Holly, Jolly, Maddening Music

Fox News ^ | 12/09/2003 | Amy C. Sims

[HarleyD]

We know, we know ... it's a lot of fun to deck the halls with boughs of holly. 'Tis the season to be jolly. Got it.

Holiday music has become society's soundtrack earlier than ever. It's only the second week of December, and it's being pumped nonstop into malls, blasted from speakers in restaurants and played on the radio. In fact, many radio stations switched from their normal programming to 24-hour Christmas jingles as early as Thanksgiving week.

[ShadowDancer]

"What if you're Jewish? I don't hear any Hanukkah music!" a signer named Mary wrote.

Well, there's always the soundtrack to Fiddler on the Roof.

Honestly, if you don't want to hear the Christmas music, just listen to a different station. It's not exactly brain surgery.

[SunStar]

"What if you're Jewish? I don't hear any Hanukkah music!" a signer named Mary wrote.

Oh, I wasn't aware that Hanukkah was a federal holiday.

[camle]

the only christmas song i enjoy is the only one that captures the spirit of christmas in a subtle, yet enjoyable manner - "Grandma got run over by a reindeer"

[Prime Choice]

"There are pop versions of everything and I think they've ruined a lot of the Christmas songs. I switch it off. I prefer the traditional carols."

My thoughts exactly! My favorite Christmas records are the ones my parents own and I grew up listening to over the Christmas holiday. There's just no comparing those renditions to the saccharine stuff that's produced today.

[camle]

Jewish christmas songs? Adam Sandler did one: hannukah song or however yo0u spell it.

[raccoonradio]

"The Chanukah Song" by Adam Sandler
http://www.asandler.com/lyrics/hanukah.shtml
"Hanukkah Rocks" by Gefilte Joe and the Fish (not kidding; a real song. Has been played on "Dr. Demento"

[RosieCotton]

In fact, many radio stations switched from their normal programming to 24-hour Christmas jingles as early as Thanksgiving week.

Yep...day after Thanksgiving all but one of the stations I listen to regularly switched to all cheesy Christmas pop all the time.

I refuse to listen to that...stuff. And I miss my tunes!

[EggsAckley]

I'm rather fond of "Walkin' Round in Women's Underwear."

[camle]

LOL~! now how could I forget that heart warmer???

[inquest]

This is indicative of a larger phenomenon in the mass media culture. Media outlets more and more do things that appeal to a certain mass audience - or, in the case of obnoxious commercials, attract the attention of a certain mass audience - and in so doing, alienate a relatively smaller number of people (but still very numerous in absolute terms), and that causes tensions like this. It may start to come to a head before too long.

[cjshapi]

Ever hear Montgomery Gentry's "Christmas with the Family"? Best song about a completely whacked out dysfunctional family ever!

[jwalburg]

I like just about all Christmas songs, though I always bring out my classic albums and play them on one of the last turntables left in the country. Throw in a few Hanukah songs, too. Fine by me. I'll spin some dreidels. But I'll take a month of Christmas songs over eminem anytime.

[uglybiker]

You just need different tunes!!

Yeah Santa's comin' alright. But you might not wanna see him!

[Cagey]

[RichInOC]

I like Part 2 as well...my favorite lines:

"Lenny Kravitz's half-Jewish...Courtney Love's half too...
"Put 'em together, whataya got? One funky, bad-ass Jew!"

[raccoonradio]

>>"Grandma got run over by a reindeer"

On my long-running college radio show, I've played a version of that you don't normally hear on radio--it's by
the Rovers (aka the Irish Rovers of "The Unicorn" fame),
put out by Toronto's Attic Records.

[Judith Anne]

Last night we put Handel's Messiah on the DVD, and listened to the first two parts...

Awesome. Healing, uplifting. Brought back many memories for Hub and I, he did the baritone solos in his college production, and knows just about every note in the whole 3-hour Messiah from conducting choirs of his own, and doing the organ/harpsichord/piano accompaniments at church (before he was Catholic).

I traditional religious Christmas Carols, and Hub plays them for the whole family to sing as we have our Christmas eve celebration...we haven't had everyone here for a few years, this is going to be a grand time...

As far as pop songs go, my favorite is still "I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas."

Rudoph is okay, but ho hum, compared to the great religous Christmas music, which REALLY puts me in the spirit...

[Jim Cane]

I hate that song with the cheesy "whon whon" synth track. I don't know who sings it, but it sounds like Paul McCarthy. It's so nicey nice, and vapid, and gay.

At least Keith Emerson's "Father Christmas" isn't queer.

[Romulus]

Jewish christmas songs?

Johnny Marks made a good living from them.