Me darf makhn a lebn (You gotta make a living) as composed and performed by Leo Fuchs
Leo Fuchs was a physical comic and an amazing dancer. He was one of the youngest of the really gifted Yiddish theater actors and so had the opportunity to make movies.A reader of this blog wrote me and asked if I could provide the sheet music for this song, which is variously transliterated Men Darf Machen A Leben, Men Darf Majen A Leiben, and M'darf makhn a laybn.
I suggested he get in touch with the fine Yiddish singer Yanky Lemmer (whom he had heard performing the song) and Yanky generously provided the Yiddish lyrics. So I did make the sheet music, write me if you want it.
Here is the song as Leo Fuchs sang it back in the day, with a sing-along Yiddish transliteration and my translation in the captions / subtitles:
"Me darf" can also be translated as "one ought to," "One needs to," "Everybody needs to," etc.
I like this idea in the second verse: Leo Fuchs does not caper and play the fool because he wants to. He does it because everybody has to make a living.
Words after the jump.
Me darf makhn a lebn, me darf makhn a lebn
Me darf mit als farzorgn zikh
Me darf a kleyd, me darf a shikh
Me darf makhn a lebn, me darf makhn a lebn
Me darf, me darf, me darf, me darf,
Me darf makhn a lebn
Ven ikh gey aroys in gas
Baynakht tzi in der fri
Her ikh mentshn krign zikh,
Me shpart zikh on a tzi.
Socialistn komunistn (or as Yanky sings it, demokratn) me tumlen on a mos
Me krigt zikh un me shpart zikh dort, nu veystu fraynd farvos?
Ikh dank aykh mayne libe fraynd fun hartzn on a shier
Ikh bin tzufridn vos ir hert aykh ale ayn tzu mir
Ir meynt ikh bin a tzedreyter fun di kuntzn vos ikh makh,
Vos meynt ir? Az ikh VIL mshuge makhn zikh far aykh??? Ober....
Me darf mit als farzorgn zikh
Me darf a kleyd, me darf a shikh
Me darf makhn a lebn, me darf makhn a lebn
Me darf, me darf, me darf, me darf,
Me darf makhn a lebn
Ven ikh gey aroys in gas
Baynakht tzi in der fri
Her ikh mentshn krign zikh,
Me shpart zikh on a tzi.
Socialistn komunistn (or as Yanky sings it, demokratn) me tumlen on a mos
Me krigt zikh un me shpart zikh dort, nu veystu fraynd farvos?
Ikh dank aykh mayne libe fraynd fun hartzn on a shier
Ikh bin tzufridn vos ir hert aykh ale ayn tzu mir
Ir meynt ikh bin a tzedreyter fun di kuntzn vos ikh makh,
Vos meynt ir? Az ikh VIL mshuge makhn zikh far aykh??? Ober....
You've gotta make a living. You've gotta provide yourself with everything,
You need a dress, shoes. You have to make a living.
When I go out in the street, at night or in the morning, I hear people quarrelling.
They argue endlessly. Socialists, communists, they're always fighting. Want to know why?
I thank you, my dear friends, from my heart. I'm happy you're hearing me out.
You think I'm crazy because of the tricks I play.
What do you think, that I want to act all crazy for you? But...
Labels: humor & satire, modernity, vaudeville, yiddish performers