Music of My Family, Music of My People - Click on a song name below to view its lyrics.

Shalom Aleichem Mama Loshen Deli Gefilte Fish Chiribim Elijahu Amar Rabbi Akiva V'Erastich Li Tumbalalaika Tumba Tumba Ba Simen Tov A Yohr Est Noch Mayne Chasene Rozhinkes Mit Mandel A Yidele Nigun Belz Aani Maamin Szól a Kakas - Yibonne Shalom Chaverim - Heveinu Shalom Aleichem

Shalom Aleichem     © 1996 Laszlo Slomovits ASCAP The words mean, "peace be with you." The phrase is used as a greeting. Its reverse, Aleichem Shalom, is said in response. That's Emily Rose singing at the beginning.

Mama Loshen     © 1998 Sandor Slomovits ASCAP There is no sound that's nearer, dearer to your heart There is no cheer, you long to hear more when you're apart Far from home, where 'ere you roam, no matter old or young When you hear, the words so clear in your mother tongue In your mama loshen, talking mama loshen Nonsense talking, or kiboshing Punning, rhyming or just joshing Ooh and aahing, Oh, my goshin', Toshing, boshing, even noshing Sounds of mama loshn, talking mama loshn Ribbing, fibbing, or ad libbing Kidding, glibbing, or outbidding, They will understand your meaning If you say it with real feeling In your mama loshen, talkin' mama loshen Father, mother, sister, brother They all jaw at one another Aunties, uncles, cousins, in-laws Nephews, nieces, granmas, granpas, Sounds of mama loshn, talking mama loshn Chew the fat right off the chicken Till the plot has really thickened They will understand your meaning If you say it with real feeling In your mama loshen, talkin' mama loshen Don't use jargon if you please Heaven help us, legalese Saints preserve us, medicalese, God forbid, bureaucratese That's not mama loshn, not talking mama loshn If you have a thing to say Speak your mind, and come what may They will understand your meaning If you say it with real feeling In your mama loshen, talkin' mama loshen Of course in matters of the heart Sometimes words can't do their part, Actions speak what words can't tell her, Be a mensch and be her feller Show your love you really miss her, plant a smacker on her kisser No words needed when you're huggin', When you feel your heart strings tuggin' If music be the food of love Why're we talkin' for heaven's above Let's just end this song by singin' wordless tunes and really swingin' Singin' mama loshn

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Deli     © 1998 Sandor Slomovits ASCAP Let's go get a sandwich at the Deli I'm sick and tired of peanut butter and jelly. Somethin' really good to fill my belly Let's go get a sandwich at the Deli. Cream cheese, swiss cheese, muenster and Dutch gouda Where else have you seen so much good fooda? Bagels, pumpernickle, onion rolls and rye Could go elsewhere, can't imagine why. Pesto, tomato and fresh mozzarella Grill it on rye, make me a happy fella Blintzes, latkes, hot potato knishes, We won't even have to do the dishes.

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Gefilte Fish     © 1997 Sandor Slomovits ASCAP Gefilte fish, such a dish, How could we do without it? Gefilte fish, so delish, There is no doubt about it. Made from scratch, a great big batch Of pickerel, trout and whitefish Eggs and sugar, salt and pepper Chop well, mix and squish, squish Add matzo meal, an onion peel And soon you will be crying Chop parsnip, parsley, not too sparsley It can be kind of trying Boil for hours, pots to scour I'm telling you it's worth it Cool a bissle, then you'll whistle Nothing quite just like it Use your kopf, it's not so tough The recipe's revealing Not specific, scientific, Made with love and feeling. Get your zayde, hot potato Sit down at the table Not bubbe meise, so much nicer Have it when you're able Friday night, such delight I get to eat my favorite Feeds my heart, my every part And nourishes my spirit.

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Chiribim     Traditional Yiddish The words chiribim and chiribom are the entire lyrics of this song. They don't mean anything. Sounds or syllables like this are sung by chosids to wordless tunes, called niguns.

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Elijahu     Traditional Hebrew Elijahu, hanavi. Elijahu, hatishbi. Elijahu, Elijahu, Elijahu hagileadi. Bimhera b'jomenu , yavo elenu. Im mosiach ben David, Im mosiach ben David. Elijah the prophet, from Gilead. May he come to to us speedily and in our day, bringing with him the Messiah, the son of David.

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Amar Rabbi Akiva Amar Rabbi Akiva. V'ahavta l'reacha, l'reacha kamacha. Ze klal gadol, gadol ba Torah. Rabbi Akiva said; Love your neighbor as yourself. This is the great teaching of the Torah. Love your neighbor as yourself.

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V'Erastich Li     Music © 1984 Sandor Slomovits ASCAP Hoseah Chapter 2, Verse 21: I will make you Mine forever. I will make you Mine through righteousness and justice, through loving kindness, mercy, and faithfulness and you shall know the Lord.

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Tumbalalaika     Traditional Yiddish Shteyt a bocher, uner tracht tracht, un tracht di gancer nacht vemen cu nemen, unit far shemen vemen cu nemen, unit far shemen Tell me my pretty one, tell if you know, What needs no rain and yet it can grow. Tell what can blossom, bloom through the years, Tell what can yearn and cry without tears Oh foolish boy, now surely you know, A stone needs no rain, and yet it can grow. True love can blossom, bloom through the years A heart when it yearns, cries without tears.

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Tumba Tumba Ba     Traditional Yiddish English translation © 1973 Murray Cartan Oifen oivn zits a meidle, Tumba Tumba Ba Un zi heft a zaidn kleidl, Tumba Tumba Ba In the hearth a fire is glowing, Tumba Tumba Ba In its glow a girl sits sewing. Tumba Tumba Ba Iz a bocher ongefloign, Tumba Tumba Ba Un hot dem fodem opgetsoign, Tumba Tumba Ba A young man comes from out of nowhere Tumba Tumba Ba And tugs the thread with which she sews there, Tumba Tumba Ba Ai du bocher, ai du faier, Tumba Tumba Ba Svet dich kostn zeir taier, Tumba Tumba Ba Oh my young man, can you hear me? Tumba Tumba Ba This little game can cost you dearly. Tumba Tumba Ba Nit mit shtrik vel ich dich pentn Tumba Tumba Ba Nor mit maine vaise hentlech Tumba Tumba Ba It won't be my thread which holds you Tumba Tumba Ba But my arms will soon enfold you Tumba Tumba Ba Chvel nit fregn dich fun vanen Tumba Tumba Ba Chvel nit oplozn fun danen Tumba Tumba Ba I don't know too much about you Tumba Tumba Ba I know that I can't live without you Tumba Tumba Ba Chvel dich halzen, chvel dich libn Tumba Tumba Ba Iz der bocher dort farblibn Tumba Tumba Ba I'll love you till I'm old and gray dear Tumba Tumba Ba The young man smiled and said, ?I'll stay here.? Tumba Tumba Ba Oifn oivn zitsn tsveien Tumba Tumba Ba Nit sei heftn, nit zei neien Tumba Tumba Ba They sit by that hearth still glowing Tumba Tumba Ba But they're not mending they're not sewing Tumba Tumba Ba

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Simen Tov Simen tov, u maazel tov, y'hei lanu u'lchol haolam. Traditionally sung at weddings and other joyous occasions, the words mean "may good luck come to us and the whole world."

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A Yohr Est Noch Mayne Chasene     Traditional Klezmer tune A Year Since My Wedding

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Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen     © Abraham Goldfaden From the Yiddish musical, "Shulamith." A mother sits in the synagogue singing to her baby. "When you grow up, you'll be a peddler. You'll have a goat and a cart and you'll be peddling Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen, raisins and almonds." In dem beys hamikdosh, in a vinkl cheyder zits di almone, Bas Tzion aleyn. Ir ben yochidl, Yidelen, vigt zi kiseyder, un zingt im tzum shlofn a lidele sheyn. Unter Yideles vigele. Shtet a klor vays tsigele. Dod tsigele iz geforn handlen. Dos vet zayn dayn baruf, rozhinkes mit mandlen. Shlofzhe, Yidele shlof.

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A Yidele Nigun     © 1998 Sandor Slomovits ASCAP A little Jewish wordless tune.

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Belz     Traditional Yiddish Wen ich derman mich fon maine kinderishe juhrn, azoj wie a chulem kumt mir dus fur. Cu steit noch dus Shtibele, wos es hot a mol ge glanct Cu stet noch dus bojmele, wos ich hab amul geflanct. Dus stibele iz alt, ein gevaksn mit moch un gruz. Dus stibele is calt und in the fenster is doch kein gluz. Der ganek is krimp, ein geboigen die vent ci het ich noch dus a mul derkent. When I remember my childhood years, they seem to me now like a dream. Is my little house is still standing? How it once used to shine. Is my little tree still growing, the one I planted so long ago? The house is old now and overgrown with weeds The house is cold now and the windows no longer have glass. The hallway is crooked, the walls are bent. Would I even recognize it now? Belz, mein shteitele Belz, mein heimele dort we chob meine kinderishe yourn fer brengt. Belz, my little village, Belz. My home where I lived my childhood years. A yeden shabbes fleig ich cu loifn mit alle chaverim gleich. Zetsn wir sich unter deim Boimele kukn dem rinerdichen taich. Every Shabbes I'd run and play with my friends. We'd sit under that tree and watch the water flow in the creek. Zent ihr shoen gevein a mul in Belz Hat ihr shoen gesein a mul Belz Have you ever been to Belz? Have you ever seen Belz?

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Aani Maamin     One of the Maimonedes Articles of Faith It is said that people on their way to their deaths in the concentration camps sang this song. It has become associated with the Holocaust. I believe with a perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah. And even though he may tarry, still I will wait for him.

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Szól a Kakas - Yibonne     Traditional Hungarian and Hebrew Szól a kakas már. Majdnem virad már. Zöld erd öben, sik mezöben sétál egy madár. Micsoda madár, micsoda madár, sárga lába, kék a szárnya, engem oda vár. Mikor lesz zaz már? Mikor lesz zaz már? Yibonne hamikdosh, ir tzion temalei, akkor lesz az már. The rooster is crowing now. It is almost light. In the green forest, in a meadow, walks a bird. And what a bird. Its legs are yellow, its wings are blue. It waits for me. When will that be? Yibonne hamikdosh ir Tzion temalei. V'sham noshim shir chodosh u'vir nono nale. May the Temple be rebuilt. May the city of Zion be filled with people. And there we will sing a new song, and we will go up in joy.

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Shalom Chaverim - Heveinu Shalom Aleichem Peace, my friends, till we meet again. Let us have peace.

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