Caramelo de Cuba and Emaginario - If I Were a Rich Man

Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
Thought it's no shame to be poor.
But it's no great honor either!

If I were a rich man,
Yahu, Dia, dia, dia, dia dia dia, dum
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.

I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
yaydle-diddle-daidle-daidle man.

I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.

There'd be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.

I wouldn't have to work hard.
Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
yaidle-diddle-daidle-daidle man.

I'd fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks for the town to see and hear.

Squawking just as noisily as they can.

With each loud bakata-bee, chukata-ka, dikatu-dee, bukut-dee

Would land like a trumpet on the ear,

As if to say here lives a wealthy man.

Ayi, Ayi, Ayi

They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
If you please, Emaginario
Pardon me, Emaginario

But it won't make one bit of difference how I answer
Because when you're rich, they think you really know

If I were rich, I'd have the time I'd like
To sit in the synagogue and pray.
And maybe have a seat by Lebrija's wall.

I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men,
several hours every day.

And that would be the sweetest thing of all.

(Scatting)

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.

No, I wouldn't have to work hard.
Idle-diddle-daidle-daidle man.
Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy man.

Written by:
Lewis Bock Jerrold, Sheldon Harnick

Publisher:
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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