Tumbalalaika

Traditional Yiddish song from Poland or Russian, performed by voice and ukulele.

The lyrics:

Shteyt a bokher, shteyt un trakht
Trakht un trakht a gantse nakht
Vemen tzu nemen un nisht farshemen
Vemen tzu nemen un nisht farshemen

Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika
Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika, shpil balalaika
Shpil balalaika, freylekh zol zayn

Meydl, meydl, kh'vil bay dir fregn,
Vos ken vaksn, vaksn on regn?
Vos ken brenen un nit oyfhern?
Vos ken benken, veynen on trern?

Narisher bokher, vos darfstu fregn?
A shteyn ken vaksn, vaksn on regn.
Libe ken brenen un nit oyfhern.
A harts ken benken, veynen on trern.

It translates as follows:

A young lad stands, and he thinks
Thinks and thinks a whole night
Whom to take and not to shame
Whom to take and not to shame

Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika
Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika, strum balalaika
Tumbalalaika, may we be happy

Girl, girl, I want to ask of you
What can grow, grow without rain?
What can burn and never end?
What can yearn, cry without tears?

Foolish lad, why do you have to ask?
A stone can grow, grow without rain
Love can burn and never end
A heart can yearn, cry without tears

Video here.

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posted by Astro Zombie (3 comments total)

This works beautifully with the ukulele, as did the last one. Thank you so much for this.
posted by piratebowling at 6:50 AM on February 19, 2008

Awesome. When I read pirate's comment, I thought, "Yea, it kinda sounds like a balalaika!"

Then of course I heard and then read the lyrics. Thanks for posting this.
posted by snsranch at 4:49 PM on February 22, 2008

Two years later, archivist posts the same song. I like this version, too!
posted by not_on_display at 8:49 PM on February 23, 2010