Sabbath Prayer (From Fiddler On the Roof) - Maurice Sklar

A fiddler on the roof Sounds crazy, no? But in our little village of Anatevka You might say every one of us Is a fiddler on the roof Trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune Without breaking his neck It isn't easy You may ask, why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous? We stay because Anatevka is our home And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you! In one word Tradition! Tradition, tradition! Tradition! Tradition, tradition! Tradition! Because of our traditions We've kept our balance for many, many years Here in Anatevka we have traditions for everything How to eat, how to sleep, how to wear clothes For instance, we always keep our heads covered And always wear a little prayer shawl This shows our constant devotion to God You may ask, how did this tradition start? I'll tell you I don't know! But it's a tradition! (Hey!) Because of our traditions Everyone knows who he is And what God expects him to do Who, day and night, must scramble for a living Feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers? And who has the right, as master of the house To have the final word at home? The Papa The Papa! Tradition! The Papa The Papa! Tradition! Who must know the way to make a proper home A quiet home A kosher home? Who must raise the family and run the home So Papa's free to read the holy book? The Mama The Mama! Tradition! The Mama The Mama! Tradition! At three, I started Hebrew school At ten, I learned a trade I hear they've picked a bride for me I hope She's pretty! The sons The sons! Tradition! The sons The sons! Tradition! And who does Mama teach To mend and tend and fix Preparing me to marry whoever Papa picks? The daughters The daughters! (I have five daughters!) Tradition! The daughters The daughters! Tradition! (ALL VERSES REPEAT - LAYERED) The papa! The mama! The sons! The daughters! Tradition! The papa (mama) (sons) (daughters)! The papa (mama) (sons) (daughters)! Tradition! And in the circle of our little village We've always had our special types For instance, Yente the matchmaker Avram, I have a perfect match for your son, a wonderful girl! Who is it? Rachul, the shoemakers daughter Ugh, Rachul, but she can hardly see, she's almost blind! Tell the truth, Avram: is your son so much to look at? The way she sees, and the way he looks, it's a perfect match! And Reb Nachem, the beggar (Alms for the poor, alms for the poor!) Here, Reb Nachem, is one kopek One kopek? Last week you gave me two kopeks I had a bad week So if you had a bad week, why should I suffer? And most important, our beloved Rabbi Rabbi! May I ask you a question? Certainly, my son Is there a proper blessing for the Czar? A blessing for the Czar, of course! May God bless and keep the Czar... far away from us! Dai-dai-dai-dai! Dai-dai-dai-dai! Dai-dai-dai-dai, dai-dai-dai-dai-dai! Dai-dai-dai-dai! Dai-dai-dai-dai! Dai-dai-dai-dai, dai-dai-dai-dai-dai! Then there are the others in our village They have a much bigger circle His honor the constable, his honor the priest His honor the ... many others We don't bother them And so far, they don't bother us And among ourselves, we get along perfectly well Of course, there was the time when he sold him a horse And he delivered a mule But that's all settled now! Now we live in simple peace and harmony (It was a horse) (It was a mule) (It was a horse!) (It was a mule!) (How many times are we gonna go over this? It was a—) Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! Tradition Tradition! Tradition! Tradition! Tradition! Tradition! Tradition Without our traditions Our lives would be as shaky as... As... As a fiddler on the roof!