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TUMBALALAIKA
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Yiddish - PLAY BALALAIKA |
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| טומבאלאלייקא | |
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Shteyt a bocher, shteyt un tracht, |
A young lad is thinking, thinking all night Would it be wrong, he asks, or maybe right, Should he declare his love, dare he choose, And would she accept, or will she refuse? Chorus: Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika tumbalalaika, play Balalaika, tumbalalaika - let us be merry. Maiden, maiden tell me again What can grow, grow without rain, What can burn for many years, What can long and cry without tears? Silly young lad, why ask again? It's a stone that can grow, grow without rain, It's love that can burn for many long years, A the heart that can yearn and cry without tears. |
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Translator's note:
Tumbalalaika is an old traditional Yiddish song from Russia or Poland.
It is a love song about finding a clever wife for marriage, who knows answers to all questions.
Languages on this page:
Yiddish - Hebrew - English - Swedish - Dutch - Russian - Portugese
| LYRICS | Folksong |
| MUSIC | Russian folk tune |
| SINGER | Various |
| CD | Theodore Bikel's Treasury of Yiddish Folk & Theatre Songs |
| DANCE CHOREOGRAPHER | Rivka Shturman 1970 |
| DANCE FORMAT |
| Words sent in by Mirjam Zach of Berlin, Germany |
| Portugese translation by Helena Wajsfels Zins of Sao Paulo, Brazil. |
| Song chords and words from Folksongs and Footnotes pages 57-59 scanned with the permission of Theodore Bikel |
| Contact the publisher of Hebrew Songs.com |
| Hebrew | English translation |
| Mah oseh, oseh hechalutz, Ksheh hu bah, hu bah lekibutz? Bah lekibutz, rotseh le'echol Ro'eh bachurah - shocheyach hakol. |
What does the pioneer do When he goes to the kibbutz? He comes to the kibbutz, wants to eat, sees a young woman - and forgets everything. |
| Swedish | Translation of Swedish version |
| Text Roland V Malmborg | |
| // Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalal a ika,// a E 7 / - a // tumbalalaika, s pela balal a ika. // -F a / d E 7 a 1. En yngling vandrar sakta i t a nkar. E 7 Hela natten hans hjärta b a nkar. a Ska han våga a tt henne fr å ga? F a S ka han v å ga visa sin l å ga? d E 7 a // Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalal a ika,// a E 7 / - a // tumbalalaika, s pela balal a ika. // -F a / d E 7 a 2. Flicka, flicka, får jag dig fråga: a E 7 Vad kan brinna utan låga? a Vad utom plogar är det som fårar? F a Vad kan gråta utan tårar? d E 7 a // Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalal a ika,// a E 7 / - a // tumbalalaika, s pela balal a ika. // -F a / d E 7 a 3. Kära du, så du kan fråga! a E 7 Kärlek kan brinna utan låga. a Ensamheten ansiktet fårar, F a Hjärtat kan gråta utan tårar. d E 7 a |
1. A young wanderer deep in thoughts his heart beating all night shall he dare to ask her? shall he dare to confide in her? 2. Girl, girl, may I ask you what can burn without firewood what can row without oars what can cry without tears 3. My dear, yes, you may ask, love can burn without firewood loneliness can row without oars the heart can cry without tears |
| Dutch First verse in Dutch with the last sentence in French, second verse in Afrikaans |
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| Ned. Tekst: Ed Jansen en Kees Verhaar | |
´s Avonds als het kampvuur weer brandt Refrain ´s Ochtends vroeg, het kampvuur gedoofd Refrain |
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| Russian | |
| Not a translation of the Yiddish but a different version to be sung to the same melody. It speaks of friends in the ghetto, of Umschlagplatz, Appell etc. (Thanks to Theo Bikel for the explanation) |
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| Portugese | Translation direct from the Yiddish |
| TOQUE BALALAICA | |
| O rapaz está quieto, quieto e pensando. Pensa e repensa a noite toda em como se declarar sem passar vergonha como se declarar sem passar vergonha. REFRÃO: tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaica tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaica tumbalalaica, toque balalaica tumbalalaica - e seja feliz. Garota, garota, quero te perguntar O que pode crescer, crescer sem chuva? O que pode queimar sem parar? O que pode ter saudade, chorar sem lágrimas? Rapaz tolo, prá que perguntar? Uma pedra pode crescer, crescer sem chuva. O amor pode queimar sem parar. Um coração pode ter saudade, chorar sem lágrimas. |
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