Spinner

Neil Diamond Covers Adam Sandler's 'Chanukah Song'

It's no secret that when holiday music hits radio, you're going to hear way more songs about Christmas than Chanukah. With Christmas, you get a bevy of classics like 'White Christmas,' 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town,' 'Jingle Bells' and on and on. With Chanukah, you're lucky if you hear more than 'The Dreidel Song.' So, when Neil Diamond -- who's been called the "Jewish Elvis" -- wanted to include a song about the festival lights on his third Christmas album, he turned to an unlikely source: Adam Sandler.

That's right -- on Diamond's upcoming 'A Cherry, Cherry Christmas,' the singer rocks a pretty hilarious and dead-on cover of Sandler's 'The Chanukah Song,' the actor-comedian's list of famous Jews that features such witticisms as "Paul Newman's half Jewish, Goldie Hawn's half too/put them together, what a fine-looking Jew." Diamond even addresses the dearth of Chanukah songs at the beginning of his version, saying, "There are so many beautiful Christmas songs around and so few Chanukah songs, so I thought we'd try this one for you."

The track -- which Spinner stumbled upon here -- was produced by new Guns 'N' Roses guitarist DJ Ashba and is featured alongside two new originals -- the title track and 'Christmas Dream.' Seasonal standards like 'Deck the Halls,' 'Winter Wonderland' and 'Jingle Bell Rock' also make appearances. The disc will be in stores Oct. 13, the same day as Bob Dylan's debut entry into the holiday music market, 'Christmas in the Heart'.

When we checked in with Diamond, he had this simple message for Spinner's readers: "Happy Chanukah, y'all."

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Jodi

It's so cool to see this song made real and not just a joke!! I've always love Neil and he's taken Sandler's song and made it not a joke!!!

December 10 2009 at 11:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
goinggone

Well if the government is looking for music to torture their prisoners with, I think this should be at the top of the list..need they look further...I know it would break me if I were in their shoes....

October 23 2009 at 9:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
goinggone

You people (fans) cant be serious...this guy is just grasping at straws to try and come up with something new,the female fans would buy records of him croaking like a frog if he did them....u know Neil, it is the 21st century....this is garbage....
there are artists out there who are true artists, hang up the old guitar...this song is hideous no matter who sings it, if u want to call it a 'song

October 14 2009 at 10:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alright

Finally someone who records a decent version of that song. Adam Sandler maybe wrote the song, but his version is absolute crap.

October 06 2009 at 10:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
goinggone

This is laughable...the only reason he probably let Neil Diamond record it is he know it could only be worse than his version....let alone the fact that this is hideous....it only verifies to me how lame fans are to glorify anything Neil Diamond does....this is just like nails on a chalkboard....how can u call this music...equal to a "Chimpmunk and Alvin' songs...

October 03 2009 at 2:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
perfect_gold

Hell yeah DJ Ashba!

October 01 2009 at 12:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MRM HOUSTON

EVERY ARTISTS HAS A GIFT TO SHARE. THANK YOU FOR MAKING US LAUGH AND SING!!! AND YOU ARE WISE TO PUT TOGETHER THE BEST IN TALENT!!! DJ ASHBA ROCKS!!! ADAM SANDLERS IS FUNNY!!! AND YOU ARE CLASSIC AND TIMELESS!!!!

September 30 2009 at 1:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John

Neil you are too old to come up with new lyrics? you have a good voice, going to Adam is a joke. Dont forget you are an Israile American Jew is your religion, Focus on changing the way,you come up with with new songs

September 30 2009 at 8:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to John's comment
Jackie Schultz

Neil Diamond is not old, and not too old to write his songs, which he does, and every once in a while, he does someone elses song for fun, and The Chanuka song is fun. We are all enjoyin his Cherry Cherry Christmas and it is wonderful. He is not an Israeli American, he is an American Jewish. I am too, and I sing Christmas songs on Christmas for my neighbors, what is wrong with that. It is a jojous time for everyone.

Neil has been extremely sucessful writing songs, singing songs, and entertaining all of us for over 40 years. He doesn't have to change anything, but to continue doing what he does so very well. You need to re-think your attiude.

December 10 2009 at 10:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ilene

come on Neil, another Christmas Album! You're a songwriter why can't you write a couple of Chanukah songs!

September 29 2009 at 10:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply