Thursday, December 02, 2010

I can't resist - classic Odessa music

A great song about Chaim's shop...

The lyrics:

Once upon a time there lived Chaim,
Noticed by no one,
Chaim bought old junk.
Once upon a time there lived Chaim,
Noticed by no one,
Chaim sold alter schmattes.

Oh what a wonder it was!
Oh how exciting it was!
Often in friendly conversation his neighbors would tell him:
- Chaim, enough, lock up your shop for the night.

In Odessa lived Chaim,
Noticed by no one,
And his wife gives birth each year.
Sometimes she gives birth to two, sometimes to three,
Sometimes she gives birth to four at once.

Oh what a wonder it was!
Oh how exciting it was!
Often in friendly conversation his neighbors would tell him:
- Chaim, enough, lock up your shop for the night.

He died, poor Chaim,
Noticed by no one,
And his wife gives birth each year.
Sometimes she gives birth to two, sometimes to three,
Sometimes she gives birth to four at once.

Oh what a wonder it was!
Oh how exciting it was!
Seems like Chaim is continuing his business from beyond the grave...
- Chaim, enough, lock up your shop for the night.

Seems like Chaim is continuing his business from beyond the grave...
- Chaim, schlemazl, genug schoen,
lock up your shop for the night.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Nechama said...

Priceless!
In my family Chaim is mentioned when someone (usually one of the kids) starts talking about how they would appropriate resources they do not have...Хаим, выходи из машины! (as in the old joke about Chaim and Shmulik who bought a lottery ticket and immediately started fighting about where they would go and who they would take along on the ride in the car that they hoped to win...
Shabbat Shalom!

December 03, 2010 6:05 AM  
Blogger e-kvetcher said...

I know that joke well - it's one of my father's favorites.

Gut Shabbos to you as well.

December 03, 2010 8:24 AM  
Blogger evanstonjew said...

What a joy to see and hear.

Elsewhere on this Jewish internet I am trying to explain to people who should no better, why Mattisyahu latest Chanukah video is bereft of a soul, offensive and hokey, and that's for starters.

Why are MO people so estranged from European-Yiddish klezmer and chazanut music? Why are they all trying to sound like the Beach Boys?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU&feature=player_embedded

Can you believe 419,000 hits.

December 03, 2010 11:24 AM  
Blogger e-kvetcher said...

evanstonjew,

I just saw the Mattisyahu video and I agree completely. What a disappointment.

I don't know why the MO can't feel this music. I am not sure if it is an American cultural thing or some weird Zionist "let's shake the galut mentality" thing. They all are into the Israeli music scene, which for the most part I find "Beach Boys"-y myself...

Happy Chanukah, btw.

December 03, 2010 11:44 AM  

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