這是一首猶太民族散居世界各地時被保留以及最常被吟唱的一首東歐意第緒歌謠。歌詞描述年輕男子追求窈窕女子的靦腆過程。曲調亦隱約表達當年猶太民族流浪各地的辛酸。歌名「Tumbalalaika」其實是彈奏三角琴的意思，Balalaika是三角琴，為俄羅斯的傳統樂器，Tum是彈奏之意，所以這首歌曲的由來一定與烏克蘭或俄羅斯有關係，或受其影響，歌詞為意第緒語。英文歌詞有二種，歌名「讓我們歡樂吧」是譯自其中一種英文歌名，而希伯來文的「讓我們歡樂吧」是Freylech Zol Zayn，英文是Let us be gay or Let us be cheerful。意第緒歌詞如下：
Tumbalalaika
Shteyt a bocher un er tracht,
tracht un tracht a gantze nacht.
Vemen tsu nemen un nit far shemen,
vemen tsu nemen un nit far shemen.
Refrain:
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika
tumbalalaika - freylech zol zayn.
Meydl, meydl, ´chvil bay dir fregn,
Vos kan vaksn, vaksn on regn?
Vos kon brennen un nit oifhern?
Vos kon benken, weynen on trer'n?
Narisher bocher, vos darfs tu fregn?
A shteyn kon vaksn, vaksn on regn.
Libeh kon brennen un nisht oyfhern.
A harts kon benken, veynen on trer'n.
英文歌詞如下：
Play Balalaika
here´s a farmer who is thinking
over the whole night long.
Which girl he should take for marriage
who would not make him ashamed.
Chorus:
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
tumbalalaika, play Balalaika,
tumbalalaika - let us be merry.
Girl, I want to ask you,
what can grow without rain,
what can burn and never stop?
What can long for love, and weep without tears?
You foolish farmer, why do you ask me for?
A stone can grow without rain,
love can burn and never end.
A heart can long for love and cry without tears.
另外一種英文歌詞為：
Let us be gay
All:
Hear the tale of a certain young man,
Who stayed up all the night till he thought of a plan?
He wanted a girl, who would be his delight,
A girl who was pretty, witty and bright.
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbalalaika, tumbalalaika,,
Tumbalalailam, frey lach zol zain.
Boys:
Tell me my pretty one, tell if you know,
What needs no rain and yet it can grow.
Tell what can blossom and bloom through the years,
Tell what can yearn, cry without tears.
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbalalaika, tumbalalaika,,
Tumbalalailam, frey lach zol zain.
Girls:
Oh, foolish boy, now surely you know,
A stone needs no rain and yet it can grow,
True love can blossom and bloom through the years,
And a heart when it yearns, cries without tears.
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbalalaika, tumbalalaika,,
Tumbalalailam, frey lach zol zain.
這首歌亦有中文譯詞，如下：
讓我們歡樂吧! Let us be gay
聽我說個男孩的故事，
他整夜不休，苦思良策，
只為追求一位佳侶，
一位美麗、狡黠、聰慧的女孩。
讓我們歡樂、歡樂、歡樂吧!
告訴我，美人兒，妳是否知道，
什麼東西不需要雨水的滋潤便可以成長？
什麼東西會整年綻放且不凋謝？
什麼東西表達強烈的渴求，哭泣卻不會流淚？
讓我們歡樂、歡樂、歡樂吧!
喔！傻男孩，你現在當然知道了，
石頭不需要雨水滋潤，便會成長。
真愛會整年綻放且不凋謝。
真心表達強烈渴求，哭泣卻不會流淚。
讓我們歡樂、歡樂、歡樂吧!
因為這首歌實在太好聽了，所以後來又被改編完全不停的英文歌詞，而歌名為「Over And Over」，因為歌詞平易近人，因而流行全世界。