If I Were A Rich Man (song) - Cover Versions and Translations

Cover Versions and Translations

• The Hebrew version lyrics (first released in 1965) are taken directly from the original Sholem Aleichem story. The title and chorus are "לו הייתי רוטשילד" Lu hayiti Rotshild: 'If I were Rothschild'.
• In 1966, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass recorded an instrumental version for their album What Now My Love.
• In 1967, Ronnie Hilton recorded a version.
• In 1967, Roger Whittaker.
• In 1967, Rolf Harris recorded a version.
• In 1967, Herschel Bernardi charted with his version (Billboard "Bubbling Under The Top 100", Record World "Non-Rock" surveys).
• In 1968, Sergio Franchi recorded this song in his show-stopping English/Hebrew version in a medly with "To Life/Le Chaim" on his RCA album Wine and Song.
• In 1968, the song was covered in French: "Ah! Si j'étais riche," by Ivan Rebroff, and "Si j'avais des millions," with lyrics by Charles Aznavour and sung by Dalida.
• Big Boss and Winsome made a new French version: "Ah! Si j'étais riche", which was different from Ivan Rebroff's version.
• In 1970, Romanian rock band Mondial released a cover of the song on an EP featuring singer Gică Petrescu, together with "The Impossible Dream" (previously recorded by Jack Jones in 1966) and another two covers. Only the chorus and first couplet can be heard on this recording, mainly because of the timing limitations a single disc carries.
• In 1970, Turkish version Ah Bir Zengin Olsam lyrics written by "Y. Taşer" and performed by Tanju Okan.
• In the 1980s Frankie Vaughan recorded his version for his album Love Hits and High Kicks.
• In 1999, Lady Saw covered the song.
• In 2001 the Australian punk band Yidcore recorded the song for their self-titled debut album.
• Indie band The Magnetic Fields covered the song on the Fiddler on the Roof tribute album, Knitting on the Roof.