Christmas music on the radio (some jump the gun)

Many radio stations went all-Christmas last year; in some cases, it was a "stunt" before a format change. In others, it was a case of trying to make a lot of money--er, of serving the listeners! :)

The same is happening this year though it depends on where you live. Of course more than a few stations jumped the gun, getting into the Christmas mood _before_ Thanksgiving. Hey, trim-a-tree up in the stores before Halloween--why not? We all know what this holiday is all about: making money. (And of course, it's all about Santy Claus--who's this "Jesus" guy that gets mentioned once in awhile? :))

I guess these stations figure many people don't mind Christmas music on the radio _way too early_...as they go to the malls and commit road rage over a parking space...or show up at 5 am on the day after Thanksgiving, waiting for a store's "early bird" sale.

Well, since many stations are definitely going all-Christmas, here's a poem I put on a radio discussion board.

Three stations went all-Yule in Boston last year But so far this time, only one has appeared Oldies 103 has it all to itself No other station has Santa or elves (...except in the ads they run...)

At least for now; maybe more will appear To tell us of Kris Kringle and his reindeer Last year several stations all jumped the gun To give us the holiday mood of good fun

But this time the listeners clearly are mad "It's way too early!", we scream. "This is bad!" But 'ODS feels that Christmas, you know Exists just so they can make a lot of dough

Holiday cheer, as you drive to the mall Grandma Got Run Over, and Deck the Halls Road rage over parking spaces, oh boy But you GOT to get there to buy your kid a toy!

"It sets the mood", the PDs* will all say (I'll just go to the library, and get a book on tape) Stan Freberg once said these immortal lines: "Chri$tma$ has 2 S's--both dollar signs"

For the record, a list of 80 stations nationwide doing all-Christmas. Expect many more.

Albany/Schenectady/Troy WZMR-FM 104.9
Alexandria KKST-FM 98.7
Allentown/Bethlehem WLEV-FM 100.7
Atlantic City WKOE-FM 106.3
Benson, MN KSCR-FM 93.5
Birmingham WMJJ-FM 96.5
Boston WODS-FM 103.3
Burlington/Plattsburgh WEZF-FM 92.9
Cape Cod WDVT-FM 93.5
Cape Cod WTWV-FM 101.1
Charleston WALC-FM 100.5
Charleston WSUY-FM 96.9
Charleston WVAF-FM 99.9
Charlotte WKQC-FM 104.7
Charlotte WLYT-FM 102.9
Cincinnati WVMX-FM 94.1
Columbia WCEO-AM 840
Columbia WLTY-FM 96.7
Columbia WWNU-FM 92.1
Columbus WLZT-FM 93.3
Columbus WSNY-FM 94.7
Dallas/Fort Worth KEGL-FM 97.1
Dallas/Fort Worth KVIL-FM 103.7
Dayton WLQT-FM 99.9
Denver KOSI-FM 101.1
Des Moines KLTI-FM 104.1
Des Moines KMXD-FM 100.3
Detroit WMGC-FM 105.1
Detroit WNIC-FM 100.3
Grand Rapids WOOD-FM 105.7
Grand Rapids WTRV-FM 100.5
Green Bay WECB-FM 104.3
Hanover/Lebanon/Claremont WGXL-FM 92.3
Indianapolis WGLD-FM 104.5
Indianapolis WTPI-FM 107.9
Jacksonville WKQL-FM 96.9
Joplin KJMK-FM 93.9
Kansas City KSRC-FM 102.1
Lexington WGKS-FM 96.9
Lima WDOH-FM 107.1
Lincoln KLMY-FM 106.3
Little Rock KMSX-FM 94.9
Los Angeles KOST-FM 103.5
Macon WPEZ-FM 93.7
Milwaukee WMYX-FM 99.1
Milwaukee WOKY-AM 920
Milwaukee WRIT-FM 95.7
Minneapolis/St. Paul KQQL-FM 107.9
Minneapolis/St. Paul WLTE-FM 102.9
Monmouth, IL WMOI-FM 97.7
Montgomery WMXS-FM 103.3
Montgomery WNTM-FM 104.3
Nashville WFFH-FM 94.1
Nashville WFFI-FM 93.7
New Brunswick WMGQ-FM 98.3
New London/Norwich (SE CT) WBMW-FM 106.5
New London/Norwich (SE CT) WXLM-FM 102.3
Norfolk/Virginia Beach WCDG-FM 92.1
Norfolk/Virginia Beach WJCD-FM 107.7
Oklahoma City KYIS-FM 98.9
Omaha KEFM-FM 96.1
Omaha KLTQ-FM 101.9
Peoria WBYS-FM 107.9
Philadelphia WBEB-FM 101.1
Philadelphia WSNI-FM 104.5
Phoenix KESZ-FM 99.9
Pittsburgh WWSW-FM 94.5
Portland KKCW-FM 103.3
Providence WWLI-FM 105.1
Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill WRSN-FM 93.9
Reno KNEV-FM 95.5
Rochester WBBF-FM 93.3
Salt Lake City/Ogden KOSY-FM 106.5
Salt Lake City/Ogden KSFI-FM 100.3
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre WFEZ-FM 103.1
Seattle/Tacoma/Everett KRWM-FM 106.9
Toledo WRVF-FM 101.5
Toronto CJEZ-FM 97.3
Victoria CHBE-FM 107.3
Washington WASH-FM 97.1

by the way I have been a DJ on a college radio station since 1981 and have been known to play some Christmas stuff (but not jumping the gun). Here's some of the more "interesting" cuts I've played (in addition to these, there's Stan Freberg's comedy cuts GREEN CHRI$TMA$ and CHRISTMAS DRAGNET). Er, at least you won't find these on the all-Christmas stations...:

--"I Found the Brains of Santa Claus Underneath My Bed" (heard on Dr. Demento). "It was in a pickle jar, I wonder if he's dead. Oh they smell like dried up tuna and look more green than red...")

--"Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year". By the Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown. "(spoken)Remember when we were little and you couldn't wait for... Sanny Claus?" A screamin' good time (1966)

--"A Christmas Song" by Rash of Stabbings. Controversial name for this band from Providence (in the 80s) but: "...because Christ was born, then crucified/you know that's the meaning/ No jingle bells in my heart, no Frosty/ Children dreaming, but it's not that way for me/ Well, remember what/The Bible sells/ Don't go by what/ Commercial Christmas sells").

--"Merry Bloody Xmas" by the (Irish) Rovers. Flip side to the (Canadian) Attic Records single "Grandma Got Run Over" (cover of Elmo & Patsy). This one's an original: "Merry Xmas/ To me/ My dog threw up all over the Xmas tree/ They repossed/ Me Color TV/ Oh, merry bloody Xmas/ To me". From the gang that gave you "the loveliest of them all was the unicorn"

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