‘So here it is, Happy Hanukkah!’: Slade Xmas song rewritten for Festival of Lights

A hugely popular Christmas anthem has been reworked to celebrate Chanukah.

With the blessing of its original creators British glam rock band Slade, comedian Ivor Baddiel has rewritten the lyrics to the 1973 No 1 hit ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’, for the Festival of Lights.

Now called ‘Happy Hanukkah Everyone’, it features a dancing cardboard cut-out of lead vocalist Noddy Holder, (who co-wrote the original song with bassist Jim Lea), complete with a chanukiah atop his guitar and a dreidl for a hat.

The animated figure, created by cartoonist Zoom Rockman, is superimposed against the backdrop of Slade’s Top of the Pops Christmas performance.

Erran Baron-Cohen arranged the music and the lyrics (below) are sung by Jules Brookes:

“It’s Hanukkahhhhhh!
Are you getting out your dreidl and your gelt?
Are you watching candles slowly burn and melt?
Will the children be excited by the presents you have bought?
Will you eat more latkas than you really ought?
So here it is, Happy Hanukkah, everybody’s having fun.
Look to the future now, it’s only just begun.”

Speaking exclusively to Jewish News, Baddiel said: “Chanukah is the festival of light, so we decided to try and spread a little light at a difficult time for the Jewish community. We sincerely hope it puts a smile on people’s faces.

Animator and cartoonist Zoom Rockman said: “Noddy Holder was great to animate, he’s full of character and charisma, I really hope he likes the Hanukkah version of himself.”

To watch the video, click here.