Jewish Life: The Old Country

When Eastern European Jews immigrated en masse to the United States in the 1880s and ’90s fleeing Czarist oppression and poverty, they brought with them a body of secular folk songs. Sung in Yiddish by men and women who came here from five villages (with English translations and explanations), this recording archives a lost way of life.

RELATED LESSON PLAN
"Israeli Song and Dance for Middle or High School Ensembles"

Track Listing

101	Am Kodoysh	Berish Katz	00:28
102	A-a lyu lyu	Dora Wasserman	00:44
103	In a Shtetele Pityepoy	F. Feingold	00:38
104	Cheder-Boys’ Taunts from Galicia	Unidentified man from Galicia	00:38
105	Vi azoy s'iz nisht git tsu geyn	Freda Lobell	01:53
106	Henich's vayb / Of azoy neyt a shnayder (This Is How a Tailor Sews)	Rachel Grover-Spivack	00:44
107	Hob ich mir a shpan (I Have a Coach)	Feygl Sultan	02:02
108	A redele iz si gore velt (The Whole World Is but a Wheel)	Israel Freed	01:46
109	A shadchen darf men kenen zayn (A Matchmaker's Trade Is a Special Skill)	Esther Drucker	01:30
110	Vos vilsti Mutter hobn? (What Do You Want from Me Mother?)	Ruth Rubin	01:22
111	Indroysn iz fintster (It Is Dark Outdoors)	Harry Ary	01:50
112	Fun groys dasad (In Great Pain)	Anna Berkowitz	01:34
113	Ich lig unter grattes (I Lie Behind Bars)	Harry Ary	02:05
114	Kadril (Quadrille)	Fanye Halpern	01:28
115	Betler lid (Beggar Song)	Yankl Zipper	01:15
201	Chassidic Tune	Avrom Yudin	02:20
202	Husiatiner Melody	Yankl Zipper	00:42
203	Chassidic Hopke	Avrom Yudin	01:12
204	Az Moshi-ach vet kumen (When the Messiah Comes)	Ruth Rubin	03:14
205	Zog mir mayn, shvester (Tell Me My Sister)	Rachel Grover-Spivack	01:06
206	Vos shloft ir, ir shlefer? (Why Do You Slumber, You Sleepers?)	Feygl Sultan	01:11
207	Di mashines klapn (The Machines Are Clattering)	Ruth Rubin	00:47
208	Ver es hot in blat gelezn (Oh Have You Read in the Newspapers?)	Mr. Persky	02:35
209	Fraytik inderfri (Friday Morning)	Freda Lobell	00:43
210	Zayt mir mezint, chovertes ole (Farewell, All My Friends - The Bride’s Farewell)	Rachel Grover-Spivack	01:56
211	Forn forstu fun mir avek (You Are Leaving Me)	Ruth Rubin	01:39
212	Five Wedding Tunes on a Fiddle	Berish Katz	02:25
213	Shlof mayn kind mayn treyst mayn sheyner (Sleep My Child My Lovely Comfort)	Feygl Yudin	03:02