Tag: Music of Christmas

“Step Into Christmas” By Elton John and Bernie Taupin I don’t have too much to say about this song. On the face of it, it’s an oddity for holiday songs. It is definitely a product of its time, even though it was produced to mimic the Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” from a decade or more prior. It’s a mix of 1960’s and 1970’s sound, and it sounds very much of its era. And the lyrics seem very much aware of what the song is — it’s not so much a song about Christmas as it’s a song about being

Welcome back to Monday Music Monstrosity, where each Monday I will talk about a holiday song I absolutely detest. I won’t link to it because it sucks so hard. I just want to share my pain because misery loves company. Monday Music Monstrosity #1 “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” By John Cougar Melloncamp From the moment the first honky-tonk style guitar and keyboard starts playing to the final chorus of kids singing offkey, this song is painful. I cringe when it comes on the radio The music. Lord. Honky tonk style. Twang. Country drums. This cover takes the holiday

“Goyim Friends” By The LeeVees When I was researching this song, I found an anomaly. Namely — I can’t find any proof that I heard this band in concert and yet I know I did. I got their CD signed. I specifically remember them talking about this song. But looking up the concert, I can’t find it. Did I actually see The LeeVees? Did Adam Gardner and Dave Schneider just show up at a Barenaked Ladies concert and play a few songs? I don’t know, and it’s gonna bug me. But let’s not let my recall issues distract us from

“Skating” By the Vince Guaraldi Trio Today I revisit the beloved TV special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.  Last year — one year to the date, to be exact — I wrote about one of the songs from the show, namely “O Tannenbaum”.  That song, whenever I hear it, instantly brings to mind the cartoon, Charlie Brown and Linus searching for the perfect tree.  It’s a song synonymous with the season, obviously, but its inclusion in the TV special cements it as a classic. The song “Skating” is also linked to feelings of Christmas and the holiday, as I mentioned last

“The Christmas Song” By Mel Torme and Bob Wells Everybody knows… this song. (Sorry.) It is a Christmas classic, one of those seminal songs that is always played. Countless artists have recorded it, putting various spins on it from sentimental to meloncholy, from a capella to punk to rock to… probably grunge and polka somewhere. I’ve heard this song all my life, and I couldn’t begin to count the different ways I’ve heard it. But you can’t go wrong with the original, though, by Mel Torme and Bob Wells. As the composer of the song, it seems fitting that we

“Christmas All Over Again” By Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers This is a song that I wouldn’t say is one of my favorites. But nor is it a monstrosity. My relationship with Tom Petty’s music isn’t deep or life-affirming or anything like that. Like many musicians, I liked some of his songs. I didn’t like some. And I didn’t listen to much of his solo or group work that wasn’t on the radio. I saw him in concert once — my college friends were going so I tagged along. It was an okay experience — Tom Petty was good, the

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” By Mariah Carey It’s the song that launched a thousand memes a month or two ago, as we awaited the start of the holiday season and this song to be heard on the radio. If you take all the radio stations playing Christmas music, it’s probably on the air continually from November 1 through December 26. Yes, it’s Mariah Carey and holiday classic, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. This is one of the few songs since, oh, 1970 that has actually gotten so popular that it’s become a holiday standard. Most

It’s Christmas time… again! Yes, ASM is back for another look at the music of the holiday season!  Last year, I took you on a trip through 25 (okay, probably more like 30) songs of Christmas and Hannukah, highlighting my favorites, and talking about several I dreaded to hear every year.  But there are more than 30 songs in the season.  So, why not a second movement, as it were, another helping? As I mentioned in the Prelude, this feature was inspired by the Steven Curtis Chapman song, “The Music of Christmas”.  But this time around, I’m taking a different