If I Were a Rich Man

Ο «Βιολιστής στη Στέγη» (Fiddler on the Roof) είναι ένα από τα πιο γνωστά και δημοφιλή μιούζικαλ στην ιστορία του μουσικού θεάτρου. Το 1971 έγινε κινηματογραφική ταινία και απέσπασε πολλά βραβεία, ενώ ο πρωταγωνιστής Τοπόλ προτάθηκε για το βραβείο Όσκαρ.

Η ιστορία διαδραματίζεται στη Ρωσία των αρχών του 20ού αιώνα και παρακολουθεί έναν Εβραίο, πιστό στα έθιμα και τις παραδόσεις του λαού του, ο οποίος προσπαθεί να προσαρμοστεί στις αλλαγές που συντελούνται γύρω του.

Στο απόσπασμα που ακολουθεί ο ήρωας περιγράφει τι θα έκανε αν ήταν πλούσιος:

Oh, dear Lord! You made many many poor people...
I realize, of course, it’s no shame to be poor,
but it’s no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible,
if I had a small fortune?

If I were a rich man,
yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum,
all day long I’d biddy biddy bum,
if I were a wealthy man...

I wouldn’t have to work hard,
yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum,
if I were a biddy biddy rich,
idle diddle 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 -agay and ago and aga and aca-
will land like a trumpet on the ear,
as if to say: «Here lives a wealthy man!»

If I were a rich man,
yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum,
all day long I’d biddy biddy bum,
if I were a wealthy man!

I wouldn’t have to work hard,
yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum,
if I were a biddy biddy rich,
idle diddle daidle daidle man...

I’d 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
—Oh, what a happy mood she’s in!—
screaming at her 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!

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 that 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 Holy Books with the learned men
seven hours every day
and that would be the sweetest thing of all!

If I were a rich man,
yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum,
all day long I’d biddy biddy bum,
if I were a wealthy man!

I wouldn’t have to work hard,
yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby 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?

ΕΡΜΗΝΕΙΑ: Topol
ΤΑΙΝΙΑ: Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

ΤαινίεςΤραγούδια