Music

“If I were a Rich man”

Fiddler on the Roof is a 1971 American epic musical film produced and directed  Norman Jewison, and written  Joseph Stein and Sholem Aleichem. An adaptation of the 1964 Broadway musical of the same name, it stars Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, and Paul Mann. The film centers on Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman living in Anatevka, who is faced with the challenge of marrying off his five daughters amidst the growing tension in his village.

Fiddler on the Roof was theatrically released on November 3, 1971,  United Artists to critical and commercial success. Reviewers praised Jewison’s direction, the screenplay, and the performances of the cast, while the film grossed $83.3 million worldwide on a $9 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1971. The film received a leading eight nominations at the 44th Academy Awards, including for the Best Picture, and won three; Best Score Adaptation, Best Cinematography, Best Sound. __Wiki

Lyrics:

“Oh, Lord, you made many, many poor people
I realize, of course, it’s no shame to be poor
But it’s no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?”If I were a rich man
Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum
All day long, I’d biddy biddy bum
If I were a wealthy man
I wouldn’t have to work hard
Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum
If I were a biddy biddy rich yidle-diddle-didle-didle manI’d build a big, tall house with rooms the dozen
Right in the middle of the town
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below
There would be one long staircase just going up
And one even longer coming down
And one more leading nowhere, just for showI’d fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks
For the town to see and hear
Squawking just as noisily as they can
And each loud of the”gee”, be it “gow”, be it “geh”, be it “guh”
Would land like a trumpet on the ear
As if to say, “Here lives a wealthy man”If I were a rich man
Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum
All day long, I’d biddy biddy bum
If I were a wealthy man
I wouldn’t have to work hard
Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum
If I were a biddy biddy rich yidle-diddle-didle-didle manI see my wife, my Goldie, looking like a rich man’s wife
With a proper double-chin
Supervising meals to her heart’s delight
I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock
Oy, what a happy mood she’s in
Screaming at the servants, day and nightThe most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them like a Solomon the Wise
“If you please, Reb Tevye…”
“Pardon me, Reb Tevye…”
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi’s eyes!
And it won’t make one bit of difference if I answer right or wrong
When you’re rich, they think you really know!If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack to sit in the synagogue and pray
And maybe have a seat the Eastern wall
And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day
And that would be the sweetest thing of allIf I were a rich man
Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum
All day long, I’d biddy biddy bum
If I were a wealthy man
I wouldn’t have to work hard
Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dumLord, who made the lion and the lamb
You decreed I should be what I am
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan
If I were a wealthy man?