Wholesale

The Wholesale Klezmer Band
Lyrics and Translations

On September 16th, 2006 the Wholesale Klezmer Band performed a concert at the Linda Norris Auditorium of Northeast Public Radio, WAMC in Albany, NY. Below are the lyrics and translations to the songs we performed.

REB YIDL GIB GELT (Hey Buddy, give money)
WAMC version

Yiddish vaudeville song by ...
English Verses Copyright © Yosl Kurland

Vilt ir a kosher yidl zayn?
Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
Mit a kosher shtik fleysh un a koshen vayn?
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt.
Vilt ir a koshern esrog amol?
A koshere mikve? Reb Yidl batsol.
Kharoyses un matses, un alts in der velt?
Mayn liber reb yidl, gib gelt, gib gelt.
Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
Azoy hot di heylike toyre geshtelt.
Vilt ir farkoyfn di eybike velt?
Reb Yidl. Reb Yidl gib gelt.

What kind of Jews do we have in this town,
Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
Will they build up their temple or watch it fall down,
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
Do you want a shul where to daven on Shabbos?
A non-sexist prayer book, a fresh clean pressed tallis?
A lulav and esrog to shake Succos day,
and a Succah to sit in, please Reb Yidl pay.

Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
In the words of the Toyre, the law we've been dealt,
Empty your pockets and tighten your belt,
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt.

Should every child learn to be a good Jew?
Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
A Hebrew school teacher must pay the rent too,
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
For stories and sermons we all like to hear
The rabbi works hard for us all through the year,
Do you want a Khazn to chant Kol Nidrey?
It costs, my dear friend, so please Reb Yidl pay.

Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
In the words of the Toyre, the law we've been dealt,
It's good for your spirit and good for your healt,
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt.

New verses for WAMC public radio by © Yosl Kurland

WAMC needs your help, my dear friend,
Reb yidl gib gelt, reb yidl gib gelt.
Or free public radio will come to an end,
Reb yidl, reb yidl gib gelt.

Do you want Scott Ritter* to tell you the truth?
Learn how Diebold threatens your dear voting booth?
From Bartok to Chartok** and all in between,
Reb Yidl give WAMC some more green.

Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
The message is clear, does it have to be spelt,
The fund drive is coming, for Alan** has yelt,
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt.

For All Things Considered (or Morning Edition) to bring you the News--
Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
Vox Pop and Round Table to hear a good shmooze--
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt.

For Wandele Fisher*** to play you a song,
And don't miss Herb London**** to tell you you're wrong,
From Cartalk to Chartok and every good show,
Reb Yidl, give WAMC some more dough.

Reb Yidl gib gelt, Reb Yidl gib gelt,
would you want your radio station to melt?
Before the last bell of the fund drive has knelled--
Reb Yidl, Reb Yidl gib gelt.

* Scott Ritter -- former UN weapons inspector in Iraq who said Bush lied about WMDs
**Alan Chartok, president and CEO of Northeast Public Radio, WAMC
***Wanda Fisher, host of WAMC's Hudson River Sampler, folk music show
****Herb London, weekly WAMC commentator who regularly berates liberals


Alts Far Gelt

Yiddish Vaudeville Song originally performed by Aaron Lebedef
New verse © by Yosl Kurland

Far gelt vet aykh libn a yeder
Far gelt halt men eytses mit aykh
Far gelt krigt ir koved keseyder
Far gelt me' nemt arop dem hitl far aykh
Far gelt zayt ir bay yedn tayer
Far gelt hot aykh yederer lib
Far gelt vet men loyfn in fayer
Un far gelt m'iz afile in grib.

      Alts far gelt, nor far gelt
      Dos bisele mezimen
      Oy far gelt, nor far gelt
      Ken men alts bakimen
      S'iz keyn zakh shver far aykh
      Ven ir hot gelt vet ir zayn raykh
      Oy vay dos gantse velt

Hot lib dos bisl gelt.
Far gelt vert ir fun mies sheyn
Far gelt vert ir fun narish klig
Far gelt hot ir bay yedn kheyn
Far gelt hot ir seykhl genig
Far gelt hot ir sheyne karetn
Far gelt lebt er zikh zeyer fayn
Far gelt est ir gute kotletn
Un far gelt trinkt ir dem bestn vayn.

(new verse)

Far gelt kent ir nokh gelt bakimen,
Far gelt iz ayer shem on a flek,
Far gelt kent ir ganvenen stimen,
Far gelt kukt der kateyger avek,
Far gelt kent ir ale bazign,
Far gelt Congress ligt in di hent,
Far gelt gloybt men ayerer a lign,
un far gelt kent ir vern president.

For money a person will love you,
For money people will consult with you,
For money people will honor you,
For money people will tip their hats to you
For money you are dear to everyone,
For money everyone loves you,
For money people will run through fire,
And for money they'll go to the grave.

      Everything for money, only for money,
      That little bit of cash,
      Oy, for money, only for money,
      Can one aquire everything.
      It's no difficult thing to understand,
      If you have money, then you're rich.
      Oy vey, the whole world,

Loves that little bit of money.
For money you turn from ugly to beautiful,
For money you turn from foolish to clever,
For money everyone thinks you're charming,
For money you have enough brains,
For money you have beautiful carriages,
For money you can live fine,
For money you can eat good cutlets,
And or money you drink the best wine.

(new verse)

For money you can get more money,
For money your reputation is spotless,
For money you can steal votes,
For money the prosecutor looks away,
For money you can defeat everyone,
For money Congress lies in your hands,
For money they'll believe your lies,
And for money you can become president.

Tsuzamen mitn Gelt

A traditional song in the form of a double alphabetical acrostic in Yiddish.
edited and translated by Yosl Kurland

Az nit keyn emune tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe arbetstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn bine tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe bistu af der velt?
Az nit keyn gemiles kh'sodim mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe geystu af der velt?
Az nit keyn da'as tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe darfstu di gantse velt?
Az nit keyn hakhnosos orkhim mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe helft dir di gantse velt?
Az nit keyn vatrones tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe vilstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn zkhus tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe zukhstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn khesed tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos far a khies hostu af der velt?
Az nit keyn tahara tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe toyg dir di gantse velt?
Az nit keyn yoysher tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe yogstu zikh af der velt?
Az nit keyn koved tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe khapstu di gantse velt?
Az nit keyn lamdones tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe lebstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn mitsves tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe makhstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn nemones tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe narstu zikh af der velt?
Az nit keyn savlones tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe sapetstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn anove tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos vestu entferen af der emeskiker velt?
Az nit keyn peyres tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe pravetstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn tsedoke tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos fara tsil hostu af der velt?
Az nit keyn kedushe tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe kvellstu af der velt?
Az nit keyn rakhmones tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe raystu zikh af der velt?
Az nit keyn Shabbos tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos-zhe shmaystu zikh af der velt?
Az nit keyn Toyre tsuzamen mitn gelt,
      vos fara terets hostu af der velt?

Without faith, together with your money,
      what good is it to work in the world?
Without understanding, together with your money,
      what good is you're being in the world?
Without acts of lovingkindness, together with your money,
      what good is it to go in the world?
Without wisdom, together with your money,
      what do you need in the world?
Without welcoming, together with your money,
     what can help you in the world?
Without generosity, together with your money,
      what do you want in the world?
Without merit together with your money,
      what do you seek in the world?
Without righteousness together with your money,
      what delight do you have in the world?
Without purity together with your money,
      what use are you to the world?
Without justice together with your money,
      what good is to chase yourself through the world?
Without honor together with your money,
      what good is it to grab the whole world?
Without learning together with your money,
      what good is it to live in the world?
Without God's commandments, together with your money,
      what good is what you do in the world?
Without trustworthiness, together with your money,
      why do you make a fool of yourself in the world?
Without patience, together with your money,
      what do you gasp for in the world?
Without humility, together with your money,
      what will you answer in the true world?
Without fruits, together with your money,
      what good is celebrating in the world?
Without charity, together with your money,
      what goal do you have in the world?
Without holiness, together with your money,
      what is there to be proud of in the world?
Without compassion, together with your money,
      what do you aspire to in the world?
Without Shabbos, together with your money,
      what good is bustling in the world?
Without Torah, together with your money,
      what is your justification in the world?

Szol a Kakas Mar

Music: Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Taub Lyrics: R Isaac Taub
This is a Yiddish translation of a Hungarian Jewish song.
In our recorded performance, we did only the first, second and last verses.

Krayen tut shoyn der hon
Der tog togt shoyn on,
In a grinem veldl, Nebn a pustn feldl
A feygele shpatsirt arum

Vos far a foygl iz dos?
Vos far a foygl iz dos?
Gele fisl, perl piskl
Kayn Yerusholayim vil zi geyn

Ober ven vet dos zayn?
Ober ven vet dos zayn?
Yibone Hamikdosh
Ir Tsiyoyn Temaley
Demolt vet dos zayn

Far vos vet dos nit zayn?
Far vos vet dos nit zayn?
U'Mipnei Chatoeni
Golini M'Artzeni.
Derfar vet dos nit zayn.

Vart, feygele, vart
Vart, feygele, vart
Adoneynu re'e v'onyeynu,
Demolt vet dos zayn

Vart, feygele, vart
Vart, feygele, vart
Az Got vet dir bashern
Vestu kayn Yerusholayim umkern
Demolt vet dos zayn

The rooster crows already,
The day dawns already,
In a green wood, next to an empty field,
A bird walks around.

What kind of bird is this?
What kind of bird is this?
Yellow feet, pearly beak,
She wants to go to to Jerusalem.

But when will that be?
But when will that be?
When the temple is rebuilt
In Zion's holy city,
That's when it will be.

Why doesn't it happen?
Why doesn't it happen?
Because of our sins
We were exiled from our land.
That's why it doesn't happen.

Wait little bird, wait,
Wait little bird, wait,
When God sees and hears us
That's when it will happen

Wait, little bird, wait.
Wait, little bird, wait.
When God will command you,
To Jerusalem will you return,
That's when it will happen

Motl the operator - by Khayim Tauber

used by permission
New verses © 2004 by Yosl Kurland

Motl der opreyter
in shop dort shtendik neyt er
ale yorn er geyt arum in shpan
er dreyt di keterinke
un shvitst bay der mashinke
Motl iz a voyler yunger man

Motl hot a vayb un kinder tsvey.
Shver un biter arbet er far zey.
Un vayl Motl arbet shverer,
fardint der bos altz merer,
un Motl blaybt der zelber oriman.

Voszhe vil den Motl
der opreyter Motl,
er vil nik kayn ashires un keyn gelt.
Er vil far vayb un kinder broyt
un amol a shukh, a kleyd.
Motl vil nit keyn sakh fun der velt.

A strayk hot oysgebrokhn,
shoyn gantse tsvelf vokhn,
un Motl iz a guter yunyon man.
Motl der opreyter,
az men shikt im, geyt er,
un mit ale in der piket layn.

In shtub, zayn vayb mit kinder tsvey,
on a shtikl broyt dort zitsn zey,
tut Motl vey dos harts,
in ponim iz im shvarts,
er dreyt lebn shop mit a sayn.

In piket layn shteyt Motl,
un a gengster mit a botl,
bafaln iz im dort in mitn gas.
Mitn flash vos er't gehaltn,
hot er Motls kop tseshpaltn,
in zayn eygn blut vert Motl nas.

gevorn iz a tuml a geshrey,
gebrakht im tsu zayn vayb un kinder tsvey,
zey veynen, gisn trern,
nor Motl ken nisht hern,
Motl hot ge-endikt shoyn zayn job.

Voszhe vil den Motl
der opreyter Motl,
er vil nik kayn ashires un keyn gelt.
Er vil far vayb un kinder broyt
itst ligt shoyn Motl toyt,
Motl vil nit keyn zakh fun der velt.


S'iz shoyn lang zibetsik yorn,
vos ligt Motl in zikorn,
men halt im far a held bay arbetslayt,
Hot der yunyon zikh fargresert
hobn di arbeters zikh farbesert,
un Motls kinder oykhet mit der tsayt.

In aziye vert geboyt
dort, in mitn shtarker noyt,
fabrikn vos far Motls a farbayt.
mentshn shtarbn bay mashinkes,
fabritsirn fentsy snikers,
to zog zhe vos tsu undz iz der badayt?

Yidn, hert zikh tsu tsu vos ikh zog.
Fabrikn vern farshlosn yedn tog,
Farkoyfn vilt ir ayer toyre,
far a bilig shtikl skhoyre,
fun a svetshop in a land gor vayt?

vos hot gevolt den Motl,
der opreyter, Motl,
er't nit gevolt keyn raykhkayt un keyn gelt.
Er hot gevolt far mentshn rekht,
Az me zol nit zayn keyn knekht.
Gevolt hot Motl mer nisht fun der velt.??

      

Motl the sewing machine operator,
there in the shop he's always sewing,
all his years he goes around in the routine.
he turns the crank,
and sweats at the machine,
Motl is a worthy young man.

Motl has a wife and two children,
hard and bitter he works for them
and the harder he works
the richer becomes his boss,
while Motl remains the same poor man.

What does Motl want,
Motl the operator?
he wants no riches or money,
he wants for wife and children bread,
and sometimes a shoe, a dress,
Motl wants not much from the world.

A strike has broken out,
already twelve weeks,
and Motl is a good union man.
Motl the operator,
where he's sent, he goes,
and with the others he's in the picket line.

In the house, his wife and 2 children,
without a scrap of bread they sit there.
Motl is heartbroken
before him is darkness,
he circles in front of the shop with a sign.

Motl stands in the picket line,
and a gangster with a bottle,
assaults him there in the street.
With the bottle that he held,
He broke Motl's head,
Motl is drenched in his own blood.

There is a tumult and a scream
they brought him to his wife and two chidren,
they weep and pour out tears,
but Motl cannot hear,
Motl has finished his job.

What does Motl want?
Motl the operator?
He wants no riches or money.
He wants for wife and children bread,
Now he lies dead.
Motl wants nothing from the world.


It's already seventy years
that Motl lies in memory,
Among workers he's considered a hero.
The union grew
the workers bettered themselves,
and with time, Motl's children, too.

In Asia are built,
there, amid great poverty,
factories, replacements for Motl's own.
People die at their machines,
manufacturing fancy sneakers,
so, tell me what has this to do with us?

Friends, listen to what I say,
Factories are closing every day.
Will you sell out your principles
for a cheap piece of merchandise
from a sweatshop in a distant land?

What did Motl want,
Motl the operator?
He didn't want riches or money.
He wanted human rights for people,
that no one should have to be a slave.
Motl wanted nothing more from the world.

Additional lyrics to songs written or performed by Yosl Kurland can be found at: Prayer for a Broken World

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