Researching Yiddish penny songs (tenement song broadsides of theater and variety show songs, 1895-1925)
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Thursday, July 16, 2026

New "album" - Yiddish Parlor Songs

A Victoria parlor with a piano and dancing. Yiddish parlor songs.
I didn't think I would be making any more Yiddish cds but I have continued to record a little bit, as a form of therapy to keep me grounded in this dark world, and so here it is. Most of these songs were found on sheet music at the Library of Congress website, and they are not primarily Yiddish theater songs, although some are. I think Jewish music publishers of the time were hoping to have the same success as English-language music publishers - and there were certainly pianos in the parlors of middle-class Jews and daughters designated to play them. And if they were going to play, they needed music.

Listen to all the tracks (free) here: Yiddish Parlor Songs

Here's the tracklist:

1. Der oyfzayn a nakht 02:16

2. Badkhn lid (song of the wedding officiant) 02:23

3. Ikh hob ales vos ikh darf (bay andere gezen) 05:37

4. Luft, luft, luft (Air, air, air) 03:34

5. Ven ikh bin 15 yor alt gevorn (when I was 15) 03:23

6. Prohibition 03:12

7. Kuplet Lot (Lot's drinking song) 03:20

8. Shiker-lid (Drunkard's song) Kuplet Noyekh 02:52

9. Varenikes mit gribn (Dumplings and goose cracklings) 02:37

10. Dos shvindtsikhtike meydl (The tubercular maiden) 01:52

11. Der fayer eskeyp (The fire escape) 02:47

12. Groyzamer shikzal (cruel fate) 04:35

13. Leo Frank der umshuldiker korbn (Leo Frank the innocent victim) 04:24

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

by melinama @ 9:34 AM