Der Rebe Elimeylekh
                                                    Music & Lyrics:  In 1927, Moshe Nadir (1885-1943)  published his Yiddish version
                                                                      Singers  Preßburger Klezmer Band (Bratislava ,Slovakia)

     Yitzchak Rayz was born in the town of Narayev,in eastern Galicia, then Austro-Hungary.In 1898, at the age of 13, Rayz immigrated to New York and adopted the Americanized name Isaac Reiss. Within a few years his work was  published  widely in the New York Yiddish press, under a variety of pseudonyms. Eventually Yitzchak adopted the name Moishe Nadir. "Nadir" is an Yiddish expression meaning "here  you are" or "that's for you". In 1927, Moshe Nadir  published his song "Der Rebbe Elimelech" and it became an instant success. This Song  was about a very "Freilech," happy, lively Rabbi.

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Yiddish
Az der rebe elimelekh iz gevorn zeyer freylekh,
iz gevorn zeyer  freylekh elimelekh,
hot er oysgeton di tfilen un hot ongeton di
briln un geshikt nokh di fidlers di tsvey.

Un di fidldike fidlers
hobn fidldik gefidlt,
hobn fidldik gefidlt hoben zey.(x2)

Un az der rebe elimelekh iz gevorn nokh mer freylekh,
iz gevorn nokh mer freylekh elimelekh,
hot er opgemakht havdoleh mitn shames rav
naftali un geshikt nokh di payklers di tsvey.

Un di paykldike payklers
hoben paykldik gepayklt,
hoben paykldik gepayklt hoben zey. (x2)

Un az der rebe elimelekh iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh,
iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh elimelekh,
hot er oysgeton dem kitl un hot ongeton dos
hitl un geshikt nokh di tsimblers di tsvey.
 
Un di tsimbldike tsimblers
hobn tsimbldik getsimblt,
hobn tsimbldik
getsimblt hobn zey. (x2)

Un az der rebe elimelekh iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh,
iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh elimelekh,
hot er geton a gutn genets un gezogt: me darf
shoyn meyn nit! un geshikt di kapelye aheym.

Di shikere kapelye fun raben melekh-elieh,
hot oysgeshtelt dem dales a  fayg.
Di freylekhe kapelye hot gehopket biz der stelie
un zikh farbitn mitn klaper-getsayg:

Di fidldike poyker hobn tsimbldik gefidlt,
un bronfndik gegosn zikh mit vayn.
Di lustike klezmorim mit flesher untern orem,
hoben geholiet biz in heln tog arayn.

English
 And then the Rabbi Elimelk   had become a bit more happy
 had become a bit more happy Elimelekh,
 he made havdalah ceremony with the help of Rabbi  Naftali
 and sent after the two drummers.
 
 And the  drumming drumemrs
 had drummed drummingly
 had drummed  drummingly, they had. 
  
 And then the Rabbi Elimelekh   had become totally happy
 had become totally happy   Elimelekh,
 he took off the Kitl (suit)  and put on a hat
 and sent after the two cymbalists.
 
  And the cymbaling 
 cymbalists   had cymballed cymballingly
 had cymballed  cymballingly, they had. 
  
 And then the Rabbi  Elimelekh had become totally happy
 had become totally happy Elimelekh,
 he made a great yawn and said "no more is  needed!"
 and sent the band home.
 
 The drunk band  from Rabbi Melekh Elieh gave poverty
 the fig-finger gesture the happy band
 had hopped to the ceiling
 and traded with paraphernalia.
  
The fiddling drummer had fiddled cymballingly  
and liquor-flowed himself with wine
The  cheerful musicians with bottles under their arms  
caroused  brightly till the next day