Album Tracks:

 

1  DUS GESANG FIN MEIN HARTZ - The Song Of My Heart is a special one for me, as it’s the song that began my journey as a singer and lyricist, after hearing the amazing Karsten Troyke. Simple yet so sweet, this song by Benzion Witler,, outlines the importance of the ‘neshumah’ – the soul.

violin - Daniel Weltlinger,  Guitar and voice backing - Karsten Troyke

French and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger

          

2  MAZL - Luck  is a combination of two “mazelische” songs.. 

The first is a fun number, ( by Molly Picon & Age Ellstein), and this is combined with the melodic Vi nemt men a bissele mazel - “How does one get some Luck”,  by Benzion Witler

violin- Daniel Weltlinger. Guitar - Karsten Troyke 

French and English lyrics to “Vi nemt men …” - Evelyne Weltlinger

 

3  LIED DER FLUCHT  - Shir Hanoded -  “Song of the Wanderer” . Based on a Bukharian Jewish song, it deals with a bird fleeing from place to place,  unsure about where he belongs, and is symbolic in relating the story of the Jewish people, as well as so many other displaced people today.

Backing - Trio Scho. German lyrics - Karsten Troyke

French and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger   

 

4  I DON’T  KNOW WHY

Contrasting in subject to “Goodbye to Love”, and written 20 years later, “I don’t know why” is a celebration of love, and the ecstatic feelings associated with this. The German lyrics, however, were only added recently, when I was originally asked to record this song. 

Backing - Trio Scho

Music and French, German and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger

 

5  LA VIE EN ROSE - Life Through Rose-Coloured Glasses. This iconic song by Edith Piaf, about how one views the world when in love, is one of my favourites and one I was brought up hearing, as my father actually knew Piaf.  The singer herself wrote the French lyrics, and her then manager, Luigi Gugliemi, wrote the beautiful music in 1946. Although both Yiddish, by Dave Cash, and English are added to my version, this song has become a symbol of French music. 

Backing - Trio Scho;  violin- Daniel Weltlinger

 

6 SHEIN VI DI LAVONE - As Beautiful As The Moon is a well-known Yiddish love song, with a definite swing. It was written by Joseph Rumshinsky in 1938, and it outlines a lover’s perception of his beloved as “sheyn” ( beautiful), and he lists her various attributes - her teeth, eyes, hair. But here is the woman’s version…

guitar - Jens-Peter Kruse; violin - Daniel Weltlinger

French and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger

 

7 UNTER DEINE VEISE STERN - Under Your White Stars. When I originally heard this beautiful melody, I assumed it was a love song, a lover reaching out to his beloved. However, the beloved is G-d, and the song, written in the Vilna Ghetto in 1943, depicts the horror of the situation. The Yiddish lyrics were written by the poet Avrom Sutskever, who survived and settled in Israel. The composer A Brudno, however, was tragically murdered, but his music lives on.

guitar- Karsten Troyke violin - Daniel Weltlinger 

French and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger

 

 8. BAI MIR BIST DU SHEIN- To Me You’re Beautiful was written by Sholom Secunda in 1932 for a Yiddish musical,, and the Yiddish lyrics are by Jacob Jacobs. It  was first sung in the US by a Harlem trio. Later, it was translated into English for the still unknown Andrew Sisters, who received their first gold record with it.

backing - Trio Scho;  violin - Daniel Weltlinger

 

9 LES FEUILLES MORTES -  Autumn Leaves. This lovely and popular song was composed in 1945, by Joseph Kosma, of Jewish French Hungarian background. The French lyrics were written by Jacques Prevert in 1946, whilst the English words were later added by Johnny Mercer.  To highlight this song’s universal appeal, there is also a verse in Yiddish by Dave Cash.

Backing - Trio Scho   Violin - Daniel Weltlinger

 

10 LOVE ME - AIme Moi. Written on a rainy day in 2017, whilst on holidays, I enjoyed composing this little song, as the melody and words just came to me.

guitar - Jens-Peter Kruse; violin - Daniel Weltlinger

Music and French and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger

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11 IN DER FINDSTER - In The Darkness

Written by Zishe Landau, composed by Leibu Levin, this is a simple, yet very evocative song, which poetically portrays both sensuality and  “benkshaft” (longing), as the beloved  figure is idealised in memory. Actually, It was my friend Bettina Wegner, the well-known German singer/songwriter, who suggested I add my lyrics here, so I’ve aimed to capture the darkness and spirituality of the moment.

guitar - Jens-Peter Kruse

French and English Evelyne Weltlinger 

 

12 ICH HOB DICH TZIFIL LIB - I Love You Much Too Much, is a beautiful and romantic Yiddish  love song, written in 1933.The tango-like music was written by the American composer Alexander Olshanetsky, so important in the American Yiddish theatre in the 1920s to 40s, and the Yiddish was written by Chaim Tauber.

backing - Trio Scho; violin - Daniel Weltlinger

French and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger

 

 13 THOSE WERE THE DAYS

This lovely Russian Gypsy song was written by Boris Fomin, whilst the English lyrics were written by Gene Raskin. I’ve always loved this song, often heard it sung, and appreciated its wistful words. Dalida wrote the French version.

guitar - Jen-Peter Kruse; vocal backing - Karsten Troyke;
violin and vocal backing - Daniel Weltlinger

 

14 GOODBYE TO LOVE

This was my first composition, which I wrote many many years ago, when I was at university and before I was married. It was written at a sad moment in my life, and describes typically, a woman’s feelings of loss, when the flame of love has died.

guitar - Gennadij Desatnik

Music and French and English lyrics by Evelyne Weltlinger

 

15 LEG DAYN KOP AF MANIE KNI- Lay your head on my lap. This little evocative song was composed by Leibu Levin, and the Yiddish by Halper Leyvik - a tender moment of connection.

violin Daniel Weltlinger; piano-Götz Lindenberg 

French and English lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger 

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16 ICH VIL ZICH SHPILN - I Wanna Have Fun

This is a cute song was composed by Abraham Ellstein,  and the Yiddish lyrics  are by Adolf King. It was popular in the Polish Yiddish cabaret of the 20s and 30s. Basically, it describes the typical conflict in views between a young girl and her father  - he wants her to work and be serious, and she just wishes to enjoy herself.

vocals and guitar - Karsten Troyke; violin - Daniel Weltlinger 

 French and English lyrics -  Evelyne Weltlinger

 

17 ELI ELI  - My G-d, My G-d

A last minute addition, this beautiful prayer was included ( after I was heard singing it to myself) - a call to the universe.

Composer - David Zehavi, Hebrew lyrics - Hannah Senesh, a poet and resistant fighter, tragically murdered by the Nazis. May her memory and song live on.

French lyrics - Evelyne Weltlinger