Holiday music for everyone

You’ve heard “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”. Christmas songs are universal, penetrating all aspects of life. But what about songs for other holidays? You might’ve heard “I Had a Little Dreidel”, but that’s most likely the extent of your non-Christmas holiday song knowledge. Below are two non-Christmas holiday tracks that are worth the listen.

Nathan Jackson, Editor In Chief

“The Hanukkah Song”
Adam Sandler

Yes, Adam Sandler wrote a song about Hanukkah and performed it on SNL. And, as you can probably imagine, it’s not like your traditional holiday music. You won’t hear talk of menorahs or latkes; the song opts for the route that talks about a ton of Jewish actors and actresses, with a bit of classic Sandler humor to boot. It’s full of 90’s references that you probably won’t get, but the song manages to avoid feeling dated, and the rest of the song makes up for any confusion with corny lyrics that’ll make you laugh out loud.

“Happy Kwanzaa”
Teddy Pendergrass

If you don’t know what Kwanzaa is, it’s a holiday that celebrates African heritage in African-American culture, culminating in a feast and an exchanging of gifts. Now that you’re caught up, you have to listen to Teddy Pendergrass’ “Happy Kwanzaa.” It’s a catchy tune that both educates the listener about what Kwanzaa is about while throwing in a couple rap verses to really make the beat stick. It’s an extremely upbeat song that’s all about happiness and unity. Even if you don’t celebrate Kwanzaa, at least give this song a listen.