THE Abdul Alhazred's Blog

Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel

Just in time for Hanukkah.

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If you went to public school in New York City when I did, you probably learned The Dreidel Song as part of what later developed into multiculturalism.  I never heard any Jews singing it around the Menorah and certainly not in shul. Can anyone tell me the origin of that song?

Here is a set of atheist lyrics for The Dreidel Song that I snagged off USENET many years ago and have lovingly preserved.

Credit where credit is due. The author is Bernard S Greenberg.
The same one who wrote THIS, and developed THIS SOFTWARE.

I had a little dreidel, I made him out of clay,
I breathed into his nostrils so dreidel I could play.

I made my little dreidel a friend for his own sake,
With gardens trees and apples, and a wonderful pet snake.

I took my little dreidel out just to have some fun,
I told my little dreidel to kill for me his son.

I flung my little dreidel o'er Egypt's burning sand,
But soon again I found him and gave him his own land.

So much I loved my dreidel and feared I'd be forsook,
That I wrote for my dreidel an interesting book.

Wherein I told my dreidel exactly how to play,
Just dread and fear and worship, and bless me all the day.

I twirled my little dreidel in Warsaw and New York,
And taught him to grow sidelocks, and never to eat pork.

But then my little dreidel began of me to tire,
So I showed who the boss is, and thrust him in the fire.

And when my little dreidel refused to give up hope,
I shook my head in wonder, and made him into soap.

So now my little dreidel knows just how rough I play,
For sure my little dreidel won't ever run away.

ETA: Do I need to emphasize these are the atheist lyrics?

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Happy Hanukkah everybody.

Merry Christmas.

Salubrious Solstice.

A penny for the wren Missus Clancy.

Seasons Greetings.


ETA: Link back to SC thread.

Posted by: Abdul Alhazred at 04:00 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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