Bialik (1873-1934). The music by M. Shneyer (1885-1942) was published by Jos. P. Katz, N.Y. in 1917.

Sung by Chana Mlotek in the 1930’s and ’40’s in the United States. Mikhl Gelbart attributed the words to Moyshe Kulbak (1896-1940), one of the first Yiddish writers arrested and killed in the Soviet Union during the Stalinist purge. The text was published by Gelbart in 1937-8. The melody was used by Sam Liptzin for his song “Kumt aroys di zun” (When the sun comes out).

This lullaby was written by one of the last popular Yiddish folk poets, Mordkhe Gebirtig (1877-1942), who was killed by the Nazis. Author of the prophetic Es Brent Briderlekh (1938), Reyzele, Motele, Moyshele, Mayn Fraynd, Dray Tekhterlekh, and others, Gebirtig’s songs became immediate hits in the 1920’s. They were sung on both sides of the Atlantic, due largely to their popularization by celebrities of the Yiddish theatre such as Molly Picon. This charming lullaby is part of the standard repertoire of all singers of Yiddish song in the Americas, Soviet Russia and Israel.

Sung by an 8 year old boy in an orphan asylum in Lublin in 1945. Author unknown, music by Bernardo Feuer.

Words by Yiddish poet Itsik Manger (1901-1969); music by Abraham Ellstein (1907-1963) for the Yiddish film of the same name and starring Molly Picon. The refrain echoes the refrain of an older folksong “Tsen brider” (Ten brothers).

Words by Moishe Broderson (1890-1956), music by David Beigelman (1887-1944). In the children’s song anthology Unter di grininke beymelekh, compiled by S. Bastomski (1931) some of the words differ: “Noyt un tsores blien / Toyt un hunger vaksn,- / Darf men ibershmidn / Shtol oyf naye aksn” (Poverty and troubles bloom, death and hunger grow, so we must reforge the steel on new axles). Leizer Wolf paraphrased the song in “Tif in vald baym fayer” for the “Bin” (Bee) Scout Organization of Vilna (Binishe lider, 1932). His refrain reads: “Hey, hey, voyl di binen, / Voyl iz zey un gut, / Velder hobn zey in zinen, / Blumenzaft in blut” (Hey, happy are the Bees; happy and well; they have the woods on their minds; petal juice in their blood).

This song was first presented al the second public theatre performance in the Vilno ghetto in February, 1942. Words are by Leyb Rozental (See note about author in lkh Benk Aheym). Composer Misha Veksler (1907-1943), the conductor of the Jewish theatre orchestra in the Vilno ghetto, met his death during the liquidation of the ghetto in September, 1943.

Words by Louis Gilrod (1897-1930); music by David Meyerowitz (1867-1943). Sung by the famous actor and director Boris Thomashefsky in the play Tate-mames-tsores (The Troubles of Father and Mother), staged in 1908. The song was published anonymously in Ost und West (July, 1918) and was often erroneously attributed to Abraham Goldfaden and others. However, the song sheet published in 1932 carried the names of the actual author and composer.

Folk song (textual variant published in 1901 by S. Ginzburg and P. Marek; text and music published in 1912 by Y.L. Cahan). This dialogue or miniature folk play has many international parallels: the English “Whistle, Daughter, Whistle,” the German “Spinn, spinn, liebste Tochter,” the Polish “Dziwna, dziwna, oj dzwina ja matke mam,” the French Languedoc “Ma filha, tu vos una bela rauba,” the Alsatian “Mueder, ich will e Ding,” to mention a few.

Folksong published by M. Kipnis in 1918. In Populerste folks-lider, Kipnis states that this song originated in Vilna and referred to Yoshke, a member of the underworld, who was harassing Jewish tradesmen in the market place. When the Russo-Japanese war broke out in 1904 and Yoahke was ordered to the front, the elated Jews of Vilna made up a song about his parting with his bride. Compilers collected an additional stanza from Sonia Smolnlk Tencer (Montreal) in Hollywood, Fla. January, 1988; She heard it in Vilna in the 1930’s: “Oybn iz a brikele. / Un untn flist a taykhl, / Yoshke fort avek / Un lozt ir iber mit a baykhl.” (There’s a little bridge above and a stream flows below. Yoshke is going away and leaving her with a belly).

Words by the well-known Yiddish poet Itsik Manger (1901-1969). There are two popular melodies — one composed by David Beigelman (1887-1944) and the other by Henekh Kon (1898-1972) — both of which are presented here. They were transcribed by the compilers from recordings of Ben Bonus and Sidor Belarsky. In some versions of the song, the last line reads: "Un vos nokh —dos zog ikh nisht." (And what else [she gives] — I won't divulge). During the Holocaust, the more popular melody by Beigelman was used for Khane Kheytin's song "Ikh leb in geto in kavkaz" (I live in the Ghetto in the Caucasus), published by S. Kaczerginski in 1948: This melody was also used by Sam Liptzin for his song "Vi der zeyger tut a klung" (When the clock strikes).

Popular duet of the revue theatres in Poland. Words by Kasriel Broydo of Vilna (1907—killed by the Nazis); composer unknown. The song was submitted by actress-singer Mina Bern, who informed the compilers that she originally sang it with Joseph Widetzky in Vilna before World War II, later as a solo number in Israel in the late 1940s and finally with her husband Ben Bonus in New York. Sender Wajsman, Miami Beach, submitted a slightly different version . .

This song written by Shmerke Kaczerginski (see note about author in Friling). was dedicated to the children’s and youth club in the Vilno ghetto. Composer is Bayse Rubin who is believed to have survived the war.

Based on Genesis 13:18 and 15:15 and the promise that the seed of Abraham will be as plentiful as the dust on the earth and the stars in the firmament. Words by Simon S. Frug (1880-1918). Several melodies were composed by Abraham M. Bernstein and others. The one presented here is anonymous. It was sung by compiler Yosl Mlotek in the '30's in Warsaw and is similar to a version published by both H. Lefkowitch (New York) and in Talons harfe (Warsaw), 1917.

A bride’s farewell to her parents. Words published in 1901 by S. Ginsburg and P. Marek; words and music published in 1909 by Joel Engel and in 1911 by Z. Kisselgof.

Abraham M. Bernstein writes that klezmorim (musicians) played this melody at the end of the wedding when the in-laws would bid farewell and the mood was melancholy. Later, the melody changed into a happy one.

Sergei Prokofieff used the melody in his Overture on Hebrew Themes, Opus 34, composed in 1919. In that year, Prokofieff, who was on his first visit to the United States, went to Carnegie Hall for a concert by a group of former students of the St. Petersburg Conservatory and, as a result, Prokofieff became interested in Jewish themes. According to Nakhman Meisel, Simon Belilson, the head of the Zimroh Ensemble, gave Prokofieff a collection of Jewish melodies. Prokoflieff selected this and another for his overture. During his second visit to the United States, he adapted them for a small symphony orchestra. In 1946, the performance of the overture by the Carnegie Sextet received the Annual Recorded Music Award.

A bride's farewell to her parents. Words published in 1901 by S. Ginsburg and P. Marek; words and music published in 1909 by Joel Engel and in 1911 by Z. Kisselgof. Abraham M. Bernstein writes that klezmorim (musicians) played this melody at the end of the wedding when the in-laws would bid farewell and the mood was melancholy. Later, the melody changed into a happy one. Sergei Prokofieff used the melody in his Overture on Hebrew Themes, Opus 34, composed in 1919. In that year, Prokofieff, who was on his first visit to the United States, went to Carnegie Hall for a concert by a group of former students of the St. Petersburg Conservatory and, as a result, Prokofieff became interested in Jewish themes. According to Nakhman Meisel, Simon Belilson, the head of the Zimroh Ensemble, gave Prokofieff a collection of Jewish melodies. Prokofieff selected this and another for his overture. During his second visit to the United States, he adapted them for a small symphony orchestra. In 1946, the performance of the overture by the Carnegie Sextet received the Annual Recorded Music Award.

Words by ltsik Manger (1901-1969); music by Henech Kon (1898-1972) from Manger’s play Hotsmakhs tekhter (Hotsmakh’s Daughters). The play is based on Abraham Goldfaden’s operetta Di kishef-makherin (The Sorceress).

Satiric words by A. Litvin, pen name of S. Hurvits (1882-1943), which he adapted from the Russian poem “Kalistratushka” (Kallstrat [a name]) by N. Nekrasov. Melodic variants published in 1919 by Y. Glatshteyn in Warsaw and Simon Katz (in sheet music) by Carl Fisher, N.Y. Similar melodies to the one presented here were published in 1924 by S. P. Schack — E.S. Cohen, and in sheet music, in the arrangement of Ch. Kotylansky and H. A. Russotto, by Jos. P. Katz, N.Y.

Words by Wolf Younin (1908-1984); music by Sholom Secunda (1894-1974). Published in sheet music by Ethnic Music Publications, Inc., N.Y., 1970. Another stanza was submitted by Jacob Gorelik in "Pearls," July 27, 1984: "Du bist a feygele, ikh bin a nest,/ Lomir zikh keyn mol nit sheydn/ Un az s'veln onkumen shneyen un frest,/ Zol s'lid undz dervaremen beydn." (You are a bird and I a nest; let us never part. And when snow and frost come, may the song warm us both.)

Words by Zisha Weinper (1893-1957); music by Paul Lamkoff. Published in the composer’s collection Ten Hebrew Song Classics, Los Angeles, 1929. The song was also published in Zingendik, lider far yugnt, compiled by Raley (Vilna, 1936), and in the Kinder-Fraynd (Muzikalishe biblyotek, no. 6, [Warsaw, November 1937], as part of a play Tsu der zun (with texts by A. Katz and Z. Weinper, music and arrangements by I. Troupianski). It was sung in the film of the Medem Sanitarium Mir kumen on (We Are Coming) (see songs “Mir kumen on” and “Nor a mame”).