The Maccabeats: "Candlelight"

You didn't think I'd celebrate Daijams' 12 Days of Christmas without a Hanukkah shout-out, did you? As of sundown today -- which is 4:22 pm in Chicago (ugh winter) -- happy Hanukkah! Maybe next year we'll do all eight days.

A cappella group the Maccabeats, of Yeshiva University, made YouTube waves last year with this fun remix based on Taio Cruz's "Dynamite." The video format may be getting a little old -- hello, Brady Bunch -- but it holds up for the three minutes of colorful Jewish celebration and inside jokes.

Dave Werner: "Extraneous Lyrics"

Some days you just need something to make you smile. Since those days are usually Wednesdays, we're going a little less serious today with a parody video made a guy (and new father!) named Dave Werner.

Werner essentially took the biggest hits of 2010 and expanded the lyrics in a way that, one might argue, is much more complete and descriptive. For example, while Lady Gaga's lyrics are a bit abstract -- "I want your ugly, I want your disease, I want your everything as long as it's free" -- Werner takes a more literal approach: "I want your unappealing features, I want your infectious medical conditions, I would like everything you have as long as there is no currency exchange involved." His voice is passable but his articulation, thesaurus and musical sense of humor are top-notch.

Werner's recording, which has half a million hits on YouTube, has also been featured on VH1's Best Week Ever, Gawker and PopEater, among others. The songs he parodies:

"Dynamite" by Taio Cruz
"Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem, featuring Rihanna
"Fuck You" by Cee Lo Green
"Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga
"Tik Tok" by Ke$ha
"Baby" by Justin Bieber
"California Gurls" by Katy Perry

Enjoy.

"Extraneous Lyrics," performed by Dave Werner.
Original YouTube video.