Tumbalalaika
"Tumbalalaika"(Yiddish:טום־באַלאַלײַקע) is aRussian Jewishfolkand love song in theYiddish language.Tum(טום) is the Yiddish word for 'noise' and abalalaikais a stringed musical instrument of Russian origin.
Lyrics
[edit]| Yiddish | Transliteration | Translation[1] |
|---|---|---|
שטײט אַ בחור און ער טראַכט,
(או: שטײט אַ בחור, שטײט און טראַכט) |
Shteyt a bokher, un er trakht(alsoshteyt un trakht) |
A young lad stands, and he thinks |
Meaning
[edit]While most versions usea shteyn('a stone') as the answer to "what can grow without rain", some versions usefarshteyn('understanding').[2]
Cultural references and covers
[edit]- The songOver and OverbyNana Mouskouriuses this melody.[3]It followed the singer's french version "Roule s'enroule" (lyrics byMichel Jourdan).
- The song, "Tumbalalaika (The Riddle)" byNatalia Zukerman[4]is a poetic adaptation of this to English, with the chorus remaining in Yiddish.
- TheBarry Sistersversion of the song appears in episode 5, season 2 ( “Midnight At The Concord” ) ofThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
- Benny Hilladapted the melody for one of his own compositions,Anna Marie,which he performed on his first special forThames Televisionon November 19, 1969.[citation needed]
- The filmKhrustalyov, My Car!shows a young Jewish boy singing the song in Russian.
- The song is used in the filmSwingbyTony Gatlif.
- The song is used in the playAngels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National ThemesbyTony Kushnerand the film based on this play. It is sung by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg to Roy Cohn, dying of AIDS.[5]
- The song is used in the filmPrendimi l'anima/The Soul Keeper(2002) byRoberto Faenza.[6]
- The metal version of the song[7]is included in the first Metal Yiddish albumAlefBasebyGevolt,released in March 2011
- A pastiche of the song is used in the playThe Hamlet of Stepney Green: A Sad Comedy with Some SongsbyBernard Kops.
- The song is included in the albumHomenatge a Xesco Boix,a tribute toXesco Boix.The latter used to play in his concerts for children. Also included inCançons catalanes de Folkin 1976 (Terra Nostra).
- The song appears in the novelThe City BeautifulbyAden Polydoros.[8]
- A vietnamese version "Tình Nồng Cháy" (Passioned love) with lyrics by Anh Bằng, based on the english lyrics of "Over and Over" uses this melody.[9][10]
- The Berlin-based electro swing duo, Masha Ray, covered the song in 2023.[11]
References
[edit]- ^"Tumbalalaika".THE SONGS OF MY PEOPLE.Retrieved2024-02-11.
- ^"Tumbalalayka".
- ^"Choir takes to Elwood streets with Yiddish song",Australian Jewish News,November 22, 2021
- ^"Tumbalalaika (The Riddle) performed by Winterbloom".Ourstage.Retrieved8 December2015.
- ^"The Secret of Angels".The New York Times.March 27, 1994.Archivedfrom the original on 10 December 2018.Retrieved10 December2018.
- ^"YouTube film with Tumbalalaika in the moviePrendimi l'anima(2002) by Roberto Faenza ".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2013.Retrieved14 August2011.
- ^"Tum Balalayke".Archivedfrom the original on 2016-03-05.Retrieved2021-11-24– via soundcloud.
- ^Polydoros, Aden (2021).The City Beautiful.Inkyard Press.ISBN9781335402509.
- ^"Ca khúc vượt thời gian – Ca khúc nước ngoài (Timeless songs – Foreign songs)"
- ^"Youtube, performed by Phương Ly",
- ^Masha Ray - Tumbalalaika // Electro Swing Thing 206,retrieved2023-10-31
