Halloween
has come and gone in all its sticky excess.
Thanksgiving turkey eaten. Decorations are going up and Christmas cards
are going out so . . . . CAN I GET SOME DECENT CHRISTMAS MUSIC?
Here in
Atlanta we basically have one radio station that starts playing Christmas music after Thanksgiving. As a
Christmas fan and devotee, I would normally have this radio station on in my
car or in the house for my full-time Christmas music enjoyment. However, last year
and this year I have noticed that there is less variety than in the past and a proliferation of newer, sappier Christmas
songs. Here are the worst offenders:
- Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg. This is the “met my old lover at the grocery store” song. What? What in the world does that song have to do with Christmas? Why are they drinking in her car in the parking lot of a liquor store? Is this the theme song for holiday depressives or holiday alcoholics, or both? My Christmas wish is for this song to never be played again on commercial airwaves. If you like this song, you should have to buy it and keep it in your home. Also, you are stuck in 1979. This song was actually playing on the radio as I typed this.
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen. Play any other version of this song. Any other version. I'm begging you.
- One Wish (Christmas Medley) by Whitney Houston. Or any other Christmas song by Whitney Houston. They’re too long and it kind of makes me ill to think of Whitney Houston and Christmas at the same time.
- Any Christmas song by Josh Groban. He is just too sappy.
- Santa Baby by Madonna. I will even listen to Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer if you will stop playing the Madonna version of Santa Baby. Make it stop. She’s creepy. What’s wrong with Eartha Kitt's version?
As you can see
by #2 and #5 above, many of these songs are covered by numerous artists so it’s
not always the song itself that is bad but the particular version of the
song. Let's stick with the classics, shall we? The only decent new Christmas
songs of the last 30 years are: Last Christmas by Wham and All I Want for
Christmas by Mariah Carey. Grown Up
Christmas List by Monica is okay too. I’m
going out on a limb here with Last Christmas because many don't like it but George Michael has a great voice and it’s a catchy song.
Here’s
what I want to hear more of: Christmas standards/oldies and novelty Christmas
songs, such as:
- The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) by The Chipmunks
- I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas -- no, it’s not annoying. I can listen to this one over and over. Hippopotamuses like me too.
- Little Saint Nick by The Beach Boys because they’re right, Christmas does come at the same time each year.
- Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Christmas Song) by Bing Crosby. That's just a fun island greeting to say.
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee – this is the only decent version of this song. No imitators accepted.
- 12 Days of Christmas sung by The Muppets. I like how Miss Piggy sings the "5 gold rings" part.
I want
any Christmas song sung by Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole or Elvis, especially
Blue Christmas. Anything with Burl Ives. How about a traditional like Hark the Herald
Angels Sing?
What are your Christmas music favorites and pet peeves?