JEFF KLEPPER LIVE IN CONCERT
"JEWISH MUSIC FOR THE MASSES"
LYRICS
(Please see Liner Notes for Text Sources)
1) NEW HINEI MA TOV (Klepper)
Hi-nei ma tov u-mah na-im, she-vet a-chim gam ya-chad
2) CHAD GADYA (Klepper)
REFRAIN:
My father bought for two zuzim: CHAD GAD-YA, CHAD GAD-YA
Then came the CAT and ate the kid -
Then came the DOG and bit the cat that...
Then came the STICK and beat the dog that...
Then came the FIRE and burned the stick that...
Then came the WATER and quenched the fire that...
Then came the OX and drank the water that...
Then came the BUTCHER and killed the ox that...
Then came the ANGEL OF DEATH and slew the butcher that...
Then came HAKADOSH BARUCH HU, and destroyed the angel of death that...
3) SHABBES (Trad)
Ya ba ba ba ya ba ba ba ya ba bom bom bom
Shabbes Shabbes Shabbes, Yidn zol zein Shabbes
Shabbes zol zein, Shabbes zol zein
Shabbos oif der gantze velt
Yontiff Yontiff Yontiff, Yidn zol zein Yontiff
Yontiff zol zein, Yontiff zol zein
Yontiff oif der gantze velt
Sholem Sholem Sholem, Yidn zol zein Sholem
Sholem zol zein, Sholem zol zein
Sholom oif der gantze velt
4) ADON OLAM (Trad, arr. Klepper)
A-don o-lam a-sher ma-lach b'-te-rem kol y'-tsir niv-ra
L'-eit na-a-sa v'-chef-tzo kol a-zai me-lech sh'-mo nik-ra
V'-a-cha-rei kich-lot ha-kol l'-va-do yim-loch no-ra
V'-hu ha-ya, v'-hu ho-veh v'-hu yih-yeh b'-tif-a-ra
V'-hu e-chad v'-ein shei-ni l'-ham-shil lo l'-hach-bi-ra
B'-li rei-shit b'-li tach-lit v'-lo ha-oz v'-ha-mis-ra
V'-hu Ei-li v'-chai go-a-li v'-tzur chev-li b'-eit tza-ra
V'-hu ni-si u-ma-nos li m'-nat ko-si b'-yom ek-ra
B'-ya-do af-kid ru-chi b'-eit i-shan v'-a-i-ra
V'-im ru-chi g'-vi-a-ti Adonai li v'-lo i-ra
5) STUCK INSIDE OF MONSEY WITH THE BROOKLYN BLUES AGAIN
Oh the Rabbi’s drawing circles
In the middle of the floor
He's trying to make it pour
And the bubbies treat me kindly
As I sit upon their stoop
They wrap me with tefillin
And feed me chicken soup
Oy vey iz mir can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Monsey with the Brooklyn blues again
The mohel's in the alley
With his sacrificial knife
Holding out a pushke, he says
Your money or your life
But me, I saw it coming
From the look upon his face
I could tell he'd prefer to operate
In a better lighted place
Oy veyzmir can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Monsey with the Brooklyn blues again
Well the shochet tried to warn me
To stay away from the steak tar-tar
And not to mess with the big mashgi'ach
At the shrimp & oyster bar
And I told him that joke about the rabbi
Who takes a plane ride to New York
So he’s sure he won't be recognized
When he orders Mu Shu Pork
Oy veyzmir can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Monsey with the Brooklyn blues again
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
6) TALKIN’ HAVA NAGILA BLUES (Dylan)
"Ha-va Na-gi-la..."
"Yo-de-leiiii"
7) CANTILLATION ROW
The Bar Mitzvah boy is worried; he’s having trouble with his trope
Last week the tutor yelled at him and said he was a dope
And his parents are getting frantic, they beat their heads against the wall
If their boy flunks out of Hebrew they’ll lose their deposit on the hall
So don’t send out those invitations yet, until you truly know
That your son has done his homework down on Cantillation Row
I don’t believe you’ve met our Rabbi, he’s a leader of the Jews
He can talk for 90 minutes on any subject that you choose
Everybody loves his joking, but they thought it was uncouth
When he began the Purim Service and read the Book of Ruth
And it didn’t even occur to him as they all got up to go
They just wanted to hear the megilla down on Cantillation Row
Our cantor is quite famous, of him we’re very proud
But they pay him by the decibel and that can tend to make it loud
Once he tried to sing Kol Nidrei but his pitch pipe was out of tune
And the moment that he blew it twenty dogs ran in the room
But that didn’t seem to faze him, he said, "Welcome to the show."
And he made them join the choir down on Cantillation Row
Well the Rabbi and the Cantor are going at it once again
The Rabbi wants to change the music, but the Cantor will not bend
They haven’t spoken to each other for a dozen years or more
Since the Rabbi changed the combination on the clergy washroom door
So I’d like to help them work this out before they come to blows
We’ll sign them up for therapy on Cantillation Row
There's a brand new congregation at the shopping mall downtown
They built the city’s largest banquet hall; their simchas are reknowned
But they had to cancel services because nobody would attend
Now they show movies every Saturday with a Kiddush at the end
Right now they’re booked up solid, but if business gets too slow
They’ll round up some Bar Mitzvah boys on Cantillation Row
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
8) HIGH HOLY DAY BLUES
Well I go to shul on Shabbos
I take a front row seat
My friends all come to daven
Cause there’s no better place to meet
And when I take out my tallis
And gather up my tzitzit
I can feel that holy ru'ach
From my head down to my feet
Oh the High Holy Days are coming
The leaves will be turning brown
I tried out my old shofar
But I could not get a sound
Oh I can’t wait for Rosh Hashanah
That’s when my cantor goes to town
And if I can afford to buy a ticket
Then I’ll be synagogue bound
Now don’t the cantor sound good
Singin those loud high C’s
Don’t the Rabbi look good
When he’s talking bout Maimonides
Don’t the air conditioning feel good
When it’s 92 degrees?
Don’t my gal look fine
When she’s shuckling next to me
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
9) JUST LIKE A CHAZZN
Nobody feels any pain
Tonight as I hear my chazzn leyn
Every single Hebrew word
Can be so clearly heard
He sounds just like a silver throated bird
Well it sounds that way to me
Oh he sings just like a chazan
Yes he does and he shrais just like a chazan
And he davens mincha just like a chazan
But he acts just like an opera star....
Koussavitzky, he’s my friend
I believe I’ll play his records once again
And when I’m feeling down
His chazzones brings me round
No other cantor has that special sound
They don’t make them that way any more
Oh he sings just like a chazan
And he makes faces just like a chazan
Yes he does and he gargles with warm salt water just like a chazan
But he acts just like an opera star....
It was time for Kol Nidrei
And I was waiting all that day
Then the time drew near
When he wails, that geshrai, oh my, that cry
Flies into my ear - yes, it brings a tear
Every year
Oh I’m not some fool
I believe it’s time for me to join that shul
And I’ll gladly pay my dues
And join my fellow Jews
Just as long as he sings those old time blues
The way they used to be
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
10) SHALOM ALEICHEM (Shneyer)
Sha-lom a-lei-chem mal-a-chei ha-sha-reit, Mal-a-chei El-yon
Mi-me-lech, ma-l’-chei ham-la-chim, Ha-ka-dosh Ba-ruch Hu
Bo-a-chem l’-sha-lom mal-a-chei ha-sha-lom, Mal-a-chei El-yon
Mi-me-lech, ma-l’-chei ham-la-chim, Ha-ka-dosh Ba-ruch Hu
Bar-chu-ni l’-sha-lom mal-a-chei ha-sha-lom, Mal-a-chei El-yon
Mi-me-lech, ma-l’-chei ham-la-chim, Ha-ka-dosh Ba-ruch Hu
Tzeit-chem l’-sha-lom mal-a-chei ha-sha-lom, Mal-a-chei El-yon
Mi-me-lech, ma-l’-chei ham-la-chim, Ha-ka-dosh Ba-ruch Hu
11) EIT DODIM (Trad; text from Shir Ha-shirim 6:11)
Eit do-dim ka-la, bo-i l’-ga-ni
Pa-r’-cha ha-ge-fen hei-nei-tzu ha-ri-mo-nim
12) L’CHA DODI (Klepper)
REFRAIN:
L’-cha do-di, lik-rat ka-la, p’-nei Sha-bat n’-ka-b’-la
Sha-mor v’-za-chor b’-di-bur e-chad
Hish-mi-a-nu Eil ham-yu-chad
Adonai e-chad u-sh’-mo e-chad
L’-sheim ul-ti-fe-ret v’-lit-hi-la
Bo-i v’-sha-lom a-te-ret ba-a-la
Gam b’-sim-cha uv-tzaw-haw-la
Toch e-mu-nei am s’-gu-la
Bo-i cha-la, bo-i cha-la
13) COMING HOME (Klepper)
Coming home to our people
Coming home to our land
Coming home from all directions,
Scattered like the sand
Coming home to a future
To the place where we began
Coming home, l’shalom, coming home
From the hills of Ethiopia, came Beta Yisraeil
A people with traditions, songs and stories yet to tell
Because we stood together they’ll no longer be alone
Coming home, l’-sha-lom, coming home
From a city deep in Russia a refusenik now is free
The years of waiting over, she rejoins her family
If we stand as one, together, they will never be alone
Coming home, l’shalom, coming home
From many lands we have returned
But our task is not complete
There are questions we must answer,
There are challenges to meet
But if we learn to live together
We can build a peaceful home
Coming home, l’shalom, coming home
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
14) ROLLIN' UP THE TORAH
Got me a job at the Temple
Rollin’ up the Torah on Shabbat
Scrollin’ though the scripture fills me up with with rapture
Feelin’ like a macher even though I’m not
Big Torah, keep on turnin’
Jewish people keep on learnin’
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ up the Torah
Early every Saturday morning
Cantor’s singing loud so we can stay awake
Minyan’s gettin’ skittish, waiting for the kiddush
Lunging for the herring and honey cake
Every Shabbat there’s a ruckus
Vying for the koved of the barechu
Up for an aliyah, where everyone can see ya
Bubbie’s shepping naches cause they’re callin’ on you
He’s pfumpfing his way through the sedra
Looking for the vowels but they aren’t there
Look how hard he’s trying, congregation’s dying
Rabbi’s in the corner tearing out his hair
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper & Jeffrey Mallow)
15) WE WILL BE FREE (Klepper-Rosenberg)
This road we’re on is a rocky road
Try to climb so high, brings you down so low
But there’s a reason we carry on
When we’re together we are as one
We will be free - when the dawn is breaking
We will be free - when the sun is high
We will be free - when the night is falling
We will be free - yes, we will be free
I was forsaken, down as I could be
Then I heard a message
that set my spirit free
We can live together, we will win or lose
I know that God is watching
whichever way we choose
We will be free - when there is justice
We will be free - when there is hope
We will be free - when we join together
We will be free - yes, we will be free
And if there’s darkness deep inside you
And it’s holding on so strong
There’s a light that’s always shining
It’s been shining for so long
We will be free - when there’s no hunger
We will be free - when there is no pain
We will be free - when we love each other
We will be free - yes, we will be free
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper and Stuart Rosenberg)
16) EMPTY CHAIR (Klepper)
There is an empty chair, but no one’s sitting there
There’s a feeling in the air, but nothing in the empty chair
In the shtieble is an empty chai, Rabbi Nachman used to sit right there
When you see it you’ll become aware, feel the spirit of an empty chair
Eliahu we will wait for you - Eliahu Hanavi
Eliahu we will sing this song to you - Eliahu Hanavi
At the seder is an empty cup, we take our wine and fill it up
Then the children open up the door, and tell us all who we’ve been waiting for
Shabbat is over and we call your name, with wine and spices and a twisted flame
Eliahu may there come a day when no longer will we have to say...
Did you ever take an empty space and turn it in to a sacred place?
You can make it happen anywhere-that’s the meaning of an empty chair
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
17) IN EVERY GENERATION (Klepper)
B’-chol dor va-dor, in every generation
We must look upon ourselves as if from slavery we were freed
B’-chol dor va-dor, in every generation
We must look around and help all the ones who are in need
B’-chol dor va-dor cha-yav a-dam lir-ot et atz-mo
k’-i-lu hu ya-tza mi-mitz-ra-yim
B’-chol dor va-dor, in every generation
We must lend a helping hand to the stranger and the friend
B’-chol dor va-dor, in every generation
Are the righteous of all nations on whom we all depend
Bridge:
B’-chol dor va-dor a-nu cha-ya-vim lir-ot et atz-mei-nu
K’-i-lu a-nach-nu, a-nach-nu ya-tza-nu mi-mitz-ra-yim
B’-chol dor va-dor, in every generation
We must learn from our mistakes, we must find a better way
B’-chol dor va-dor, in every generation
Is the hope that with tomorrow will come a better day
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
18) LO ALECHA (Klepper-Freelander)
Lo a-le-cha ham-la-cha lig-mor, lo a-le-cha lig-mor (2)
V’-lo a-ta ben cho-rin l’-hi-ba-teil mi-me-na, v’-lo a-ta ben cho-rin (2)
19) BASHANAH HABA’AH (Hirsh-Manor)
Ba-sha-na ha-ba-a nei-sheiv al ha-mir-pe-set
V’-nis-por tzi-po-rim no-d’-dot
Y’-la-dim b’-chuf-sha y’-sa-cha-ku to-fe-set
Bein ha-ba-yit l’-vein ha-sa-dot
Od tir-eh, od tir-eh ka-ma tov yi-h’-ye
Ba-sha-na, ba-sha-na ha-ba-a
20) RABBI BEN BAG-BAG (Klepper)
(Based on Pirkei Avot 5:25)
CLICK HERE FOR LYRICS WITH CHORDS
Oh Rabbi Ben Bag Bag had a double name name
Cause his last name was the same same but I never heard him brag
So here's a little song song, it's kinda like a tribute
I hope you don't think that it's too cute, and I hope you'll sing along
"Turn it, turn it, turn it again", turn it around your mind
"Turn it, turn it, turn it again", you'll never know what secrets you might find
For Rabbi Ben Bag Bag there was always more to learn learn
Words of Torah he would turn turn all the night and all the day
And when the other Rabbis went to bed cause they were done done
"Bag" stayed late cause it was fun fun, he would turn to them and say
For Rabbi Ben Bag Bag the Torah was the be all
It also was the end all, and not a word was wrong
So thank you Rabbi Ben Bag Bag for your cool and pithy quote quote
It's the best in Pirkei Avot and now it's in a song! (chorus)
(Lyrics © Jeff Klepper)
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