Showing posts with label Christmas Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas Music. Show all posts

Sunday, December 22, 2019

STOP WHINING ABOUT MARIAH CAREY'S "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS' HITTING NUMBER 1


Mariah Carey's seasonal favorite, "All I Want For Christmas", final hit Number One on the Billboard charts. It is the longest a song has taken to hit Number One in Billboard history. It was first released on her 1994 Christmas CD. Why it has now made it to Number One came about because of several factors. It is played heavily by radio stations when they go to "all Christmas" this time of year. When it was released in the mid-90s, Christmas music was considered "un-cool" by radio. That changed about 2001 or so. Another factor that lead to the song hitting Number One is the tracking of downloads and song streaming. Last year at this time, Dean Martin version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" was Number One on downloads.



However, there is a group of old, white men on social media, who believe Mariah's Phil Spector-ish Christmas tune hitting Number One is a sign of the end of the world. This group of racist, woman haters are up in arms about this landmark moment in pop music history. They are constantly attacking the song as being "awful" and "unlistenable." They then make the claim that the reason it became a hit is because "most current music is awful." OK Boomers, whatever.

These same men (Yes, it is ALL men complaining about this - when they are not complaining about Greta Thunberg being Time's Person of the Year) were cheering last year when Dean Martin was Number One on the downloads chart with "Baby It's Cold Outside." Why can't they be happy about this too? They also are attacking Ariana Grande over using the tune of "My Favorite Things" for her recent hit.

Why don't they direct their hatred toward the people responsible for that "Christmas Shoes" song? They deserve to be waterboarded.

Of course, opinions, like this one, is why I'm considered the Super-Villain of the Ozarks!!! Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!   

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

BREAKING DOWN CHRISTMAS SONG TYPES


Christmas music has been with us for many years. It has seen a boom thanks to radio stations going "All Christmas" in the past seventeen years. I recently saw a post on Tumblr about types of Christmas songs. The post was by a Millennial and very funny. I had thought several times about doing a post about different sub-genres of Christmas music. The Millennial kept his simple (about 5 types), but I had thought of some others. Some are obvious.

* JESUS IS BORN: "Joy To The World," "Away In the Manger," "Silent Night," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Do You Hear What I Hear?" & "What Child Is This." One of the more recent songs of this sub-genre is "Mary Do You Know."

* SANTA CLAUS IS COMING: "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Up On the House Top."

* THE LITTLE MISFIT WHO SAVES CHRISTMAS: Well, hands down the biggest one here is "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer." Second, would be "Little Drummer Boy." There was also "The Bell Who Couldn't Jingle," "Little Sandy Sleighfoot," and "Ding A-Ling the Christmas Bell."

* WE LOVE WINTER & SNOW: Hands down the biggie here would be "Jingle Bells." Then comes, "Winter Wonderland," "Sleigh Ride," "Marshmallow World," "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm," "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow."

* ALONE & DEPRESSED AT CHRISTMAS: Most of these came out of World War 2. With that said, I find most of depressing. "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Blue Christmas," & "White Christmas." More recently Wham gave us "Last Christmas."

* CHRISTMAS AMERICANA: The best example would be "No Place Like Home For The Holidays," however, I would count "The Christmas Song" & "Silver Bells" in this group. They are bigger songs. Another example of this is a song called "Christmas In My Home Town."

* BRITISH ROCKERS CHANNELING CHARLES DICKENS: For some reason, this is my favorite sub-genre, because it has only four songs in it and all are from the 70s.  Jethro Tull's "Christmas Song," Emerson Lake & Palmer's "I Still Believe in Father Christmas," The Kinks "Father Christmas," and, of course, "Happy Xmas (the War Is Over)" by John Lennon.

* CHRISTMAS GOES HAWAIIAN: This one has even less songs than the British rocker/Dickens sub-genre. It is also the one I understand the least. My guess it is an off-shoot of the exotic trend of the late 40s & 50s. There are only two songs, but they surprisingly get played on "all Christmas" radio. They are "Christmas Island" & "Mele Kalikimaka."

* PRETTY DECORATIONS:"Deck The Halls," "O Christmas Tree," "It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas" and "We Need a Little Christmas."

* CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS: "Frosty The Snowman," "I Want a Hippopatamous for Christmas," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," "Nuttin For Christmas," & "The Chipmunk Song."

* CHRISTMAS PARTY CELEBRATION: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Happy Holidays," "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree." I would also count "12 Days of Christmas," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," & "Here We Come A-Caroling."

* THE XMASTIZED VERSION OF THE BIG HIT: These rarely get played. Bobby Boris Picket's "Monster's Holiday," James Brown's "Santa's Got a Brand New Bag." My favorite is Mickey Gilley's "The Girls All Get Prettier at Christmas Time" and my least favorite is "Santa Claus is Coming In a Boogie Woogie Choo-Choo Train" by The Tractors.

Yes, this is just typical geeky blogger over analyzing, but also something fun. Feel free to share this with your friends.



   



Sunday, December 24, 2017

HOW RADIO RUINED CHRISTMAS MUSIC


I will not be doing a podcast for Christmas. I should do a podcast since I paid for a whole year of service and haven't use very much of it. Time and lack of my own equipment are major factors. There is another factor in this possible decision...I'm hearing more and more people say they hate Christmas music.

Now, before someone tries to give some talk radio/Fox News/alt-Right explanation, I have the answer. I'm biting the hand that feeds me by saying this, but the blame should go to radio.

You see, once upon a time, Christmas music didn't saturate the radio airwaves. As a matter of fact, I remember several 80s Christmas songs that we are now sick off, being played maybe once or not at all on local radio. I remember hearing the Bruce Springsteen "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" about twice. However, "Thank God It's Christmas," "Christmas Wrapping Paper," and "Last Christmas" were not heard. The only place you heard "Do They Know It's Christmas" could only be heard on the syndicated Rock Over London radio show. You only heard "Wonderful Christmas Time" on an American Top 10 Christmas Special.  John Lennon was assassinated in December of 1980, but no radio stations played "Happy Xmas (The War Is Over)" at all that Christmas. You might hear "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" once and wow be unto the kid, who made the mistake of calling the radio station to request that song (It was apparently okay for DJs to cuss out kids back then).

This wasn't just the 80s. A colleague of mine tells about a later, well-know media figure in Springfield, announcing he was going to doing "some special" on his radio show on Christmas eve. He played Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer."

The only time you heard Christmas music on the radio when I was a kid was ON CHRISTMAS DAY. Usually, it was instrumental versions of Christmas songs or one of the those giveaway Christmas records.

The all Christmas programming came about after 9-11-2001. After that radio stations began changing to all Christmas even before Halloween. One year in Springfield, Missouri there were three radio stations doing all Christmas.

The problem is radio only uses the Christmas songs that "test well" or have high recognition, then they play those same few over and over in heavy rotation. We are beaten to death with the same songs for about two months.

Then there is the radio industries dirty little secret about the all Christmas programming...it hides the fact that the radio station is "downsizing" staff.

In recent years, I have become more of a fan of that older, easy listening, instrumental style of Christmas music, made famous on YouTube by the tape of Kmart's in-store Christmas music from 1974. I like to listen to Christmas music, but on my own terms.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

RETRO CHRISTMAS IN-STORE MUSIC IPOD PLAYLIST

I was planing several post for Christmas but time escaped me sadly. However, I wanted to give you an Ipod playlist. Last year I posted a video from YouTube that was a tape of in-store music Kmart was using during the holiday shopping season. I became obsessed with easy listening, instumental versions of Christmas songs, like the ones on that tape.

Also, when I was a kid, radio stations did not beat us to death with Christmas music as they do now. You might hear on or two Christmas songs before December 24th, but not like today. On Christmas day, you might hear "wall-to-wall" Christmas music and usually it was the easy listening instrumental type.

So here are my choices for in-store, wall-to-wall Christmas music. They'll go perfect with one of those videos of a lighted fireplace or sitting on a goofy-looking store Santa's lap (I think that is Ernie Kovacs as Marvin). Enjoy!

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" - Jackie Gleason
"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow!/Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" - Eddie Dunsteder
"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" -George Melachrino Strings
"It Came upon a Midnight Clear" - The Three Suns
"Toy Parade" - Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra
"Midnight Sleigh Ride" - Saulter- Finnegan Orchestra
"White Christmas" - Frank Chacksfield Orchestra
"Silver Bells" - Percy Faith Orchestra
"Winter Wonderland" - Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra
"Sleigh Ride" - Ferrante & Teichner
"Jingle Bells" - Hollyridge Strings
"Get Lost Jack Frost" - John Barry Seven
"Christmas Trumpets" - Ray Anthony (It's "Jingle Bells")
 "O Tannebaum (Oh Christmas Tree)" - The Three Suns
"Joy To The World" - Mannheim Steamroller
"Santa Clause Is Coming To Town" - Bert Kaempfert
"The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting)" - David Rose
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - The Living Strings
"It's Begining To Look a Lot Like Christmas" - Andre Kostelanetz and his Orchestra
"Frosty The Snowman" - John Klein
"Jingle Bell Rock" - Pete Fountain
"Santa Medley" - Liberace
"Sleigh Ride" - Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops
"Silent Night" - Lawrence Welk Orchestra




Thursday, December 24, 2015

CHRISTMAS CAROL GIVEAWAY BOOK FROM THE 50S

This a book of Christmas carol that was given away for free by businesses in the 50s. This one is from Wickham Gardens in Springfield, Missouri. I obtained it at a garage sale this summer. These are mostly  familiar religious Christmas songs with three older secular Christmas songs.  Each song features a history of the song at the bottom of the page.




Two songs I am unfamiliar with, one is sacred, entitled "Angels From the Realms of Glory," and the other is called "The Boar's Head Carol."

 





Saturday, December 19, 2015

KMART IN-STORE CHRISTMAS MUSIC


Kmart stores, while not as abundant as they once were, are still around. My mother said she preferred Kmart to Wal-Mart because it wasn't as noisy and more civilized.

Maybe that is why I still shop there. Some how the big viral trend has been former Kmart employees putting MP3 of the recorded in-store music on various websites. This is a 1974 Christmas music tape that played in the store, while people did their Christmas shopping. Included is a Kmart jingle and some announcements for customers "wishing to pay for purchases with a personal check" and reminders that "there is no smoking on the sales floor."

The rest is retro easy listening Christmas music from Hollyridge Strings, Wayne King, Al Hirt, Lawrence Welk, Bert Kaempfert, Living Strings, Eddie Dunstedter, Tex Beneke, John Klein, Ralph Hunter Choir, Andre Kostelanetz, Pete Fountain, Mantovani, Domenico Savino, George Melachrino, Hugo Winterhalter, Arthur Fiedler, Ronnie Aldrich, Billy Vaughn, Liberace and Jackie Gleason. And those are just the once Shazam could identify. This is about two hours worth of instrumental Christmas music.


And as a Christmas bonus (or gag gift) I give you a juvenile photo funny of Jaclyn Smith, making a promotional appearance at a Kmart store, that pays homage to my favorite Kmart commercial. Yes, Santa Claus may put me on the naughty list for that.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

DESDINOVA'S CHEESY RETRO CHRISTMAS MUSIC PODCAST

Yes, I have created a Christmas music and pop culture podcast for your listening enjoyment. Like all good Christmas presents, the contents is a surprise. You will just have to listen to find out what is in it.


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