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Does Anybody Really Like Christmas Music?
Posted at 2:45 PM on December 3, 2007
by Steve Seel
(28 Comments)
As a follow up to my "snow music" post below -- which was about music that is evocative of the season but not specifically about it in content -- I'm now wondering about Christmas music. Specifically, Christmas songs (not classical pieces like "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring," in other words, but rather tunes like "Jingle Bells"), and whether or not anybody actually likes them. I'm quite serious. There are some classics I can abide, but the insistent sonic pummeling we all receive each year makes them nearly impossible to enjoy (in fact, I sometimes feel like many Christmas songs are actually one of the worst parts of the whole seasonal experience). Some (but not all) of the most heinous offenders are the "AM-radio-classics" -- songs that were written from the 50's through the '70s (spanning "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" to Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" and Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime," all of which make me want to set off hand grenades next to my ears), and then when the 80s came along (see "Band Aid") I tuned out completely. I'm sure there have been tons of "modern" equivalents since, but not being one to visit radio stations which might play them, I don't know them (make your "public radio snob!" accusations here). What do I actually like? Vince Guaraldi's "Charlie Brown Christmas" is still foolproof for me, followed by ... classical. Yep, pretty sparse.
So, what am I missing out on? Who does covers of classics that aren't annoying as hell, and who has written a newer song in the past several decades that isn't completely insipid? Or should I just stick with the making my own sonic soundtrack and continue skipping the Christmas tunes altogether?
Comments (28)
for the most part i find i listen to classical (mostly baroque) music, or jazz covers of the seasonal standards. i can hardly think of any new "modern" Christmas compositions - by "modern", i am taking it to mean anything post-Mel Torme's "Christmas Song" (chestnuts roasting...). the exceptions would be "Blue Xmas" by Miles Davis & Bob Dorough and the orginal tracks off of Low's "Christmas" CD - especially "If You were Born Today" and "One Special Gift". i think its interesting that there is a more circumspect perspective on Christmas and just what it means to us now in these modern times found in these songs (especially Blue Xmas & If you were born today).
There aren't very many "great" Christmas songs, but there are some that I must hear every year. Most of them have to do with memories of Christmas' past, or just "tradition". There are plenty I can do without, that's for sure.
For example, I have to hear "Do You Hear What I Hear?" sung by a choir, otherwise it doesn't work for me. But, for most other things, I can handle reinterpretations.
Our Holiday CD collection tends toward the humorous and offbeat, which makes it a whole lot more fun.
Mr Hankey's Christmas Classics - South Park
Yeah it's crude and lewd, but Mark Shaiman does some amazing arrangements. We've listened to it every year for the past 8+ years and it's still my favorite. It's just not Christmas without hearing "Swiss Colony Beef Log" - with it's "Faithfully" Journey-esque opening to the full-on Meatloaf ending. Cartman's version of "O Holy Night" makes me howl every time.
A John Waters Christmas
From "Fat Daddy" to "Santa Claus is a Black Man", this is a fun CD. Merry Kitschmas from the King of Filth!
We also have to play our Elvis Presley christmas, but only the early years (50's) when he still cared about singing. Of course, the "Charlie Brown Christmas" is a must!
I enjoyed Low's Christmas EP from a few years back with a very interesting version of "Little Drummer Boy"
The other thing we do is to listen to Kevin Kling and David Sedaris reading their holiday stories.
And lastly, although I'm not a particularly religious person, but if you get the chance, go see "Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre. The gospel songs and their arrangements are phenomenal. The joy that show brings to me is indescribable. I believe they put out a CD of songs from the show, which I don't own, but need to get to make the holiday complete.
There is Sufjan Steven's little stable of work. Don't know if you would consider that insipid...
What about Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas album? I think it's called "The Christmas Attic" but I'm not sure. I always listen to my brother's copy because I can never let myself invest in a whole Christmas album when I can only listen to it for a max of 25 days, so maybe I'm just not sick of it yet. I enjoy the blend of a full orchestra and great guitar riffs. I would recommend it. It makes "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" sound way better than the carolers outside your door.
i feel the same way, altho i didnt realize it until i read this blog. thanks for that.
ive enjoyed every ray charles christmas song ive heard, especially the one from national lampoons christmas vacation, that spirit of christmas.
someone else mentioned sufjan stevens album, songs for christmas. all of the following are good: get behind me, santa!, its christmas! lets be glad, come on! lets boogey to the elf dance
I'm with ya, Seel. Very little is, first, original, and second, meaningful. I think most of those recordings were made to be sold, not told. I do, like the others here, have a must. Two actually. For fun, John Denver and the Muppets Christmas. And the other, for Peace on Earth, David Bowie and Bing Crosby's Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy. The rest becomes more painful as the season wears on, especially if you venture into retail stores at all.
Seel, In general I agree, but I kinda have a soft spot for good Christmas music. Some of my faves.... Otis Redding sings White Christmas. Low's Christmas album is amazing. James Brown has a Christmas album too. Louis Armstrong has a couple of classics ('Zat You Santa Claus?) Ray Charles and Betty Carter "Baby it's Cold Outside." Clarence Carter "Back Door Santa" (which was sampled by Run DMC for "Christmas in Hollis").
Sorry, Seel--I'm a sucker for anything off of Phil Spector's Christmas album.
Mr. Nelson arrives with the spirit of Christmas and reminds me of a solid roster of quality offerings. I'd forgotten about Low's Christmas record (how did I do that?), and that Ray Charles/Betty Carter duet is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about -- just good, not overplayed (same goes for Satchmo). My mission here was really not to bash Christmas music (although that's kinda what I ended up doing) but sort the wheat from the chaff. Or "shake off the dead pine needles."
hey - just throwing this one out there, 'cause i know there are some Springsteen-haters - but howabout Springsteen's live version of "Santa Clause is comin' to town"? i'm not sure what its on - & i'm not one of those obsessive Springsteen fans (i can't bring myself to call him - or anyone - "the Boss") - but i love the part with Clarence Clemons going "Ho-ho-ho!"
of course, anything with sleigh bells sounds like Christmas to me.
What is ever wrong with Bing, Judy, Frank, Nat, Perry, or Ella singing all the classic jingles? Charlie Brown's Christmas always rules. George Winston’s Winter. Anything classical/madrigal. Make room for John Lennon and the Squirrel Nut Zippers. Yes, I'm a huge Current/Indy music snob 11-month out of the year. But December, it's all about syrupy sugar. No song hits the universal mood of the season like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," but it must be sung at a slow tempo through a vintage ribbon mic by one of the afore mentioned American masters.
"Christmas at the Zoo" the Flaming Lips
My Morning Jacket Does Xmas Fiasco Style (ep)
"Little Drummer Boy" Joan Jett
and of course the david bowie/bing crosby thing.. otherwise mostly madrigal type stuff...
Stevie Wonder and India Arie do a pretty sweet song .. can't remember the name, something about "chestnuts roasting on an open fire ..." anything Stevie sings is great ... but usually Christmas songs are for the birds
I'm with Aaron,love the Current's playlist and listen to a lot of 'world music" most of the year, but after Thanksgiving - look out! I'm listening to people I would never bother with the rest of the year. I like the Very Special Christmas series, and best of all the Celtic Christmas and Winter Solstice series which probably falls under "snow music", but this time of year, I'll also be playing the likes of Barbra Streisand, Pavarotti, and even Jimmy Dean! ( yep, that's the sausage guy- he used to sing)
For an old classic, you can't beat Judy Garland doing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. For something written more recently, I like Loreena McKennitt's Snow.
But there are a few that make me gag- several of us at work have decided Christmas Shoes is the worst holiday song ever!
I am a complete sucker for Christmas standards and it's been a struggle for to flip back and forth from the Current to mainstream pop this year (I know, audible groan). Despite my love of Bing Crosby (at least the music and the "acting"), Rosie Clooney and Eartha Kitt, each year I search for something that gives me pause and strikes me as just off the beaten-path. It's rare that you hear something unique, but I think Sarah McLachlan's version of John Lennon's "Happy Christmas" is remarkable (and I am seldom a fan of a John Lennon cover). I also really enjoy her "Song for Winter's Night". Furthermore, Blues Traveler's "Holiday" is quite a catchy little ditty. Oh, and I have to agree with the Sufjan Stevens mention. Happy Christmas, to all you public radio snobs :)
Thank you for admitting to your disdain for holiday tuneage, as to do so is something akin to admitting you favor devouring newborns as a midnight snack.
The background Xmas music in stores gives me colic, and the fact that it gets piped in the day after Halloween adds to the irritation.
The only Xmas tradition I have is Trailer Trash's "Trashy Little Christmas." The holidays should be enjoyed, not endured, and TT certainly helps one make merry.
Last year I heard this really funny Christmas tune on the Current...I think M. Lucia played it...It is a bit scandalous, but I remember thinking it was a classic that did not get enough play...All I remember is a woman sang the song and it had a theme parallel to the song "Santa Baby." If anyone knows what I am talking about I would really appreciate it.
My girlfriend *really* enjoys Christmas music, which always strikes me as a little strange, as she claims to be agnostic.
I attribute it to the fact that she plays Kool 108 in her storefront from, oh, around Thanksgiving, all the way up to New Year's. I have learned not to venture into her store during these months, as "Jingle Bell Rock" and other classic gems of that ilk make me break out in hives.
I figure, she's probably built up a tolerance to this sort of thing over the years, and now has grown accustomed to near constant exposure to recycled carols, jazzy and/or new-age interpretations of holiday music, and, well, you probably know where this is headed.
In any case, I agree that Low's album is quite listenable and enjoyable on many levels; I also don't mind a few of Christopher Parkening's arrangements, and Andre Segovia ain't bad either, if you like nylon-string guitarists and whatnot.
If I had to pick a favorite holiday song of all time, well, that's super easy. Nothing can quite compare with any of the live performances Trip Shakespeare did that ended with the gorgeous (and probably overly sentimental) "Snow Days".
Walking out of First Ave after they closed with that song to see the first few flakes of the year spiralling out of the sky is one of my fondest memories.
hey - for all you folks who both like classical/renaissance/celtic-type Christmas music and want to (kinda) rock out, you should try out the Baltimore Consort's recording "Bright Day Star". they're a serious renaissance music group who understand that part of the music of that day was improvisatory and, well, rocking. anyway, there is a track on this thing which is this long tale of a truly dissolute Christmas - debauchery, theivery, whoring, oh, & burning food!
I LOVE XMAS MUSIC! Growing up, my parents had the classics on vinyl: Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Boston Pops, Jackson 5. I now own those CDs as well as well as some "New" classics, such as: Just Say Noel (DGC), Christmas Caravan - Squirrel Nut Zippers, Christmas Cocktails - Vol 1 & 2, Harry Conick, House of Blues Christmas. All this Christmas music and more can be found at Best Buy or on Amazon.com.
Happy Holidays!
"Jingle Bell Rock" and other classic gems of that ilk make me break out in hives
I especially cringe at "giddy up, jingle horse." Gah.
What is ever wrong with Bing, Judy, Frank, Nat, Perry, or Ella singing all the classic jingles?
Nothing -- except the insane number of times we have to listen to them every year. I actually think Springsteen's "Santa Claus" is great, and I just might be ready to hear that one again (and again, probably because I'm not listening to certain stations)
I came across this song last year - and reformed my spirit in Christmas music. I am as big of an advocate for the spirit of Christmas as I am a skeptic. This tugged on my soul - especially when the organ kicks in - and falls in between my personal feeling(s) towards this holiday - making it almost perfect.
"Christmas Must Be Tonight" - The Band
I cannot post a comment on this subject matter without also expressing my adoration for Otis Redding's 'Merry Christmas Baby'.
I love Christmas music! And I'm Jewish! So of course, when I say Christmas music, I mean the completely secular, upbeat, un-Jesus-y stuff you'd find in a Target commercial. Like the Phil Spector album, Motown Christmas (esp. Stevie Wonder's "That's What Christmas Means to Me"), Louis Armstrong's "Cool Yule," and my newest favorites are from the two volumes of Santastic which are mashups of Christmas songs and popular songs, ex. Boston's "More Than a Feeling" mixed with The Beatles' "Christmas Time Is Here Again." It's called "Christmas in Boston" and it's brilliant.
And Seel, please give Frank Sinatra's "Jingle Bells" a chance because they spell out "J-I-N-G-L-E B-E-double L-S." What's not to love?
(My apologies to the traditionalists.)
Personally I detest Christmas music. Essentially all it's for now is for stores to use to get customers "in the mood" to spend and spend and spend. Also every year it happens that normally tolerable radio stations throw out their normal playlist and play only "seasonal" music. Please DO NOT become like them and just continue playing your great line up of music that gets us all through the day.
I forgot Leon Redbone's "Christmas Island". That's also a fun little disc.
I was actually just thinking about this very subject the other day. I cannot cover my ears fast enough when I hear the first strains of ANY version of that rotten "Sleigh Ride" song. Also do not care if I ever hear any version of Jingle Bells, We Wish you a Merry Christmas or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (I have always thought it sad the way even Santa picked on Rudolph for his shining nose, at least until he figured out a way to capitalize on the glowing orb).
The seasonal music I do enjoy includes Harry Connick Jr.'s Christmas albums (minus aforementioned insipid Sleigh Ride), especially It Must Have Been Ol' Santa Claus, and When My Heart Finds Christmas. Some of the "classics" also, including traditional carols What Child is This? In The Bleak Midwinter and Do You See What I See? More modern ones like Bruce Springsteen's Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, and some versions of Santa Baby. I love that the Current is not forcefeeding any Christmas playlist. As usual, the Current is a respite from the usual Twin Cities radio tripe.
I agree that covers of Christmas songs are mostly crap. I usually stick to sufjan's box set, charlie brown, sinatra, and nat king cole for my christmas music fix.
Christmas music is truly wonderful. That is why most of the songs have lasted for so long and we still enjoy singing them and listening to them. The problem is that there aren't enough classic Christmas songs to satiate the retail industry's need to convince us that shopping is the only way to celebrate the Christmas season. Take Silent Night, for example. It's probably one of the best songs ever written. When I hear it sung in the right context, I tear up every time. But how many times can a person hear Silent night blared over the loud speakers in a shopping mall without puking? It doesn't matter who's singing it; it's anoying to hear a song over and over. So I put this to you musicians out there: Write more Christmas music. Write a song that will warm hearts for many years to come. Keep your melody simple and your message classic. The more Christmas music we have out there, the less often we will have to listen to another pop artist try to cover the same old classics.
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