Movie Song of the Week: "If I Were a Rich Man"

It took me years to appreciate the fact that this song was not just another show tune cliché. Nor was it about Tevye the Milkman bragging about all the neat stuff he would do when he became rich. Indeed, the song only makes sense if one realizes that Tevye is not really certain he will ever be more than poor -- which makes his fantasizing about it all the more sadder. Of course, some would argue that Tevye is quite rich by his era's standards because he has a house to live in, he owns a horse and he has his own business. But Tevye doesn't see himself as rich, and even if he did, he is forever at the mercy of people who are richer and far more powerful than him. Much like a lot of the "rich" people I knew when I was growing up.