Adam Sandler first performed The Chanukah Song [3.3MB, MP3] on Saturday Night Live. Written to make Jewish children feel less isolated during Christmas season, The Chanukah Song is essentially a laundry list of famous Jewish people, and it’s my gift to you for the third night of Chanukah. Enjoy!
It took me a while to find a lyrics page for the song that wasn’t rife with ridiculous spelling mistakes or that stupid ee cummings non-capitalization (acceptable for poetry and programming only). For the greater benefit of the Internet, I present the lyrics with proper spelling, capitalization and hyperlinks.
The Chanukah Song
Put on your yarmulke
Here comes Chanukah
So much fun-ukah
To celebrate Chanukah
Chanukah is the festival of lights
Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights
When you feel like the only kid in town without a Christmas tree
Here’s a list of people who are Jewish just like you and me
David Lee Roth Lights the menorah
So do James Caan, Kirk Douglas, and the late Dinah Shore-ah
Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli
Bowser from Sha Na Na and Arthur Fonzerelli
Paul Newman’s half Jewish, Goldie Hawn’s half tooPut them together…what a fine lookin’ Jew!
You don’t need Deck the Halls or Jingle Bell Rock’Cause you can spin a dreidel with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock (both Jewish!)
Put on your yarmulke
It’s time for Chanukah
The owner of the Seattle Supersonic-ahs
Celebrates Chanukah
O.J. Simpson: not a Jew
But guess who is? Hall of famer Rod Carew (he converted)
We got Ann Landers and her sister Dear Abby
Harrison Ford’s a quarter Jewish — not too shabby
Some people think that Ebenezer Scrooge is
Well he’s not, but guess who is: all Three Stooges
Tom Cruise isn’t, but I heard his agent is
Tell your friend Veronica
It’s time to celebrate Chanukah
I hope I get a harmonica
Oh this lovely, lovely Chanukah
So drink your gin and tonic-ah
And smoke your marijuana-kah
If you really, really wanna-kah
Have a happy, happy, happy, happy Chanukah
One reply on “Chanukah, Night Three: The Chanukah Song”
I heard this, for the very first time, just a few days before Christmas on a local radio station, but without the DJ giving any ID information. “What a cool song!” I thought.
And now you tell me that the person performing the song was… Adam Sandler?
Oh, man, talk about mixed feelings.
One of our housemates was getting ready to go out with her boyfriend a few weeks ago, and mentioned they were planning to see the new Adam Sandler movie, leading to the following exchange:
Michelle: I like Adam Sandler.
me: Well, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
Michelle: Precisely.
— Bruce A.