What is the song about anyway? As a young boy I had to play it on the flute.
I copied the following from Wikipedia :
"Hava Nagila" (Hebrew: הבה נגילה) (lit. Let us rejoice) is a Hebrew folk song that has become a staple of band performers at Jewish weddings.
The melody was taken from a Ukrainian folk song from Bukovina. The commonly used text was probably composed by Abraham Zevi (Zvi) Idelsohn in 1918 to celebrate the British victory in Palestine during World War I as well as the Balfour Declaration.
Lyrics
Transliteration Hebrew text English translation
Hava nagila הבה נגילה Let's rejoice
Hava nagila הבה נגילה Let's rejoice
Hava nagila v'nismecha הבה נגילה ונשמחה Let's rejoice and be happy
(repeat stanza once)
Hava neranenah הבה נרננה Let's sing
Hava neranenah הבה נרננה Let's sing
Hava neranenah v'nismecha הבה נרננה ונשמחה Let's sing and be happy
(repeat stanza once)
Uru, uru achim! !עורו, עורו אחים Awake, awake, brothers!
Uru achim b'lev sameach עורו אחים בלב שמח Awake brothers with a happy heart
(repeat line four times)
Uru achim, uru achim! !עורו אחים, עורו אחים Awake, brothers, awake, brothers!
B'lev sameach בלב שמח With a happy heart