Maybe it’s because I turned 70 this year and I’m officially old: I’ve spent the year tripping over how different old me is from young me.
Today’s revelation is about Christmas carols: when I was a child I loved the sound of them for reasons obvious and maybe not so much. Couldn’t imagine not doing so. When I was a young man and my immediate family issues were behind me except for the emotional backwash I was indifferent toward most of them. Maybe a little nostalgic.
But now I’m a smelly old grinch and I have to admit: I’m looking forward to New Years when the damned things traditionally go away. They’re like oversweet holiday taffy. Stuck to the sole of your shoe.
They’re certainly one more good reason to live alone in the boondocks where you get to pick your own musical accompaniment most of the time. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to work on getting Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree out of my head. Could be worse: could be The Little Drummer Boy…
Well, click on my username for 400 songs of every genre, that I guarantee you’ve never heard before. None of them are even vaguely related to taffy.
You might like this one:
https://rumble.com/v5kxwge-old-rules.html
I can still enjoy the jazz from the Charlie Brown Christmas special and the slightly dark humor from How the Grinch Stole Christmas soundtracks. Those, plus some hymns, but only while in church. As for the rest, let the Grinch and Krampus build a bonfire with those, as they feast, feast, feast, feast on the roast carcass of Mariah Carey!
Of course, the best Christmas song of all is “Grandpa Got Run Over by a Beer Truck”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EECXvtrMrY
I’ve decided that Little Drummer Boy is the worst of the traditional carols. There certainly are “pop” Christmas tunes that are worse – perhaps all of them. But I do like quite a bit of what I consider “real” Christmas songs. The big problem with Christmas music is how it’s become such a constant presence, beginning even before Thanksgiving. My ability to enjoy the music I truly like is washed away by the time I think it’s appropriate to start putting that stuff into my classical rotation. Perhaps on Christmas day I’ll hazard queueing up some of the tracks in my collection.
Oh dear sweet Jesus! Bing Crosby and David Bowie together singing ‘little drummer boy?’An abomination and a stench unto the Nostrils of the Lord! Joel, did you know that the song ‘My Way’ was first pitched to David Bowie? I hate that song with every fiber of my being. I grew up during the time of tv variety shows and hated them. But every sports star, from Mark Spitz to George Foreman simply HAD to sing ‘My Way’ on prime time teevee
It’s easy to do a Sinatra cover. I should know, I’m a pro! Lean back and belt it!But if Bowie had done it? ‘And now, the time has come, to draw the final curtain..’ Bowie could have SOLD that line, and been blamed for the sudden rash of teen suicides. When you are elected king of the world, Joel, please consider me as a possibility for the position of consultant on retroactive action!
My fave: https://youtu.be/IG23FiCTLc8?si=rygpvY6K0MfYxkbc
If you have a dark twisted sense oh humor look up “Cthulhu christmas carols” on youtube, best HP Lovecrft spinoff.
every once in a while i like to torture my daughter by singing ” I want a hippopotimus for christmas”