Bei Mir Bistu Shein

Bei Mir Bistu Shein (Yiddish: בייַ מיר ביסטו שיין, "To Me You're Beautiful") is a popular Yiddish song composed by Jacob Jacobs (lyricist) and Sholom Secunda (composer) for a 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") in 1932 that closed after one season. Secunda sold the publishing rights to the song for a mere US$30.
The original Yiddish version of the song (in C minor) is 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. However, it also appeared with the quasi-German title Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (in German: Für mich bist Du schön).
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. 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. He 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.
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.Eugene B. Bergmann, Excelsior, You Fathead!: The Art and Enigma of Jean Shepherd, 2005, ISBN 1557836000, p. 203
A common soramimi of the title is "My Dear Mister Shane".
==Recorded versions==
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
*Daniel Kempin
*Dick Hyman
*Dukes of Dixieland
E
*Ella Fitzgerald
F
*The Flying Neutrinos
G
*Garland Wilson
*Giora Feidman
*Glenn Miller
*Gordon Jenkins
*Greta Keller
*Guy Lombardo
H
*Havana Swing
I
*Isabelle Georges with Sirba Octet
J
*Jack Teagarden
*The Jackson Five (on the Carol Burnett Show, January 25, 1975)
*Janis Siegel
*Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five
*Judy Garland
*June Christy
K
*Klezmer Conservatory Band
*Psoy Korolenko
L
*Larisa Dolina
*Lee Press-On and the Nails
*Leonid Utesov
*Leroy Jones
*Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra
*Listen Up!
*Louis Prima
M
*Martha Tilton
*Mayane Delem
*Moreno
N
*Natasza Urbańska
*New Orleans Jazz Vipers
*Nicki Jaine
*Nina Hagen (2006)
O
*Original Klezmer Jazz Band
P
*The Puppini Sisters
Q
*Quadro Nuevo
R
*Ramsey Lewis
*Ray Anthony
*The Red Elvises with the title "My Darling Lorraine"
*Rivers
*Robin Mckelle
*Ronn Metcalfe
S
*Sammy Cahn
*Shelly Manne
*Slim Gaillard
*Southern Backtones (1998/Los Tormentos De Amor)
*Steve Lawrence
T
*Teddy Wilson
*Temple Sinai Klezmer Band
*Teresa Brewer
*Terry Gibbs
*Thomas Nöla et Son Orchestre
*Tom Cunningham
*Tin Pan
V
*The Village Stompers
W
*Waldeck
*Willie "The Lion" Smith
Y
*Yale's Proof of the Pudding
Z
*Zarah Leander
==Notes==
==External links==
*Bay Mir Bist Du Sheyn Original lyrics in Yiddish at Wikisource
*Page on the song at Yiddish Radio Project site
*Sholom Secunda - The Story of Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
*Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Sholem Secunda, Jacob Jacobs, Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin (Lyrics and Chords)
Category:Yiddish words and phrases
Category:Jewish music
Category:Secular Jewish culture