THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

188-Topol-If I Were a Rich Man.

1967-Number 9 single.

Best Bit-At 4.22.’Money, money, money, must be funny, in the rich man’s world.’

‘If I Were a Rich Man’ is one of the songs featured in the 1964 Broadway Musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ which became the first musical production to surpass 3,000 performances. The song, and the musical were co-written by Jerry Brock, (1928-2010) (music) and Sheldon Harnick, (lyrics) who based the musical on the book ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ written by Joseph Stein (1912-2010.) In turn Stein’s book is based on ‘Tevye and his Daughters,’ which was one of a series of short stories by Sholem Aleichem (1859-1916) written between 1894-1914 about Jewish life in a village in the ‘Pale of Settlement’ of Imperial Russia, at the turn of the 20th Century.

‘If I Were a Rich Man’ is performed by the musicals lead character ‘Tevye,’ who is a poor Jewish dairyman who is trying to make ends meet, while at the same time attempting to find husbands for his five daughters, and also keep his wife ‘Golde’ on side. ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ may be a cry for help, but it is performed in a humorous manner. Tevye dreams of the material comforts that wealth would bring him, describing the enormous house he would purchase, and the poultry he would buy to fill his yard. He also speaks of the luxuries he would shower upon his wife Golde,’Looking like a rich man’s wife, with a proper double chin.’

It was the American actor, comedian, and singer Zero Mostel (1915-1977) who originated the role of Tevye, and first introduced the song ‘If I Were a Rich Man,’ on Broadway in 1964, but the role of Tevye which has been portrayed by 13 different actors is probably best known for the performances of Chaim Topol, who has performed the part over 3,500 times in shows and revivals from the late 1960’s through until 2009. Topol was born on September 9th, 1935, in Tel Aviv, Mandatory, Palestine, he has been described as Israel’s only internationally recognised entertainer from the 1960’s, through to the 1980’s. Topol first played the part of Tevye in the 1966 Israeli production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ and this led to him being the number one choice for the 1971 film version. Topol was 36 years old at the time, but was made to look 20 years older, and 30lb’s heavier with makeup and costuming.

‘I see my wife, my Golde looking like a rich man’s wife, with a proper double-chin, supervising meals to her heart’s delight. I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock, Oy, what a happy mood she’s in, screaming at the servants, day and night.’