The Dreidel Song
Da Vinci's Notebook Lyrics


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I have a little dreidel
I made it out of clay,
And when it’s dry and ready
Then dreidel I wanna play.

I have a little dreidel
I made it out of clay,
And when it’s dry and ready
Then dreidel I will play.

With legs so short and thin,
And when she gets so dreidel’s tired
It drops and then I win
I have you in my hand
I have you by the neck




I claim my victory
before the game is played

Overall Meaning

The Dreidel Song is a classic Hanukkah song that is all about playing with a spinning top. The song starts with the lyrics "I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay" which is a reference to the traditional Jewish toy that is commonly played with during Hanukkah celebrations. The dreidel is made of four sides, each with a Hebrew letter which stands for the phrase "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham" meaning "A great miracle happened there."


The verses of the song follow the story of playing with the dreidel, with lyrics like "with legs so short and thin, and when she gets so dreidel's tired it drops and then I win" referring to the way in which the dreidel spins and eventually falls. The final verse includes the lyrics "I have you in my hand, I have you by the neck, I claim my victory before the game is played" which references the way in which players can manipulate the dreidel with their hands in order to ensure a win.


Overall, the Dreidel Song is a fun and playful tune that celebrates the traditions of Hanukkah and the joy of playing with a dreidel.


Line by Line Meaning

I have a little dreidel
I possess a miniature spinning top figurine


I made it out of clay
I crafted it from molding material


And when it’s dry and ready
Once the material has hardened


Then dreidel I wanna play.
I desire to engage in the activity of spinning the dreidel


With legs so short and thin,
Its base is small and narrow


And when she gets so dreidel’s tired
When the momentum of the spinning top declines


It drops and then I win
The first player to have their spinning top stop spinning loses the game


I have you in my hand
I am holding onto the spinning top


I have you by the neck
I am grasping it by its handle


I claim my victory
I declare myself the winner


before the game is played
Even before the spinning action begins




Contributed by Skyler O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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