Aaron Lebedeff

The early 1920's produced many standout Jewish performers. Within the Yiddish-speaking community none were more popular than Aaron Lebedeff. Like an earlier Yiddish version of Mick Jagger he seemed to be always moving on stage and his unbounded exuberance had a way of driving audiences wild. His devil-may-care free spirit, love of life and allusions to sensual delights helped to create an exciting and appealing persona. Whether dressed in traditional Russian garb and boots or formal attire with straw hat and cane, his dynamic presence always kept him the center of attention.

He understood his audiences' nostalgia for the shtetl, the old country village, and was able use it to rouse emotions while at the same time celebrating life and love. His best known recording was Roumania, Roumania. His 78rpm recording of this song, originally produced in 1941, was widely distributed and the JSA has received hundreds of them over the years.

Another classic Lebedeff song describes the delights of romance and Coney Island. It is a comic ditty with a catchy chorus that includes a barking dog as Lebedeff belts out, Hot Dogs and Knishes! Luckily for us, his output of records during the 1920s was prolific. He recorded for Emerson, Brunswick, and Vocalion.

Lebedeff was born in Homel, White Russia, in 1873 and arrived in NYC in 1920. Thomashevsky's National Theater, located at Second Avenue and Houston Street on New York's Lower East Side, competed for Jewish talent with a growing number of other Yiddish theaters. Thomashevsky looked for talent wherever he could find it. And, in 1920 he "found" Aaron Lebedeff. Lebedeff's debut at the National Theatre in October 1920 was electrifying. He was an instant hit!

Lebedeff's success soared. His popularity grew from the mid-1920s through the 1940s and into the 1950s (through revivals). He continued to perform until his death in 1960.

The Judaica Sound Archives is pleased to highlight recordings by Aaron Lebedeff. The Lebedeff online collection contains three LPs produced by Collectors Guild and ten songs recorded on 78rpm which are in the public domain. Users of the Judaica Sound Archives Scholars Research Station have access to 186 songs on 78 rpm discs and 12 LP albums.

If you would like to donate your recordings by Aaron Lebedeff or any other Jewish performer to the JSA, please click here.


Music in this collection courtesy of Collector's Guild.


Total: 120

A Chazen'dl In America; Giter Brider Itzik
A Frehlichs Zu Der Chasene (Wedding Dance); Take Y...
A Gite Woch fun der Alter Heim; Gewalt! Wie Ken Du...
A Gite Woch Fun Der Alter Heim; Gewalt! Wie Ken Du...
A Heim Far Ins Beiden; Main Surele
A Heim in Palestina; Die Nur Die Alein
A Lesson in Liebe; Just One Girl
A Litvok Serenade; Mayn Meydl Hut
A Malke Of Peisach; Peisach Zeit
A Ness; Der Fiedel
A Yiddish Maidel darf A Yiddischen Boy; A Yiddish ...
A Yidisch Meidel Darf A Yidischen Boy; A Yidisch L...
Aaron Lebedeff
Aaron Lebedeff
Aaron Lebedeff on 2nd Avenue
Aaron Lebedeff Sings Fifteen Favorites of .. Yiddi...
Aaron Lebedeff Sings Fourteen Yiddish Favorites - ...
Aaron Lebedeff Sings Fourteen Yiddish Favorites - ...
Aaron Lebedeff Sings Rumania, Rumania and other Yi...
Alz For Gelt ;Chane Breine
America, Die Bist All-Right; Men Ken Leben, Nor Me...
Bejensze; Chotchesh Lubish Chotchesh
Bejentze; Chotchesh Lubish Chotchesh Niet
Blimelach Zwei; Tate di lachst es weh is dein Gele...
Bukovina; Ch'Volt Gevolt
Der Frehlicher Rumener; Der Frehlicher Yom Tov Pes...
Der Frehlicher Rumener; Lecheim
Der Kosherer Korben; Jum Jum
Der Trombenik
Die Meidlach fin a Mohl
Die Sumer Nacht
Dort Vie Libe Dort Is Glik
Dos Oibershte Fun Shtoisel
Dos Oibershte Fun Shtoisel
Dos Vos Du Sehst, Kein Gliken Hob Ich Dir Nit Zuge...
Dudky Brat
Ech Russia
Erlich Sein
Erlich Sein
Ez Tziht, Es Briht
Freitag Of Der Nacht
Freitag Oif Der Nacht
Gib Mir Bessarabia
Hot Dogs and Knishes
Hotsa Mama
Hulie Kabtzen
Hulie Kabtzen
I Like She
I Like She
Ich Bin A Border Bei Mein Weib
Ich Bin Verliebt
Iches zi al de Riches
Iches zi al de Riches
Iko Miko
In Odess
In Odess
Inzere Weibelach
Kavkass
Kavkaz
Laeika fun Lakewood
Lebedig Yankel
Lekovid Shabes
Living in America
Los Deine Sorgen Of Ibermorgen
Lost Arain-Character Song
Ludwig Satz & Aaron Lebedeff Sing Their Greatest Y...
Manna from the World of Jewish Song
Masterworks of the Yiddish Theatre, Vol. 1
Mazel Tov Yiden
Mehdele Shehns, Mehdele Feins
Mein Weibel, Clara
Mein Ziser Malechel
Memories of the Yiddish Theater
Mikitka
Models Fin Libe
Musical Favorites Commemorating Israel's 25th Anni...
Musicomedy Revve #1
Musicomedy Revve #3
N'ya Plotch Mama
Naches Fin Kinder
Oi is dus a Rebezin
Oi Mama, Shlug Mich Nit
Oi Mama, Shlug Mich Nit
Oif In Untenen Bord Walk
Reisele
Roumania, Roumania
Roumanische Karnatzlach
Rumeinishe Feferlach
Shabesdicke Zmires
Shabis Nuchin Kigel
Shalom - Music of the Jewish People
Sheine Maidelach
Shuster Halt Sich Bei Dein Dratve
Siben Techter
Sis A Kirzer Veig - Moralishe Lied
Skrip Klezmerl, Skripe
Slutzk, Mein Shtetele
Sonia
Sorg Nit, Mama
Sorg Nit, Mama
The Best of Aaron Lebedeff
The Golden Years of Yiddish Music - Vol. 1
The Happy Litvak Sings
The Original Roumania, Roumania
Tioshket
Tutzi Mutzi
Tzen (10) Kopikes Hob Ich
Tzimblen
Vus Tate-Mame Hoben Lieb
Weiber Agesund Of Eich
Weit Fun Der Heim
Wemen Sicht Ir Mister
What Can You Mach? S' is America
When Der Shoifer Blost
Yach Tshiri Bim
Yiches
Yiddish Yiddish Yiddish
Yiddish: New York - paris - Varsovie 1910-1940 - D...
Yiddishkeit
Yisroel, Yisroel