22 quotes
A Son's Unconditional Connection to His Father
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!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Jazz Singer's Devotion to Faith
Mary Dale
A jazz singer...singing to his God!
[Listening to Jakie cantoring at Yom Kippur services after the death of his father]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Conflict Over Musical Aspirations and Parenting
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!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Tradition vs. Individual Desire in Family Legacy
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!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Anticipation for a Musical Performance
Jack Robin
Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain't heard nothin yet! Wait a minute, I tell ya! You ain't heard nothin'! You wanna hear "Toot, Toot, Tootsie"? All right, hold on, hold on... Lou, listen. Play "Toot, Toot, Tootsie", three chorus, you understand. In the third chorus, I whistle. Now give it to em hard and heavy, go right ahead.
[walks back to one of the band members]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Knowledge vs. Genuine Connection in Faith
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.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Struggle Between Tradition and Ambition
Jack Robin
* Note: bolded portion ranked #71 in the ] in American cinema
[[w:AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes|American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Mother's Pride in Her Son
Taglines
Mammy's favorite son!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Follow Your Heart's True Calling
Sara Rabinowitz
Do what is in your heart, Jakie—if you sing and God is not in your voice — your father will know.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Show Must Go On in Show Business
Jack Robin
We in the show business have our religion too - on every day, the show must go on!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Father's Hope for Forgiveness Through Song
Cantor Rabinowitz
My son came to me in my dreams—he sang Kol Nidre so beautifully. If he would only sing like that tonight—surely he would be forgiven.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Mother's Acceptance of His Departure
Sara Rabinowitz
Here he belongs. If God wanted him in His house, He would have kept him there. He's not my boy anymore—he belongs to the whole world now.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Perception Through Sound and Sight
Taglines
Hear what you see - see what you hear.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Heart Full of Love and Understanding
Jack Robin
I came home with a heart full of love, but you don't want to understand. Some day you'll understand, the same as Mama does.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Clash of Music and Tradition
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!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Supreme Triumph of Motion Picture Industry
Taglines
The supreme triumph the world has ever known in the Motion Picture Industry.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Father's Loss on a Significant Night
Cantor Rabinowitz
My son was to stand at my side and sing tonight – but now I have no son.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Unique Emotion of a Jazz Singer
Mary Dale
There are lots of jazz singers, but you have a tear in your voice.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Experience the Music of The Jazz Singer
Taglines
See him---and hear him sing!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Son's Desire for His Mother's Approval
Jakie Rabinowitz
Did you like that mama?
[after singing]
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 Rabinowitz
I, no thank you, no no, I don't need it.
Jakie Rabinowitz
What do you mean no? Who is telling you? Yes, you'll wear pink or else, or else you'll wear pink.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Lessons Learned in Childhood Endure Forever
Moisha Yudelson
What a little boy learns - he never forgets.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Confidence in Musical Talent
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.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.