Here are all 4 versions of Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song”

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content Officer

In an interview, last week with a New York radio station, Jewish comedy legend Adam Sandler said he recently showed his daughters the spot on 56th and Broadway where he stood in front of a diner and first had the idea for what would become his famous “The Chanukah Song.”

“I am so proud of that song, I love it,” Sandler said in the interview, explaining that he excitedly wrote the song at the NBC studios of “Saturday Night Live.” “We didn’t have Google back in 1994, and I went by what I thought was correct.”

Many would agree, he nailed it.

Sandler performed the original version as part of his live act and over the years updated the lyrics with more Jewish celebrity names. Here are all four versions of the song. Enjoy!

Part 1: The original Chanukah Song (1994)

The original version contains the names of 21 celebrities and the now-shuttered Carnegie Deli.  Over the years a few things have been learned about the song that audiences have found interesting. One funny bit involves the mention of Tom Cruise. In the song Sandler sings “Tom Cruise isn’t, but I heard his agent is.” But, the truth is Cruise’s agent at the time Kevin Huvane was not Jewish and would later be an ordained minister.

 

Part II (1999)

Sandler debuted Part II during a live performance at Brandeis University and was recorded for a future album from Sandler.

Part III (2002)

Part IV (2015)

It would be more than a decade before Sandler would revisit his song. Sandler was on stage during the New York Comedy Festival when he debuted, Part IV.