Fiddler on the Roof songs
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Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The show is set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical to surpass the 3,000 performance mark, and it held the record for longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years until Grease surpassed its run.
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[edit] Tradition
"Tradition" is the entire prologue of Fiddler on the Roof. It starts out with a solo from the "Fiddler". Tevye continues, "A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no. But in our little village of Anatevka, you might say everyone is a Fiddler on the Roof. You might ask, 'if it's so dangerous there, why do we stay up?' Because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: Tradition!" Everyone starts dancing. There are 4 groups, the Papa, the Mama, the sons, and the daughters. Each groups says a little about themself. Eventually everyone is singing together. Tevye points out the others in the village, and explains how one person sold him a horse, but delivered a mule. A "fight" breaks out. The song continues, and ends.
[edit] Matchmaker
Matchmaker is a song sung by the three eldest girls of Tevye and Golde, Tzeitel, Hodel, and Chava. Hodel and Chava sing about how they wish Yente, the matchmaker, would find a match for them. Tzeitel scares them by giving them bad examples of people Yente could bring. Soon the others change their minds, and take back what they said.
[edit] If I Were a Rich Man
This song is Tevye's solo. While he is working with his animals, he is singing about how he wishes God would make him rich.
[edit] Sabbath Prayer
This is a prayer that Golde and Tevye sing for their children. Eventually, other families sing with them.
