We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Why, Oh Dona

from A Little Letter by Brivele

supported by
Laine
Laine thumbnail
/

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in digipak case with Brivele palindrome triptych block-print coverart, band photo, and lyric sheet

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Little Letter via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 10 days

      $16 USD or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $1 USD  or more

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

lyrics

Why is the calf on a wagon?
Why the mournful eye?
Because the calf is bound for market
And that calf is gonna die.
 
[Eng Chorus]
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the Summer’s night
 
Why is a calf not a swallow?
Why, oh why, oh why?
Cuz calves don’t have wings to fly
So that calf is gonna die.
 
Why does a calf go to slaughter
Not knowing the reason why?
Cuz calves don’t have wings to fly
That calf is gonna die.
 
Why, oh why, oh why oh?
Why, oh why, oh why?
Because because because because
Goodbye goodbye goodbye
 
Why won’t the calf just grow wings?
Then he won’t have to die
If you weren’t sending calves to market
Then they wouldn’t need to fly!
 
[Yid Chorus]
Lakht der vint in korn
Lakht un lakht un lakht
Lakht er op a tog a gantsn
Mit a halber nakht

Oyfn furl ligt a kelbl
Ligt gebundn mit a shtrik
Hoykh in himl flit a foygl
Flit un dreyt zikh hin un tsrik

[Yid Chorus] Dona, dona…

Schrayt dos kelbl, zogt der poyer
Ver zhe heyst dikh zayn a kalb?
Volst gekent dokh zayn a foygl
Volst gekent dokh zayn a schvalb.

[Yid Chorus] Dona, dona…

Calves are easily bound and slaughtered,
Never knowing the reason why
But whoever treasures freedom
Like the swallow has learned to fly.

[Eng Chorus] Dona, dona…

Why oh why oh why oh?
Dona dona dona don.

credits

from A Little Letter, released May 25, 2018
arranged by Brivele, adapted from Sholom Secunda/Aaron Zeitlin’s “Dos Kelbl” (written for the 1941 stage production, “Esterke”) and Woody Guthrie’s “Why Oh Why” (1960, renewed). Sweet violin riff borrowed from Les Yeux Noir. English verses written by Maia Brown.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Brivele image

Brivele Seattle, Washington

A discontented punky-klezy trio of Yiddishists.

Brivele is:

Stefanie Brendler (accordion, vox, glockenspiel, slide whistle)
Maia Brown (banjo, vox)
Hannah Hamavid (violin, ukulele, vox) ... more

contact / help

Contact Brivele

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like Brivele, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Fabiana Palladino stops by to talk about her mesmeric debut LP.
listen now