Mayn Yidishe Meydele/Miami Beach Rhumba
Mayn Yidishe Meydele My Yidishe Girl by Sholom Secunda and Anshel Schorr
“Mayn Yidishe Meydele” is the title song of a 2nd Avenue musical from the 20’s. Yiddish audiences loved a good tango.
My Yidishe girl, she’s so lovely, with her Yidishe charm. Hair of gold, teeth like pearls; you can search other nations by the millions, you’ll never find a girl with that Yidishe charm.
Mayn Yidishe Meydele My Yidishe Girl Shalom Secunda, Anshel Schorr
Mayn yidishe meydele My yidishe girl
Zi iz azoy sheyn She is so lovely
Mayn yidishe meydele My yidishe girl
Mit ir yidishn kheyn With her yidishe charm
Fun gold ire herelekh Her hair of gold
Di tseyner vi perelekh Teeth like pearls
Nor a yidishe meydl Only a yidishe girl
Ken zayn azoy sheyn Can be so beautiful
Ir vet far milyonen You will for millions
Bay andere natsyonen In other nations
Nit gefinen a meydl Never find a girl
Mit a yidishn kheyn With such yidishe charm
Miami Beach Rhumba by Irving Fields
I’ve paired “Mayn Yidishe Meydele” with a Latin number from the 40’s, “Miami Beach Rhumba”. John plays guest percussion.
We transliterated the Yiddish lyrics from Seymour Rexite’s recording on YouTube. I’d love some feedback about this song — contact me at silkenwinegmail.com. I have not yet found out who wrote the Yiddish lyrics. I welcome any corrections (or alternative speculations) to our version of the words.
Trivia: “When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on His Tuba” was a hit for Rudy Vallee in 1931.
Gevolt hob ikh forn gor keyn Cuba I really wanted to go to Cuba
Bin ikh in Miami Beach geven I stopped off in Miami Beach
Un dos iz gor nit vayt fun Cuba And that’s really not that far from Cuba
Di rhumba, oy tantst men dort sheyn The rhumba, oh, they dance it there so well
Senoritas kheynevdik un rundik Senoritas, charming and zaftig
Efsher vel ikh blaybn do a vayl Maybe I’ll stay here a while
Dakht zikh s’iz gornit azoy zindik Seems to me it’s no sin
Tsu dreyen zikh in mainland in style To hang around the mainland in style
Nu, bin ikh nit geven in Cuba So I didn’t go to Cuba
In di atmosfer es git a prakht Such splendid atmosphere!
Afile Yuba mit zayn tuba Even Yuba with his tuba
Hobn oykh do farbrakht Spent time here
Ikh leyg op Havana far manana I’ll leave Havana for manana
Vayl mir gefelt Miami Beach Because I like Miami Beach
Getanst dem rhumba vi in old Havana I danced the rhumba like in old Havana,
Hob ikh do in Miami Beach Here in Miami Beach