For most Jewish children, the only pop-culture song about Hanukkah was the “Hanukkah Song” by Adam Sandler.
Not anymore.
The LeeVees, a band made up of Adam Gardner from Guster and Dave Schneider from The Zambonis have released “Hanukkah Rocks,” an album written in eight days in honor of Hanukkah.
The CD deals with issues such as finding the right Jewish girl, how to really spell Hanukkah and the difficult choice of picking applesauce or sour cream for latkes, which are fried potato pancakes.
The LeeVees take a different spin on Jewish music by taking on issues of Jewish culture whereas artists like Matisyahu focus more on the actual Torah. The LeeVees are similar to The Barenaked Ladies because they have a soothing sound paired with comedic lyrics.
Each song addresses what Jewish people go through in a secular society. In the song “Jewish Girls” (at the Matzoh Ball), they sing about the troubles Jewish people go through in order to find the right Jewish mate. In “Kugel,” The LeeVees try to explain the Jewish food kugel and how it is unhealthy, but tasty. Perhaps the song that will reach out to most Jewish people is “Goyim Friends.” Goyim means “other nation” in Hebrew and is a term used often by Jews when addressing other religions. “Goyim Friends” addresses how Jews receive subpar gifts on Hanukkah like a pair of socks while their goyim friends get things like iPods, paintball guns and snowboards.
Other songs teach listeners about the traditions of Hanukkah. The song “Nun Gimmel Heh Shin” explains how to play dreidel, a game played on Hanukkah. The correct way to eat a latke is dealt with in the song “Applesauce vs. Sour Cream”. “How Do You Spell Chunnukkahh” focuses on a subject which most Jews have discussed at one time in their life.
The lyrics deal with the culture, which involves all spectrums of the religion and does not have a religious undertone, although some songs might be offensive to some observant Jewish people .
In “Jewish Girls,” they sing about going to a Jewish dance on a Friday night. An observant Jew would not go to a dance on Friday night because that is the beginning of the Sabbath and it is forbidden. In “Goyim Friends,” the LeeVees mention how most Jews order Chinese take-out on Christmas Eve. This is true in many circles, but most Chinese restaurants are not kosher and the more observant Jew might find this offensive.
The album is funny, informative and a must-have for people immersed in Jewish culture. “Hanukkah Rocks” rocks.
