Music of a Different Season

by the Maccabeats

Chanukah celebrates the victory of the Jews under the Maccabees over the Hellenistic ruler Antiochus Ephiphanes. It’s an in-between the testaments event.

I’ll tell a tale
Of Maccabees in Israel
When the Greeks tried to assail
But it was all to no avail

The war went on and on and on
Until the mighty Greeks were gone

I flip my latkes in the air sometimes sayin ayy ohh spin the dreidel
Just wanna celebrate for all eight nights singin ayy oh, light the candles

We say al hanissim
Oh yea for all eight nights
Then we play dreidel
By the candlelight

And I told you once
Now I told you twice
Bout the miracle
Of the candlelight

They took the field
The rivals thought “are they for real?”
But those macabees they’d never yield
They charged ahead with sword and shield

The war went on and on and on
Until the mighty Greeks were gone

I flip my latkes in the air sometimes sayin ayy ohh spin the dreidel
Just wanna celebrate for all eight nights singin ayy oh, light the candles

We say maoz tzur
Oh yea for all eight nights
Then we play dreidel
By the candlelight

And I told you once
Now I told you twice
Bout the miracle
Of the candlelight

And the great menorah
For eight days it kept on burning
What a celebration
A great return to Torah learning

Cuz I can feel it
And Ay-ay-ay
Nes gadol, nes gadol
Nes gadol hayah sham

I flip my latkes in the air sometimes sayin ayy ohh spin the dreidel
Just wanna celebrate for all eight nights singin ayy oh, light the candles

We say al hanissim
Oh yea for all eight nights
Then we play dreidel
By the candlelight

And I told you once
Now I told you twice
Bout the miracle
Of the candlelight

Here’s another. The Maccabeats sing Matisyahu a cappella (except for the drums)!