The song for today is one that I think I have never featured before. The view of Garrison Keillor on this song has generally expressed my views on it: it’s a horrible song, a song that probably drives more people to express loathing for Christmas music, kick cats, and feel inexplicably depressed than any other song.
Yes, I am offering you today “The Little Drummer Boy.” This song was written by Katherine Davis in 1941, and has been irritating people probably ever since.
The Prairie Home Companion has the best advice for the average rendition of this song:
“Don’t buy CDs that contain The Little Drummer Boy. When you hear it playing in an elevator, get out immediately and walk the rest of the way. And don’t give your children drums for Christmas. And if you feel dark urges — (SLOW MOTION Little Drummer Boy CHORDS UNDER…) Go outdoors. Move away from the music source. Lie down on your back in the snow and move your arms up and down to make the shape of wings. Get up carefully and brush the snow off. Take a deep breath.“
However, I’ve just been to a concert of choral music where it was sung very beautifully, very simply. I really enjoyed it. So if you have always liked “The Little Drummer Boy” and felt cross with my hatred of it and perhaps my constantly holding it up as an example of rotten holiday music we all hate (along with “Frosty the Snowman” and “Do You Hear what I Hear?”), then you can feel vindicated.
It was a very nice concert. La Bella and I went, and when the conductor invited audience members to stand and join in the singing of the “Hallelujah Chorus,” we did so.
It was a nice way to end a the day.
I started the day with writing, tech issues, and the shock of walking out to my car and finding it covered with ice. I got into the car, which tells the temperature, and learned that it was 19 degrees out. I had no coat, no mittens, no hat or scarf, no woolly socks. I own plenty of those things, but somehow I hadn’t expected it to be so cold. It was 75 degrees a week or two ago. Apparently, winter began when I wasn’t looking.
I taught a very small class composed of brave students willing to come out in 19 degree weather, and then stopped by my parents’ new place. It’s very cozy, and they seem to be well settled in. I’m glad to have them closer by.
After that, I came home and read through #1 son’s portfolio. He’s turning out to be quite a good writer. His poetry and short stories are impressive. I’m trying not to automatically think, “Hey, he can work for me.” However, I read his stuff and then got to my writing. I’ve been working on a film production gear company and a property management company. I think I’m ready to move on to the next project for each of the two companies in question, but waiting to hear back from the clients.
#2 daughter and I got to try out a cool beta version online tool in the afternoon.
So, yes, it was a very nice day.
i like the little drummer boy. especially the bing crosby/david bowie rendition.
I also like The Little Drummer Boy, because of the idea that a simple song played on a drum was as acceptable a gift as all the expensive gifts the Wise Men brought. The only real reason that songs like it become a real pain is that for years they were played 24 hours a day in the lead up to Christmas. Bit like Snoopy’s Christmas. The idea of the English and the German rank and file laying down arms and celebrating Christmas together (at a distance admittedly) seems far more in the Christmas spirit to me than all the songs about mangers and angels etc. Over here they don’t play Christmas songs at all on the radio now.
I was told Snoopy’s Christmas is based on fact – that the German and English soldiers on the front called a ceasefire on Christmas Eve. Legend has it that had it not been interrupted by some nosy officer WW1 might have stopped then and there. It was apparently never allowed to happen again. Not sure if that is true or not but I still like the story. After all, it’s real hard to have a war if the soldiers on both sides suddenly remember that they have more like their enemy than they are different and sharing Christmas songs and drinks while sitting in those terrible trenches would sort of emphasize the similarities between the two sides.