Prologue: Tradition

Lyrics

[TEVYE, spoken] 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's our home And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word Tradition! [ENSEMBLE] Tradition, tradition Tradition Tradition, tradition Tradition [TEVYE, spoken] 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 and 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 knows who he is and what God expects him to do [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? [ENSEMBLE] The papa, the papa Tradition The papa, the papa Tradition [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? [ENSEMBLE] 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 picked a bride for me I hope she's pretty [ALL] The sons, the sons Tradition The sons, the sons Tradition [DAUGHTERS] And who does mama teach To mend and tend and fix Preparing me to marry Whoever papa picks? [ENSEMBLE] The daughters, the daughters [TEVYE, spoken] I have five daughters! [ENSEMBLE] Tradition The daughters, the daughters Tradition [PAPAS, DAUGHTERS, SONS, MAMAS] Who day and night must scramble for a living And who does mama teach At three I started Hebrew school Who must know the way to make a proper home Feed the wife and children, say his daily prayers? To mend and tend and fix At ten I learned a trade A quiet home, a kosher home? And who has the right as master of the house Preparing me to marry I hear they picked a bride for me Who must raise a family and run the home To have the final word at home? Whoever papa picks? I hope she's pretty So papa's free to read the holy book? [PAPAS] The papa [MAMAS] The mama [SONS] The sons [DAUGHTERS] The daughters [ALL] Tradition [PAPAS, MAMAS, SONS, DAUGHTERS] The papa The mama The sons The daughters The papa The mama The sons The daughters [ENSEMBLE] Tradition [TEVYE, spoken] And in the circle of our little village We've always had our many special types For instance, Yente, the matchmaker [YENTE, spoken] Avram, I have a perfect match for your son A wonderful girl [AVRAM, spoken] Who is it? [YENTE, spoken] Ruchel, the shoemaker's daughter [AVRAM, spoken] Ruchel? She can hardly see She's almost blind [YENTE, spoken] 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 [TEVYE, spoken] And we have Nachum, the beggar [NACHUM, spoken] Alms for the poor, alms for the poor [LAZAR, spoken] Here, Nachum, here's one kopek [NACHUM, spoken] One kopek? Last week you gave me two kopeks [LAZAR, spoken] I had a bad week [NAHUM, spoken] So, if you had a bad week, why should I suffer? [TEVYE, spoken] And most important, our beloved Rabbi [MENDEL, spoken] Rabbi, may I ask you a question? [RABBI, spoken] Certainly, my son [MENDEL, spoken] Is there a proper blessing for the Tsar? [RABBI, spoken] A blessing for the Tsar? Of course [RABBI] May God bless and keep the Tsar... [RABBI, spoken] Far away from us! [TEVYE, spoken] 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 [MAN 1, spoken] It was a horse [MAN 2, spoken] It was a mule [MAN 1, spoken] It was a horse [MAN 2, spoken] It was a mule, I tell you [MAN 1, spoken] It was a horse [MAN 2, spoken] It was a mule [VILLAGERS arguing.] [ENSEMBLE, spoken] Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! [ENSEMBLE] Tradition, tradition Tradition Tradition, tradition Tradition [TEVYE, spoken] Tradition, tradition Without our traditions, our life would be as shaky as, as... As a fiddler on the roof!