“Do You Love Me?”

(I think that this duet from Fiddler on the Roof is my favorite love song. I’m posting it in honor of the day and because our 25th anniversary is looming. I hope that the color-coding will be obvious; it’s not quite blue and pink, but you’ll get the idea.)

Tevye: Golde, I have decided to give Perchik permission to become engaged to our daughter, Hodel.

Golde: What‽ He’s poor! He has nothing, absolutely nothing!

Tevye: He's a good man, Golde. I like him. And what's more important, Hodel likes him. Hodel loves him. So what can we do? It’s a new world... A new world.

Love.

Golde...

[Song starts.]

Do you love me?

Golde: Do I what?

Tevye: Do you love me?

Golde: Do I love you?
With our daughters getting married
And this trouble in the town
You’re upset, you’re worn out;
Go inside, go lie down!
Maybe it's indigestion.
Golde, I’m asking you a question:

Do you love me?

You're a fool.

I know.

But do you love me?

Do I love you?
For twenty-five years I’ve washed your clothes,
Cooked your meals, cleaned your house,
Given you children, milked the cow;
After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?

Golde, the first time I met you

Was on our wedding day.
I was scared. I was shy.
I was nervous. So was I.

But my father and my mother
Said we’d learn to love each other
And now I’m asking, Golde,
Do you love me?

I’m your wife.

I know.
But do you love me?

Do I love him?
For twenty-five years I’ve lived with him,
Fought him, starved with him.
Twenty-five years my bed is his.
If that’s not love, what is?

Then you love me?

I suppose I do.

And I suppose I love you, too.

Both:
It doesn't change a thing,
But even so
After twenty-five years
It’s nice to know.