Alef - Indikes
[A is for Turkeys]
See Lectures: "Ashkenazi Food" / "Singing with a Smile"
| Alef - indikes est der nogid, | Alef, A is for turkeys the rich man eats; |
| Beyz - beyndelekh grizhet der oreman. | Beyz, B is for bones the poor man gnaws. |
| Giml - gendzelekh est der nogid, | Giml, G is for geese the rich man eats, |
| Daled - dem dales hot der oreman. | Daled, D is for poverty the poor man has. |
| Hey - hindelekh gepreglte est der nogid, | Hey, H is for fried chicken the rich man eats, |
| Vov - veytikn hot der oreman. | Vov, V are the aches the poor man has. |
| Zayen - zeml mit puter est der nogid, | Zayen, Z is for the rolls and butter the rich man eats, |
| Khes - khalasn hot der oreman. | Khes is for sickness the poor man has. |
| Tes - taybelekh gebrotene est der nogid, | Tes, T is for the roast pigeons the rich man eats, |
| Yud - yesurim hot der oreman. | Yud, Y is for the suffering the poor man has. |
| Kof - kaloshn trogt der nogid, | Kof, K is for the galoshes the rich man wears, |
| Lamed - laptshes trogt der oreman. | Lamed, L is for the straw shoes the poor man wears. |
| Mem - mashke trinkt der nogid, | Mem, M is for the whiskey the rich man drinks, |
| Nun - nikhter iz der oreman. | Nun, N is for sober that the poor man is. |
| Samekh - sametene kleyder trogt der nogid, | Samekh, S is for the velvet clothes the rich man wears, |
| Ayen - opgerisn geyt der oreman. | Ayen is for ragged the poor man is. |
| Pey - pupkes gebrotene est der nogid, | Pey, P is for the gizzards the rich man eats, |
| Tsadik - tsores hot der oreman. | Tsadik is for the troubles the poor man has. |
| Kuf - kotletn gepreglte est der nogid, | Kuf is for fried chops the rich man eats, |
| Reysh - retekh grizhet der oreman. | Reysh, R is for the radishes the poor man gnaws. |
| Shin - Shereshevskis* papirosn rekhert der nogid, | Shin is for Shereshevsky's cigarettes the rich man smokes, |
| Tof - tutin pipket der oreman. | Tof is for tutin, the weeds the poor man puffs. |
* A factory in Grodno, Poland
Source: Mlotek, Eleanor & Joseph. Songs of Generations: New Pearls of Yiddish Song. P.67