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"Hava Nagila" (Hebrew: הבה נגילה) (lit. Let us rejoice) is a Hebrew folk song that has become a staple of band performers at Jewish weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.

History

The melody was taken from an Ukrainian folk dance-song from Bukovina (a variant of Hora).^[1] It uses the Phrygian dominant scale, common in music of Romania and Western Ukraine. The commonly used text was probably composed by Abraham Zevi (Zvi) Idelsohn^[2]^[3] in 1918 to celebrate the British victory in Palestine during World War I as well as the Balfour Declaration.

Hava Nagila

Instrumental performance of Hava Nagila

Problems playing this file? See media help.

Lyrics

Transliteration	Hebrew text	English translation
Hava nagila	הבה נגילה	Let's rejoice
Hava nagila	הבה נגילה	Let's rejoice
Hava nagila v'nismeḥa	הבה נגילה ונשמחה	Let's rejoice and be happy
	(repeat stanza once)
Hava neranenah	הבה נרננה	Let's sing
Hava neranenah	הבה נרננה	Let's sing
Hava neranenah v'nismeḥa	הבה נרננה ונשמחה	Let's sing and be happy
	(repeat stanza once)
Uru, uru aḥim!	!עורו, עורו אחים	Awake, awake, brothers!
Uru aḥim b'lev sameaḥ	עורו אחים בלב שמח	Awake brothers with a happy heart
	(repeat line four times)
Uru aḥim, uru aḥim!	!עורו אחים, עורו אחים	Awake, brothers, awake, brothers!
B'lev sameaḥ	בלב שמח	With a happy heart

Note: The 'ḥ' can be pronounced as a strong exhaling sound (as in Classical Hebrew) or a guttural ch as in Bach.

Performers

Singer Harry Belafonte was known for his version of the song, which was recorded for his album Belafonte at Carnegie Hall in 1959. He rarely gave a concert without singing it. He has stated that his two songs which "stand out" are "The Banana Boat Song" and "Hava Nagila".^[4] Belafonte explained: "Life is not worthwhile without it. Most Jews in America learned that song from me."^[5]
Irving Fields^[4]
Rika Zaraï
Ben Folds Five
Chubby Checker^[4]
Connie Francis^[4]
Dick Dale and the Del Tones (surf-rock)^[4]
Glenn Campbell^[4]
Bob Dylan^[4]
Lena Horne^[4]
Raphael^[6]
Bert Kaempfert and his orchestra
NOFX
André Rieu
Abraham Inc.
Dalida^[7]
Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica usually ends its shows performing a humorous song, usually referred to as "The Vodka Song," played on the tune of "Hava Nagila".^[8]
American comedian and song parodist Allan Sherman performed a humorous version entitled "Harvey and Sheila" on his album My Son, the Celebrity.
At a sold-out show in Tel Aviv, Israel on June 16, 2009, American progressive metal band Dream Theater performed a cover of "Hava Nagila".^[9]
The beginning of Anthrax-song I'm the Man contains parts of "Hava Nagila".
Punk Rock supergroup and cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes performed two covers of this song on their 2004 live album Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah.
Alternative rock band moe., perform a variation of Hava Nagila in their song "Long Island Girls Rule" of which the original studio recording appears on their 1992, independently released album, Fatboy (album) (re-released on Fatboy Records in 1999).

References

^ A. Idelsohn "Jewish Music: its historical development", p.12
^ Yudelson, Larry. "Who wrote Havah Nagilah?". RadioHazak. Larry Yudelson. Archived from the original on 2008-07-29. Retrieved 2007-11-08. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ In an appearance on BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs on 28 October 2007, Joel Joffe referred to his grandfather Abraham Zevi Idelsohn as the author of "Hava Nagila", but in the programme notes it says "Composer: Bashir Am Israelim", meaning that either this is an alias for Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, to whom Joffe was clearly referring in the programme, or the programme notes contain an erroneous entry. (The correct entry was probably "Shir Am Yisraeli", meaning "Israeli folksong", before mangling by the BBC's transcription.)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Hava Nagila, What Is It? (Part I)" at YouTube
^ Leland, John. Hip: The History, HarperCollins, 2004, p. 206.
^ [1] Raphael sings "Hava Naguila" in Youtube
^ DALIDA Hava nagila 2, at Youtube
^ "Hava Nagila" by Sonata Arctica in a Tokyo concert, at Youtube
^ Dream Theater: vídeo de música judaica no show em Israel, luew, 19/06/09

External links

[1] A. Idelsohn "Jewish Music: its historical development", p.12

[2] Yudelson, Larry. "Who wrote Havah Nagilah?". RadioHazak. Larry Yudelson. Archived from the original on 2008-07-29. Retrieved 2007-11-08. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[3] In an appearance on BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs on 28 October 2007, Joel Joffe referred to his grandfather Abraham Zevi Idelsohn as the author of "Hava Nagila", but in the programme notes it says "Composer: Bashir Am Israelim", meaning that either this is an alias for Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, to whom Joffe was clearly referring in the programme, or the programme notes contain an erroneous entry. (The correct entry was probably "Shir Am Yisraeli", meaning "Israeli folksong", before mangling by the BBC's transcription.)

[What_Is_It_Pt1-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Hava Nagila, What Is It? (Part I)" at YouTube

[5] Leland, John. Hip: The History, HarperCollins, 2004, p. 206.

[6] [1] Raphael sings "Hava Naguila" in Youtube

[7] DALIDA Hava nagila 2, at Youtube

[8] "Hava Nagila" by Sonata Arctica in a Tokyo concert, at Youtube

[9] Dream Theater: vídeo de música judaica no show em Israel, luew, 19/06/09

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@@ Line 99: / Line 99: @@
 *[[Bob Dylan]]<ref name="What Is It Pt1" />
 *[[Lena Horne]]<ref name="What Is It Pt1" />
+*[[Raphael]]<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh_DjRL5_90] Raphael sings "Hava Naguila" in Youtube</ref>
 *[[Bert Kaempfert]] and his orchestra
 *[[NOFX]]