Daniel Kahn & The Painted Bird
Borsht Revisited
[Intro]
Daniel Kahn: Hey Vanya!
Vanya Zhuk: Yep, yeah, Dan?
Daniel Kahn: Do you remember when it was when I wrote this English translation of Borsht?
Vanya Zhuk: I always thought it was right after my Russian translation
Daniel Kahn: Oh no, it was Raczuev in Poland, this little pig farmer town
Vanya Zhuk: Ah we played a small gig in the pub?
Daniel Kahn: Yeah right, and we didn't wanna sing in Yiddish because nobody there understands any Yiddish
Vanya Zhuk: And they don't speak English and Russian, Dan
Daniel Kahn: Well they used to have Yiddish there, but not anymore so I did it in English, like this
This borsht is making love inside my belly
Yes never have I tasted such a stew
I think of you & something starts a-kvelling
Because there is something about you
I think of you and my stomach starts a-swelling
Because there is something about you
А ты борщом меня в тот вечер накормила
А мне борща того не надо было есть
Теперь забыть тебя уже не в силах
Что-то в тебе есть
Ikh bin mir a detroiter a geboyrener
Un dos gantse shtetl ken zikh in mir
Un derekh dir bin ikh gevorn a farloyrener
Vayl ikh hob dikh lib
In my hometown I was a local hero
& all the girls around all knew my name
Since I met you it all amounts to zero
'cause you bring me nothing but pain
Since I met you it all amounts to zero
'cause you bring me nothing but pain
А если дело встало за пропиской
Так я с тобой готов на край земли
Мы будем там преподавать английский*
Vayl ikh hob dikh lib
Maybe there's a problem with my money
Well my mother will mortgage the mule
& I will count the money for you honey
Because there is something about you
Yes I will count the money for you honey
Because there is something about you
А если хочешь выйти замуж за еврея
Mayn zeyde iz gevezn a rob
Предлагаю пожениться поскорее
Я уже не очень-то здоров
Lomir beyde khasene hobn
Vayl ikh bin in the old school groove
Perhaps you have a problem with my people
You didn't realize I was a Jew
Well a khupe can go underneath a steeple
Because there is something about you
Ikh hob nokh aza borsht nit gegesn
Un ikh hob nokh aza tam nisht gefilt
Ikh ken on dir mayn lebn nit fargesn
Vayl ikh hob dikh lib...
Finem tog bizn finstern grib