If I Were A Rich Man lyrics

Artist  : Zero Mostel 
Song : If I Were A Rich Man
 


(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?