Thanks for this, Michael. I'm crazy about Romanian/Roma/klezmer music from Moldavia. The song "Sanie cu zurgalai" is one I performed on flute or soprano sax often in the 1970s, having learned it from the Maria Lataretu recording. Great tune.
I am so glad to check out "The Klezmorim" and it's story. You did a great job in your life!
I was really amazed to find the info about "Sanie cu zurgalai"... for me it always was Romanian folk song.
I heard it first on radio or from my father... He studied in Romanian school as a kid until 1940 (it was Bassarabia, as you know
).
Then I played it and listened many arrangments and in each band some new intonations and touchy intervals were found.
So, what so interesting I found? Looks like even you
don't know it's story.
First, I thought that it is a folk Romanian song... False. Les Paul and Edit Piaf sung the song. So it suppose to be known in States.
Look at that... could be interesting for you:
"Sanie cu zurgălăi" (
Romanian for "Sleigh with bells") is a Romanian language song composed in 1936 by
Jewish-Romanian composer Richard Stein. Romanian language lyrics were written by
Liviu Deleanu. The song was recorded in 1937 by
Silvian Florin and by
Petre Alexandru. The song was later
covered and
re-arranged by numerous musicians in different languages. Most notable covers are by
Les Paul, under the title
"Johnny Is the Boy for Me" (1952) in
English, by
Edith Piaf (1953) and
Vaya con Dios (1988) as
"Johnny, tu n'es pas un ange" in
French, and by
Zvonko Bogdan as
"Svaku ženu volim ja" (1988) in
Serbo-Croatian.
The song was the cause of a long-lasting court battle between Stein and Paul over
plagiarism charges. Stein eventually won the case.
[1]
Original Romanian version[edit]
"Sanie cu zurgălăi" was composed in 1936 by composer Richard Stein (1909-1992) especially for
Maria Tănase, who refused to sing it considering the song of low quality. The lyrics were written by Liviu Deleanu, Jewish-Romanian poet and playwright.
[2]
Subsequently, the song was recorded by Silvian Florin for
His Master's Voice (cat. no. JB 163) and
Radio Romania archives. It was also recorded the same year by
Ionel Pascu, for less known label Pan (formerly Lifa, cat. No. P 9). On the cover of the original
music sheet, which appeared in late 1937, the song was subtitled "Cling, cling, cling".
[2]
The modern version of the song, the best known today, was recorded in 1949 by folk singer
Maria Lătărețu for
Columbia Records (cat. no. DR435). The chorus was added and some lyrics changed.
[2]
REED MORE if interested:
Sanie cu zurgălăi - Wikipedia
