This is a playful comic song in the old shtetl spirit, where the singer cheerfully imagines himself in one trade after another and every attempt goes charmingly wrong. If he were a tailor, the whole town would talk of him, yet he sets out to cut a fine caftan and somehow ends up with a foot rag. As a cook his friends would be proud, but he kneads the dough and forgets the flour. As a tenor or a bass he would sing for everyone, only louder than a nightingale whether they asked or not.
The joke lives in the refrain, a burst of pure playful nonsense, digi digi don, that needs no translation at all. RIGLI's Russian version keeps every wink of the humor and the warm shrug of a man who cannot get anything quite right and enjoys himself anyway.
The comedy of a song like this only lands when you understand the verses. Carrying If I Were a Tailor into Russian and English lets a new listener laugh along with the shtetl instead of only tapping the beat, which is the whole point of Jewish Songs for All.
Russian (Olga Anikina)English, line by line
Если был бы я портнымIf I were a tailor
Шил бы я по будням и по выходнымI would sew on weekdays and on weekends
Весь бы город говорил за мнойThe whole town would talk about me
Есть у нас портнойWe have a tailor here
Я кроил капотку диги диги донI was cutting out a caftan, digi digi don
А пошил обмотку диги диги донBut I sewed a foot wrap instead, digi digi don
Как же это вышло как же это вышлоHow did this happen, how did this happen
Диги диги диги донDigi digi digi don
Если был бы повар яIf I were a cook
Мной гордились бы друзьяMy friends would be proud of me
Были б халы и коржиThere would be challahs and shortcakes
Чудо хорошиWonderfully good
Тесто замесил я диги диги донI kneaded the dough, digi digi don
А муку забыл я диги диги донBut I forgot the flour, digi digi don
Как же это вышло как же это вышлоHow did this happen, how did this happen
Диги диги диги донDigi digi digi don
Был бы я тенор или басIf I were a tenor or a bass
Я бы песни пел для васI would sing songs for you
Очень громко пел бы яI would sing very loudly
Громче соловьяLouder than a nightingale
Песенка простая риги диги донA simple little song, rigi digi don
Я пою как знаю риги диги донI sing the way I know how, rigi digi don
Ну давайте вместе риги диги диги донCome on, all together now, rigi digi digi don
Ну давайте вместе риги диги диги донCome on, all together now, rigi digi digi don
Russian lyrics by Olga Anikina. The English is a literal, line by line rendering for meaning, prepared for review, not a singing version.