Chaim's Songs 2: Di Grine Kuzine

Abe Schwartz and Hyman Prizant published Di Grine Kuzine in 1921. This lyrical bit of gossip captured the disappointment of immigrants with the Land of Opportunity. Fresh-faced and full of zest, a cousin from the old country settles in America, but after years of toil she has baggy eyes, and nothing but complaints.

Benny Goodman later reworked the tune into the classic My Little Cousin, a Jazz composition with English lyrics. The tune has a much brighter story line: our beautiful cousin awaits a marriage proposal from her longtime suitor. To avoid regret, she seizes the initiative by proposing. The song closes on a happy note.

Here is a wonderful alternative ska-influenced version by Klezmofobia, played to an audience in Mexico in 2008. Even Latin American crowds can get excited about Yiddish tunes.

Die Grine Kuzine - Klezmofobia


Here is a 1942 Benny Goodman recording of My Little Cousin with Peggy Lee.

My Little Cousin - Goodman

Here are lyrics and chords, based on Theodore Bikel and Benny Goodman's versions.

Die Grine Kuzine

Am           Em         Am Em
tsu mir is gekummen a kuzine
Am             Em              Am Em
schejn wi gold is si gewen di grine
C           Am        Dm  Dm6
bekelech wi roite pomerantsn
Am           Dm             Am  C
fiselech wos betn sich tsum tantsn
C           Am        Dm  Dm6
bekelech wi roite pomerantsn
Am           Dm             Am
fiselech wos betn sich tsum tantsn

herelech wi sejdn-web gelokte
tsendelech wi perelech getokte
ejgelech wi himl-bloj in friling
lipelech wi karschmelech a tswiling
ejgelech wi himl-bloj in friling
lipelech wi karschmelech a tswiling

nischt gegangen is si nor gesprungen
nischt geredt hot si nor gesungen
lebendik un frejlech jeder meine
ot asoj gewen is majn kusine
lebendik un frejlech jeder meine
ot asoj gewen is majn kusine

un asoy ariber senen jorn
fun majn kuzine is a tel geworn
pejdes hot si wochenlang gekliben
bis fun ir is gornischt mer gebliben
pejdes hot si wochenlang gekliben
bis fun ir is gornischt mer gebliben

hajt wen ich bagegen majn kuzine
un ich freg ir s machstu epes grine
siftst si op un ch'lejen in ir mine
brenen sol kolumbuses medine
siftst si op un ch'lejen in ir mine
brenen sol kolumbuses medine


My cousin from the old country came over here.
She was beautiful as gold, the “greenhorn.”
Her cheeks were rosy like blood oranges;
her feet were just begging to dance.

She skipped instead of walking;
she sang instead of speaking.
Happy and merry was her demeanour.
Such was my cousin.

I went to the lady next door,
who has a little millinery store.
I got my greenhorn cousin a job there—
so long live the Golden Land!

Many years have since past.
My cousin has turned into a wreck.
She slaved away for many years
until nothing was left of her.

Under her blue, beautiful eyes
black bags have appeared.
The cheeks, those ruddy oranges,
have aged and lost their greenhorn glow.

Nowadays, when I meet my cousin
and I ask her, “How are you, greenhorn?”
She answers me with a crooked expression:
“Columbus’s land can go to hell!”




My Little Cousin

Dm             G7              Dm   G7
Have you heard about my little cousin?
Dm              G7            Dm  G7
She had boys proposin' by the dozen
Dm               G7           G    G7
But each one has now become a mourner
Am                G7             Dm
Since she met the boy around the corner

Girl met boy and girl could not forget him
For a bridegroom she would have to get him
She was pretty, how could he resist her?
It was love the moment the moment that he kissed her

Months went by, no wedding bells he mentioned
She began to question his intentions
He was shy, that's why he hadn't spoken
If they didn't wed he'd be heartbroken

But my little cousin wasn't dozin'
Leap-year came and she did the proposin'
Now the lovers both are their glory
He wed her to finish up this story

Chaim's song: Raisins and Almonds

As a ten-year-old, I discovered Theodore Bikel and Geula Gill's album Songs from Just About Everywhere on my parent's living room bookshelf. 
I played it over and over, and their songs were forever etched in my memory. Thirty-five years later, I found myself haunted by one tune in particular: Raisins and Almonds. This lullaby, written as a show tune in 1880, evokes the scene of a widow, comforting her only infant son among the ruins of the Temple. She rocks him, and intones his destiny as a trader of raisins and almonds. Hope in the wake of disaster. Optimism tinged with melancholy. This song has widespread appeal among European Jews.

My grandmother sang this song with my dad as a child, and singing it with my dad seemed like a good way to get a little conversation about his musical memories going.


Here's a very touching version by Benedetta Manfriani




Rozhinkes mit Mandlen (Raisins and Almonds) in A minor


Am                          Em     Am
In dem beis hamikdosh, in a vinkl cheider
Em                    B7      Em
Zitzt di almoneh, bas tzion alein
Em       C                 G7      C
Ihr ben yochidl yidelen viegt zi keseder
G7              Am       E7     Am
Zingt ihm tzum shlofn a liedele shein.
Dm         Am
Alelulelulelu(x2)

Am                 E7
Unter yideles viegele,
Am                  G7   C
Shteit a klor vaise tzigele
    Dm6          E7     Am
Dos tzigele iz gefohren handlen
Dm                  Am
Dos vet zain dain beruf
Dm6   E7      Am
Rozhinkes mit mandlen
E7                 Am
Shlof-zshe yideleh shlof

TRANSLATION:

In the temple, in the corner of a chamber,

The widow The Daughter of Zion is sitting all alone.

As she rocks her only son Yidele to sleep,

She sings him a pretty song, a lullaby.

Under Yidele's cradle, there stands a snow-white kid

that has been to market.

It will be your calling, too -

Trading in raisins and almonds,

And now sleep, Yidele, sleep

(Translation thanks to Raquel Merlot )