Just played this again this evening. Tears in my eyes given the total shite going on in the world and Iretz Yisroel in particular. My heart is with all who have suffered and I pray for humanity to bring forward real leaders with courage and heart for all.
Tumbalalaika" (Yiddish: טום־באַלאַלײַקע) is a Russian Jewish folk and love song in the Yiddish language. Tum (טום) is the Yiddish word for 'noise' and a balalaika is a stringed musical instrument of Russian origin. Lyrics / A young lad stands, and he thinks Thinks and thinks the whole night through Whom to take and not to shame Whom to take and not to shame (chorus) 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? (chorus) 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 (chorus) What is higher than a house? What is swifter than a mouse? What is deeper than a well? What is bitter, more bitter than gall? (chorus) A chimney is higher than a house A cat is swifter than a mouse The Torah is deeper than a well Death is bitter, more bitter than gall (chorus) Lyrics/ Hebrew transliteration Shteyt a bokher, un er trakht (also shteyt un trakht) Trakht un trakht a gantse nakht Vemen tzu nemen un nit farshemen Vemen tzu nemen un nit farshemen (chorus) Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika, shpil balalaika Tumbalalaika (also 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? (chorus) 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. (chorus) Vos iz hekher fun a hoyz? Vos iz flinker fun a moyz? Vos iz tifer fun a kval? Vos iz biter, biterer vi gal? (chorus) A koymen iz hekher fun a hoyz. A kats iz flinker fun a moyz. Di toyre iz tifer fun a kval. Der toyt iz biter, biterer vi gal. (chorus) Lyrics/ YiddishTransliterationTranslation[1] שטײט אַ בחור און ער טראַכט, (או: שטײט אַ בחור, שטײט און טראַכט) טראַכט און טראַכט אַ גאַנצע נאַכט: וועמען צו נעמען און ניט פֿאַרשעמען, וועמען צו נעמען און ניט פֿאַרשעמען? טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַלײַקע טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַלײַקע טום־באַלאַלײַקע, שפּיל באַלאַלײַקע, טום־באַלאַלײַקע, פֿריילעך זאָל זײַן! (או: שפּיל באַלאַלײַקע, פֿריילעך זאָל זײַן!) מיידל, מיידל, כ'וויל בײַ דיר פֿרעגן: וואָס קען וואַקסן, וואַקסן אָן רעגן? וואָס קען ברענען און ניט אויפֿהערן? וואָס קען בענקען, וויינען אָן טרערן? טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַ... נאַרישער בחור, וואָס דאַרפֿסטו פֿרעגן? אַ שטיין קען וואַקסן, וואַקסן אָן רעגן, ליבע קען ברענען און ניט אויפֿהערן, אַ האַרץ קען בענקען, וויינען אָן טרערן! טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַ... וואָס איז העכער פֿון אַ הויז? וואָס איז פֿלינקער פֿון אַ מויז? וואָס איז טיפֿער פֿון אַ קוואַל? וואָס איז ביטער, ביטערער ווי גאַל? טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַ... אַ קוימען איז העכער פֿון אַ הויז, אַ קאַץ איז פֿלינקער פֿון אַ מויז, די תּורה איז טיפֿער פֿון אַ קוואַל, דער טויט איז ביטער, ביטערער ווי גאַל! טום־באַלאַ, טום־באַלאַ...
These songs are TIMELESS, but let us NEVER forget them. Please remember, they were almost wiped off the face the Earth 83 years ago. PLEASE, NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.
Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, Tum balalaika, shpil balalaika, tum balalaika, freylekh zol zayn. Shteyt a bokher un er trakht, trakht un trakht a gantse nakht, Vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen? Vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen? Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, Tum balalaika, shpil balalaika, tum balalaika, freylekh zol zayn. Meydl, meydl, ikh vel bay dir fregn, vos ken vaksn, vaksn on regn? Vos ken brenen un nit oyfhern? Vos ken benken, veynen on trern? Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, Tum balalaika, shpil balalaika, tum balalaika, freylekh zol zayn. 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. Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika, Tum balalaika, shpil balalaika, tum balalaika, freylekh zol zayn.
Пророссийски настроенным германским экстермистам уехавшим воевать против Украины пожелание от дедушки берлинского. Пусть земля вам будет бетоном, а бушлат-сосновым или берёзовым. На старом кладбище Вермахта в Украине. Слава Украине!
Shteyt a bocher, shteyt un tracht, tracht un tracht a gantze nacht. Vemen tsu nemen un nit far shemen, vemen tsu nemen un nit far shemen. Refrain: Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika tumbalalaika - freylach zol zayn. Meydl, meydl, ch'vel bay dir fregen, Vos kan vaksn, vaksn on regn? Vos kon brenen un nit oyfhern? Vos kon benken, veynen on treren? Narisher bocher, vos darfstu fregn? A shteyn ken vaksn, vaksn on regn. Libeh ken brenen un nit oyfhern. A harts kon benkn, veynen on treren
The song is well remembered by survivors of Soviet (Stalin's) Shoa: 1952-1953, when many Jews all over the USSR were killed, crippled, sent to GULag or lost their jobs. In 1952 or 1953 my aunt, a young doctor in Pavlovsk, Leningrad Oblast, was dismissed from her doctor' s position and she was lucky to get job as a cleaner. At the very same hospital she used to work as a doctor. GLORY TO THE USSR AND PUTIN'S USEFUL IDIOTS IN THE WEST!
I had never heard of Ruth Rubin previously - my loss - she has a beautiful lyrical voice very easy on the ear - they harmonise and blend perfectly.....
OMG I haven't heard this grade school choir! I'm so happy to find this. I love the cadence to this song, it's so easy to get wrapped up in it when I sing. I'm glad he mentioned what it's about for us English speakers, for anyone who wants the exact English lyrics to the verses it goes like this: Maiden maiden tell me true What can grow without the dew What can live for years and years What can cry and shed no tears? Silly boy the answer true A stone can grow without the dew Love can burn for years and years A heart can cry and shed no tears! Now, can anyone tell me what Tumbala laika translates to? I thought it meant make noise on the instrument or make a musical noise, with tum meaning noise and balalaika being an instrument, but they've separated the words differently, they're not that at all, so I know I'm wrong.
There is a balalaika- musical instrument, that was popular in Russia until the 20th century. I guess, it was popular among Russian Jews as well. It’s a string instrument. it should be tum balalaika, where tum means nothing but bom-bom, or that sort of things. Tum has no meaning. I hope it helps.
I've truly fallen down the rabbit hole for pete seeger, every song i listen by him it makes me wish more and more i knew of him when he was still around. An amazing soul with such wisdom and knowledge. Thank you for uploading this :)
Tum balalaika, also written sometimes "Tumbalalaika", is a Russian-Jewish lovesong, sang in the Jiddish language. Nothing is to be found about the real origin of the song, but it is certain that it finds its origins in the 19 th century. It was written in the natural minor scale, in 3/4. The meaning of the title might be hard to explain: especially the word "tum" causes a difficulty, as there is no such word in Russin language. Some people thought that "tum" could stand for the sound of touching the strings of the balalaika. Other sources say that "Tum" is the Jiddish word for "noice", which could be an acceptable explanation. "Balalaika" of course stands for the Russian instrument. This refering to the Russian musical instrument is also a strange fact, as the balalaika is not commonly used in Jewish bands: they all do prefer violins.
The melody of Tum Balalaika has been used by Nana Mouskouri in her song "Over and over". Benny Hill adapted the melody for one of his own compositions "Anna Marie". It was used in the movie "Swing", by Tony Gatlif, in "The soul keeper", in the play "Angels in America" and many others. The famous cantors B. Miller (Canada), A. Mizrahi (USA) and N. Heistik (Israel) were performing it during their tour "Cantors, a faith of song" at the Portugueze synagoge in Amsterdam in 2003.
The song itself is about a boy who wants to find himself a wife. As he intends to choose a smart girl, he stays up late at night inventing riddles in order to test his bride. This is what he asks: what can grow without rain, what can burn without being consumed by the fire and what can cry without tears? The young girl of course is very smart and she answers: a stone can grow without water, love can burn without being consumed by the fire and a heart can cry without tears. Tum Balalaika is a riddle song, seeped in ancient East European tradition. The riddle song gives the young people the oportunity to get to know each other. In the 1930's Jewish, Hungarian, Romanian boys were singing this song to their sweetheart.
Thanks, dear...💚 and a, 'Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! (pronounced 'law ay-luh paw-drig dun-uh ditch'), Happy St. Patrick's Day in Irish. 😏🫡 Lá Fhéile Pádraig" means "St. Patrick's Day"😘 and "sona" means "happy" 😇
Shteyt a bokher, un er trakht (also shteyt un trakht) Trakht un trakht a gantse nakht Vemen tzu nemen un nit farshemen Vemen tzu nemen un nit farshemen ((chorus)) Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika, shpil balalaika Tumbalalaika (also 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? ((chorus)) 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. ((chorus)) Vos iz hekher fun a hoyz? Vos iz flinker fun a moyz? Vos iz tifer fun a kval? Vos iz biter, biterer vi gal? ((chorus)) A koymen iz hekher fun a hoyz. A kats iz flinker fun a moyz. Di toyre iz tifer fun a kval. Der toyt iz biter, biterer vi gal. ((chorus)) Translation: A young lad stands, and he thinks Thinks and thinks the whole night through Whom to take and not to shame Whom to take and not to shame ((chorus)) 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? ((chorus)) 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 ((chorus)) What is higher than a house? What is swifter than a mouse? What is deeper than a well? What is bitter, more bitter than gall? ((chorus)) A chimney is higher than a house A cat is swifter than a mouse The Torah is deeper than a well Death is bitter, more bitter than gall ((chorus))
