01- Tradition

TEVYE A fiddler on the roof... Sounds crazy, no? But here, 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? Well, 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, many years. Here in Anatevka, we have traditions for everything. How to sleep. How to eat. How to work. How to wear clothes. For instance, we always keep our heads covered, and always wear a little prayer shawl. 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. And because of our traditions, every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do. TEVYE & PAPAS Who, day and night, must scramble for a living Feed a 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 GOLDE & MAMAS 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 SONS At three, I started Hebrew school. At ten, I learned a trade. I hear they've picked a bride for me. I hope she's pretty. The son, the son! Tradition! The son, the son! Tradition! DAUGHTERS And who does Mama teach to mend and tend and fix, Preparing me to marry whoever Papa picks? The daughter, the daughter! Tradition! The daughter, the daughter! 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 And who does Mama teach To mend and tend and fix? Preparing her to marry Whoever Papa picks The daughters The daughters Tradition The papa Mama Sons The daughters Tradition And in the circle of our little village, we've always had our special types. For instance, Yente, the matchmaker, Reb Nachum, the beggar. And, most important of all, our beloved rabbi. Rabbi, may I ask you a question? Certainly, Leibesh. Is there a proper blessing... for the Tzar? A blessing for the Tzar? Of course. May God bless and keep the Tzar far away from us! Dai dai dai dai Dai dai dai dai Dai dai dai dai Dai dai dai dai dai Dai dai dai dai Dai dai dai dai Dai dai dai dai Dai dai dai dai dai Then there are the others in our village. They make a much bigger circle. We don't bother them and so far, they don't bother us. And among ourselves, we always get along perfectly well. Of course, there was the time when he sold him a horse. He told him it was only six years old when it was really . But now it's all over. And we all live in simple peace and harmony. It was really years old. It was six! Tevye knows it was . How do you know? It was Tradition, Tradition, Tradition Tradition, Tradition, Tradition Dai dai Dai dai dai Dai dai dai dum Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as As... As a fiddler on the roof!