The Music

What the Chelm! stopped performing in 2025. Thanks to all our fans and supporters for their steady support.

If you need your klezmer fix, check out Millie and the Mentshn, where several Chelm performers may be heard.

Listen to samples from the band's albums—'Til Chelm Freezes Over, What the Chelm! and Oy! They're Back! 
 

'Til Chelm Freezes Over

On its most recent CD, What the Chelm re-interprets old gems of the genre and introduces new ones.

Lyrics

Uva'u Ha-ovdim - And The Lost Ones Shall Come, written by Shlomo Carlbach, "The Singing Rabbi" Chelm and Eggs - A tune in polka rhythm written by the band's own Lou Lippman Y'vorech - Bless, the Hebrew words are from Psalms 115:12 B Flat Minor Bulgar - composed by Dave Tarras, possibly the most famous 20th century klezmer musician Sheyn Vi Di L'voneh - Beautiful as the Moon, a Yiddish favorite Shir Ha-emek - Song of the Valley, a classic Israeli song written in the 1930s Bulgar Freylach #12 - another lively dance from Eastern Europe Chorshat Ha-ekaliptus - The Eucalyptus Grove, written by Israeli songwriter Naomi Shemer The Tongue - written by Merlin Shepherd, one of the world's leading klezmer clarinetists Sisu - Rejoice, a rousing Israel song by Akiva Nof Freylach #4 - freylachs were traditionally played at celebrations to get everyone dancing Second Hand Rose - originally written for the Ziegfeld Follies of 1921, first sung by Fanny Bryce Odessa Bulgarish - Bulgar from Odessa, first recorded in 1919 V'ha-er Eineinu - Bring Light to Our Eyes, a powerful and joyous melody Kostakowski's Bulgar 1 - transcribed by Wolff Kostakowski in 1916 Hal'lu - Give Praise, a song of praise with a driving, syncopated beat V'David Yafeh Einayim - David of Beautiful Eyes

Oy! They're Back!

The band's second recording continued to expand the band's extensive repertoire.

Araber Tantz - A Sephardic melody from Turkey Cuando el Rey Nimrod - Traditional Sephardic song Freilach - A lively circle dance Rebbe Elimelech - Composed in 1927 by American Yiddish satirist Moishe Nadir Tantz, Tantz, Yidelech - One of the best-known klezmer tunes Happy Tailor - A klezmer tale of woe Shibbolet Basade - A modern Israeli song Freilach 2 and Freilach 5 - Happy dances My Heart Belongs to Daddy - A Cole Porter song based on the Jewish melodic idiom Di Mame iz Gegangen - A playful Yiddish song Yosis - A klezmer version of a Hasidic song Harmonika - A lively Israeli folk song Sha Shtil - A folksong Od Lo Ahavti Dai - A humorous love song Galitzianer Tantz - A virtuoso clarinet performance Lo Alecha - A quotation from Pirkei Avot

What the Chelm!

What the Chelm's first album includes selections taken from a variety of Jewish musical themes of the last one hundred years. 

Erev Shel Shosahnim - Literally "Night of Roses." An Israeli folk song performed with a reggae twist Korobushka - A lively Russian couples dance Ma Navu - A lyrical Israeli song Sher - A traditional Klezmer melody Rad Halaila - A unity song Broyges Tanz - A wedding dance. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - made popular by the Andrew Sisters, a classic of Yiddish theater Zemer Atik - An Israeli line dance Tzenah, Tzenah - A light-hearted Israeli song Miserlu - A Greek line dance Los Bilbilcos - "The Nightingales," a Ladino song of love and longing A Nakht in Gan Eydn - "A Night in the Garden of Eden." Typical Klezmer tune, circa 1926 Et Dodim - A sensual middle eastern melody Lech Lamidbar - An energetic Israeli folk song