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Prologue — Tradition
Zero Mostel
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A fiddler on the roof
Sounds crazy, no?
But in our little village of Anatevka
You might say
Every one of us is a fiddler on the roof
Trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune
Without breaking his neck
It isn't easy
You may ask
Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?
We stay because Anatevka is our home
And how do we keep our balance?
That I can tell you in one word
Tradition
Tradition, tradition
Tradition
Tradition, tradition
Tradition
Because of our traditions
We've kept our balance for many years
Here in Anatevka we have our traditions for everything
How to eat, how to sleep, how to work
Even how to wear clothes
For instance, we always keep our heads covered
We wear these little prayer shawls
This shows our constant devotion to God
You may ask, how did this tradition get started?
I'll tell you -
I don't know
But it's a tradition
Because of our traditions
Everyone here knows who he is
And what God expects him to do."
Who day and night
Must scramble for a living
Feed the wife and children
Say his daily prayers?
And who has the right
As master of the house
To have the final word at home?
The papa, the papa
Tradition
The papa, the papa
Tradition
Who must know the way to make a proper home
A quiet home, a kosher home
Who must raise a family and run the home
So Papa's free to read the holy book?
The mama, the mama
Tradition
The mama, the mama
Tradition
At three I started Hebrew school
At ten I learned a trade
I hear they picked a bride for me
I hope she's pretty
The sons, the sons
Tradition
The sons, the sons
Tradition
And who does Mama teach
To mend and tend and fix
Preparing me to marry
Whoever Papa picks?
The daughters, the daughters (I have five daughters!)
Tradition
The daughters, the daughters
Tradition
Who day and night
Must scramble for a living (and who does Mama teach)
To feed a wife and children (at three I started Hebrew school)
Say his daily prayers, and (to mend and tend and fix) (at ten I)
Who has the right (learned a trade)
As master of the house (preparing) (I hear they)
To have the final word at home? (me to marry) (picked a wife for me)
(Whoever Papa picks) (I hope she's pretty)
The papas
The mamas (the sons) (the daughters)
Tradition
The papas (the mamas) (the sons) (the daughters)
The papas (the mamas) (the sons) (the daughters)
Tradition
And in the circle of our little village
We have always had our many special types
For instance, Yente, the matchmaker
Avram, I have a perfect match for your son
A wonderful girl
Who is it?
Ruchel, the shoemaker's daughter
Ruchel?! She can hardly see
She's almost blind
Tell the truth, Avram
Is your son so much to look at?
The way she sees and the way he looks
It's a perfect match
And Reb Nahum, the beggar
Alms for the poor, alms for the poor
(Here, Nahum, here's one kopek)
One kopek? Last week you geve me two kopeks
(I had a bad week)
So, if you had a bad week, why should I suffer?
And most important, our beloved Rabbi
(Rabbi, may I ask you a question?)
Certainly, my son
(Is there a proper blessing for the Tsar?)
A blessing for the tsar? Of course
May God bless and keep the Tsar
Far away from us!
Among ourselves, we've always gotten along perfectly well
Of course, there was the time he sold him a horse
But delivered a mule
But that's all settled
Now we live in simple peace and harmony
It was a horse
(It was a mule)
It was a horse!
(It was a mule, I tell you!)
It was a horse!
(Mule!)
Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule!
Horse! Mule! Horse!
Tradition, tradition
Tradition
Tradition, tradition
Tradition
Tradition, tradition
Without our traditions
Our life would be as shaky as - as -
As a fiddler on the roof!