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What are some examples of a traditional Jewish song that bears a strong similarity to a non-Jewish melody?
(I am wording this question carefully to exclude recent Jewish take-offs of secular music; and to avoid unproductive discussion about which version came first.)
Two popular Chabad Chassidic niggunim were both adapted from French songs:
"Napoleon's March," taken from the marching tune used by the French army during their invasion of Russia in 1812. (R' Shneur Zalman is said to have heard the tune and said that it represents the ultimate victory of "our" - the Russian - side, as indeed occurred.)
"Ha'aderes Veha'emunah," set in 1973 by some French chassidim to the tune of La Marseillaise. (Interestingly, a few months later the French government formally altered the tune - their national anthem - somewhat. In a talk of his in 1991, the Lubavitcher Rebbe zt"l observed that evidently, on a spiritual level, they realized that the original tune no longer "belonged" to them.)
A few examples that come to mind are:
1) Maoz Tzur, which is said to be an adaptation from an old German folk-song
2) The Kaliver niggun Sol A Kokosh Mar, which was taken from a shepherd's song
3) The Purim song "Mishenichnas Adar," taken from "Pick a Bale of Cotton."
Well, the traditional Ashkenazic "Maoz Tzur" would be a great candidate since it is in perfect cadence and key with "Deck the Halls". The problem is that Maoz Tzur (the Ashkenazic tune) is actually a knock-off of a German folk tune! See here and here. As per the wiki article it actually was chosen by Luther sr"y for one of his hymns. What is still amazing is the similarity between Maoz Tzur, being of German origin and Deck the Halls, being of Welsh origin.
Hatikva is based on an old Italian folk tune "La Mantovana"
And of course the wedding favorites of "Asher bara sasson v'simcha":"I come from a land down under" and "yiddin": "Ghengis Khan"
The Syrian and Jerusalem sephardic traditions for chazzanut are based heavily on arab songs. One can look in many Sephardic song books and see the name of the arabic song that the melody comes from.
R' Ovadia Yosef defends this practice in a teshuva in Yechave Da'at vol 2 #5, and says "על ערבים בתוכה תלינו כנרותינו" -- on the Arabs within it, we hung our lyres (i.e. our musical tradition).
One tune of Psalm 150 is based on Allahu by Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn
1) See here, where apparently Kah Ribon is meant to be sung to the tune of some Arab Melody entitled "Ya Rabi Shalim Sha'ilmi.
El Galil is really Ya Galmil from Farid Al Atrash.
A great resource for traditional Jewish music (with lots of information on history, influences): Jewish Music Research Centre
Mi Armiya Admora - A communist march adapted by R' Ben Tzion Shemtov
Lyuba Brtsi Lyuba - a Cossack song sung by the mashpia R' Mendel Futerfas.
