Yiddish Curiosities: a library of wonderful but forgotten Yiddish songs from the late 1920s and after (includes Polish Jewish Cabaret). Have a listen!

UPDATE: I'm republishing this one because it's almost time for Neilah!

Nobody will ever top this Lebedev performance:


This is one of those songs that assumes some Jewish knowledge. The Neilah service concludes Yom Kippur. One has been fasting for 24 hours and beating one's breast asking everybody (especially God) for forgivenness. So theoretically you don't look your best at that time. And theoretically you behave well not just during the High Holidays, but all year.

I've written out the sheet music with transliteration and chords and translation:

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Here's my translation of the Yiddish lyrics:


Before Neilah, after Neilah, a boy, a girl,
each of us should behave like a decent human being

In this lifetime all of us must hold ourselves accountable
And we shouldn't be too snobbish, God forbid,
Because, my dear, the wheel turns
And later one has a face [as worn out] as after Neilah
And therefore I say, and remember this well for myself:

Before Neilah, after Neilah, a boy, a girl,
each of us should behave like a decent human being

Today's mademoiselles, when they want to please the boys
They even smear their eyes with mascara, ay ay ay
But in the morning when they take a look at themselves
They have faces [as ugly] as after Neilah
And therefore I say, and tell you:

Before Neilah, after Neilah, a boy, a girl,
each of us should behave like a decent human being

Labels: humor & satire, klezmer, modernity, religion, yiddish theater song