The Maccabeats

The Maccabeats are an American Jewish all-male a cappella group based at Yeshiva University. They are noted for their 2010 Hanukkah song "Candlelight".

Career

The group released its first album, Voices from the Heights, in March 2010.[1] In November 2010, they released "Candlelight", a Hanukkah-themed single with a Youtube video directed by Uri Westrich, also a Yeshiva graduate.[2] The song, a spoof of Mike Tompkins' a cappella version of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite",[3][4] has received over 11 million hits on YouTube[5] and reached #1 on Billboard's Comedy Digital Tracks chart.[6]

The Maccabeats opened for Matisyahu at the Yeshiva University Chanukah Concert in early December 2010.[2]

On March 8, 2011, The Maccabeats released a music video called "Purim Song".[7] "Purim Song" also reached the top 10 of Billboard′s Comedy Digital Tracks chart.[8]

On May 17, 2011, the group performed at the White House at a reception in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month where President Obama thanked them for "their outstanding performance."[9]

On September 22, 2011, The Maccabeats released a music video called "Book of Good Life".[10]

On December 8, 2011, the Maccabeats released a music video called "Miracle", based the Matisyahu song of the same name.[11]

In March 2012, the Maccabeats released their second album, Out of the Box.[12]

In November, they released a parody of "Gangnam Style" by Psy, entitled "What's next? Sukkos Style?". Shortly afterward, four group members split off into a new group "Stand Four"

In December 2012, the Maccabeats released their first original song, "Shine".[13]

In March 2013, the Maccabeats released a music video featuring a medley of songs from Les Misérables performed over reenactments of scenes from the Passover story. This video is unique in that rather than parodying the songs, it contains a capella covers of several of the original songs while drawing attention to how each song's context in the musical is paralleled in Exodus. The video features covers of "Work Song" (over a reenactment of the Jews' lives as slaves in Egypt), "At the End of the Day" (Jochebed putting the baby Moses in a basket in the Nile), "I Dreamed a Dream" (no noteworthy scene from Exodus; an unnamed Jew lamenting the quality of life as a slave), "Who Am I?" (Moses questioning if he is worthy to lead the Jews out of Egypt), the Thénardiers' section and the students' section of "One Day More" (the Ten Plagues and Moses speaking to Pharaoh), and the finale of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" (a song about a freed nation).[14]

In September 2013, the Maccabeats released a video of the song "D'ror Yikra", a parody of "Cups" by Anna Kendrick. The composition was dedicated as a tribute to Rabbi Kenneth Brander of the Center for the Jewish Future.

In November 2013, the group released the song "Burn", based on the Ellie Goulding song of the same name.

In March 2014, the Maccabeats released their third album, titled "One Day More."

In December 2016, the group performed at the White House Chanukah party.[15]

Discography

Albums

EPs

References

  1. ↑ Maccabeats: About
  2. 1 2 The Washington Post Harmony group's Hanukkah anthem lights a fire on Web, December 4, 2010
  3. ↑ The Huffington Post 'Dynamite' Hanukkah Remix: Maccabeats Spoof Taio Cruz, November 30, 2010
  4. ↑ The Wall Street Journal Online Hanukkah, Set to a Catchy Tune, December 4, 2010
  5. ↑ YouTube: Candlelight (The Maccabeats)
  6. ↑ Trust, Gary (2010-12-22). "Chart Beat: Best Of 2010: Part 4". Billboard.com. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  7. ↑ YouTube: Purim Song (The Maccabeats)
  8. ↑ Trust, Gary (2011-03-18). "Weekly Chart Notes: Lady Gaga, 'Glee' Cast, Billy Joel". Billboard.com. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Remarks by the President at Reception in Honor of Jewish American Heritage Month". White House website. May 17, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  10. ↑ YouTube: Book of Good Life (The Maccabeats)
  11. ↑ The Maccabeats - Miracle - Matisyahu - Hanukkah
  12. ↑ http://jewishmusicreport.com/2012/03/28/maccabeats-out-of-the-box-now-available/
  13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfieP6H47lc
  14. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmthKpnTHYQ
  15. ↑ At the White House with the Maccabeats for Chanukah!

External links

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