Here’s a mental exercise: take two seconds, right now, and think of a Christmas song.
All done? How difficult was it?
You likely thought about a traditional carol like “Deck the Halls” or a more modern tune like “All I Want for Christmas is You.” You may have even thought about a song in another language, like “Feliz Navidad.”
Now take two seconds and think of a Hanukkah song.
Much harder, isn’t it?
Even if you know a few tunes like one of the Dreidel songs or “Oh Hanukkah,” or if you’ve heard Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song series, it may have taken you a bit longer to conjure up a sound in your mind.
What music do we have for Hanukkah? What celebrity jams can we play in Target on loop while we shop for candles and gelt? Hardly anything, right? Wrong! There’s quite a bit of music to choose from once you go looking for it.
Traditional Songs:
Between the two Dreidel songs (“I have a little dreidel” and “sivivon sov sov sov”), “Oh Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah” and “Light One Candle,” there are plenty of songs to choose from, with both English and Hebrew lyrics.
Kids Music:
Lots of Jewish music is specifically for kids. There are entire CDs of music written to be played at Sunday schools. “Chanukah Bamba” by Shira Kline is one example.
“Judah Maccabee, The Hammer” by Peter & Ellen Allard is groovy enough to be enjoyed by all ages.
Celebrity Pops:
Barenaked Ladies had three Hanukkah songs on their “Barenaked for the Holidays” album: “Hanukkah Blessings,” “I Have A Little Dreidel” and “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah.” The first has a very Jimmy Buffet feel, while the other two are just covers of the traditional music.
Daveed Diggs’ “Puppy for Hanukkah” has a solid beat and a clarinet solo, and is definitely something to listen to if you want something new.
Peter, Paul and Mary wrote “Light One Candle” in 1986, and it’s such a classic I’ve included it on the Traditional Songs list.
“Feast of Lights” by They Might Be Giants is a bit sadder, but still nice.
“Oh Hanukkah” has been covered by numerous artists, including Jack Black, the cast of Glee, and Erran Baron Cohen, all with different feels.
Walk Off The Earth has a casual “Happy Hanukkah”.
Sha Na Na has “The Rockin’ Dreidel Song” on their “Rockin’ Christmas” album.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. has a “Music of Hanukkah” medley.
Funky Jams:
“Hanukkah in Santa Monica” is a fun 90s jingle by Tom Lehrer.
Jewish music pillar Debbie Friedman has “The Latke Song” and “Not by Might Not by Power” (and once you’ve listened to that you should go listen to the rest of her music!).
The “Chanukah Song” series by Adam Sandler is great if you’re a bit older, since the songs are essentially lists of famous Jewish people.
Matisyahu released “Miracle” in 2010, and it fits right in with the pop music of that era. (You may have heard the Maccabeats cover of this. More on them later.)
“8 Days (of Hanukkah)” is an R&B/Soul tune from Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings that gives off old Sesame Street vibes.
The LeeVees have rock song “How Do You Spell Channukkahh” with a grungy feel.
Woody Guthrie’s 1944 “Hanukkah Dance” is also nice for a calmer country sound.
“Happy Joyous Hanukkah” by The Klezmatics is a cheery tune that will definitely get stuck in your head.
“Hanukkah Snowman” by Phranc is a fun ukulele tune.
“A Convert Jig” by Mare Winningham has a nice bluegrass feel to it.
“Dreidel Trap” by Kosha Dillz lives up to its name.
If you want a choir piece, “Likhtelekh” by Leo Low is very pretty.
Michelle Citrin has the jazzy “Pass the Candle.”
Parodies:
I will admit that I’m not a huge fan of The Maccabeats, but if you’re looking for some fun music to play at a holiday party their covers are a good choice. Six13 is a similar group of vocalists. Both sing parodies with an a capella flair.
There are other humorous parodies like “Hanukkah Hey Ya!” by Eric Schwartz or “I Want a Hippopotamus for Hanukkah” by The Jimmies.
For those interested in the music, I’ve linked each song individually, and compiled them all into a YouTube playlist which can be found here. There are also some extra songs at the end that I enjoy.
If you plan on having any holiday parties or playing any holiday music at public events, consider slotting at least a few of these songs into your playlists. It’s sweet, it’s inclusive, and it sure beats listening to “All I Want for Christmas is You” on loop.
Categories: Opinion
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