Yiddish Curiosities: a library of wonderful but forgotten Yiddish songs from the late 1920s and after (includes Polish Jewish Cabaret). Have a listen!

Isn't this a wonderful cover? Menakhem Kipnis was a collector of Yiddish folksongs; his two books (60 folkslider and 80 folkslider) have been Yiddish singers' bibles for decades. I recently put them together into one book and indexed them all over again so it is easier to find the songs. You can buy it cheap: Menakhem Kipnis 140 folkslider at Createspace.

While I was re-indexing I was intrigued by this particular drinking song. It's a witty conglomeration of Hebrew and Yiddish and as you'll see after the jump, it tells us that everybody, from the high and mighty to the lowly, likes to get drunk. I had a lot of help working it out.

Click here for Eylu voeylu sheet music:

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Here's the animated music video I made:



Eylu voeylu tsoyakim bokh

Balebatim hayoyshvim beboseyhem
Vshoysim yayin bikeleyhem
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim bokh
A trunk bronfn vilt zikh dokh

Balebatim vos voynen in eygene hayzer
Trinken oys bronfn gantse brayzer
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim bekoyl
A trunk bronfn iz dokh voyl



Dayonim hayoyshvim eytsel haknesl
Hashoysim yayin fule fleshl
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim bekoyl
A trunk bronfn iz dokh voyl !

Rabonim vos lernen mishnayes peysek
Trinken bronfn mit groys kheyshek
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim bokh
A trunk bronfn vilt zikh dokh

Ganovim hayoyshvim bemakteres
Vshoysim yayin bikley kheres
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim khay
A trunk bronfn podavay!

Ganovim, vos brekhn shleser fun shtol
Trinken bronfn gor on a tsol
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim khay
A trunk bronfn podavay!


Doktoyrim vos makhn dem khoyle kranker
Trinken bronfn a gantsn anker
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim bokh
A trunk bronfn vilt zikh dokh

Hendler hayoyshvim eytsel hahendl
Vshoysim yayin a fule fendl
Eylu voeylu tsoyakim bekoyl
A trunk bronfn iz dokh voyl!

Melamdim vos lernen mit kinder gemore
Trinken bronfn in der grester tsore
Eylo voeylu tsoyakim khay
A trunk bronfn podavay!

Arbeter fun fabrikn un mayster krayen
Trinken bronfn un makhn a lekhayim
Eylo voeylu tsoyakim khay
A trunk bronfn podavay!

Homeowners who sit in their houses
Drinking wine from their vessels
All of them yell to you:
"A drink of whiskey is wanted!"

Homeowners who live in their own houses
Drink all the whiskey, whole breweries full
All of them yell in one voice:
"A drink of whiskey is really great!"

Rabbinic judges hanging out at shul
Drinking a full flask of wine
All of them yell in one voice
A drink of wine is really great

Rabbis who teach mishna judgement
Drink wine very lustily
All of them yell to you:
A drink of whiskey is wanted!

Thieves hanging out in their hiding place
Drink while from ceramic jugs
All of them yell "L'chayim!
Give me a drink of whiskey!"

Thieves who break the stable locks
Drink whiskey endlessly
All of them yell "L'chayim!
Give me a drink of whiskey!"

Doctors who make their patients sicker
Drink a whole anchor? of booze
All of them shout out:
A drink of whiskey is wanted!

Merhants, sitting by their businesses
Drink a full pot of wine
All of them should at the top of their voices:
A drink of whiskey is really great!

The teachers who study gemorah with the shildren
Drink booze in the times of greatest trouble
All of them shout out "L'chaim!
Give us a drink of whiskey!"

Factory workers and master craftsmen call out,
They drink booze and say l'chaim
All shout out l'chaim together:
Give us a drink of whiskey!

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Found in "Voices of a People: The Story of Yiddish Folksong" by Ruth Rubin (her translation) below:

Evyoynim haholkhim iber di hayzer
V'shosim yayin iber di brayzer.
Elu voelu hatso-akim bokh!
A trunk bronfn vilt zikh dokh!

Balebatim hayoyshvim b'botehem
V'shoysim yayin bikhleyhem
Eu voelu hatso-akim khay
A trunk bronfn podavay!

Dayonim hayoyshvim eytsel haknesl
Hashoysim yayin a fule fleshl
Elu voelu hatso-akim bokh!
A trunk bronfn vilt zikh dokh

Hendler hayoyshvim eytsel hahendl
V'shoysim yayin a fule kendl
Elu voelu hatso-akim khay
A trunk bronfn podavay!

Paupers going from house to house
Drink wine in all the saloons
They should aloud to the Lord:
We want a drink of whiskey!

Property owners sit in their houses
Drinking wine out of their dishes.
They shout aloud: to life!
Give us a drink of whiskey!

Judges sit near the house of worship
Drinking wine out of the bottle
They should aloud to the Lord:
We want a drink of whiskey!

Merchants sit near their business
Drinking wine by the ladle
They shout aloud: to life!
Give us a drink of whiskey!

Labels: booze, gangsters, humor & satire, klezmer, yiddish song