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Music for Holidays |
Oh Chanukah (also Chanukah, Oh Chanukah) is an English version of the Yiddish Oy Chanukah (Yiddish: חנוכּה אױ חנוכּה Khanike Oy Khanike). The English words, while not a translation, are roughly based on the Yiddish. Oy Chanukah is a traditional Yiddish Chanukah song and Chanukah. Oh Chanukah is a very popular modern English Chanukah song. This upbeat playful children's song has lines about dancing the Horah, eating latkes, lighting the candles and singing happy songs.
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According to archives at the University of Pennsylvania Library, "Freedman Jewish Music Archive", alternate names the Yiddish version of song has been recorded under include "Khanike Days,"Khanike Khag Yafe", "Khanike Li Yesh", "Latke Song (Khanike Oy Khanike)", "Yemi Khanike", and "Chanike Oy Chanike."[1] Chanukah is and was sometimes written as Khanike as that was the standard transliteration from Yiddish according to the YIVO system.
The Society for Jewish Folk Music in St. Petersburg published two classical compositions which make extensive use of this tune:
There is no formal connection between Achron's work and Kopyt's, except for the shared tune. According to the musicologist Paula Eisenstein Baker, who published the first critical edition of Leo Zeitlin's chamber music (2008), Zeitlin wrote an orchestral version of Kopyt's piano piece sometime before June 13, 1913 (Zeitlin conducted it four times that summer) and later included this orchestral version in his overture "Palestina." Joachim Stutschewsky elaborated on Kopyt's piece in a work for cello and piano called "Freylekhs: Improvisation" (1934).
The works by Kopyt, Achron, and Stutschewsky share two distinct melodies: the one that later became "Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah" and an arpeggiated tune. In all three pieces, this arpeggiated melody comes first, followed by "Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah." However, both tunes are written together as one single melody at the top of Achron's score, and the structure of these compositions suggest that the two melodies were in fact a single one. The arpeggiated tune does not feel introductory, and it returns several times throughout Achron's work. If they were one tune and not two, then we have an interesting question: Why did only half the tune get lyrics?
English version | Yiddish version | Yiddish transliteration | Yiddish literal translation |
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(Oh), Hanukah, Oh Hanukah Come light the menorah |
חנוכה אוי חנוכה |
(Oy), Chanukah oy Chanukah A yontif a sheyner, |
(Oh), Chanukah, Oh Chanukah A beautiful celebration. |
And while we are playing The candles are burning bright (or low[2]) |
געשווינדער, צינדט קינדער |
Geshvinder, tsindt kinder Di Chanukah likhtlech on, |
Come quickly children Light the Chanukah candles |
A very common Yiddish version of the song is below with alternate words, lines, verses, or pronunciations on the right. The bolded words are what is changed. The "(x2)" in the bottom left indicated that part is repeated.
A common version | Alternate words | Alternate pronunciations (see Yiddish regional dialects) | ||
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Oy Chanukah, Oy Chanukah a yontif a sheyner, |
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A lustiker; a freylekher; nisht do nokh azeyner. | A lustiker; a freylikher; nito nokh azoyner. |
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Ale nakht in dreydlekh, | Ale nakht mit dreydlekh, |
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Shpiln mir, frishe heyse latkes, esn on a shir. | Shpiln mir, zudik heyse latkes, esn on a shir. |
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Shpiln mir, frishe heyse latkes, est on a shir. |
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Geshvinder, tsindt kinder,
Di Chanukah likhtlekh on, |
Geshvinder, tsindt kinder,
Di dininke likhtlekh on, |
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Kumt kinder, geshvinder,
Di Chanukah likhtlekh veln mir ontsindn, |
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Alternate verses | ||||
(x2) | Zingt "Al Hanisim", |
Zol yeder bazunder |
Mir zingen "Al Hanisim" | |
Un danken far di nisim, | Mir danken far di nisim, | |||
Tantsen far di nisim | ||||
Un kumt gikher tantsen in kohn. | Lomir ale tantsen tsuzamen. |
There is also a Hebrew version (ימי החנוכה), which has the same melody, but its words and meanings are entirely different. In Israel, its popularity is not matched to the popularity of the English version in English speaking countries, or the Yiddish version in the past, whereas for instance, Sevivon, Sov, Sov, Sov has a high popularity in Israel.
Hebrew transliteration | Hebrew literal translation | English version |
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Y'mey haChanukah | The days of Chanukah - | (Oh), Chanukah, Oh Chanukah |
Chanukat mikdasheinu, | The Rededication of our Sanctuary - | Come light the menorah |
B'gil uv'simchah | With joy and happiness | Let's have a party |
M'mal'im et libeinu. | We fill our hearts. | We'll all dance the horah |
Layla vayom, S'vivoneinu yisov, | Night and day, our top (dreidel / s'vivon) turns | Gather round the table, we'll give you a treat |
Sufganiot, Nochal gam larov! | Jelly doughnuts (sufganiot), we'll also eat many. | Dreidels (or Sevivon) to play with, and latkes to eat |
Ha'iru, hadliku, | Light 'em, ignite 'em | And while we are playing |
Nerot Chanukah rabbim. | The many candles of Chanukah. | The candles are burning bright (or low) |
Al hanissim, v'al haniflaot | For the miracles, And for the wonders | One for each night, they shed a sweet light |
asher chollelu haMakabim. | Which the Maccabees accomplished. | To remind us of days long ago |
Al hanissim, v'al haniflaot | For the miracles, And for the wonders | One for each night, they shed a sweet light |
asher chollelu haMakabim. | Which the Maccabees accomplished. | To remind us of days long ago |
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