Hip-Hop Yiddishe Mama (3-Minute Music Video)
Juilliard-educated cantor Meir Goldberg made this updated version of the Yossele Rosenblatt classic “Yiddishe Mama” in honor his mother: “From age zero I remember my mother preparing lemonade and chicken soup with matzah balls, and other foods that were the perfect recipe to improve my mood.” I think it’s sweet how he intersperses his own singing with the personal stories of young Brooklyn rappers who also want to thank their own Yiddishe Mamas. My favorite part of this video– the mother making those egg salad sandwiches with so much love. Yiddishe mama lyrics below…
Rap Lyrics by Brooklyn Mentality
(First verse)
I was a good kid in school
That’s how it started off
Until I thought I was cool
So my behavior departed off
detention and suspension happen too
often even when the alarm clock was on my attention snoozed Teachers took caution It weighed on my mom she was always in the principles office Me becoming good seemed Like an impossible process This was comical for me but she was awfully nauseous Of the roller coaster I took her on she wanted to get off it I caused mayhem but she stayed on I dropped out she told me this is the last chance you got now To make something out of yourself sixteen years of age I went to Wilkes and everything changed
(second verse)
becoming more religious
Is something I never saw my self doing
always felt different religion
Wasn’t even on my to do list
my mom was disappointed
Been out of it since a little boy and
I just couldn’t feel the spark
been into rap music thinking it was the realist art changing my attitude But I can’t show how deep my feelings of gratitude are That you did more then stand by me You carried me the faith that you had and have in me I just wanna start making you happy see
Yiddishe Mama by Yossele Rosenblatt
Translation from YiddishLyrics:
I’d like to ask of you a question, tell me who knows
With which dear possession does G-d bless everyone
It cannot be bought for no money, it’s given only for free
And when it is lost, how many tears are shed.
A second is given nobody, no cry can help,
Oy, he who has lost it, he already knows what I mean.
A Yiddishe Mame
It doesn’t get better on this earth
A Yiddishe Mame,
How bitter when she is missing.
How nice and bright it is at home, when the Mame is here
How sad and dark it becomes, when G-d takes her to Olam Haba (The World to Come)
In water, through fire, she would have run for her child
Not to hold her dear, is surely the greatest sin,
How lucky and rich is the one who has
Such a beautiful gift presented from G-d
Like and old Yiddishe Mame
My Yiddishe Mame!
איך װיל ביי אייך אַ קאַשע פֿרעגען, זאָגט מיר װער עס קען,
מיט װעלכע טײַערע פּאַרמעגען בענטשט ג־ט אַלעמען,
מ’קױפֿט דאָס נישט פֿאַר קײַנע געלט, דאָס גיט מען נאָר אומזיסט,
און דאָך אַז מען פֿאַרלירט דאָס אױ, װי טרערן מען פֿערגיסט,
אַ צװײטען גיט מען קײנעם ניט’ עס העלפֿט נישט קײַן געװײַן,
אױ, װער עס האָט פֿאַרלױרען, דער װײס שױן װאָס איך מײַן
אַ ייִדישע מאַמע, עס גיבט נישט בעסער אױף דער װעלט,
אַ ייִדישע מאַמע, אױ װײַ װי ביטער װען זי פֿעלט,
װי שײַן און ליכטיג איז אין הױז װען די מאַמע איז דאָ,
װי טרױעריג פֿינסטער װערט װען גאָט, נעמט איר אױף עולם הבאַ
אין װאַסער אין פֿײַער װאָלט זי געלאָפֿן פֿאַר איר קינד
נישט האַלטן איר טײַער, דאָס איז געװיס די גרעסטע זינד,
אױ װי גליקליך און רײַך איז דער מענטש װאָס האָט,
אַזאַ שײַנע מתנה געשײַנקט פֿון ג־ט,
נאָר אײן אַלטיטשקע ייִדישע מאַמע,
אױ מאַמע מײַן
