Di missus mit di finf boarders (The landlady with the five boarders)
UPDATE: I was just pointed to a song called "Tsugeklept" recorded by Minna Bleichmann as Zugeklebt in Lemberg in 1908 - it uses this same tune but at about twice the speed.
This parody song, written to the tune of Tammany, a Pale Face Pow-wow, was not a fine moment for Yiddish vaudeville (and the original was certainly not a fine moment for English language vaudeville)."Missus" was a Yinglish word for landlady - typically, a family might take in a boarder (or two or three) for the cash. The boarder would get the bedroom, the family would sleep crowded into the kitchen or wherever. The husbands (to judge from the many songs on the subject) always suspected hanky-panky while they were off at the sweatshops. The wife (the "Missus") and the boarder - what were they up to?
Why did I sing it? Because it's there, and who else is going to do it?
The song says there are five boarders but only four are mentioned in the text. No Yiddish lyricist is named. Click for a larger view of this obnoxious sheet-music cover from 1905, music by Gus Edwards, original lyrics by Vincent Bryan.
Click the picture below to hear the recording I made today:
Here is a translation, as best as I can make out:
I know a boarder, everybody here knows him,
He told his Missus he had a lot of money
He loved his Missus like crazy
He persuaded her to go off with him
The boarder, he didn't ask any advice
He took his Missus away on his shoulders
The boarder! Laugh, mock, make some business, the boarder
I know a boarder, he was good to his Missus
But her husband didn't know anything about it
One night I hear a terrible commotion
He wrings his hands and yells "He's taken her away!"
The boarder, he'd always praised him,
Now the guy's robbed his wife away
The boarder, the husband is thinking to find that boarder
I know a boarder, he's modern, he's a young go-getter,
He's been married five years but he says he's single
He met a girl named "Miss Air"
Soon afterwards he'd moved in with her parents
The boarder, he's a crafty young bachelor
He's just thinking about the diamond ring
The boarder! Goodbye my dear child.
I know a boarder very well, he's a good businessman,
He only wanted a girl with a fabulous dowry
He got a girl but, no evil eye,
He straight away got captivated by her
The boarder! After the wedding, what can I say?
Now she hits him.
The boarder! She's looking for you - hide!
He told his Missus he had a lot of money
He loved his Missus like crazy
He persuaded her to go off with him
The boarder, he didn't ask any advice
He took his Missus away on his shoulders
The boarder! Laugh, mock, make some business, the boarder
I know a boarder, he was good to his Missus
But her husband didn't know anything about it
One night I hear a terrible commotion
He wrings his hands and yells "He's taken her away!"
The boarder, he'd always praised him,
Now the guy's robbed his wife away
The boarder, the husband is thinking to find that boarder
I know a boarder, he's modern, he's a young go-getter,
He's been married five years but he says he's single
He met a girl named "Miss Air"
Soon afterwards he'd moved in with her parents
The boarder, he's a crafty young bachelor
He's just thinking about the diamond ring
The boarder! Goodbye my dear child.
I know a boarder very well, he's a good businessman,
He only wanted a girl with a fabulous dowry
He got a girl but, no evil eye,
He straight away got captivated by her
The boarder! After the wedding, what can I say?
Now she hits him.
The boarder! She's looking for you - hide!
For sheet music and/or performances contact me: jane@mappamundi.com
Labels: battle between the sexes, humor, male chauvinism, morality, mores, New York, sarcasm, travails
by melinama @ 9:20 PM
Yiddish Ragtime
Ikh bin busy
Opgenarte velt
Vos hot men tsu mir
Der East Side fun amol
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home