Bei Mir Bistu Shein

"Bei Mir Bistu Shein" (Yiddish: בײַ מיר ביסטו שיין, "To Me You're Beautiful") is a popular Yiddish song composed by Jacob Jacobs (lyricist) and Sholom Secunda (composer) for a 1932 Yiddish musical, I Would If I Could (in Yiddish, Men Ken Lebn Nor Men Lost Nisht, "You could live, but they won't let you"), that closed after one season. The score for the song transcribed the Yiddish title as "Bay mir bistu sheyn".

The original Yiddish version of the song (in C minor) is really a dialogue between two lovers who share lines of the song.

The song became famous with English lyrics but retaining the Yiddish title, "Bei Mir Bistu Shein". It also appeared with a Germanized title "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen".

In 1937, Sammy Cahn heard a performance of the song, sung in Yiddish by African American performers Johnnie and George at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel proprietor Jenny Grossinger claimed to have taught the song to Johnnie and George while they were performing at the resort. On seeing the response, Cahn got his employer to buy the rights so he (together with Saul Chaplin) could rewrite the song with English language lyrics and rhythms more typical of swing music. Secunda and Jacobs sold the publishing rights to the song for a mere US$30. Cahn then convinced the still unknown Andrews Sisters to perform the song (recorded November 24, 1937). It became their first major hit, earning them a gold record, the first ever to a female vocal group. The song is performed by Renata Flores in the film The Last Metro. It was also a worldwide hit beyond America.

Over time, the song grossed some $3,000,000, with Secunda and Jacobs missing significant royalties. In 1961, the copyright on the song expired, and the ownership reverted to Secunda and Jacobs, who signed a contract with Harms, Inc., securing proper royalties.

There have been several songs with the tune in the Soviet Union. In particular, in 1943, a Russian-language song for the music was produced with satirical anti-Nazi lyrics titled "Baron Fon Der Pshik" ("Барон фон дер Пшик") by Anatoli Fidrovsky, music arrangement by Orest Kandat. Initially it was recorded by the jazz orchestra (director Nikolay Minkh) of the Baltic Fleet Theatre. Later it was included into the repertoire of Leonid Utyosov's jazz orchestra.

In Nazi Germany it was also a hit until its Jewish origins were discovered when it was promptly banned.

Recorded versions

In addition to the original (or modified/translated) lyrics, a number of songs are known which borrowed only the popular tune of Bei Mir..., with completely unrelated text.

0-9 8 To The Bar A Acker Bilk Adrian Rollini & His Novelty Trio & Quintet Al Bowlly The Andrews Sisters Arthur Murray Orchestra B The Barry Sisters Belle Baker Benny Goodman Billy Cotton & His Band Bob Wilber Booker Ervin Buddy Clark C Charlie and his Orchestra The Clark Sisters Cora Green (in the 1938 race film Swing!) The Crew-Cuts D Dan Barrett Dick Hyman Dennis Bell (Ballabio) Dukes of Dixieland E Ella Fitzgerald Eydie Gormé & Steve Lawrence. Released on the LP Eydie and Steve Sing the Golden Hits by ABC-Paramount Records as catalog number ABC 311 in 1960 F The Flying Neutrinos Frida Boccara (as "Pour Lui Je Suis Belle") G Garland Wilson Gevolt (on album AlefBase, 2011) Giora Feidman Glenn Miller Gołda Tencer Gordon Jenkins Greta Keller Guy Lombardo I Ilhama Gasimova J Jack Teagarden The Jackson Five (on the Carol Burnett Show, January 25, 1975) Janis Siegel Judy Garland June Christy. Recorded on June 20, 1952. Released on a 78rpm record by Capitol Records as catalog number 2199 K Tatiana Kabanova (as S Odesskogo Kichmana) Klezmer Conservatory Band Psoy Korolenko

L Larisa Dolina (as V Keiptaunskom portu - In Cape Town port) Lee Press-on and the Nails The Leningrad Dixieland Jazz Band The Lennon Sisters. Released on a single by Dot Records as catalog number 45-16423 in 1963 Leroy Jones Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra Listen Up! Los Albertos Louis Prima & Keely Smith. Released on the EP Louis & Keely by Dot Records as catalog number DEP-1093 in 1960 M Martha Tilton Max Raabe & das Palast Orchester Mieczysław Fogg & Henryk Wars Orchestra (1938) Moreno N Natasza Urbańska New Orleans Jazz Vipers Nina Hagen P The Puppini Sisters. Released on the CD Betcha Bottom Dollar by Universal Music as catalog number 06 0251 70622 7 6 in 2006 Q Quadro Nuevo R Ramsey Lewis and His Gentlemen of Swing. Released on the LP Ramsey Lewis and His Gentlemen of Swing by Argo Records as catalog number LP 611 in 1958 Ray Anthony The Red Elvises with the title "My Darling Lorraine" Robin McKelle. Released on the CD Introducing Robin McKelle by Cheap Lullaby Records as catalog number 37 6010 60712 4 96 in 2006 Ronn Metcalfe S Sammy Cahn Severny, Arkasha (V Keiptaunskom portu 1972) Shelly Manne Slim Gaillard A parody of this song, "The Bear Missed the Train", was written by the Smith Street Society Jazz Band in 1964 and became a favorite on Jean Shepherd's radio narratives. it:Sorelle Marinetti Swing Kids T Teddy Wilson Teresa Brewer. Released on a single by Amsterdam Records as catalog number 85029 in 1973 Terry Gibbs Tom Cunningham U Utyosov, Leonid (Baron Fod Der Pshik and S Odesskogo Kichmana) V Vagabond Opera The Village Stompers W Waldeck Willie "The Lion" Smith Z Zarah Leander with Einar Groth's orchestra. Swedish lyrics: Tage Tall. Recorded on April 21, 1938. Released on a 78 rpm record by Odeon as catalog number D 2978, SA 255 956

External links

• Bay Mir Bist Du Sheyn Original lyrics in Yiddish at Wikisource
• Page on the song at Yiddish Radio Project site
• Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Sholem Secunda, Jacob Jacobs, Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin (Lyrics and Chords)
• History of Bei Mir Bistu Shein featuring archival film clips on YouTube (Russian)
• The Andrews Sisters sing Bei Mir Bistu Shein with new English lyrics (1937) on YouTube
• Lyricist's granddaughter tells "The Real Story of Bei Mir Bistu Shein" on YouTube