Re: Woody Guthrie's Jewish songs

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

Lori Cahan-Simon wrote (a while ago):

>To make it even more relevant, Woody Guthrie was married to the daughter of 
>Yiddish poet and songwriter Aliza Greenblatt.

Indeed he was (Arlo apparently had a gevalt bar mitzvah with the Weavers in 
attendance), and in an earnest and, I gather, rather sweet attempt to relate 
to her heritage, he engrossed himself in some Jewish-related reading and 
wrote a bunch of songs with a Jewish hook--most of them that I know relating 
(loosely!) to Chanukah, and with titles like "Hanukah Bell" ("Dinga lingle 
lingle, I ring your bell [doorbell--though, given Woody, might have other 
meanings ...] ... The week of Hanuka now is here, And you must be sad no 
more"), "Hanukah Dance," "Hannuka's Flame," "Hanuka Gelt," "Hanuka Time," 
"Hanukah Tree" (Ouch!), "Holy Hanukah,"  "Happy Joyous Hanukah," and a 
"counting" song called "How Many Nights for Hanukah?"

I don't believe anyone knows the intended music for most of these (for most 
of them Woody evidently composed original music), but we do for one of them. 
  To the tune of "Crawdad" (which you probably all know:  "You get a line 
and I'll get a pole, honey; You get a line and I'll get a pole, babe"):

"How many latkes can you eat?  It's Hanuka!
How many latkes can you eat?  It's Hanuka!
How many latkes can I eat?  It's ten times three and six times eight!  
[Huh?]  It's Hanuka; Yes, yes, it's Hanuka!"

"How much honey do you like?  It's Hanuka!"

"How many fruitcakes can you eat?  It's Hanuka!"

"How many pretty girls can you kiss?  It's Hanuka!" ...

"How many stories can you tell?  It's Hanuka!" ...


OK, so this one isn't Shakespeare ...

Woody actually wrote (at least) one quite serious song incorporating sort of 
an overview of Jewish history (which, btw, "Ma'oz Tsur" is, in its own, 
limited way):  "The Many & the Few."  Quite moving, actually, and clearly 
reflects that he'd immersed himself somewhat in our history.

Too bad he didn't get around (so far as I know) to writing a "This Land Is 
Your Land" for the Holy Land.

--Robert Cohen

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