Quotes

Dialogue

The Cantor: I'll teach him better than to debase the voice God gave him! Sara Rabinowitz: But Papa - our boy, he does not think like we do. The Cantor: First he will get a whipping! Jakie Rabinowitz: If you whip me again, I'll run away - - and never come back!

Dialogue

Sara Rabinowitz: Maybe our boy doesn't want to be a Cantor, Papa... The Cantor: What has he to say? For five generations a Rabinowitz has been a Cantor - - he must be one!

Dialogue

The Cantor: I have taught him all the hymns and prayers - - he knows them as well as I do. Sara Rabinowitz: Yes Papa - he knows all the songs - he has them in his head - - but not in his heart.

Dialogue

Jakie Rabinowitz: You taught me that music is the voice of God! It is as honorable to sing in the theatre as in the synagogue! My songs mean as much to my audience as yours to your congregation! The Cantor: Leave my house! I never want to see you again - you jazz singer!

Dialogue

Jakie Rabinowitz: [after singing] Did you like that mama? Sara Rabinowitz: Yes. Jakie Rabinowitz: I'm glad of it. I'd rather please you then anybody I know of. Oh darlin, would you give me something? Sara Rabinowitz: What? Jakie Rabinowitz: You'll never guess. Shut your eyes mama, shut them for little Jackie. Ho, I'm gonna steal something. Jakie Rabinowitz: I'll give it back to you to someday, you see if I don't. Mama darling, if I'm a success in this show, well, we're going to move from here. Oh yes, we're move up in to Bronx. A lot of nice green grass up there and a whole lot of people you know of, there's the Ginsburgs and the Guttenburgs, the Goldbergs, a whole lotta Burgs oh I don't know them all. And I'm going to buy you a nice black silk dress mama. You'll see, the butcher's wife, she'll be jealous of you. Sara Rabinowitz: Oh no, no... Jakie Rabinowitz: Yes, she will, you see if she isn't. And I'm going to get you a nice pink dress that will go with your brown eyes. Sara Rabinow

Dialogue

Harry Lee: I hope this 'discovery' of yours, Mary, is as good as you think he is. Mary Dale: Don't worry about him. If it's music - he can sing it.

Dialogue

Moisha Yudelson: Jakie, your singing would be like sunshine to your Papa. Jakie Rabinowitz: You don't understand - he ordered me out of the house. Moisha Yudelson: Jakie, remember - - a son's a son no matter if his Papa throws him out a hundred times!