Holiday Music Musing
I was looking to hear a little Christmas music this week on the radio. Not a lot. I didn't want one of those radio stations that play Christmas music 24/7 and HAS BEEN since the beginning of November. I can only take so much of a particular variety of tunes.
My old college roomie sent me a website, www.last.fm , where you can type the musical artist or genre that you want to hear. So I typed in Christmas and put on my headphones to listen. "Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer" started playing. Not a Christmas carol I particularly like, but I was in the right neighborhood.
Then the Little Drummer Boy duet with Bing Crosby and David Bowie came on next. Okay, I like that one better. Now I'm starting to get into the Christmas spirit. But then the next song was Son Peshrev by the Whirling Dervishes. Say what? This could have been music to watch belly-dancers by. Sounded like a band of snake charmers with a drummer accompanying them. How was this Christmas related?
But then the internet station picked up with more familiar Christmas music once more. Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer again. Hmmmmm. Also the Crosby-Bowie Drummer Boy duet once more. Then something called Angel Fingers from an album titled The Very Best of Roy Wood.
Now I never heard of Roy Wood, but let me tell you the very best of Roy Wood isn't very good. And other than the title Angel Fingers, there wasn't anything spiritual or yule-inspired in the lyrics at all. I was starting to lose faith in this station's Christmas music. When the Whirling Dervishes started playing for the second time in less than a half hour, that was it for me.
I guess I'm going to have to create my own Christmas CD. Checking the internet, I found a list of top Christmas songs of all time. But that list included Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. Are they serious? When I checked a list of worst Christmas tunes, Grandma was on that list too. But Angel Fingers and Son Peshrev were not. They need to be added.
It's so frustrating trying to find the music you like anymore. Sometimes my boys get into a car I'm driving and wonder why I don't have the radio turned on. It's like that's a major sin, riding in the car without the radio on. Silence is truly golden at times. Especially when you've heard Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer for the umpteenth time.
posted by Big Dave T @ 6:12 PM
11 Comments:
Furthermore, it's alarming how quickly I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus can segue to Santa Baby, Hurry Down My Chimney Tonight.
Hi, Big Dave!
I love your blog. Great job.
I found you because of your poem, Family Road Trip Poem, which you posted on June 25, 2005. How fun! Anyway, I quoted some of it on my blogs today, fully crediting you, of course, and suggesting that folks check out the complete poem. Hope that's okay . . .
Thanks.
Jamie
http://musingbymoonlight.wordpress.com/
http://brooklynmemoriesmostgreen.wordpress.com/
Dave, download the songs you want and burn them to a CD. You'll have your favorites all the time that way. Of course, IMO, it won't be complete w/o Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, but that's your choice.
Dumb one, but your choice.
;D
BABETTE--Yeah, um, I guess. But are you sure you don't mean Sparty Claus? Santa's rarely mentioned occasional helper?
JAMIE--Sure, I'm glad you liked my poem. It's an oldie but I'm still making road trips. Some day I'll get over my fear of flying.
LYNILU--I'm thinking of taking your suggestion if I have the time. Who has time around the holidays though?
Loved this column Dave-I too enjoy some good Christmas music, but I remember when I worked for Expo Design Center-they would start the music 11-1! by the time Thanksgiving came around, my co-workers and I had already had our fill! Imagine how we felt when they were still playing the "Christmas" songs the first week of January!!!
Dave, I replied to your comment at my blog, and wonder if you knew there was more than one picture there. If not, check back and click on that picture to see the rest.
If you do end up making your own CD of your favorite holiday tunes, I bet you could sell it. I used to own a Christmas CD which was pretty cool, but I can't find it.
At least I'm out of the habit of playing music in the car. Ever since The Child came along, I've opted for silence, lest I miss a rare opportunity for conversation.
I didn't know there was such a group as the Whirling Dervishes. And I would have expected them to be dancing/whirling, not singing/playing instruments!
Hugs,
Betty
Christmas carols will probably go the way of wishing people "Merry Christmas." God forbid we should offend some non-christian.
I heard last year that an athiest group was complaing because they didn't have a recognizable symbol for the Christmas holidays. Isn't that an oxymoron?
CARINE--I feel bad that we don't sing Christmas carols at church until Christmas mass. By then, it's kinda old.
LYNILU--I came back and found the rest of your pictures. You sure make good use of your digital camera. Wish I could say the same for mine.
BETTY--Maybe they were dancing and whirling while they were playing.
NANKIN--Seems like the atheists like to show up around Christmas. Maybe they're jealous of all the fun we Christians are having. Or maybe it's just an opportunity for a little publicity.
Hi Dave...I think I found a way to help you with your lack of good Christmas music--- check your e-mail! I love Christmas music!
Oh, I forgot to say....let me know if it works!
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