Researching Yiddish penny songs (tenement song broadsides of theater and variety show songs, 1895-1925)
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UPDATE: Replaced video with the track from our new cd Yiddish Ragtime


Today's song is Nit ales iz gold vos shaynt, which is most obviously translated as "All that glitters is not gold," as Shakespeare said. But there's word play in the Yiddish title - the verb shaynen does means to shine, but it also means to seem or to appear to be. So literally this would be "Not everything is gold that shines" AND "Not everything is gold that appears to be gold."

The parody was written by Isaac Reingold, who's authored many of the lyrics featured here. You'll find him lauded online as the "Bard of the West" - he lived in Chicago when he came over from Europe. He worked in sweatshops, wrote songs, drank too much, and died in 1903 at the age of 30. I think the world broke his heart.

He set his bitter text to the American popular song "Johnny, My Old Friend John," published in 1894. The composer and lyricist was William Courtright, and in his six verses he reminds his friend of times gone by. Eventually we realize that the two friends went off to war but while the narrator made it back, Johnny now is lying somewhere under the snow.

Randy Kloko sings with me on the choruses and Jack Herrick generously emailed me a guitar track when I wailed to him that my piano playing is so deadly boring and elementary even I can't stand to listen to it. Thanks Jack!

Translation and transliteration after the jump.




All that glitters is not gold

I've often heard the expression: all that glitters is not gold.
And very smart people say it: all that glitters is not gold.
I see here a rich man, he seems to be happy, honest, rich, fine,
The most trustworthy person in the city - and suddenly he declares bankruptcy!

Not all that glitters is gold - I warn every friend about this
People don't recognize true treasure these days - because all that glitters is not gold.

Over there you hear a pious Jew talking about God - all that glitters is not gold.
He abides by the Torah, the Ten Commandments - all that glitters is not gold.
He robs his brother, his friend, of everything. Oh, yes, he's pious, bless him,
A rascal, a usurer! I wouldn't give a penny for his brand of Judaism.

Not all that glitters is gold - I warn every friend about this
People don't recognize a truly holy man these days - because all that glitters is not gold

Over there is somebody who is apparently educated - all that glitters is not gold.
He seems no stranger to science - all that glitters is not gold.
His knowledge, believe me, is worthless. He just babbles about what he's heard to be true.
He's familiar with everything, but he knows as much as the wall does.

Not all that glitters is gold - I warn every friend about this
People don't recognize a true expert these days - because all that glitters is not gold.

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For sheet music and/or performances contact me: jane@mappamundi.com

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Labels: immigration, morality, mores, religion