At the store yesterday, I had the opportunity to hear a bunch of Top 40 Christmas music. Yesterday’s mail brought the first Christmas card (it also brought a magnificent stir-fry skillet from Central Office. #2 son was so impressed by the sheer size of this pan that he called me at the store to say that my prize had arrived. “You could stir-fry a whole chicken in it!” he assured me. That boy is always hungry). In class last night, we heard that we ought to work hard. I, having come directly from an 11-hour workday, was too tired to appreciate that suggestion completely.
If you have ever thought that I was dogmatic and intolerant about Christmas music, then you should check out this guy. His links don’t always work and he is not always sound on music history, but I enjoyed reading his rant. If you’re in the mood for a good rant, you might enjoy it, too.
Still, I want to offer you for today a song which I have previously found irritating: “Sleigh Ride.” Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish wrote this thing in the late 1940s, during the 20th century Christmas Carol Renaissance. This was the time period that brought you pretty much all the great cheesy Christmas songs: “Frosty the Snowman,” “Marshmallow World,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” all that. “Sleigh Ride” is the one with friends calling “Yoo Hoo!” You’ve heard it, I’m sure.
The thing is, when you listen to these pieces being performed by people of that vintage, they have a level of sincerity to them that is quite appealing, or at least begins to seem that way after you’ve been listening to 21st century renditions of the stuff for a while.
So “Sleigh Ride,” originally a brief orchestral piece, sounds pretty good when sung by Bing Crosby or Ella Fitzgerald. And I even kind of like it sung by Ronnie Spector. You can click on the link at the beginning of this paragraph and find an interesting article on the history of the piece, and also links to download 51 different versions of the song, in case you were writing a thesis on it or something. That irritable guy I linked you to at the beginning says, “Musically, it throws notes at the listener in bunches as rapidly as possible, hoping to invigorate him.”
If you are tired, go ahead and download one of those 51 versions. Maybe it will invigorate you. I’m hoping it will do that for me. I think this song does need an orchestra, so I am not proposing that you sing it yourself. If you do, you may need to enlist some friends to supply the orchestral sounds. Or just think them as you sing. Especially the whip crack, which is really not optional.
I have always thought that “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” was a lovely song, when sung reasonably well; it usually makes me cry. I suspect that may have something to do with being an Old Person. “Cheesy” is not a word that would have occurred to me as part of its description. “Sleigh Ride,” on the other hand; dreadful. Along with “Winter Wonderland” and “Silver Bells.” Ghastly. And I’m not all that fond of “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire” or “White Christmas.”
Carols. I like carols.
I think that, in its original context of WWII soldiers, “I’ll be Home for Christmas” is probably not cheesy at all. Sung by Jessica Simpson and her ilk, it is pretty darned cheesy.
I thought you meant the “Come on, we’re going on a sleigh ride” one which I kind of like.
Actually, I’m listening to Al Green sing it right this minute, and he’s doing a good job.
Hmmm… you know, re: our conversation months and months ago… I think you’re right about Hucakbee getting the Republican nomination. (And not just because he was endorsed by Chuck Norris). I was uncertain about your claim since I’d never heard of him, but the way things are looking, you’ve got a good point there… Who do you think is getting the Democratic nomination?
P.S. I know you’re super busy… but I know you’d be able to answer this question. I’m in the mood to read holiday-themed mystery novels. What are some good ones? (And by “good” I mean, simply, light but entertaining reading.)
we have stations that have been playing carols since the beginning of november, I am already tired of them myself. but I tend to be overly sensitive concerning this subject.
I’m partial to those cheesy holiday songs, LOL. Well, one more can be added to the list. This morning on Good Morning America Olivia Newton John was on and singing her new song, Christmas on the radio. I guess that would be one of the newest Christmas songs to date since I haven’t heard of one that has been written lately. Any who, its pretty cute and I can so relate to it, because I’m one of those people that looks forward to the non stop assortment of holiday songs back to back that come on my favorite radio station. They come on Thanksgiving day and play continuously thru to New Years (all day long : ) ). Some of my customers hate it but they put up with it, LOL : )