Re: Words to My Yiddishe Momme

[Bill Barabash <billb...>]

Mindy Lawton ((919)543-0971) wrote:
> 
> After many weeks of searching for the Engish words to the Yiddish
> song "My Yiddishe Momme" I finally broke down and bought the
> Connie Francis Tape and tried to figure out the words myself.
> I believe I got most of them but I do have a few questions remaining.
> What I believe the words to the song to be are below and here are my
> questions:

>  - The first line with arrows sounds something like "a skippered
>    vessel in the vale" but since I am not sure what that means I am
>    not sure it is right.  Also, I'm not even sure that line is English.

It's Yiddish: "A Yiddishe Momme, es gibt nit besser in der velt"
[A Jewish mother, there is none better in the world].

>  - The second line is definately Yiddish but if someone could tell me
>    what it meant that would be great.

Corrected: "A Yiddishe Momme, oy vay, vie bitter ven zie fehlt!"
[A Jewish mother, oh no, how sad when she's not there].

>  - In between that one line of Yiddish and the next stanza there are
>    two stanza's in Yiddish.  Can someone confirm that those two stanzas
>    in Yiddish are just a duplication of what was said in English or
>    am I missing half of the song.

The English is not a translation of the Yiddish
as far as I can tell.  Here's the Yiddish; perhaps
someone more fluent in Yiddish than me can translate:

  A Yiddishe Momme
  Words by Jack Yellen
  Music by Jack Yellen & Lew Pollack

<Schmaltz>

(First Yiddish verse:)     
  Ich vill bei eich a kashe fregen,
  Zugt mir ver es ken:
  Mit velche tiere fermegen
  Bentsht Gott alemen?
  Men koift es nit far kaine gelt;
  Dus gibt men nur imzist,
  Und doch, az men farleert dus,
  Vie fiel treren men fargist!
  A tzvaite gibt men keinem nit,
  Es helft nit kain gevain,
  Oy!  ver es hut farloren,
  Der vais shoin vus ich main.

(Chorus:)
  A Yiddishe Momme,
  Es gibt nit besser in der velt,
  A Yiddishe Momme,
  Oy, vay, vie bitter ven zie fehlt!
  Vie shain und lichtig iz in hoze
  Ven die Momme's du;
  Vie troirig finster vert ven Gott
  Nemt ihr uff oylem haboo!
  In vasser und fier
  Volt zie gelofen far ihr kind,
  Nit halten ihr tier,
  Dus is geviss die greste zind;
  Oy, vie glicklich und reich
  Is der mensh vus hut,
  Aza shaine matooneh 
  Geshenkt fin Gott,
  Nur ein altitshke, Yiddishe Momme,
  Momme mein!

(Second Yiddish verse:)
  Ver is eich ba der vigaleh
  Gezessen tog und nacht?
  Und ver hut ba eir kranken bet kein
  Oig nit tzugemacht?
  Ver hut far eich gekocht, gebackt,
  Gearbeit und geschhklaft?
  Und ver volt far ihr kind
  aveckgelaigt ihr letste kraft?
  Ba vaimen zeit ihr alle teier,
  Alle fein und git?
  Ver vult far eich gegeben
  Ihr letsten trupen blit?

(Chorus)

</Schmaltz>

> Thank you for all of your help.  You can post responses back onto this
> forum or send them directly to me at mlawton @ vnet.ibm.com
>                                                           Mindy

> MY YIDDISHE MOMME

> Of things I should be thankful for,
> I've had a goodly share;
> And as I sit here in the comfort,
> Of a cozy chair;
> My fancy takes me to a humble,
> East-side tenement;
> Three flights up in the rear,
> To where my childhood days were spent.

> It wasn't much like paradise,
> But mid the dirt and all;
> There sat the sweetest angel,
> One that I fondly call;
> A Yiddishe Momme,
> A skippered??? vessel in the vale???   <------------------------
> A Yiddishe Momme,
> Oy vey ve bitter ven ze fair.          <------------------------

> Her jewels and her treasures;
> She found them in her baby's smiles;
> Oh I know that I owe what I am today;
> To that kind little lady so old and gray;
> To that wonderful Yiddishe Momme,
> Of mine.

> My Yiddishe Momme.