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When The Band Began To Play

from Up In The Borscht Belt by The Jews Brothers Band

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lyrics

1.
When the band began to play
We didn’t know the words
They said “what a lot of chutzpah”
And they said that our singing was strictly for the birds
“Such fakakta Yiddish
You should stick to English
And you guys are finished!”
When the band began to play

CHORUS
So we went lai-lai-lai-lai-lai-lai=lai
And that’s the reason why
We kept on singing lai-lai-lai
The years flew by
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai-lai
Oh yes those were the days
When the band began to play

2.
When the band began to play
We had no clarinet
And they said it wasn’t klezmer
And “the music that you’re playing is making us upset
Can’t you do Bette Midler
That would be a mitzvah
Or a bit from Fiddler”
When the band began to play

3.
When the band began to play
Our repertoire was small
So we didn’t make a set list
And we made a lot of fans
The only trouble was
They were all on the guest list
Either that or the press list
So the band made bupkis
When the band began to play

And when the rabbi came
He said “Change your name
You won’t get any fame
Your name will be to blame
And you should be ashamed
Thus spake the bold rabbi
But I said What d’ya mean?
On this name I am keen’
I heard it in a dream
(He heard it in a dream)
This name has been ordained from on high
The Jews Brothers Jews Brothers Jews Brothers ….
Band!!!!

chutzpah - ‘cheek’
fakakta - ridiculous
mitzvah - blessing
bupkis - nothing
& (mentioned earlier) schtick - gimmick, comic performance/routine

credits

from Up In The Borscht Belt, released January 1, 2016

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all rights reserved

tags

about

The Jews Brothers Band image

The Jews Brothers Band Auckland, New Zealand

Twenty years ago, inspired by a klezmer tune playing on an Auckland café’s stereo, Hershal Herscher picked up his accordion and started playing the music his grandfather Harry had brought to New York from the Ukraine.

The rhythm he was pumping out acted like a magnet on three musician friends who were in the caf that day. From that nucleus The Jews Brothers Band was born. ... more

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