Christmas Songs

When we put up our Christmas tree this weekend, we also broke out all of our Christmas music. I've been easing myself into the music thing, trying to avoid the All-Christmas Music stations on the radio. (Although I'm thankful that we did find one during the 2 hours we waited to get from the Garden State Parkway to the Tappen Zee Bridge on the way home from Maryland, which actually helped pass the time.) But I'm already getting sick of them again, so when I drove Catherine to her dance class last week, I sang "Sleigh Ride" to her in my Popeye voice, which she did enjoy ("I ain't driving no one horsk open sliegh, Oleeve.")

I came across a nice post a few days ago called "10 Christmas Songs I'm Already Sick of (and 10 Geeky Alternatives)" from a Wired Magazine blogger named Z. I know how much certain readers like to comment on my musical tastes, so I thought I would comment on some of the selections from this particular blogger.

Z doesn't like Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." I'll agree that I'm a little tired of that version, too, which is why I recommend the version by Dean Martin. I'm pretty sure he was drunk when he recorded it. But I love that he throws in lyrics like "Rudy the Red Beaked Reindeer" just to mix things up.

I have to disagree with his choice of "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt. I've always thought this song was just OK, but then my father told me about Eartha Kitt appearing on a TV show called New Faces of of 1952, and how hot she was, and I went back to seeing her as Catwoman on Batman, and then I came to fully appreciate her version. I can't say the same for Madonna's horrible Betty Boop-inspired version. Horrendous. I refuse to even provide a link. Catherine made me turn it off when it came on the car radio.

I also disagree with Alvin and the Chipmunk's "The Chipmunk Song," which still cracks me up. I know -- way, way back, almost a year ago, when someone suggested on the blog that I go to see the Chipmunks movie to take my mind off the diagnosis, I said I was pretty sure that Alvin's voice might actually kill cancer cells. But, really -- don't you laugh every time Alvin says he wants a hoola hoop?

I'm with Z on "Jingle Bell Rock." Same goes for "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Snoozers.

But I love Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Z says it is "now merely viewed as another poorly executed relic from the 1980s, and yet we’re still forced to endure it each holiday season." Oh, how I disagree. The clothes are relics, sure. But you can't say the people are, not when they are still making news. Sting and Phil Collins are still famous. Bono got nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Boy George....well....Boy George was in the news within the last couple of weeks. You'll have to Google that one yourself. Let's just say he was unkind to a paid consultant and just leave it at that.

I also love "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano. In fact, I ask Isabel every year if we can get "Feliz Navidad" printed on our Christmas cards. I like the way it rolls off the tongue. Plus, I like the way John makes up lyrics for it while he belts it out.

Finally, I also disagree with "Wonderful Christmas Time" by Paul McCartney. One of my favorite cheesy Christmas songs, right up there with "Last Christmas" by Wham! (When "Last Christmas" came on the radio when we were driving home from Maryland, Peter, my dropkick Murphy-loving son, finally screamed and asked me why I liked this song. I answered, "Who says knowing all the words to a song means you like it?")

Anyway, John Lennon writes deep songs like "Imagine" and "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" and Paul writes lyrics like "The word is out/About the town/To lift a glass/Ohh, don't look down." Brilliant. Right up there with his stirring "Someone's knocking at the door/Somebody's ringing the bell/Do me a favor, open the door/And let 'em in." But he's still my favorite Beatle, cause he's so cute.

I have some other favorites (including a version of Marlene Dietrich singing "Little Drummer Boy" in German), but I won't subject you to them. Except this one. Note that you can have this both ways -- if you like this sort of thing, you get to watch it; if you don't like it, you get the satisfaction of knowing it was nominated for worst video of the year.

And one final plug: If you haven't seen the Stephen Colbert Christmas special on Comedy Central, I highly recommend it. Some excellent songs. (But not for the kiddies.)