Oh Chanukah


Oh Chanukah is an English version of the Yiddish Oy Chanukah. The English words, while not a translation, are roughly based on the Yiddish. "Oy Chanukah" is a traditional Yiddish Chanukah song. "Oh Chanukah" is a very popular modern English Chanukah song. This upbeat playful children's song has lines about dancing the Horah, Spinning Dreidels, or Shining Tops. eating latkes, lighting the candles and singing happy songs.

Naming

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 ", "Yemi Khanike", and "Chanike Oy Chanike." Chanukah is and was sometimes written as Khanike as that was the standard transliteration from Yiddish according to the YIVO system.

Use in classical music

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, Zeitlin wrote an orchestral version of Kopyt's piano piece sometime before June 13, 1913 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".
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?

Versions

Alternate Yiddish versions and pronunciations

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 "" in the bottom left indicated that part is repeated.

Hebrew version

There is also a Hebrew version, which has the same melody, its words penned by Avraham Avronin. The words correspond roughly to the original, with slight variations for rhyme and rhythm’s sake. Thus the first line names the holiday; the second calls for joy and happiness ; in the third the speakers say they'll spin dreidels all night; in the fourth they will eat latkes ; in the fifth the speaker calls everyone to light the Chanukah candles; the sixth mentions the prayer Al Hanissim, "On the miracles". The only big change is in the last line - whereas the original calls to praise God for the miracles he performed, the Hebrew one praises the miracles and wonders performed by the Maccabees. This reflects the anti-religious polemic of early Zionism, evident in many other Israeli Chanukah songs.
In Israel, it’s still a very popular song, but since the country has a rich inventory of Chanukah songs it is not as exclusively popular as the English version in English speaking countries, or the Yiddish version in the past.
Hebrew textHebrew transliterationHebrew literal translationEnglish version
יְמֵי הַחֲנֻכָּה
Y'mey haChanukahThe days of Chanukah -, Chanukah, Oh Chanukah
חֲנֻכַּת מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ
Chanukat mikdasheinu,The Rededication of our Sanctuary -Come light the menorah
בְּגִיל וּבְשִׂמְחָה
B'gil uv'simchahWith joy and happinessLet's have a party
מְמַלְּאִים אֶת לִבֵּנוּ
M'mal'im et libeinu.We fill our hearts.We'll all dance the horah
לַיְלָה וָיוֹם סְבִיבוֹנֵנוּ יִסֹּב
Layla vayom, S'vivoneinu yisov,Night and day, our top turnsGather round the table, we'll give you a treat
סֻפְגָּנִיּוֹת נֹאכַל בָּם לָרֹב
Sufganiot, Nochal bam larov!Jelly doughnuts, we'll also eat many.Dreidels to play with, and latkes to eat
---
הָאִירוּ, הַדְלִיקוּ
Ha'iru, hadliku,Light 'em, ignite 'emAnd while we are playing
נֵרוֹת חֲנֻכָּה רַבִּים
Nerot Chanukah rabbim.The many candles of Chanukah.The candles are burning bright
עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת
Al hanissim, v'al haniflaotFor the miracles, And for the wondersOne for each night, they shed a sweet light
אֲשֶׁר חוֹלְלוּ הַמַּכַּבִּים
asher chollelu haMakabim.Which the Maccabees accomplished.To remind us of days long ago
עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת
Al hanissim, v'al haniflaotFor the miracles, And for the wondersOne for each night, they shed a sweet light
אֲשֶׁר חוֹלְלוּ הַמַּכַּבִּים
asher chollelu haMakabim.Which the Maccabees accomplished.To remind us of days long ago