I Have a Little Dreidel

"I Have a Little Dreidel"[1] (also known as "The Dreidel Song"[1] or "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel") is a children's Hanukkah song in the English-speaking world that also exists in a Yiddish version called "Ikh bin a kleyner Dreydl", (איך בין אַ קלײנער דרײדל Lit: I am a little dreidel; German: Ich bin ein kleiner Dreidel). The song is about making a dreidel, a four-sided spinning top, and playing with it.

History

The lyrics for the English version were written by Samuel S. Grossman[1] and the composer of the English version is listed as Samuel E. Goldfarb (also S. E. Goldfarb).[1] The song was written in 1927.[2][3][4] The Yiddish version was both written and composed by Mikhl Gelbart,[1] albeit under the name of Ben Arn, a pseudonym referring to himself as the son of Aaron.[5]) There is a question about who composed this music since the melody for both the Yiddish and the English versions are precisely the same. The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (formerly known as The United Synagogue of America) is believed to be the first to publish the song in a collection of songs with its first printing in 1950 of the book, The Songs We Sing by Harry Coopersmith. The writers of the song in English only translated the original Yiddish version which was considered a folk song with the lyrics written by Mikhl Gelbart. Most believe that neither Goldfarb nor Grossman actually copyrighted the song and it was not included in Goldfarb's own printed book of songs because of this fact.

The meaning of the lyrics to the Yiddish and English versions is largely the same. However, in the original Yiddish version, the singer is referring to themself as the dreidel – a four-sided spinning top – made out of "blai" (Yiddish: בלײַ) (lead). In the English version, the lyrics refer to the singer having a dreidel made out of clay.

Versions

% from https://www.wlu.ca/academics/faculties/faculty-of-music/assets/concert-programs/2022/sing-along-sheet-music-dreidel1.pdf \header { tagline = ##f } %\paper { paper-height = 320\mm } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } \context { \Voice \remove "Dynamic_engraver" } } global = { \key d \major \time 2/2 \partial 4 } chordNames = \chordmode { \global \set midiInstrument = "acoustic guitar (nylon)" \transpose c c, { \repeat volta 3 { s4 | d2\p a:7 | d1 | fis2:m7 b:7 | e1:m e2:m b:7 | e:m e:m/d | a1:7 | d | d | d | fis2:m7 b:7 | e1:m | e2:m7 e:m7/d | a:7 e:m/b | } \alternative { { a1 | d2. } { a1 d2. } } \bar "|." } } sopranoVoice = \relative d' { \global \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone" \repeat volta 3 { a'4 | d, d e e | fis d2 fis4 | a a g fis | e2. b'4 | e, e fis fis | g e2 e4 | a g fis e | d2. fis4 | a fis a fis | a fis2 fis4 | a a g fis | e2. e4 | g e g e | g e2 e4 | } \alternative { { a g fis e | d2. } { a'4 a b cis d2. } } \bar "|." } verseOne = \lyricmode { \set stanza = "1." I have a lit -- tle drei -- del; I made it out of clay. And when it's dry and read -- y, then drei -- del I shall play. \repeat unfold 20 { \skip 1 } then drei -- del I shall play. } verseTwo = \lyricmode { \set stanza = "2." It has a love -- ly bod -- y, with legs so short and thin. And when it gets all tir -- ed, it drops and then I win! \set stanza = \markup { \left-brace #35 } Oh drei -- del, drei -- del, drei -- del, I made it out of clay; And when it's dry and read -- y, \set stanza = \markup { \right-brace #35 } it drops and then I win. } verseThree = \lyricmode { \set stanza = "3." My drei -- del's al -- ways play -- ful; it loves to dance and spin. A hap -- py game of drei -- del, come play now, let's be -- gin. \repeat unfold 20 { \skip 1 } come \repeat unfold 5 { "" } play now let's be -- gin. } right = \relative c'' { \global % I don't like the melody duplication in the right hand. \repeat volta 3 { a4-.\pp | d,-. <d a>-. e-. <e a,>-. | <fis a,>-. <d a>2 <fis a,>4-. | a-. <a e>-. g-. <fis dis>-. | << { e2. b'4 } \\ { r4 <b, g>-. q-. r } >> | e-. <e b>-. fis-. <fis dis a>-. | <g b>-. <e b>2 q4-. | a-. <g cis,>-. fis-. <e cis>-. | << { d2. fis4 } \\ { r4 <a, fis>-. q-. r } >> | a'-. <fis d>-. a-. <fis d>-. | << { a fis2 fis4 } \\ { r4 <d a>-. q-. r } >> | a'-. <a fis e>-. g-. <fis dis>-. | << { e2.e4 } \\ { r4 <b g>-. q-. r } >> | g'-. <e b>-. g-. <e d b>-. | << { g e2 e4 } \\ { r4 cis2 <b g>4 | } >> } \alternative { { a' <g e cis> fis <e cis a> | << { d2. } \\ { r4 <a fis>-. q-. } >> } { a'-. <a e cis>-. b-. <cis a e>-. << { d2. } \\ { r4 <a fis>-. d-. } >> } } } rightII = \relative c'' { \global \repeat volta 3 { s4 | s a,-.\pp s a-. | a-. a2 a4-. | s e'-. s dis-. | r4 <b g>-. q-. r | s4 b-. s <dis a>-. | b-. b2 b4-. | s4 cis-. s cis-. | r4 <a fis>-. q-. r | s4 d-. s d-. | r4 <d a>-. q-. r | s4 <fis e>-. s dis-. | r4 <b g>-. q-. r | s b-. s <d b>-. | r4 cis2 <b g>4 | } \alternative { { s <e cis> s <cis a> | r4 <a fis>-. q-. } { s <e' cis>-. s <a e>-. r4 <a fis>-. d,-. } } } left = \relative c { \global \clef bass \repeat volta 3 { r4 | d-.\pp fis-. a,-. cis-. | d-. a-. d,-. r | fis-. c'-. b-. fis-. | e-. b'-. e-. r | e-. b-. b'-. fis-. | e-. g-. d-. g-. | a,-. g'-. e-. cis-. | d-. a-. d,-. r | d'-. fis-. a,-. fis'-. | d-. fis-. a,-. d-. | fis-. c-. b-. fis'-. | e-. b-. e,-. r | << { r4 g'-. r g-. | r g-. r e-. } \\ { e2 d | cis b } >> } \alternative { { a4-. cis-. e-. cis-. | d-. a-. d,-. } { a'-. cis-. e-. cis-. d-. a-. d,-. } } } pianoPart = \new PianoStaff << \new Staff \with { midiInstrument = "accordion" } \rightII \new Staff \with { midiInstrument = "tuba" } \left >> \score { << \new ChordNames { \set chordChanges = ##t \chordNames } \new Staff { \new Voice = "soprano" \sopranoVoice } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseOne \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseTwo \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseThree \pianoPart >> \layout { } } \score { \unfoldRepeats { << \chordNames \\ \sopranoVoice \\ \pianoPart >> } \midi { \tempo 2 = 112 \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } }
English version

I have a little dreidel; I made it out of clay.
And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay;
And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.

It has a lovely body, with legs so short and thin.
When it gets all tired, it drops and then I win!
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay;
And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.

My dreidel's always playful; it loves to dance and spin.
A happy game of dreidel, come play now, let's begin.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay;
And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.

Yiddish version Transliteration (YIVO spelling) Translation

איך בין אַ קליינער דריידל, געמאַכט בין איך פון בלײַ.
קומט לאָמיר אַלע שפּילן, אין דריידל – איינס, צוויי, דרײַ.
אוי, דריידל, דריידל, דריידל, אוי, דריי זיך, דריידל, דריי.
טאָ לאָמיר אַלע שפּילן, אין דריידל, איינס און צוויי.

Ikh bin a kleyner dreydl, gemakht bin ikh fun blay.
Kumt lomir ale shpiln, in dreydl – eyns, tsvey, dray.
Oy, dreydl, dreydl, dreydl, oy, drey zikh, dreydl, drey
To lomir ale shpiln, in dreydl, eyns un tsvey.

I am a little dreidel, I am made from lead.
Come let's all play dreidel – one two three.
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, oh, dreidel, dreidel, spin.
So let's all play dreidel, one and two.

און איך האָב ליב צו טאַנצן, זיך דרייען אין אַ ראָד.
טאָ לאָמיר אַלע טאַנצן אַ דריידל-קאַראַהאָד.
אוי, דריידל, דריידל, דריידל, אוי, דריי זיך, דריידל, דריי.
טאָ לאָמיר אַלע שפּילן, אין דריידל, איינס און צוויי.

Un ikh hob lib tsu tantsn, zikh dreyen in a rod.
To lomir ale tantsn, a dreydl-karahod.
Oy, dreydl, dreydl, dreydl, oy, drey zikh, dreydl, drey.
To lomir ale shpiln, in dreydl, eyns un tsvey.

And I love to dance, to spin in a circle.
So let's all dance a dreidel-circle.
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, oh dreidel, dreidel, spin.
So let's all play dreidel, one and two.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e University of Pennsylvania Library: Freedman Collection of Recorded Jewish Music
  2. ^ "My Father's Songs – Jewish American Songster". Archived from the original on December 10, 2015.
  3. ^ "The Secret History of 'I Have a Little Dreidel'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 7 December 2025. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  4. ^ Albert Stern (22 December 2016). "The hidden history of 'I Have a Little Dreidel'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Lori Cahan-Simon Ensemble / Vessel of Song: The Music of Mikhl Gelbart", review by Ari Davidow, 1 May 2004, klezmershack.com
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