"Bei Mir Bistu Shein" (Yiddish: בײַ מיר ביסטו שיין, "To Me You're Beautiful") is a popular Yiddish song composed by Jacob Jacobs (lyricist) and Sholom Secunda (composer) for a 1932 Yiddish musical, I Would If I Could (in Yiddish, Men Ken Lebn Nor Men Lost Nisht, "You could live, but they won't let you"), that closed after one season. The score for the song transcribed the Yiddish title as "Bay mir bistu sheyn".[1]
The original Yiddish version of the song (in C minor) is really a dialogue between two lovers who share lines of the song.
The song became famous with English lyrics but retaining the Yiddish title, "Bei Mir Bistu Shein". It also appeared with a Germanized title "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen".
In 1937, Sammy Cahn heard a performance of the song, sung in Yiddish by African American performers Johnnie and George at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel proprietor Jenny Grossinger claimed to have taught the song to Johnnie and George while they were performing at the resort.[2] On seeing the response, Cahn got his employer to buy the rights so he (together with Saul Chaplin) could rewrite the song with English language lyrics and rhythms more typical of swing music. Secunda and Jacobs sold the publishing rights to the song for a mere US$30. Cahn then convinced the still unknown Andrews Sisters to perform the song (recorded November 24, 1937). It became their first major hit, earning them a gold record, the first ever to a female vocal group. The song is performed by Renata Flores in the film The Last Metro. It was also a worldwide hit beyond America.
Over time, the song grossed some $3,000,000, with Secunda and Jacobs missing significant royalties. In 1961, the copyright on the song expired, and the ownership reverted to Secunda and Jacobs, who signed a contract with Harms, Inc., securing proper royalties. [3]
There have been several songs with the tune in the Soviet Union. In particular, in 1943, a Russian-language song for the music was produced with satirical anti-Nazi lyrics titled "Baron Fon Der Pshik" ("Барон фон дер Пшик") by Anatoli Fidrovsky, music arrangement by Orest Kandat.[4] Initially it was recorded by the jazz orchestra (director Nikolay Minkh) of the Baltic Fleet Theatre.[5] Later it was included into the repertoire of Leonid Utyosov's jazz orchestra. [4]
In Nazi Germany it was also a hit until its Jewish origins were discovered when it was promptly banned.[6]
In addition to the original (or modified/translated) lyrics, a number of songs are known which borrowed only the popular tune of Bei Mir..., with completely unrelated text.