The traditional ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ style versions of Hava Nagila are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, so why not choose a more original and fun variety for your Jewish wedding playlist?
Choose a Hava Nagila (or ‘Have-a-tequila’!) that you feel reflects you both or fits the theme of your wedding. Below I’ve sourced everything from a Cuban style version to American Jazz to Beach Party to Techno style renditions. And further down the page there’s some awesome YouTube versions to watch by Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, a Bollywood Hava Nagila, and a few more spectacles!
HAVA NAGILA BY ALEX M vs. MARC VAN DAMME
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A techno version of Hava Nagila that will get the party *pumping*!
HAVA NAGILA BY THE BARRY SISTERS
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Hava Nagila with a 40s American jazz twist
HAVA NAGILA BY TERRA FOLK
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Hava Nagila with an Irish folk band twist.
HAVA NAGILA BY HAVANA GILA
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Hava Nagila in a Salsa/Cuban fusion style. Very classy!
HAVA NAGILA BY JOE BROWN
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A bluesy version of Hava Nagila that starts slow and then really kicks in
HAVA NAGILA BY MUNICIPALE BALCANICA
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Hava Nagila with a Balkan Gypsy twist
HAVA NAGILA BY SCOTT WILSON
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Hava Nagila with a Middle Eastern guitar twang!
HAVANA NAGILA BY HIP HOP HOODIOS
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A cuban version of Hava Nagila
HAVA NAGILA BY MESHUGA BEACH PARTY
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Hava Nagila with a surfing beach party twist
HAVA NAGILA BOLLYWOOD STYLE!
HAVA NAGILA AT THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS
American gymnast, Aly Raisman dances ‘Hava Nagila’ to Olympic glory at the London 2012 Olympics.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PLAYS HAVA NAGILA
Bruce Springsteen gave us some Hava Nagila at this Washington DC concert. (View the video at 2 minutes 20 secs in.) Anyone with a big wedding budget out there, he’s your man!
NEIL DIAMOND SINGS HAVA NAGILA COMPLETE WITH CHAIR-LIFTING!
Neil Diamond sang Hava Nagila in the film, Keeping Up With the Steins, and also sang it 25 years prior to that in the movie The Jazz Singer.
HAVA NAGILA ON ICE
For an ice-skating themed wedding, the figure skater, Evgeni Plushenko, is your man. Watch him triple axel to Hava Nagila right here!
OK after all those renditions I’ll admit it, I’m Hava Nagila’d out, but if you’re still looking for more versions of all varieties of Jewish wedding songs fo the Hora. not just Hava Nagila, check out this post I put together a couple of months ago on cool alternative versions of Hava Nagila, the Hora and other Jewish Wedding music
And if you know any other awesome Jewish wedding tunes please add the links or names of the songs and artists in the comments section below.
Happy Hora-ing!
Karen x
