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).
Look at this dress, Daddy dear,
the very latest fashion!
Such a dress, Daddy dear, not even
the governor’s wife possesses.
Such a dress, Daddy dear, not even
the governor’s wife possesses.
Oh, how lovely, how lovely
full of taste and full of charm!
In a dress like that – my word,
someone can really go dancing!
Look at these shoes, Daddy dear,
of the finest leather.
Shoes like that, Daddy dear,
not just anyone has,
Shoes like that, Daddy dear,
not just anyone has.
Oh, how lovely, how lovely,
full of taste and full of charm!
In such lovely shoes – my word,
someone can really go dancing!
Look at this fiancé, Daddy dear,
that I have gotten;
We’ve gone to the photographer
already, and had our picture taken.
Oh, how lovely, how lovely,
full of taste and full of charm!
With a fiancé like that
someone can really go dancing!
Ze dos kleydl, tateshi,
Di same letste mode!
Azoyns farmogt nisht, tateshi,
Di froy fun voyevode;
Azoyns farmogt nisht, tateshi,
Di froy fun voyevode.
Oy vi sheyn, oy vi sheyn,
Mole tam un mole kheyn!
In a kleydl, aza kleydl, —
Ken men khlebn tantsn geyn!
Ze di shikhlekh, tateshi,
Fun same bestn leder,
Azoyne shikhlekh, tateshi,
Hot dokh nisht ayeder;
Azoyne shikhlekh, tateshi,
Hot dokh nisht ayeder.
Oy vi sheyn, oy vi sheyn,
Mole tam un mole kheyn!
In azoyne sheyne shikhlekh,
Ken men khlebn tantsn geyn!
Ze dem khosn, tateshi,
Vos ikh hob bakumen;
Mir hobn zikh baym fotograf
Shoyn aropgenumen;
Mir hobn zikh baym fotograf
Shoyn aropgenumen.
Oy vi sheyn, oy vi sheyn,
Mole tam un mole kheyn!
Mit a khosn, aza khosn-
Ken men kh’lebn tantsn geyn!
זע דאָס קלײדל, טאַטעשי,
די סאַמע לעצטע מאָדע!
אַזױנס פֿאַרמאָגט נישט, טאַטעשי,
די פֿרױ פֿון װאָיעװאָדע;
אַזױנס פֿאַרמאָגט נישט, טאַטעשי,
די פֿרױ פֿון װאָיעװאָדע.
אױ װי שײן, אױ װי שײן,
מלא טעם און מלא חן!
אין אַ קלײדל, אַזאַ קלײדל, —
קען מען כ׳לעבן טאַנצן גײן!
זע די שיכלעך, טאַטעשי,
פֿון סאַמע בעסטן לעדער,
אַזױנע שיכלעך, טאַטעשי,
האָט דאָך נישט אַיעדער;
אַזױנע שיכלעך, טאַטעשי,
האָט דאָך נישט אַיעדער.
אױ װי שײן, אױ װי שײן,
מלא טעם און מלא חן!
אין אַזױנע שײנע שיכלעך
קען מען כ׳לעבן טאַנצן גײן!
זע דעם חתן, טאַטעשי,
װאָס איך האָב באַקומען,
מיר האָבן זיך בײַם פֿאָטאָגראַף
שױן אַראָפּגענומען.
אױ װי שײן, אױ װי שײן,
מלא טעם און מלא חן!
מיט אַ חתן, אַזאַ חתן,־
קען מען כ׳לעבן טאַנצן גײן!
Song Title: Ze Dos Kleydl, Tateshi
The Songs of Generations: New Pearls of Yiddish Song anthology comprises songs that were either never printed before or appeared in rare and inaccessible publications — sometimes in different versions and without proper sources. Most of the songs in this book were submitted by readers of Chana and Yosl’s column “Perl fun der yidisher poezye” (Pearls of Yiddish Poetry) in the Yiddish newspaper Der Forverts (The Forward), initiated in October, 1970. Over 25 years, thousands of songs were collected in correspondence and on cassettes from readers throughout the world, and they represent a veritable national Yiddish song archive. Chana Mlotek, in her introduction, writes, “In the course of years the inquiries, contributions and enthusiasm of these readers have kept our own interest unflagging and have reinforced our dedication to this effort. And in recent years our participants have also been augmented by new readers from the former Soviet Russia, who receive our newspaper there or from newly-arrived immigrants in this country and Israel.”
