If I Were A Rich Man Lyrics

If I Were A Rich Man lyrics

(SPOKEN:) Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course,
that
it's no great shame to be poor... but it's no great honor, either. So
what would have
been the difference if I had... a small fortune?

If I
were a rich man,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle
dum
All day long I'd biddy-biddy-bum
If I were a wealthy man.
I
wouldn't have to work hard,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle
daidle dum
If I were a biddy-biddy rich,
Daidle deedle daidle daidle
man.

I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen
Right in the
middle of the town,
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There
would be one long staircase just going up
And one even longer coming
down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

I'd fill my yard
with chicks and turkeys and geese
And ducks for the town to see and
hear,
Squawking just as noisily as they can,
And each loud "pa-pa-geeee!
pa-pa-gaack! pa-pa-geeee! pa-pa-gaack!"
Would land like a trumpet on the
ear,
As if to say, "Here lives a wealthy man."
Oy!

If I were a
rich man,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
All day
long I'd biddy-biddy-bum
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work
hard,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
If I were a
biddy-biddy rich,
Daidle deedle daidle daidle man.

I see my wife, my
Golde, looking like a rich man's wife,
With a proper double
chin,
Supervising meals to her heart's delight.
I see her putting on airs
and strutting like a peacock,
Oy! What a happy mood she's in,
Screaming at
the servants day and night.

The most important men in town will come to
fawn on me--
They will ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the
Wise--
"If you please, Reb Tevye?"--
"Pardon me, Reb Tevye?"--
Posing
problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes--
(chanting) Ya va voy, ya va voy
voy vum...
And it won't make one bit of difference
If I answer right or
wrong--
When you're rich, they think you really know.

If I were rich,
I'd have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray,
And maybe
have a seat by the Eastern wall,
And I'd discuss the learned books with the
holy men
Seven hours every day--
That would be the sweetest thing of
all...
Oy!

If I were a rich man,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle
daidle deedle daidle dum
All day long I'd biddy-biddy-bum
If I were a
wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle
daidle deedle daidle dum
Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed
I should be what I am--
Would it spoil some vast, eternal plan,
If I were
a wealthy man?