This week, I’m taking a break from Déjà View news (I know, I know; it’s getting exhausting) to dip into the well of Christmas past and dig out this oldie but goodie from my blog book Lists, Life, and Other Unimportant Details: The 10 Most Underrated Christmas Songs. (It’s presented in a slightly different format in the book.) Again, you can snag your free PDF copy of this book by signing up for my blog at the following link:
To celebrate one of our most cherished seasons, I decided to compile a list of my favorite Christmas songs. Taking the advice from one of my friends, I’m replacing the word “best” with “favorite,” unless I incite a riot. I also had to replace the word “carols” with “songs,” since I kind of cheated with this list; some of these songs aren’t carols at all but taken directly from Christmas specials. I tried to include not just the title but also the singers/performers of a particular version I like. Here we go (in no order):
1) “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” –Rolf the Dog and John Denver
It’s less than 2 minutes, but Rolf and John make beautiful music together, even if half of their duo is a furry, inanimate Muppet. Sweet and tuneful in its simplicity, with Rolf accompanying John’s vocals on piano, it fortunately keeps the newer, less depressing lyrics, ditching the inferior, bleak lines, like, “From now on, we’ll have to muddle through somehow.” My favorite line is, “From now on, our troubles will be out of sight,” because it reminds me, during all the crazy hustle and bustle of the season, to just relax and enjoy it. Christmas is supposed to be fun. Besides, I like the idea of leaving your worries for the rest of the year.
2) “Silver Bells” –the version from The Radio City Christmas Spectacular
This is the quintessential New York City Christmas song (sorry “A New York City Christmas”), and, working here every day, it’s hard not to think of the lyrics, “City sidewalks, busy sidewalks” when you’re shoving past store-friendly tourists and Salvation Army Santas clogging the walkways. The reason I chose the Radio City version is because when I first saw the show as a kid, I remember thinking how appropriate this song choice was, given my Manhattan surroundings.
3) “Silent Night/Let It Snow” –Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men? Smells like the ‘90s. Maybe so, but this unique medley proved that the “Boyz” were more “Men” while singing a cappella on the first part; they always sounded better without instruments. They even performed this “Silent Night” version on a Christmas-themed episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. (Now it really smells like the ‘90s!) Still, the “Let It Snow” capper was predictably funky, in that “I-wanna-get-close-to-you-by-the-fireside” kinda way.
4) “I Wish It Could Be Christmas All Year Long” –Larry Groce
Christmas is a time to remember what it was like to be a kid again, and when I was one, I played the record Disney’s Merry Christmas Carols nonstop during the festive season. My favorite song happened to be an original. I guarantee you’ve never heard this one before, but once you do, it’ll instantly sound familiar, like a classic you’ve known for years. Luckily for me, it already is.
5) “I Still Believe in Santa Claus” –Joey McIntyre
Yes, that Joey McIntyre. The one from New Kids on the Block. Now we enter surreal territory. Speaking of playing childhood records nonstop, my sister, as most of her friends did at the time, played this New Kids Christmas album over and over, and this was my favorite song off it, if for no other reason than my nostalgic memories of it and the fact that the song itself is about nostalgia. Joey was wishing he was still a kid again while I was still a kid myself listening to it. I told you this would be a surreal entry.
6) “Christmas Is Here” –Desiree Goyette and Ed Bogas
Better known as the song from A Garfield Christmas, this tune is suspiciously titled like the one from A Charlie Brown Christmas (“Christmas Time Is Here”), I suppose hoping to ape its success. And while it never did reach the former song’s popularity, it never fails to draw at least one tear from me upon each annual viewing, especially in light of its last line: “Keep Christmas here…in your heart.” As an added Christmas treat, the singer and songwriter ended up marrying each other and—more than three decades later—are still happily married. Aw.
7) “What Child Is This” –Dar Williams
To me, this song really is “what Christmas is all about,” to quote Linus from the aforementioned “Peanuts” special; it perfectly juxtaposes Jesus’ divinity with his humanity: “Raise, raise your song on high/while Mary sings a lullaby.” Beautiful.
8) “Oh, What a Merry Christmas Day” –from Mickey’s Christmas Carol
I had this special on an audiotape before I even saw the animated version, and besides the adapted Dickens story, it also included a whole album’s worth of extra songs, with such corny titles as “Being Tight Is Not Alright,” “Under the Mistletoe,” and two versions of “This Is the Way Christmas Ought to Be,” but this song is by far the best and understandably only one they kept for the video.
9) “Even a Miracle Needs a Hand” –from ’Twas the Night Before Christmas
While we’re on the subject of songs from Christmas specials, this one may be the granddaddy of them all, second only to “Christmas Time Is Here.” Ironically, the lyrics have nothing to do with Christmas, but the clever alliteration still kills me: “You hope, and I’ll hurry/You pray, while I’ll plan.”
10) “That Spirit of Christmas” –Ray Charles
We’re back to somber Christmas ballads. You may remember this one from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, underscoring perhaps the only peaceful moment in an otherwise frenetic, maniacal comedy.
Merry Xmess!
MTP
P.S.: Next week’s blog: The First (and Last) Déjà View Photo Essay
P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:
Michael Thomas Perone 