Oh No! Christmas Songs Again!
In every radio market at least one station scraps its regular programming to play all Christmas music. I wish it were the right wing talk station but alas it's usually the New Wave or Celine Dion station. The ratings are always huge. I'm surprised some stations don't keep the format on all year. But it brings up the question, which Christmas songs do you love and which do you hate?
Personally, I get a warm feeling when I hear Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song" for the first time each season. By the 50th, not so much. The Phil Spector Christmas album is still my favorite. Putting aside that he killed someone, we thank Phil for a real musical gift.
And Darlene Love's "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" which is a recent parody of her own work on the album is maybe the funniest Christmas song ever.
I fancy the oldies. Brenda Lee's "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree", Bobby Helm's "Jingle Bell Rock", and the Beach Boys' "Little St. Nick".
The Boss's Xmas ditty is pretty catchy as are the King's.
Re: "White Christmas", give me the Drifters over Bing. (Interesting that so many classic Christmas songs were written by Jews.)
Some obscure holiday songs I recommend: "Run Run Rudolph" by Chuck Berry, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by the Four Seasons, "Monster Holiday" by Bobby Boris Pickett (that one always tears me up), and "Santa Claus is Watching You" by Ray Stevens. Super obscure but worth finding is "Lost Winter Dreams" by Lisa Mychols. And for the motherlode of bad taste fun, try to find Claudine Longet singing "Winter Wonderland". Before she shot skier Spider Sabich in cold blood she and husband, Andy Williams, were the first couple of the season. Their annual family Christmas special was a must-see. They even have a kid named Noel.
Songs I can't stand: "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano, "Having a Wonderful Christmas Time" by Paul McCartney, and "the Little Drummer Boy" by anybody. Whey do stations overplay TO DEATH the songs that are the most repetitious? Also, anything sung by kids usually makes me cringe.
I'm only sorry Kurt Cobain left us before he could give the world his Christmas album.
For a more vocal pop sound, you can't beat Linda Eder's holiday album. Her version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" would bring a tear to a glass eye. Listen for it the next time you're in an elevator. Streisand is great but there's more ornamentation than on the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. Johnny Mathis is a little too sugar plum fairy for my tastes, and you can always count on "Mr. Peace and Goodwill to All Men", Sinatra. The Carpenters have their fans too. And the Manhattan Transfer's acapella album is gorgeous.
But if I had to pick my all-time favorite Christmas song, the one that most expresses my feelings about the holiday season, it would have to be "The Christmas Song" by the Chipmunks. Sometimes the right song and the right performers just combine for sheer perfection.
You can read more from Ken at kenlevine.blogspot.com
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For those who have someone away at war, I'd recommend John McCutcheon's song "Christmas in the Trenches", especially the version done by John McDermott.
I work retail too, and after a few weeks of being hit on the head with the corporate JollyMallet I'm ready for some random acts of violence.
About all I could put up with right now would be:
Tom Lehrer's Christmas song;
A record from the drug-crazed '60s called "Smoking Mistletoe and Dropping Holly" (sorry, can't remember who made it);
A parody of the 12 Days of Christmas by a Hawaiian comic called Lucky Luck (late '50s maybe?). Last verse ...
Number 12 day of Christmas my True-true give to me
12 televisions,
11 missionaries,
10 can of beer,
9 pound of poi,
8 ukulele,
7 shrimp a-swimming,
6 hula lesson,
FIVE BIG FAT PIGS!
4 flower lei,
3 dried squid,
2 coconut,
and 1 mynah bird in 1 papaya tree!
The coolest,most rock'in, Christmas song ever, is Jimmy Buffet's "Up on the rooftop"from the Christmas Island album. p.s. The whole record is great.
"Christmas In the Northwest" makes me want to vomit. I'm proud to be a PacNW girl, but give me a break! I love Bing, Nat, Elvis...all the greats. White Christmas is my fave, and the Home Alone soundtrack has great stuff!! Merry What-ever-you -celebrate!
Benny Grunch (and the Bunch), "The Twelve Yats of Christmas".
There's a extraordinary rendition (pun intended) of "Blue Christmas". The arrangement is spot on, but the lyrics are sung in gibberish. My wife cringes every year when I bring it out. As for the rest of it, you have to be from New Orleans to get it.
Christmas sucks....christmas sucks....Santa works for Coca-Cola...christmas sucks....
Happy? LOL
Muppets Christmas album "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" has a duet between John Denver and Rolph/Jim Henson. Always tears me up and makes me realize how much I still miss Jim Henson.
I love Christmas music--
All time favs include:
Marvelous Toy -sung by John Denver, written by Tom Paxton
The Christmas Song -Nat King Cole
Merry Christmas Darling -Carpenters
What Child is This -traditional
Ones I can't stand include:
Santa Baby by Madonna
anything by Charlotte Church
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
The Christmas Shoes
It is said that suicide rates go up during the holidays. I attribute that to Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' one of the most depressing songs ever written. Whenever I hear it, I think 'What is that man bellyaching about?'
"I Believe In Father Christmas" by Emerson Lake and Palmer
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack by Vince Guraldi
"Merry Christmas (War Is Over)" by John and Yoko
"Christmas in Hollis" by RUN DMC
"Santa Claus and his Old Lady" by Cheech and Chong
"The 12 Days of Christmas" by Bob and Doug McKenzie
And pretty much anything by Elvis, Motown, Nat King Cole or Sinatra
Whenever I feel my liberal angst or the perversions of Madison Avenue and the Christian Right sucking the joy out of what is supposed to be a time for family, friends and giving...These recordings help to bring it back.
The best Christmas song ever is "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt. It's clever, easy to listen to and great for interpretive dances!
Love:
Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen
Hate:
Everything else.
Worst ever:
Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
That's funny...if Bill O'Reilly & co. are to be believed, the playing of Christmas songs in public has been outlawed.
If I never hear another xmas song again it will be ok. If I had to listen it would be:
I'll Have a Blue Christmas
Santa Baby
"The Christmas Song" by the Chipmunks. Sometimes the right song and the right performers just combine for sheer perfection.
How convenient when the media blitz on their movie has just started.
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Posted November 25, 2007 | 06:58 PM (EST)