Hava Nagila

"Hava Nagila" () is a Jewish folk song. It is traditionally sung at celebrations, such as weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and other Jewish holidays among the Jewish community. Written in 1918, it quickly spread through the Jewish diaspora.

History The melody is based on a Hassidic Nigun. It was composed in 1918 to celebrate the Balfour Declaration and the British victory over the Ottomans in 1917. It was first performed in a mixed choir concert in Jerusalem.

Abraham Zevi Idelsohn (1882–1938), a professor at Hebrew University, began cataloging all known Jewish music and teaching classes in musical composition. One of his students was a promising cantorial student, Moshe Nathanson, who with the rest of his class was presented by the professor with a slow, melodious, 19th-century chant (niggun or nigun) and assigned to add rhythm and words to fashion a modern Hebrew song. There are competing claims regarding "Hava Nagila"'s composer, with both Idelsohn and Nathanson being suggested.

The niggun has been attributed to the Sadigurer Chasidim, who lived in what is now Ukraine. This version has been recreated by Daniel Gil, based on a traditional song collected by Susman Kiselgof. The text was probably refined by Idelsohn. Members of the community began to immigrate to Jerusalem in 1915, and Idelsohn wrote in 1932 that he had been inspired by that melody.

Lyrics Transliteration Hebrew text Hava nagilaהָבָה נָגִילָהLet's rejoiceHava nagilaהָבָה נָגִילָהLet's rejoiceהָבָה נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָהLet's rejoice and be happy (repeat) Hava neranenahהָבָה נְרַנְּנָהLet's singHava neranenahהָבָה נְרַנְּנָהLet's singהָבָה נְרַנְּנָה וְנִשְׂמְחָהLet's sing and be happy (repeat) עוּרוּ, עוּרוּ אַחִים!Awake, awake, brothers!עוּרוּ אַחִים בְּלֵב שָׂמֵחַAwake brothers with a happy heart (repeat line three times) עוּרוּ אַחִים, עוּרוּ אַחִים!Awake, brothers, awake, brothers!בְּלֵב שָׂמֵחַWith a happy heart repeat (optional)

Melody

Notable performers Israeli folk duo Ran & Nama (Ran Eliran and Nechama Hendel) released what is likely the earliest recording of the version that was later made famous throughout the world, on their album Ran & Nama – The First Record (Hed Arzi AN-42-70, 1959). Singer Harry Belafonte is known for his version of the song, which was recorded for his album Belafonte at Carnegie Hall, recorded at the titular Carnegie Hall in 1959.Belafonte, Harry (1959) Belafonte at Carnegie Hall: The Complete Concert (LP) RCA Victor LOC-6006 He rarely gave a concert without singing it, and stated that the two "stand out" songs from his professional career were "The Banana Boat Song" and "Hava Nagila". Belafonte noted and claimed, "Life is not worthwhile without it. Most Jews in America learned that song from me."Leland, John. (2004) Hip: The History, New York: HarperCollins, p. 206. Aliza Kashi recorded the song for her 1963 album A Internacional Aliza Kashi (The International Aliza Kashi). Laurindo Almeida The Barry Sisters recorded this song on their Greatest Yiddish Hits album, the release date: October 16, 1965. Raphael (singer), the Spanish singer and actor, recorded the Hava Nagila song in 1968. Nissim Black, a Jewish Orthodox rapper, recorded an adaptation titled "The Hava Song". Bruno Blum included an instrumental ska section of the song in his version of French singer songwriter Georges Brassens' "" [Bad Reputation] on his 2002 album Think Différent. Brave Combo"Hava Nagila Twist", on The Hokey Pokey: Organized Dancing (1991) Glen Campbell released True Grit / Hava Nagila via Label Capitol Records in 1969. David Carroll John Lennon and Yoko Ono sang Hava Nagila during their 1969 Bed-In. Jasper Carrott (on his 1976 album, Carrott in Notts) Chubby Checker Herman Clebanoff Carmela Corren – Israeli singer Celia Cruz Dick Dale and the Del Tones published a (surf rock) rendition in 1963.Dick Dale And The Del-Tones* – King Of The Surf Guitar / Hava Nagila, 1963 Dalida, 1959 Neil Diamond, in addition to having performed Hava Nagila in his 1994 Live In America concert, incorporated it into The Jazz Singer, based on Samson Raphaelson's play, in which he acted out a cantor with popular-music ambitions. George Lam published a Cantonese adaption of the song in 1987, named "Ecstasy" (). Dream Theater performed a cover of "Hava Nagila" in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 16 June 2009.Dream Theater: vídeo de música Judaica no show em Israel, luew, 19 June 2009 Bob Dylan performed the song as "Talkin' Hava Negeilah Blues" during the early 1960s. One such rendition appears on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991. The E Street Band with guest accordionists performed it at a Bruce Springsteen concert in Sunrise, Florida, on 9 September 2009. Percy Faith Irving Fields Four Jacks and a Jill released a version of the song on their 1965 album, Jimmy Come Lately.Four Jacks and a Jill, Jimmy Come Lately Retrieved 13 May 2015 Connie Francis Lionel Hampton Lena Horne, "Now!" (US #92, 1963) Abraham Zevi Idelsohn published the Hebrew song book, Sefer Hashirim, in 1922, which includes the first publication of his arrangement of "Hava Nagila". He also produced the first commercial recording in 1922, on the Polyphon record label ("Order No. 8533"), as part of a series which recorded 39 Hebrew folk songs. Los Iracundos Kare and the Cavemen Bert Kaempfert Harold Land James Last Abbe Lane Jon Lord of Deep Purple included Hava Nagila in his solo keyboard improvisations as heard on Made in Europe (1975). Arthur Lyman Betty Madigan, "Dance Everyone Dance" (US #31, 1958)Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 Shelly Manne Mantovani Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, who recorded the song live for the album Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah. They also recorded a second version on the same album to the tune of Feliz Navidad. Pérez Prado Flora Purim Ivan Rebroff Frank Slay and his Orchestra, "Flying Circle" (US #45, 1962) The Spotnicks Pete Townshend, whose ability to play the song was instrumental to his induction in The Who. Richard Tucker Caterina Valente Rika Zaraï Helmut Lotti in his album "Helmut Lotti Goes Classic II - The Blue Album (Live)". Mik Kaminski of Electric Light Orchestra performed a violin solo that included Hava Nagila in the band's 1977 tour promoting their 1976 album A New World Record Party Animals, with a happy hardcore remix in 1996. Scooter, with a similar happy hardcore remix, titled Last Minute. Charles Aznavour with Enrico Macias in 1973

Use in sports

Association football Ajax Amsterdam Supporters of the Dutch association football club AFC Ajax, although not an official Jewish club, commonly use Jewish imagery. A central part of Ajax fans' culture, "Hava Nagila" can often be heard sung in the stadium by the team's supporters, and at one point ringtones of "Hava Nagila" could even be downloaded from the club's official website."Amsterdam Journal; A Dutch Soccer Riddle: Jewish Regalia Without Jews" by Craig S. Smith, The New York Times, 28 March 2005."Hava Nagila!", Nieuw Israëlietisch Weekblad, 15 October 2013"Waar komt de geuzennaam 'Joden' toch vandaan?", Het Parool, 1 February 2014.

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters of the English football club Tottenham Hotspur commonly refer to themselves as "Yids" and say they are strongly associated with Jewish symbolism and culture. "Hava Nagila" has been adopted as an anthem of sorts by the club, and was one of the most frequently sung songs at the team's former stadium at White Hart Lane.Promised Land: A Northern Love Story, Anthony Clavane, 12 February 2014

Gymnastics In the 2012 Summer Olympics floor exercise final, Aly Raisman placed first with a score of 15.600, becoming the first American woman to win a gold medal on the floor exercise. She performed to the tune of "Hava Nagila".

See also Hora (dance) Jewish music Music of Israel Zum Gali Gali

References

Hava Nagila

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