Bai Mir Bisti Sheyn 

Kol Rinah, the Jewish Chorale of Westchester, sings Bai Mir Bisti Sheyn, by Sholom Secunda, Jacob Jacobs, Saul Chaplin, and Sammy Cahn, arranged by Joshua Jacobson and Art Bailey. Our conductor is Benjamin Gruder, and our accompanist is Janet Montroy. Our soloists are Barbara Stein, Laurie Baskin, and Stephanie Stern. Our clarinetist is Kai Hirayama.
Lyics and translation:
Ven di zolst zayn shvartz vi a Tuter,
Ven di host oygen vi bay a kuter,
In ven di hinkst tsubislekh
Host hiltzerne fislekh
Zug ikh dus art mikh nit.
(Even if you were as swarthy as a Tartar,
Even if you had eyes like a tomcat,
And even if you limped a little,
Or had wooden footsies,
I say that wouldn't bother me.)
In ven di host a narishen shmaykhil,
In ven di host vayzuus saykhil,
Ven di bist vild vi Indianer
Bist afili a Galitzyaner
Zug ikh dus art mikh nit.
(And even if you had a foolish grin,
And even if you had no more brains than
Vayzasa [Haman's youngest son],
Even if you were as wild as an Indian,
Or even if you were a Galitziyaner,
I say it wouldn't bother me.)
Zug mir vi erklers ti dus.
Kh'vel dir zugin bald far vus:
(Tell me, how do you explain this?
I'll soon tell you why.)
Bai mir bisti sheyn,
Bai mir hosti kheyn
Bai mir bisti eyner al der velt.
Bair mir bisti git
Bai mir hosti "it"
Bai mir bisti tayerer fin gelt.
(To me, you are pretty,
To me, you are charming,
To me, you are one of a kind.
To me, you are good,
To me, you've got "it,"
To me, you are more precious than gold.)
Fil sheyne boyes/maydlekh
Hobn shoyn gevolt nemen mikh.
In fin zay ale oysgeklibn
Hob ikh nor dikh.
Bai mir bisti sheyn,
Bai mir hosti kheyn,
Bai mir bisti ayne auf der velt.
(Many pretty boys have
Already wanted to take me.
And out of all these, I have chosen only you!
To me, you are pretty,
To me, you are charming,
To me, you are one of a kind.)
Of all the boys I've known, and I"ve known some,
Until I first met you I was lonesome.
But when you came in sight, dear,
My heart grew light,
And this whole world seemed new to me.
You're really swell, I have to admit.
You deserve expressions that really fit you.
And so I racked my brain, hoping to explain all the things that
You do to me.
Bai mir bisti sheyn, please let me explain,
Bai mir bisti sheyn means you're grand.
Bai mir bisti sheyn, again I'll explain,
It means you're the fairest in the land.
I could say, "bella, bella," even say, "wunderbar."
Each language only helps me tell you
How grand you are!
I've tried to explain, bai mir bisti sheyn,
So kiss me, and say you understand.