Tradition

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 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 eat, how to sleep, 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 start?
I'll tell you
I don't know!
But it's a tradition!
(Hey!)
Because of our traditions
Everyone knows who he is
And what God expects him to do

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!

Who must know the way to make a proper home
A quiet home
A kosher home?
Who must raise the family and run the home
So Papa's free to read the holy book?
The Mama
The Mama!
Tradition!
The Mama
The Mama!
Tradition!

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 sons
The sons!
Tradition!
The sons
The sons!
Tradition!

And who does Mama teach
To mend and tend and fix
Preparing me to marry whoever Papa picks?
The daughters
The daughters! (I have five daughters!)
Tradition!
The daughters
The daughters!
Tradition!

(ALL VERSES REPEAT - LAYERED)

The papa!
The mama!
The sons!
The daughters!
Tradition!
The papa (mama) (sons) (daughters)!
The papa (mama) (sons) (daughters)!
Tradition!

And in the circle of our little village
We've always had our special types
For instance, Yente the matchmaker

Avram, I have a perfect match for your son, a wonderful girl!
Who is it?
Rachul, the shoemakers daughter
Ugh, Rachul, but she can hardly see, she's almost blind!
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!

And Reb Nachem, the beggar
(Alms for the poor, alms for the poor!)
Here, Reb Nachem, is one kopek
One kopek? Last week you gave me two kopeks
I had a bad week
So if you had a bad week, why should I suffer?

And most important, our beloved Rabbi

Rabbi! May I ask you a question?
Certainly, my son
Is there a proper blessing for the Czar?
A blessing for the Czar, of course!
May God bless and keep the Czar... 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 have a much bigger circle
His honor the constable, his honor the priest
His honor the ... many others
We don't bother them
And so far, they don't bother us
And among ourselves, we get along perfectly well
Of course, there was the time when he sold him a horse
And he delivered a mule
But that's all settled now!
Now we live in simple peace and harmony
(It was a horse)
(It was a mule)
(It was a horse!)
(It was a mule!)
(How many times are we gonna go over this? It was a—)

Horse!
Mule!
Horse!
Mule!
Horse!
Mule!
Horse!
Mule!

Tradition
Tradition!
Tradition!
Tradition!
Tradition!
Tradition!

Tradition
Without our traditions
Our lives would be as shaky as...
As...
As a fiddler on the roof!