Do You Love Me
Jerry Bock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Golde, I have decided to give Perchik permission to
Become engaged to our daughter, Hodel."
(Golde)
"What? He′s poor! He has nothing, absolutely nothing!"
(Tevye)
"He's a good man, Golde.
I like him. And what′s more important, Hodel likes him. Hodel loves him.
It's a new world... A new world. Love. Golde..."
Do you love me?
(Golde)
Do I what?
(Tevye)
Do you love me?
(Golde)
Do I love you?
With our daughters getting married
And this trouble in the town
You're upset, you′re worn out
Go inside, go lie down!
Maybe it′s indigestion
(Tevye)
"Golde I'm asking you a question..."
Do you love me?
(Golde)
You′re a fool
(Tevye)
"I know..."
But do you love me?
(Golde)
Do I love you?
For twenty-five years I've washed your clothes
Cooked your meals, cleaned your house
Given you children, milked the cow
After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?
(Tevye)
Golde, The first time I met you
Was on our wedding day
I was scared
(Golde)
I was shy
(Tevye)
I was nervous
(Golde)
So was I
(Tevye)
But my father and my mother
Said we′d learn to love each other
And now I'm asking, Golde
Do you love me?
(Golde)
I′m your wife
(Tevye)
"I know..."
But do you love me?
(Golde)
Do I love him?
For twenty-five years I've lived with him
Fought him, starved with him
Twenty-five years my bed is his
If that's not love, what is?
(Tevye)
Then you love me?
(Golde)
I suppose I do
(Tevye)
And I suppose I love you too
(Both)
It doesn′t change a thing
But even so
After twenty-five years
It′s nice to know
The song Do You Love Me from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, written by Jerry Bock, tells the story of Tevye and Golde, a Jewish couple who have been married for 25 years and are faced with the prospect of their daughter marrying a poor man named Perchik, who Tevye has grown to like. The conversation shifts towards their own love for each other and whether or not it has changed over the years. Tevye continually asks Golde if she loves him, to which she dismisses him as a fool, but as the song progresses she realizes that she does indeed love him, despite their many struggles over the years. The song ultimately ends with both Tevye and Golde acknowledging their love for each other, even if it doesn't change their current situation.
The song presents an interesting perspective on love and relationships. Despite the fact that Tevye and Golde have been married for a long time and have gone through many struggles together, they still question whether or not their love for each other has changed over the years. This is a common feeling for many couples, as relationships can be difficult and it's natural to wonder if your partner still loves you. The song also touches on the idea that love is not always about grand gestures or declarations, but is sometimes found in the daily routines and struggles of a marriage.
Line by Line Meaning
Golde, I have decided to give Perchik permission to
Become engaged to our daughter, Hodel.
Tevye announces to Golde his decision to permit Perchik to engage his daughter, Hodel.
What? He′s poor! He has nothing, absolutely nothing!
Golde questions Tevye's decision because Perchik has nothing and is poor.
He's a good man, Golde.
I like him. And what′s more important, Hodel likes him. Hodel loves him.
So what can we do?
It's a new world... A new world. Love. Golde...
Tevye defends Perchik and argues that his daughter, Hodel, loves him and in this new world, love is what matters the most.
Do you love me?
Tevye poses a question to Golde, asking if she loves him.
Do I what?
Golde is puzzled by Tevye's question.
Do you love me?
Tevye re-asks his question to Golde.
Do I love you?
With our daughters getting married
And this trouble in the town
You're upset, you′re worn out
Go inside, go lie down!
Maybe it′s indigestion
Golde tries to deflect the question and says that there are more important things to deal with, like their daughters' marriages and the troubles in town. She suggests that Tevye might just have indigestion and that's why he is asking about love.
Golde I'm asking you a question...
Tevye reminds Golde that he asked her a question and wants an answer.
You′re a fool
Golde calls Tevye a fool for asking about love after all these years.
I know...
Tevye accepts Golde's criticism and acknowledges that he knows.
But do you love me?
Tevye asks the question again, hoping for an honest answer from Golde.
Do I love you?
For twenty-five years I've washed your clothes
Cooked your meals, cleaned your house
Given you children, milked the cow
After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?
Golde lists all the things she has done for Tevye over the years and wonders why he's bringing up love now after all this time.
Golde, The first time I met you
Was on our wedding day
I was scared
Tevye reminisces about the first time he met Golde, which was on their wedding day, and how he felt scared.
I was shy
Golde remembers being shy on their wedding day.
I was nervous
Tevye confesses to being nervous on their wedding day.
So was I
Golde admits that she was also nervous.
But my father and my mother
Said we′d learn to love each other
And now I'm asking, Golde
Do you love me?
Tevye recalls what his parents told him on his wedding day - that he would eventually learn to love Golde - and poses the question to her again.
I′m your wife
Golde reminds Tevye that they are already married.
I know...
Tevye accepts Golde's statement and agrees that he knows.
But do you love me?
Tevye asks the question again, not content with Golde's previous response.
Do I love him?
For twenty-five years I've lived with him
Fought him, starved with him
Twenty-five years my bed is his
If that's not love, what is?
Golde reflects on their marriage and lists all the things they've been through together. She then concludes that if that's not love, then she doesn't know what is.
Then you love me?
Tevye asks Golde one final time if she loves him.
I suppose I do
Golde finally admits that she loves Tevye.
And I suppose I love you too
Tevye reciprocates Golde's admission and confesses that he loves her too.
It doesn′t change a thing
But even so
After twenty-five years
It′s nice to know
Both Tevye and Golde acknowledge that their love doesn't change anything, but it is still nice to know after all these years together.
Writer(s): Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick
Contributed by Sophia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@GreyWolfLeaderTW
Do love how Goldie points out that love isn't a mere emotion inside, it's all the work, the shared experiences, the pains and joys of being a couple.
@brigidtheirish
Exactly right. Dad told me that a girl he was interested in once asked him what he thought love was. He said it's the decision to commit yourself to someone, to put their needs before your own. She told him that was cold. "Yeah, so?"
Took him until he was 30 years old to find someone who thought of love the same way he did. He and Mom will be married for 41 years come April.
@brandondavidson4085
"Love is a choice", that's what my dad taught me growing up. Took him two marriages and over 30 years to figure it out for himself, but he said that love is waking up next to another person every day for the rest of your life, and every day you say "I will love this person today"
@corneliakoller1914
yes
@stuckonaslide
@@brandondavidson4085 Attraction is a feeling, love is a choice. you love someone because you choose to experience life with them, by their side.
@jasonmartinez9051
It's sad but I've met people who don't think that way. For them, when the emotion is gone, the love is gone.
@dorkmax7073
"Do you love me?"
"Maybe its indigestion"
Golde is a romantic
@umleroi
"So you see, my son, there is a very fine line between love and nausea"
@debbiep8260
Well, they do say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.
@rosieleat6868
OH LOL!