Saturday, December 5, 2015

Repeat : Songs that Aren't Christmas Songs

I attended a Christmas Bazaar this morning. In between children singing Christmas songs, they were playing the soundtrack to the movie Frozen. I wondered "What does Frozen have to do with Christmas?" This reminded me of a post I made last year about songs we always hear at Christmas but never mention Christmas or anything about Christmas. I believe we can add Let It Go and Do You Want to Build a Snowman? to that list now. For your pleasure, here's a repeat of the original post.

While listening to a collection of traditional Christmas songs, it occurred to me that many of the songs which we so readily identify with Christmas actually don't mention anything about Christmas. I've made a partial list below. Please comment to add some more.

Winter Wonderland
While this song mentions the season of winter and many things associated with it, Christmas is not mentioned at all. This is true of several others on the list including...
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Frosty the Snowman
Jingle Bells and
Jingle Bell Rock
In fact the only version of this song I've heard that really rocks is the version by Geoff Moore and the Distance on Sparrow Records' "CHRISTMAS" album.

Sleigh Ride
is actually a good song (especially the Boston Pops' instrumental version) but again doesn't mention Christmas in the lyrics. It does say something about a birthday party, though.

Not so common is the song
Marshmallow World
I actually dislike this song very much because my mother had it on a Johnny Mathis Christmas album and my little sister played it to death one year.

Often included on Christmas compilations is the song
My Favorite Things
from The Sound of Music, A musical which has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas.

The biggest surprise to most people, though, would have to be
The Hallelujah Chorus
While the song comes from an oratorio about the life of Christ, this chorus is actually sung for the resurrection. It's really an Easter song but nobody sings it, then.

There's my list so far. I may add more as I notice them. Feel free to comment on these and add some yourselves. Also go here and buy my book. (I need the money for Christmas presents.)

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