The Puppini Sisters are a musical trio based in England specializing in 194… Read Full Bio ↴The Puppini Sisters are a musical trio based in England specializing in 1940s-style close harmony vocal music. Currently composed of Italian Marcella Puppini, English Emma Smith (from 2013) and Kate Mullins, their sound has been described as "swing-punk," as it is louder and more in-your-face than traditional swing music. The girls are quipped to have "harmonies so tight you could bounce a baby off them".

The group was founded in 2004 by Puppini after she was inspired by the 2003 animated film Les Triplettes de Belleville. The Puppini Sisters' debut single, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", is a cover of the iconic hit single by The Andrews Sisters, and although the three are not actually related, they named themselves in tribute to them.

Puppini first studied fashion design at St. Martins School of Art, and later music at Trinity College of Music where she met Mullins and Rosanna Schura, who was later replaced by Stephanie O'Brien. The Sisters are currently supported by a three-piece band featuring the talents of Blake Wilner on guitar, Peter Ibbetson on drums/percussion and Henrik Jensen on upright bass.

The Puppini Sisters won a Gold Disc for international sales of their first CD, Betcha Bottom Dollar, in 2007. According to their official website, the album reached #2 on the US Jazz Charts and #9 on the US New Artist Chart.

Their second album The Rise & Fall of Ruby Woo was released on October 15th 2007, featuring classic covers, 1940s style reworkings of contemporary music, and a selection of original compositions. According to Billboard's official website, the album peaked at #5 in the US Jazz Charts in 2008.

The Puppini Sisters' retro-styled website won the 2008 Cream of Yorkshire awards "Gold Award" for best website.

http://www.thepuppinisisters.com

Bei Mir Bist Du Schön
The Puppini Sisters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Of all the boys I've known, and I've known some
Until I first met you, I was lonesome
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
And this old world seemed new to me

You're really swell, I have to admit you
Deserve expressions that really fit you
And so I've racked my brain, hoping to explain

All the things that you do to me

Bei mir bist do schon, please let me explain
Bei mir bist do schon means you're grand
Bei mir bist do schon, again I'll explain
It means you're the fairest in the land

I could say "Bella, bella", even "sehr wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are

I've tried to explain, bei mir bist do schon
So kiss me and say you understand

Bei mir bist do schon, you've heard it all before
but let me try to explain
Bei mir bist do schon means that you're grand
Bei mir bist do schon, it's such an old refrain
and yet I should explain
It means I am begging for your hand

I could say "Bella, bella", even "sehr wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are

I could say "Bella, bella", even "sehr wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are

I've tried to explain, bei mir bist do schon
So kiss me and say that you will understand

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Puppini Sisters' song Bei mir bist du schön, is an expression of love towards someone who made the singer's life complete when they came along, someone who deserves all the praise and attention that the singer can muster. It speaks of how empty the singer's life was before meeting this person and how, upon seeing them, it caused a drastic change for the better in the singer's world. The song talks about how the singer has tried to find the right words and expressions to explain how amazing this person is, and how all other languages fall short in describing how grand they truly are. The title of the song means "To Me You're Beautiful" in German.

The song, originally titled "Bei Mir Bistu Shein," was written by Jacob Jacobs (lyrics) and Sholom Secunda (music) for a Yiddish musical comedy in 1932. However, the song didn't become well-known until it was given an English version and was performed by the Andrews Sisters in 1937. It quickly became a hit, and other versions of the song followed. The Puppini Sisters' version of the song was released in 2006 and was featured in their album Betcha Bottom Dollar.

Line by Line Meaning

Of all the boys I've known, and I've known some
Before I met you, I had experience with different boys

Until I first met you, I was lonesome
When I met you, I realized how lonely I was before

And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
When I saw you, my heart felt happy and light

And this old world seemed new to me
Seeing you made me see the world in a new way

You're really swell, I have to admit you
I have to confess that you're amazing

Deserve expressions that really fit you
You deserve words that perfectly describe you

And so I've racked my brain, hoping to explain
I've thought hard to find the right words to describe you

All the things that you do to me
I'm trying to explain how you make me feel

Bei mir bist do schon, please let me explain
Let me translate this Yiddish phrase for you

Bei mir bist do schon means you're grand
This phrase means that you're amazing

Bei mir bist do schon, again I'll explain
Let me repeat the meaning of this phrase

It means you're the fairest in the land
It means that you're the most beautiful

I could say "Bella, bella", even "sehr wunderbar"
I could use other languages to try and express how amazing you are

Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are
No matter what language I use, it still won't capture how amazing you are

So kiss me and say you understand
Show me that you understand what I'm trying to say by kissing me

Bei mir bist do schon, you've heard it all before
You may have heard this phrase before

But let me try to explain
But let me try to give you my own explanation

It's such an old refrain and yet I should explain
This phrase is old, but I still want to explain it to you

It means I am begging for your hand
This phrase means that I am asking you to be mine

I could say "Bella, bella", even "sehr wunderbar"
Once again, I could use different languages to express how amazing you are

I've tried to explain, bei mir bist do schon
I've done my best to convey the true meaning of this phrase

So kiss me and say that you will understand
Kiss me and promise me that you understand what I'm trying to tell you

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JACOB JACOBS, SAMMY CAHN, SAUL CHAPLIN, SHALOM SECUNDA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@arnauservaux3936

39w

Blew every other version away. I say that as a metal guitarist. This has me ready to march to Normandy

@emtcowboy1968

12y↑7

Please STOP all the arguing!!! It is a SONG!! It sounds great. Makes me want to "cut a rug!"

@StereoSpace

8y↑26

Congrats to the producer on this piece, every part of this was really well done. From the orchestration, to the session musicians, to the pitch perfect vocals, even a little Django in the mix for flavor. Thank you. I really enjoy it. And I ordered the CD too.

@metus_fin

10y↑9

This is the best rearrangement of all!

@ugha323a

15y↑1

FABULOUS FABULOUS!

@cartoonage

14y↑3

it comes so easy, so swingy, just lovely !

@BreeMonk

16y↑2

I'm getting a fan of them here!! Even the German is understandable! :)

@VeconaVintage

14y↑1

There are so many versions of this song but I think this one and the one from our fashion-swing-dance video performed by the Brasstime BigBand are one of the best. Keep on swingin' Vecona Vintage

@robbe8889

15y↑1

Bei mir bist du schön, please let me explain Bei mir bist du schön means you're grand Bei mir bist du schön, again I'll explain It means you're the fairest in the land I could say "Bella, bella", even say "Wunderbar" Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are

@LubenGoranov

13y↑4

I was thinking if this version would satisfy the purists: "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön by The Puppini Sisters - LeTransistor." These are songs after all, and the the girls sound more than cool. Forget Yiddish or whatever and listen to the music. Peace!

@MomoRoxSomeSox

13y↑1

I love this song :D We're singing this in my school's chorus AND!!! The video was added on my birthday!

@amazinglilyx

14y↑1

i love these guys :)

@planclops

15y

To me, it's like trying to choose a favorite child. It can't be done. Both have their own attributes that make them fantastic.

@user-ey3vy8rx9c

4y↑1

Perfetto👍

@addicted2music83

13y↑2

@Maelankaaaa : Actually the lead singer, Marcella Puppini, is from Italy and moved to London when she was 18. The other 2 members of the group, Stephanie and Kate are from England! So no, none of them are American. The Americanized "r" could be due to the fact that their group/act is sort of a tribute to groups like Andrews Sisters (who have a distinct "Americanness" if you listen to their songs), and as most of the Puppini Sisters' songs are remakes of 1940s American songs.

@sluikstort

13y↑1

great interpretation of this song, up tempo

@johnniemateroa8631

22w

At the moment I'm learning this song its a challenge but its a hard one 😂

@goldengreen73

15y↑1

beautiful :-D :-D

@Polmnia

15y↑2

well... I like this version much better :)

@YogeshGabhaneBOS

@natalied8179

I did!

@ChloeRaeRichmond

Nope me too!

Quite acceptable, but... Take a look to the reinterpretation of "Bei MIr Bist Du Shoen" by "Le Sorelle Marinetti", a fantastic Italian trio en travestì... Search for them on Youtube!!

@addicted2music83

13y↑1

@Maelankaaaa : 1. there is a significant difference in the pronunciation of the 'r' amongst Americans and English - Americans have a rhotic accent, while in England they generally do not (though there are parts that may be rhotic). So, I disagree with your generalisation.

@carlosivancamargosanabria2852

BEI MIR BIST DO SCHOEN

@dianemie

13y

They're AMAZING. And I like "shane" better - it rhymes, and is correct. As far as I"m concerned, the Puppinis can do no wrong, though.

@ronaldcammarata3422

Well, since it's Yiddish and not German, DO NOT let a German (at least one who doesn't know Yiddish) tell you how to pronounce it. They don't know.

@maximebonnet85

11y

Could you please make this video readable from mobile device ? I would Like to do à joke with this song to a friend via à QRCODE. Thanks

@AKARaccoons

14y

@cheefoo36 If you thought that, you'd be wrong.

@dasanner

13y

@fifteenrabbits Also, wir sagen nicht "schinn" anstelle von "schön" =) Es ist weder jiddisch noch deutsch ;) (But we don't say "schinn" in German =) I think it's neither Yiddish nor German.)

@ronaldcammarata3422

It IS Yiddish. It was written by a Jewish American for a Yiddish musical. Later, new words were written in English, but with the original Yiddish title.

@TheSpitfire05

13y

Bioshock 2

@user-su3ny1iq4u

oi vei

@addicted2music83

13y↑1

@Maelankaaaa : Anyhow, I said what I said because I noticed that every single comment you've posted here has been an attack directed at someone or other - ie. "rajamuttu", "eiwaz", "dasanner", "the Puppini Sisters"... When u attacked Rajamuttu's comment with an argument that wasn't even correct, I thought I'd put the correct facts forward (but of course you got offended by that). ...Anyway, this could go on and on, so perhaps it's best to just end the argument here.

@Ribzypunk

15y

I didn't think there was a version with less soul than the Andrew Sisters, until now.

@ronaldcammarata3422

Soul? Are you kidding? It's klezmer music for God's sake.

8y↑5

No its not. it's actually in between an "eh" and "er" sound which sounds more like shun not sheyn

@@ShaunTheOneAndOnly No, no, no!!! It is Yiddish, not German. They are pronouncing it the correct way. Let me repeat, IT IS YIDDISH, NOT GERMAN. Thank you very much.