Written by:Sheldon Harnick/Jerry Bock
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 so terrible
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 the 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 gee pa pa gaack
Pa pa gee 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
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 holy books with the learned 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
[00:01.00]Written by:Sheldon Harnick/Jerry Bock
[00:02.42]Dear God you made many many poor people
[00:07.06]I realize of course that it's no great shame to be poor
[00:11.94]But it's no great honor either
[00:15.22]So what would have been so terrible
[00:18.12]If I had a small fortune
[00:22.73]If I were a rich man
[00:24.95]Daidle deedle daidle
[00:26.55]Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
[00:29.95]All day long I'd biddy biddy bum
[00:33.75]If I were a wealthy man
[00:37.58]I wouldn't have to work hard
[00:39.80]Daidle deedle daidle
[00:41.64]Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
[00:44.82]If I were a biddy biddy rich
[00:48.67]Daidle deedle daidle daidle man
[00:52.44]I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen
[00:58.80]Right in the middle of the town
[01:02.23]A fine tin roof with the real wooden floors below
[01:08.65]There would be one long staircase just going up
[01:13.44]And one even longer coming down
[01:17.15]And one more leading nowhere just for show
[01:24.01]I'd fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese
[01:30.18]And ducks for the town to see and hear
[01:33.98]Squawking just as noisily as they can
[01:40.24]And each loud pa pa gee pa pa gaack
[01:43.39]Pa pa gee pa pa gaack
[01:45.06]Would land like a trumpet on the ear
[01:48.65]As if to say here lives a wealthy man oy
[01:59.57]If I were a rich man daidle deedle daidle
[02:03.13]Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
[02:06.99]All day long I'd biddy biddy bum
[02:10.66]If I were a wealthy man
[02:13.56]I wouldn't have to work hard daidle deedle daidle
[02:17.79]Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
[02:21.93]If I were a biddy biddy rich
[02:25.71]Daidle deedle daidle daidle man
[02:29.86]I see my wife my golde looking like a rich man's wife
[02:37.23]With a proper double chin
[02:40.32]Supervising meals to her heart's delight
[02:46.57]I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock
[02:52.21]Oy what a happy mood she's in
[02:55.42]Screaming at the servants day and night
[03:03.54]The most important men in town will come to fawn on me
[03:09.62]They will ask me to advise them
[03:13.37]Like a solomon the wise
[03:17.01]If you please reb tevye pardon me reb tevye
[03:24.21]Posing problems that would 'Cross a rabbi's eyes
[03:29.39]Ya va voy ya va voy voy vum
[03:38.43]And it won't make one bit of difference
[03:42.11]If I answer right or wrong
[03:46.00]When you're rich they think you really know
[03:53.85]If I were rich I'd have the time that I lack
[04:00.06]To sit in the synagogue and pray
[04:03.81]And maybe have a seat by the eastern wall
[04:10.48]And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men
[04:16.41]Seven hours every day
[04:18.99]That would be the sweetest thing of all oy
[04:30.76]If I were a rich man daidle deedle daidle
[04:34.36]Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
[04:38.24]All day long I'd biddy biddy bum
[04:42.00]If I were a wealthy man
[04:45.06]I wouldn't have to work hard daidle deedle daidle
[04:49.40]Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
[04:53.42]Lord who made the lion and the lamb
[04:57.34]You decreed I should be what I am
[05:01.15]Would it spoil some vast eternal plan
[05:06.61]If I were a wealthy man