Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin have covered Ramones, Manilow and now Van Halen for their Hanukkah sessions. The Hanukkah sessions started last year, and there is eight covers in total for this year, One day for each day of Festival of the Lights.
Other acts Grohl and Kurstin have covered as part of the series last year include Velvet Underground, Drake, Peaches and Beastie Boys. This year so far they have covered "Stay†by Lisa Loeb, "Blitzkrieg Bop" by Ramones, "Copacaban" by Barry Manilow and "Jump" by Van Halen.
The Ramones one "Once upon a time, two nice Jewish boys from Queens named Jeffery Hyman and Thomas Erdelyi changed the world forever with their music….. as Joey and Tommy Ramone! GABBAI GABBAI HEY! Ladies and gentlemen…. It's the [Ramones]! Blitzkreig Bop!"
"Gabbai" is a Hebrew term for a type of synagogue official. Listeners will notice Grohl gives the song's vocal delivery several twists to that effect as well. Hyman was indeed the real name of late Ramones leader Joey Ramone, who died in 2001. Erdelyi was early Ramones drummer Tommy Ramone; he died in 2014. "Blitzkrieg Bop" opens the Ramones' landmark self-titled debut album, which this year celebrated its 45th anniversary.
Kurtstin X Grohl - Blitzkrieg Bop
Dave Grohl isn't Jewish but his music partner Greg Kurstin who is. The work together to cover songs from Jewish artists.
Quite possibly the loudest and proudest of hard rocking Jews, David Lee Roth has gone on record crediting his Bar Mitzvah preparation as his earliest vocal training. He became a rockstar the day he became a man: Diamond Dreidel DLR and Van Halen...with "Jump."
Barry Pincus – not only one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th (or any) century, but a mega-mensch to boot! So, like a good neighbor, you deserve a break today. So grab a bucket of chicken and let’s get stuck on….. BARRY MANILOW’S “Copacabanaâ€!