Current Special Topics Pages

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Do de Daily Daf!

Today, Tuesday January 17, marks the completion of Maseches Eruvin in the Daf Yomi cycle. For the past 105 days, Jews around the world have been racing through this incredibly complex tractate, which is generally comprehensible only to engineers and urban planners. Students of the Talmud will be celebrating siyyums, or completion parties, deservedly recognizing their achievement.

To spice up the Daf Yomi siyum in our local community, my brother Chessdude and I have composed lyrics for a new "Daf Yomi" song. Taking inspiration from Adderabbi, who finds Jewish inspiration from Sesame Street's Ernie and his beloved rubber duck, we present the Daf Yomi community with an adaptation of our favorite Ernie tune - "Do de rubber duck."

Picture the scene: Ernie is sitting alone in his bathtub, playing with the rubber duck. As the hip-hop, jazzy tune starts, more and more of Ernie's friends join him, partying in the tub. By the end, all of Sesame Street's muppets are rocking in the tub, with the exception, of course, of Bert - who remains completely clueless outside the bathroom, knocking nervously on the door, worried as always that Ernie is up to no good. The moral of the analogy is: Like bubble baths with rubber ducks, the Daf Yomi is accessible to everybody - so long as you're willing to have some fun!

In lieu of the Sesame Street puppets, I imagined that we rolicking muqata militants (and of course Chessdude) could sing the song together. Let's also pretend that we're suspending kol isha for the moment, since this is a song in celebration of a mitzvah.

Without further adieu - Do de Rubber Duck, and Do De Daily Daf. [Note to choiristers and siyum masters: The regular lines are sung by soloists, whereas the lines in parentheses are sung by the entire assembly. Also, in the last stanza, the names of the appropriate masechtot - the one being completed and the one being begun - should be inserted in the appropriate locations.]


Ernie: There's a brand new dance
And it's got a reggae beat
You do it in the bath
While you wash your hands and feet


Get in the tub
Hold your duckie in your lap
Tap your toes while you scrub
In the water from the tap

All:
And do de duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck
Rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, rubber duck, duck


Ernie:
Come on everybody try
(Do de rubber duck!)
Don't be left high and dry
(Yeah do de rubber duck!)

As you keep on getting wetter
(Do de rubber duck!)
You'll be feeling so much better
(Do de rubber duck!)

You'll be left without a care
(When you do de rubber duck!)
And you can even wash your hair
(While you do de rubber duck!)

It will have a healthy sheen
(If you do de rubber duck!)
Yeah you'll be squeaky clean
(When you do de rubber duck!)

All: And do de duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck
Rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, rubber duck, duck


Telly:
Don't get soap in your eye
(When you do de rubber duck!)
'Cause that'll make you cry
(When you do de rubber duck!)

Oscar: Hey all you grouches sing
(Now do de rubber duck!)
Yeah make the bathtub ring
(Do de rubber duck!)

Ernie:
Everybody knows
(How to do de rubber duck!)
Scrub your flippers and your toes
(Do de rubber duck!)


The Count:
And while you wash away your troubles
(Do de rubber duck!)
Don't forget to count the bubbles
One, two, three, four!

All:
Duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck
Rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, rubber duck, duck

Biff:
All around the woild
(Dey do de rubber duck!)
Whenever folks get soiled
(Dey do de rubber duck!)

Guy Smiley:
Watch 'em splishin' and a-splashin'
(Do de rubber duck!)
It's the very latest fashion!
(Do de rubber duck!)

Gladys the Cow:
Take at least one bath a day
(Do de rubber duck!)
And you'll moooove those germs away
(Do de rubber duck!)

Hoots the Owl:
Come and be a bathtime bopper!
(Do de rubber duck!)
Don't pull out the stopper!
(Do de rubber duck!)

All:
Duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck
Rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, rubber duck, duck

One more time!

And do de duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck
Rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, duck, rubber duck, rubber duck,
Duck, rubber duck, rubber duck, duck

Labrab and Chessdude: There’s a brand new dance
And it’s got a reggae beat
You do it in the beis
While you study in your seat

Get in your chair
Hold your sefer on the table
Listen to a shiur
Or read yourself if you're able

Ze'ev (with all): And do de daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daily daf, daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf


Zion Report: Come on everybody try
(Do de daily daf!)
You can't find it in the sky
(Yeah do de daily daf!)

Jerusalem Cop: When you shteig in your gemara
(Do de daily daf!)
You can kler a good sevara
(Do de daily daf!)

Joe Settler: You can turn up your thumb
(When you do de daily daf!)
As you argue with your chum
(Yeah do de daily daf!)

Chana: You can clop on a shtender
(When you do the daily daf!)
Regardless of your gender
(Do de daily daf!)

Must Gum Addict (with all): And do de daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daily daf, daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf


Jameel:
It doesn’t cost a dime
(Do the daily daf!)
To set aside the time
(Yeah do de daily daf!)

R.X.: Learn just one daf a day
(Do de daily daf!)
Keep the yetzer ra away
(Do de daily daf!)

Shifra:
Everybody knows
(Do de daily daf!)
That your Torah knowledge grows
(When you Do de daily daf!)

Purple Parrot: And when you learn from our sages
(Do de daily daf!)
Don’t forget to count the pages
Two, three, four, five!



All:
And do de daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daily daf, daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf


Jack:
Sometimes you will race
(When you do de daily daf!)
To match the crazy pace
(Yeah Do de daily daf!)

David Gerstman:
But when you get on a roll
(Yeah do de daily daf!)
You won't even need Artscroll
(Do de daily daf!)

Mirty: Eruvin's a blast
(When you do de daily daf!)
You finish it so fast
(Do de daily daf!)


MCAryeh: But if P'sachim you will master
(Do de daily daf!)
You must go even faster!
(Do de daily daf!)

All: And do de daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daily daf, daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf


One more time!

All: And do de daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daily daf, daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf,
Daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf, daily daf, daily daf, daf



Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Rechov Sumsum

11 comments:

  1. So I get to sing the Gladys The Cow part?! Cool!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wait, so we are suspending the issur of Kol Isha - what about the issur of mixed bathing?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Clarification: I would also have a problem with non-mized bathing...

    ReplyDelete
  4. So if those are the only objections, I take it that nobody here would have a problem with mixed talmud study ... ? :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Did I get the date wrong? Are we really finishing Eruvin tomorrow? But my day to guest post was today ... OK, close enough.

    ReplyDelete
  6. "So if those are the only objections, I take it that nobody here would have a problem with mixed talmud study ... ? :)"

    I was wondering that as well...
    Toto, I guess we're not in Kansas (or Brooklyn)anymore.

    Funny stuff, now that song will be in my head all DAY!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mixed Learning, Dancing, Singing, Kol Isha...LabRab, the kannoim are definitly coming after this blog next.

    Should make this hit counter happy ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. That's brilliant!

    Now if only i knew the tune...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Steg:

    For a free thirty second clip click here, at the Sony Music store website.

    It also should be available on itunes.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I like this songs a lot because it has an interesting letters,my favorite are The Count and Biff song because reminds me when i was a child.

    ReplyDelete