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. "

[Chorus]
Tradition, tradition... Tradition
Tradition, tradition... Tradition

(Tevye)
"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, even, 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... Because of our traditions, everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do."

(Tevye & Papas)
Who day and night
Must scramble for a living
Feed the wife and children
Say his daily prayers
And who has the right
As master of the house
To have the final word at home?

(All)
The papa, the papas... Tradition
The papa, the papas... Tradition

(Golde & Mamas)
Who must know the way to make a proper home
A quiet home, a kosher home
Who must raise a family and run the home
So papa's free to read the holy book?
(All)
The mama, the mama... Tradition
The mama, the mama... Tradition

(Sons)
At three I started Hebrew school
At ten I learned a trade
I hear they picked a bride for me
I hope... She's pretty

(All)
The sons, the sons... Tradition
The sons, the sons... Tradition

(Daughters)
And who does mama teach
To mend and tend and fix
Preparing me to marry
Whoever papa picks?

(All)
The daughters, the daughters... Tradition

(Tevye)
"I have five daughters!"

(All)
The daughters, the daughters... Tradition

(Repeat as round)
(Papas)
The papas

(Mamas)
The mamas

(Sons)
The sons

(Daughters)
The daughters

(All)
Tradition

(Papas)
The papas

(Mamas)
The mamas

(Sons)
The sons

(Daughters)
The daughters

(All)
Tradition

(Tevye)
"And in the circle of our little village, we have always had our special types. For instance, Yente, the matchmaker..."

(Yente)
"Avram, I have a perfect match for your son. A wonderful girl."

(Avram)
"Who is it?"

(Yente)
"Ruchel, the shoemaker's daughter."

(Avram)
"Ruchel? But she can hardly see. She's almost blind."

(Yente)
"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."

(Tevye)
"And Nahum, the beggar..."
(Beggar)
"Alms for the poor, alms for the poor..."

(Lazar)
"Here, Reb Nahum, is one kopek."

(Beggar)
"One kopek? Last week you geve me two kopeks."

(Lazar)
"I had a bad week."

(Beggar)
"So, if you had a bad week, why should I suffer?"

(Tevye)
"And most important, our beloved Rabbi..."

"Rabbi, may I ask you a question?"

"Certainly, my son."

"Is there a proper blessing for the Tsar?"

"A blessing for the tsar? Of course. May God bless and keep the Tsar... far away from us!"

"And among ourselves, we get along perfectly well. Of course, there was the time when he sold him a horse, but delivered a mule, but that's all settled now. Now we live in simple peace and harmony and..."
"It was a horse."

"It was a mule."

Horse!
Mule!
Horse!
Mule!
Tradition, tradition... Tradition
Tradition, tradition... Tradition

"Tradition. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as a fiddler
On the roof

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles-
God took a Daniel once again,
Stood by his and side and- miracle of miracles-
Walked him through the lions den!

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles-
I was afraid that God would frown,
But like he did so long ago, at Jericho,
God just made a wall fall down!

When Moses softened Pharaoh's heart, that was a miracle.
When God made the waters of the red sea part, that was a miracle too!
But of all God's miracles large and small,
The most miraculous one of all
Is that out of a worthless lump of clay,
God has made a man today.

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles-
God took a tailor by the hand
Turned him around and- miracle of miracles- Led him to the promised land!

When David slew Goliath (yes!), that was a miracle.
When God gave us manna in the wilderness, that was a miracle too.
But of all God's miracles large and small,
The most miraculous one of all
Is the one I thought could never be:
God has given you to me.

This was my dream, in the beginning I dreamt
That we were having a celebration of some kind
Everybody we knew was there, musicians too
And then in the middle of the dream in walks
Your grandma Tzietl, may she rest in peace

Grandma Tzietl, how did she look?
For a woman who's been dead for thirty years
She looked very good, naturally, I went up to greet her
And she said to me

A blessing on your head, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
To see a daughter wed, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
And such a son-in-law like no one ever saw
The tailor Motel Camzoil, Motel

A worthy boy is he, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
Of pious family, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
They named him after my dear uncle Mordachai
The tailor Motel Camzoil

A tailor? She must have heard wrong, she meant a butcher

You must have heard wrong grandma, there's no tailor
You mean the butcher grandma by the name of Lazer-Wolfe
No, I mean a tailor Tevye, my great grandchild
My little Tzietl who you named for me
Motel's bride was meant to be

For such a match I prayed, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
In heaven it was made, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
A fine upstanding boy, a comfort and a joy
The tailor Motel Camzoil

But we announced it already we made a bargain with the butcher

But we announced it grandma to our neighbors
We made a bargain grandma with the butcher Lazer-Wolfe
No, no, no, so you announced it Tevye that's your headache
But as for Lazer-Wolfe I say to you, Tevye that's your headache too

A blessing on your house, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
Imagine such a spouse, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
And such a son-in-law like no one ever saw
The tailor Motel Camzoil

It was the butcher
The tailor Motel Camzoil
It was Lazer-Wolfe
The tailor Motel Camzoil

Look who is this, who is this, who comes here
Who, who, who, who, what woman is this?
By righteous and is shaking
Could it be, sure, yes it could, why not
Who could be mistaken

It's the butcher's wife come from beyond the grave
It's the butcher's dear, darling, departed wife

Fruma Sarah
Fruma Sarah
Fruma Sarah

Tevye, Tevye, Tevye
What is this about your daughter marrying my husband?
Yes, he's her husband

Would you do this to your friend and neighbor, Fruma Sarah
Have you no consideration for a woman's feelings
Handing over my belongings to a total stranger

How can you allow it out, how can you let your daughter
To take my place, live in my house, carry my keys
And wear my clothes, pearls, how?

How can you allow your daughter to take her place
House, keys, clothes, pearls

Such a learned man as Tevye wouldn't, let it happen
Tell me that it isn't true and then I wouldn't worry
Say you didn't give your blessing to your daughter's marriage
Let me tell you what would follow such a fataled wedding

If Tzietl marries Lazer-Wolfe I pity them both
She'd live with him three weeks and when three weeks are up
I'll come to her by night, I'll take her by the throat
And this I'll give your Tzietl, that I'll give your Tzietl, this I'll give your Tzietl

Here's my wedding present if she marries Lazer-Wolfe

It's an evil spirit may it fall into the river, may it sink into the earth
Such a dark and horrible dream and to think
It was brought on by that butcher

If my grandma Tzietl, may she rest in peace
Took the time to come all the way from the other world to tell us
About the tailor all we can say is that it's for the best
And it couldn't possibly get any better, Amen, Amen

A blessing on my head, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
My Grandma Tzietl said, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
We'll have a son-in-law like no one ever saw
The tailor Motel Camzoil

We haven't got the man, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
We had when we began, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov
But since your grandma came, she'll marry, what's his name

The tailor Motel Camzoil, the tailor Motel Camzoil
The tailor Motel Camzoil, the tailor Motel Camzoil
Thank you.

(Tevye)
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?

(Golde)
I don't remember growing older
When did they?

(Tevye)
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?

(Golde)
Wasn't it yesterday
When they were small?

(Men)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days

(Women)
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze

(All)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears

(Tevye)
What words of wisdom can I give them?
How can I help to ease their way?

(Golde)
Now they must learn from one another
Day by day

(Perchik)
They look so natural together

(Hodel)
Just like two newlyweds should be

(Perchik & Hodel)
Is there a canopy in store for me?

(All)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears

(Tevye)
"Golde, I have decided to give Perchik permission to become engaged to our daughter, Hodel."

(Golde)
"What??? He's poor! He has nothing, absolutely nothing!"

(Tevye)
"He's a good man, Golde.
I like him. And what's more important, Hodel likes him. Hodel loves him.
So what can we do?
It's a new world... A new world. Love. Golde..."

Do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I what?

(Tevye)
Do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I love you?
With our daughters getting married
And this trouble in the town
You're upset, you're worn out
Go inside, go lie down!
Maybe it's indigestion

(Tevye)
"Golde I'm asking you a question..."

Do you love me?

(Golde)
You're a fool

(Tevye)
"I know..."

But do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I love you?
For twenty-five years I've washed your clothes
Cooked your meals, cleaned your house
Given you children, milked your cow
After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?

(Tevye)
Golde, The first time I met you
Was on our wedding day
I was scared

(Golde)
I was shy

(Tevye)
I was nervous

(Golde)
So was I

(Tevye)
But my father and my mother
Said we'd learn to love each other
And now I'm asking, Golde
Do you love me?

(Golde)
I'm your wife

(Tevye)
"I know..."
But do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I love him?
For twenty-five years I've lived with him
Fought with him, starved with him
Twenty-five years my bed is his
If that's not love, what is

(Tevye)
Then you love me?

(Golde)
I suppose I do

(Tevye)
And I suppose I love you too

(Both)
It doesn't change a thing
But even so
After twenty-five years
It's nice to know

Golde
Tevye! Tevye!

Tevye
What is it?

Golde
It's Chava. She left home this morning with Fyedka.

Tevye
What?

Golde
I looked everywhere for her. I even went to the priest. He told me they were married.

Tevye
Married?

Golde
Yes.

Tevye
Well, go home, Golde. We have other children at home.
You have work to do, I have work to do. Go home!

Golde
But Chava?

Tevye
Chava is dead to us! We'll forget her. Go home. Go home, Golde.

Tevye (song, Little Bird)
Little bird Little Chaveleh
I don't understand what's happening today
Everything is all a blur
All I can see is a happy child
The sweet little bird you were, Chaveleh Chaveleh

Little bird Little Chaveleh
You were always such a pretty little thing.
Everybody's favourite child
Gentle and kind and affectionate.
What a sweet little bird you were,
Chaveleh Chaveleh
(dance sequence, fiddler plays)

(chava enters)
Chava
Papa. Papa! Papa, I've been looking everywhere for you.
Papa, (Tevya walks away)
Stop! At least listen to me!
Papa. I beg you to accept us.

Tevye (to audience)
Accept them? How can I accept them?
Can I deny everything I believe in?
On the other hand, can I deny my own daughter?
On the other hand, how can I turn my back on my faith, my people?
If I try and bend that far, I'll break.
On the other hand...
No! There is no other hand. (to Chava) No, Chava! No!

Chava
But, Papa!

Tevye
No! No!

Chava (grabs on to cart)
Papa!

Tevye (exits)
No!

Chava (on floor)
Papa!