Looking for Specific Translation to Tum balalaika
Tum balalaika is a Yiddish folk song. John Ringo wrote me that he was looking for help finding a version from his childhood that’s different than the one we have posted (click the link for our version). Here’s what he wrote…
I was actually looking for a set of lyrics to this I remember from my childhood. I could recall the last two verses but not the first. My recollection (from, gulp, 30+ years ago) was that the introductory verse was less about a ‘young man trying to choose the right wife’ than a minstrel trying to woo a girl smarter than he was.
If I might dare to suggest an alternate translation to the last two verses:
Maiden, maiden, this I must know.
What can grow without rain or snow?
What can blaze and never die?
And what can weep and never cry?Tumbala tumbala tum balalaika
Tumbala tumbala tum balalaika
Tum balalaika, play balalaika
Tum balalaika laugh and be gay.Idle lad you’re joking I know.
A stone can grow without rain or snow.
Love can blaze and never die
And a heart can weep and never cry.Chorus.
It’s just a more singable version in English. I used to use it as a lullabye for my kids.
Now if I can just find the translation of the first verse.
Take care,
John Ringo
If anyone is familiar with a version of the first verse of Tum balalaika that’s about ‘a minstrel trying to woo a girl smarter than he was’, please let us know about it in the comments below, or you can email me.
Thanks in advance!
Lisa
May 24th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Hi!
What a great website! Just wandered into it by chance, but I love the links to all the resources for the kind of activities I try to introduce my grandkids to.
Also, it just took one try on Google, But I think this may be what John was looking for. (I found it at http://www.kaikracht.de.balalaika):
Shteyt a bokher, un er trakht,
trakht un trakht a gantse nakht,
vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen,
vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen.
A lad is standing and longing,
pondering and brooding the whole night long,
whom to choose and not to offend,
whom to choose and not to offend.
Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum balalaika, shpil balalaika,
tum balalaika, freylekh zol zain!
Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum balalaika, play the balalaika,
tum balalaika, merry we’ll be!
“Meydl, meydl, kh’vil bai dir fregn:
Vos ken vaksn, vaksn on regn?
Vos ken brenen un nit oifhern?
Vos ken benken, veynen on tren?”
“Maiden, maiden, let me ask you:
What can grow, grow without rain?
What can burn and never cease?
What can cry, cry without tears?”
Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum balalaika, shpil balalaika,
tum balalaika, freylekh zol zain!
Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum balalaika, play the balalaika,
tum balalaika, merry we’ll be!
“Narisher bokher, vos darfs tu fregn?
A shteyn ken vaksn, vaksn on regn!
A libe ken brenen un nit oifhern!
A harts ken benken, veynen on tren!”
“Silly boy, what do you ask?
A stone can grow, grow without rain!
A love can burn and never cease!
A heart can cry, cry without tears!”
Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum balalaika, shpil balalaika,
tum balalaika, freylekh zol zain!
Tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum bala, tum bala, tum balalaika,
tum balalaika, play the balalaika,
tum balalaika, merry we’ll be!
PS: Also, while my Yiddish is now more than a little rusty, the translation of the first verse seems a little flowery to me. I would read it a simply:
A boy is standing and thinking,
Thinking and thinking all thru the night -
Whom to choose and not embarrass
Whom to choose and not embarrass.
January 31st, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I learned this song many years ago. I had forgotten most of the lyrics excepting the refrain and one verse where she replies to him:
Foolish lad, I’ll answer you,
Stones can grow without the dew.
True love can burn for years and years,
A heart can cry and shed no tears.
Thank you for finding the other lyrics.
March 20th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
We sang a version of this in primary school in Edinburgh in the 1980s. I sing it to my wee boy and he loves it! The version I know goes
‘Here now my tale of a foolish young man,
stayed up all night till he thought of a plan
he wanted a girl who would be his delight
a girl who was pretty witty and bright’…
March 30th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I think this is what John was looking for… we sang this often in 5th grade music class (1965-66)
Waiting wondering all the night long
A young man sang a haunting Song
What shall I say to my love today
Oh what shall I say to my love today
Chorus:
Tumbala Tumbala Tumbalalaika
Tumbala Tumbala Tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika Play Balalaika
Tumbalalaika, Laugh and be gay
Maiden Maiden can you explain
What can grow without snow or rain
What can burn and never die
What can weep, yet never cry
Chorus:
Idle lad you’re joking I know
A Stone can grow without rain or snow
Love can burn for endless years
A heart can weep and shed no tears
Chorus:
April 14th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Like the previous responder I sang this in music class in grade 4 or 5. That would have been the mid 60s. An unusual song — the melody is melancholy yet kind of toe-tapping catchy, and the words reflect the formality of bygone days. Apparently it has variations. I never understood the part about the stone and the dew.
Chorus:
Tumba, Tutumba, Tutumbalalaika,
Tumba, Tutumba, Tutumbalalaika,
Tumbalalaika, Tumbalalaika,
Tumbalalaika, Tumbalalaika
Maiden, maiden, tell me true,
What can grow without the dew?
What can burn for years and years?
What can cry but shed no tears?
(chorus)
Silly lad, the answer true,
A stone can grow without the dew,
Love can burn for years and years,
A heart can cry but shed no tears.
May 28th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I agree with Jim C. above. I lived in Pennsylvania during that time frame and that’s exactly what we sang. Amazing, I was sitting here thinking of the lyrics just a few minutes ago and found this website!I always loved this melody and the way it could pull on your heartstrings.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Hi Guys,
I too learned this in music class many many moons ago.
I don’t know if this is correct but:
Pacing puzzling all the night long a young man sang a haunting song,
what shall I say to my love today? Oh what shall I say to my love today?
(Chorus)
Maiden, maiden can you explain what can grow oh what can grow without snow, or rain? What can burn for enldless years, and what can cry and shed no tears?
(Chorus)
Idle lad you’re joking I know a stone can grow without rain or snow, love can burn for endless years, a heart can cry and shed no tears.
(Chorus)
Repeat 2X
July 16th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
YES! I sing this song as a lullaby to my son, age 4. the rythmic words and melody are sleep inducing but I was not aware of the very first verse, thanks!
October 5th, 2009 at 4:54 am
I learnt this many years ago. The words that I remember are
Maiden Maiden tell me true
What can grow without the dew,
What may burn for years and years,
And what my cry but shed no tears.
Chorus
Silly lad the answers clear
Hope may grow without the dew
Love may burn for years and years
A heart may cry but shed no tears
Chorus
Hope that helps