NRR Project: The Andrews Sisters sing 'Bei Mir Bistu Shein' (1937)

 

NRR Project: ‘Bei Mir Bistu Shein’

Written by Jacob Jacobs, Sholom Secunda/Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin

Performed by the Andrews Sisters

Recorded Nov. 24, 1937

3:10

This amazingly catchy song made the Andrew Sisters’ career; it boasts not one but two origin stories. Its tale is a twisted one.

The song was originally composed by Sholom Secunda and Jacob Jacobs for the 1932 Yiddish musical, I Would If I Could (Men Ken Lebn Nor Men Lost Nisht, or “You Could Live, But They Won’t Let You”.) Though the musical is justly forgotten, this single song from the score meandered through the Jewish-American culture of the day, becoming extremely popular in Jewish resorts and on Jewish bandstands. (“Bei Mir Bistu Shein” translates as “To Me You’re Beautiful”.)ar

However, despite attempts to sell it to big-name entertainers, the songwriters wound up selling the rights for a mere $30. Now, one of two things happened. First, Jenny Grossinger of Grossinger’s Catskills Resort taught to the African-American singing duo Johnnie and George. Then Johnny and George performed it at New York’s Apollo Theater, where songwriter Sammy Cahn heard it and saw its potential.

The second version is that bandleader Vic Schoen discovered the sheet music in a Yiddish music store, then passed it along to music publisher Lou Levy, who passed it to Cahn. Ultimately, Cahn and Saul Chaplin crafted catchy English-language lyrics after record producer Joe Kapp rejected a Yiddish-language recording of the song.

The Andrews Sisters, Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne, had been singing together since they were 7, and had been supporting the family as performers since the age of 12. Up to this point in their careers, they lived in the shadow of America’s first great close-harmony sister act, the Boswell Sisters. However, the Boswells had broken up in 1936. The stage was empty, and the Andrews Ssiters stepped in.

Their approach is jaunty and swinging, with much more of aa rat-tat-tat precision edge in comparison to the Boswells, who had a much smoother, silky finish to their vocals. They pop the delivery and swing hard, backed up by  solid musical ensemble. Saucily, the English lyricists turned the dilemma of adequately translating a foreign song into the central conceit of the song itself. The words are memorable:

“Of all the boys I've known, and I've known some

Until I first met you, I was lonesome
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
And this old world seemed new to me

You're really swell, I have to admit you
Deserve expressions that really fit you
And so I've racked my brain, hoping to explain
All the things that you do to me

Bei mir bist du schoen, please let me explain
Bei mir bist du schoen means you're grand
Bei mir bist du schoen, again I'll explain
It means you're the fairest in the land

I could say "Bella, bella", even say "Sehr wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are
I've tried to explain, bei mir bist du schoen
So kiss me and say you understand”

The song was insanely popular. It sold a quarter of a million records, and more than 100,000 copies of sheet music Within three months, at least six other recording artists tackled it. It made the Andrews Sisters career, and they became one of the best-known participants in the Swing Era.

The National Recording Registry Project tracks one writer’s expedition through all the recordings in the National Recording Registry in chronological order. Nest time: The Cradle Will Rock.