I love Christmas music of all kinds. Sometimes, that means the just
plain silly. If you, too, like to get a little goofy at Christmastime, Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Christmas Novelty CD Of All Time
is a pretty good choice. Now, I might take issue with the title, as
some of my favorite novelty Christmas songs are missing, and not all the
tracks leave me in stitches. Still, there’s some great stuff on here,
including several songs you might have heard on the radio in December.
In fact, I received this after my mom jokingly told my aunt that I
wanted a hippopotamus for Christmas. My aunt responded by tracking down
this CD, which contains the song that inspired that suggestion. I’m glad
she did.
The Chipmunk Song - It seems that most people
fall in to the “love it” or “hate it” camp when it comes to Ross
Bagdasarian’s high-pitched ditty that has been a Christmas staple for
half a century. Theodore, Simon and especially Alvin are anxious for
Christmas. Hapless Dave Seville just wants them to get through the song,
but Alvin needs to make it clear just how desperately he wants a hula
hoop. When you think about it, that’s an awfully modest request. But
there’s nothing modest about his haranguing manner in driving the point
home. “We can hardly stand the wait; please, Christmas, don’t be late!”
All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
- Spike Jones was a big name in novelty records, and this is one of his
most memorable efforts. The liner notes point out that this is the
earliest song on the album, hailing from the late 1940s, and it’s chock
full of silly sound effects, as well as trumpeter George Rock’s
ridiculous kiddie voice. A kazoo-laden instrumental version of Jingle Bells and a riff on A Visit From St. Nicholas
add to the amusement in this tale of woe from a kid who is tired of his
dental issues making him incomprehensible. “All I want for Christmas is
my two front teeth so I can with you Merry Chrithmath!”
Jingle Bells - Cheerful guitar and jingling bells make an innocuous background for this rather head-scratching track. It’s dogs. Barking Jingle Bells.
It reminds me of the little Casio keyboard I got when I was six or so,
in which one of the sound options was barking dogs. Fun when you’re a
little kid. Probably not something you really want to listen to for more
than a few seconds as an adult.
The Twelve Gifts of Christmas
- This Allan Sherman take on the tedious Christmas classic is the first
off-kilter version that I heard, and I still consider it one of the
best. His amusingly bland voice, used to such great effect in Letter From Camp,
tickles the funny bone again as he chronicles the ridiculous gifts he
has received for Christmas. The list is just as absurd as in the
original; the difference is that this guy realizes how bizarre it all
is. A quirky commentary on the commercialism and kitsch the often
accompany Christmas. “On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave
to me a statue of a lady with a clock where her stomach ought to be, a
simulated alligator wallet, a calendar book with the name of my
insurance man, green polka-dot pajamas and a Japanese transistor radio.”
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - I discovered this
song written by John Rox and recorded by brassy-voiced youngster Gayla
Peevey about four years ago, but it’s been floating around since in the
early 1950s. Gayla, who was ten at the time, actually got her
hippopotamus, which she donated to the Oklahoma City Zoo, which I
imagine was a little roomier than her “two-car garage.” Stereotypically,
children are known to petition Santa for ponies and puppies for
Christmas. This song is thinking out of the box, and as a life-long
hippo lover, I always get a smile out of it. “No crocodiles or
rhinoceroses; I only like hippopotamuses, and hippopotamuses like me
too!”
Nuttin’ for Christmas - Stan Freberg is one of
several singers who recorded this song in the 1950s. He sounds like
quite the rascal, with a voice that reminds of ne’er-do-well Lampey in Pinocchio.
I prefer versions where the kid seems contrite over his misdeeds; here,
he most definitely revels, even going so far as to conspire with a
Christmas burglar. Definitely not a child to emulate… “I did a dance on
Mommy’s plants, climbed a tree and tore my pants, filled the sugar bowl
with ants. Somebody snitched on me.”
A Christmas Carol - I love Tom Lehrer, one of the mid-century pillars of the novelty music scene. Very much like Straight No Chaser’s Christmas Can-Can
but a good deal shorter, and only featuring one singer, this is a
cynical look at Christmas shopping craziness. It incorporates several
traditional carols like Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Angels We Have Heard on High and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,
inserting new lyrics poking fun at the insanity that ensues this time
of year. “On Christmas Day, you can’t get sore. Your fellow man you must
adore. There’s time to rob him all the more the other three-hundred and
sixty-four.”
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer - I have
mixed feelings about this Randy Brooks song. Really, it’s in rather
poor taste. On the other hand, it has been known to make me chuckle now
and then. Not poor Grandma’s plight, but some of those lines are pretty
funny. Plus, my beloved Irish Rovers recorded it before Elmo and Patsy
did, and loyalty compels me to at least tolerate their version, which is
a lot less hickish than this one, in which the singers sound tipsy half
the time. I do love the part, though, when “Grandpa” kicks in with his
super-deep voice… “Grandma got run over by a reindeer walkin’ home from
our house Christmas Eve. You can say there’s no such thing as Santa, but
as for me and Grandpa, we believe.”
I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas
- Recorded by Harry Stewart as Yogi Yorgesson, this is another pretty
old track, hailing from 1949. As a gal with Swedish blood who loves
listening to Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, I get a
kick out of this faux Scandinavian who tells us, in his ridiculous
accent, all the ways he gets a little loony at Christmas. And mostly,
that seems to be a good thing. Also, the second song on the album to
draw heavily from A Visit From St. Nicholas. “Oh, I yust go nuts
at Christmas. Shopping sure drives me berserk. On the day before, I rush
in da store like a nervous nelly yerk…”
The Twelve Gifts of Christmas - Here’s another 12 Days
parody, and it’s more of a comedy routine than a straightforward song.
Bob and Doug McKenzie, a Canadian comedy duo portrayed by Rick Moranis
and Dave Thomas in a series of Great White North sketches,
present a more talking than singing list of gifts, and it’s sort of the
opposite of Allan Sherman’s song since this is stuff they actually want
to get. It’s very salt-of-the-earth stuff: beer, bacon, French toast,
turtlenecks, comic books… They only really make it to day eight before
konking out, and they never quite manage to sync up with the cheesy
background music that’s always running too fast for them, but that’s
part of the fun. “Boy, that song was a beauty. It… it moved me.” “Yeah, I
think it ranks up there with Stairway to Heaven.”
Green Chri$tma$ - And here we have the second 12 Days
parody in a row, though that’s only one element of this old-timey Stan
Freberg sketch that deposits Ebenezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchit into a
board meeting in which Scrooge and his sycophants espouse the value of
using Christmas to advertise products while Bob tries to argue for the
true meaning of the holiday. Parodies of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Deck the Halls and Jingle Bells make an appearance, and carols like O Come All Ye Faithful
show up in instrumental form. It presents a pretty bleak picture of how
thoroughly Christmas has turned into a big cash cow, and it ends on a
bit of a downer. A tad on the preachy side, but it makes its point
effectively. “Christmas has two S’s in it, and they’re both dollar
signs.” “Yeah, but they weren’t there to begin with. The people keep
hoping you’ll remember, but you never do.” “Remember what?” “Whose
birthday we’re celebrating.”
I’m a Christmas Tree - Short
and pretty much pointless. A collaboration between Wild Man Fischer and
Dr. Demento himself, It’s a tuneless dirge by two guys accompanied only
by jingle bells, and they lament how depressing it is to be a Christmas
tree. Well, it certainly sounds depressing, and they appear to be
making it up off the top of their heads, which accounts for the fact
that half the time they are spouting different lyrics. No rhythm, little
rhyme, nonsensical, and they sound drunk. “Oh, Santa Claus! Oh, Santa
Claus! He breaks lots of laws! He trespasses! He breaks and enters! He
travels all around the world without a valid passport!”
I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus
- A one-note parody with a twist ending. In the original song, the kid
gets a little peek and the humor lies in his misunderstanding of the
situation. Here, the narrator, the adult Kip Addotta sounding like a
whiny kid and thus not very musical, gets a whole big eyeful, and no
matter who it is underneath that Santa suit, he comes across as a major
peeping tom. A xylophone, accordion and trombone add to the rather
annoying sound of the track. “There must be some mistake. Was I really
awake? I rubbed my eyes and moved in close, a better look to take…”
Santa Claus and His Old Lady
- In this Cheech and Chong sketch, one is trying to explain to the
other who Santa Claus is, and it’s a pretty strange take on the iconic
character. They both seem kinda stoned, which I guess is pretty typical
for the duo. A bit of instrumental background music and a reference to Donde Este Santa Claus?,
but mostly it’s just straight talking and pretty dull. “Oh, man, like
you don’t know you Santa Claus is, man.” “Yeah, well, I’m not from here,
man. Like, I’m from Pittsburgh. I don’t know too many local dudes.”
Christmas at Ground Zero - Usually I love Weird Al Yankovic, but I just can’t find anything funny about nuclear fallout. And I thought his Night Santa Went Crazy
was grotesque! He really does sound insane here in this original song,
and not in a good way. The cheesy 40s-style background music just makes
it all the more irritating. “It’s Christmas at Ground Zero. The button
has been pressed. The radio just let us know that this is not a test.”
Christmas Dragnet - Stan Freberg and Daws Butler collaborate on this nearly 7-minute-long Dragnet-style
sketch that finishes off the album. A guy named Grudge doesn’t believe
in Santa Claus, and they bring him in for questioning. Joe and Frank
exchange banter with each other and him. Rambly Frank has a crisis of
faith, terse Joe tries to prove Santa’s existence, the three of them
head up to the North Pole to investigate further. Okay, but a bit on the
drab and overlong side. “It’s Santa Claus! It’s Santa Claus!” “He’s the
only guy I know can make everybody happy in one night.”
All the
songs I really love are in the first half of the album; the rest are
somewhere on the scale between so-so and annoying. The great stuff
outweighs the clunkers for me, but it’s an album that I tend to skip
around on. Chances are, though, that you will find at least one or two
songs here to tickle your funny bone.
Showing posts with label 12 Days of Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 12 Days of Christmas. Show all posts
Friday, July 1, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
My Least Favorite Christmas Songs
I absolutely love most Christmas music. It gets to be this time of year,
and this strange euphoria grips me as the music on the radio and on the
loudspeakers at the mall, where I work, suddenly shifts into Christmas
mode. It utterly energizes me. But once in a while, there comes along a
song I just don't like very much. Here are a few of those.
One Christmas Catalogue - I had never heard this song by one Captain Sensible before my brother, who was working at The Gap at the time, mentioned it to me. He described it as the weirdest Christmas song he ever heard, and I pretty much agree. I'm not sure it's quite accurate to say I “dislike” it since I collapse into giggles every time I hear it. But this techno-style song with its disappointingly unambitious turkeys and random spoken outbursts of the word “Christmas” sure makes me scratch my head. “And there's a turkey in the wings. It doesn't dance and it can't sing. One Christmas catalogue too many. One Christmas catalogue for you.”
The Cherry Tree Carol - I adore Peter Paul and Mary's live Christmas album, and if I had to choose only five Christmas albums to listen to for the rest of my life, that would almost certainly be one of them. But doggone it, this song is just annoying. It's a traditional folksong that I've nonetheless never heard elsewhere, and in it, Mary comes across as a whiny diva, while Joseph needs a stint in anger management and yet-to-be-born Jesus is a show-off. And I thought the George Washington cherry tree tale was goofy... “Then Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild, 'Joseph, gather me some cherries, for I am with child.' … Then Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he. 'Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee...'”
Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime - All right, this one kinda grates on me too. I love Paul McCartney, and I generally dig his stuff more than John Lennon's, but despite the contempt Lennon often had for Christianity, I can't help loving Happy X-Mas and finding it inspiring. Meanwhile, I can't help disliking this song and finding it insipid. “The choir of children sing their song; they practiced all year long” especially gets to me. 'Cause really? It sounds like they practiced for about ten minutes. And like their director managed to select the Dumbest Song Ever for them to sing for this auspicious occasion.
Happy Holiday - Just irritating. This song, the most common version of which is the swingin' rendition by Andy Williams, has some of the stupidest lyrics in all of Christmas music. The tone of the song is so flippant, it just sounds like he's poking fun at the whole thing. He also sounds borderline tipsy. Eye-rolling. “It's the holiday season, so whoop de do and dickory dock. Don't forget to hang up your sock, 'cause just exactly at 12 o'clock he'll be comin' down the chimney down...”
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys are notable for their amazing harmonies, and that's still present here. And I suppose there's a certain charm in their taking their tendency to sing about souped-up cars and transferring it to Santa's sleigh. But boy howdy, “Christmas comes this time each year”? Thank you, Captain Obvious... And I'll just lump in Run, Rudolph, Run here because there's something about that song that seriously gets on my nerves, especially when Chuck Berry sings it. Something about the weird syntax, I think. And "reindeers". And the word “wet” as a verb.
The Christmas Shoes - I feel like this makes me a terrible curmudgeon. The thing is, I think I enjoyed this Newsong tune well enough the first few times I heard it. But then it just started getting on my nerves. It's way overplayed, and it's just so over-the-top. What really bugs me, I think, is the bridge. Granted, I understand that people come into each other's lives at particular times and affect one another deeply, and sometimes that can feel positively providential. And maybe it is. But something just really rubs me the wrong way about the narrator belting out his conviction that “God had sent that little boy to remind me what Christmas is all about.” Um, this kid is about to lose his mother to a terminal illness. Maybe it's not all about you, dude. And kid, your heart's in the right place, but if your mom is that close to death, my guess is she'd rather have you there than out here fighting the crowds and risking not getting back home in time. “Can you hurry, sir? Daddy says there's not much time. See, she's been sick for quite a while, and I know these shoes will make her smile, and I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight.”
The 12 Days of Christmas - Any straightforward version of the song with no humor added in. I just have come to find that I lack the patience for this one. Of course, I could listen to the Straight No Chaser version all day, but the whole point of that one is making fun of the absurdity of the song while paying tribute to lots of other great Christmas tunes. (And Toto.) If you stop to think about the lyrics, they are completely nonsensical. Every gift but the five golden rings is alive, and half of the gifts are people, for crying out loud. Now, maybe that just means that your true love hired some very lavish entertainment, but whatever the case may be, it's all a little too extravagant for my tastes, and the song is just way too monotonous. “On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a-leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a-milking, 7 swans a-swimming, 6 geese a-laying, 5 golden rings, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtledoves and a partridge in a pear tree.”
Santa Baby - This one gets played on the mall radio a lot. There are lots of different versions; Madonna's probably annoys me the most. It just sort of encapsulates everything that's wrong with this time of year. Oh, the unrelenting avarice! I suppose I should applaud this person for being so virtuous all year (which the speaker in Simple Plan's similarly annoying My Christmas List doesn't seem to have bothered with), but she (or occasionally he) sure doesn't seem very sincere about it, and it's all for personal gain. And such big-ticket items... I mean, a platinum mine??? Maybe what this person really needs to do is snag the true love of the speaker in the song just above... “Santa baby, and fill my stocking with a duplex and checks. Sign your X on the line, Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight.”
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Okay, so this really isn't a Christmas song at all, but it gets so much airplay this time of year that it might as well be. It's just this gin-soaked, smoky exercise in seduction, and while I suppose the girl is just playing hard to get, a part of me feels like she really would like to get away and this guy is pretty much holding her captive. Some versions include extra flirtatious banter that make it seem more obviously two-sided, but those tend to annoy me just as much. Celtic Thunder's Ryan Kelly covered this song recently along with singer Charley Bird, and he identified it as one of his all-time favorite Christmas songs, but I really could do without it. “There's bound to be talk tomorrow; (Think of my lifelong sorrow) At least there will be plenty implied. (If you caught pneumonia and died...)”
Christmas Wrapping - I wasn't going to include this song by the Waitresses because it's grown on me in the past couple of years, since I've heard it enough on the mall radio to finally catch most of the lyrics. It's actually a rather amusing and sweet story of a gal and a guy who circumstances seem determined to keep apart, until fate intervenes at Christmastime. But for years before that, all I really noticed was the blah, monotonous tone of the singing and the equally monotonous melody. And my best friend berated me for leaving this off the list. So here it is! "'Bah, humbug!' No, that's too strong 'cause it is my favorite holiday. But all this year's been a busy blur. Don't think I have the energy..."
The Night Santa Went Crazy - Weird Al is generally a pretty G-rated guy, and he's certainly been a big inspiration to me in my lyric-writing endeavors. But this twisted take on the jolly old elf just makes me cringe. Instead of rampaging reindeer running over Grandma (another song I'm not a huge fan of), we've got Santa flipping his lid and going all Rambo on everybody at the North Pole. It's a Christmas bloodbath, and I want none of it. “Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doin' time in a federal prison for his infamous crime. Hey, little friend, now don't you cry no more tears, 'cause he'll be out for good behavior in 700 more years!”
Last Christmas - This one has to take the cake as my least favorite. The speaker annoys the heck out of me. Talk about whiny! No wonder the addressee of the song dropped his (or her) heart like a hot potato at the first opportunity. Now, that's mean. I shouldn't say that. I should have a little empathy for this poor schmuck. But somehow, I just can't muster up the energy. The lyrics are obnoxious and often seem contradictory, and there's something so profoundly unlikable about the speaker that all my empathy is reserved for whoever the supposed new object of his (or her) affections is. George Michael's original version is probably still my least favorite, but I've never met a rendition I liked. Though I'll grant that Keith Harkin's is almost tolerable. “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away. This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special.”
This is surely not exhaustive, but it's a start. I may add to it later if I come up with some other Christmas songs that make my skin crawl. Up next, the more pleasant – and vastly more difficult – exercise of coming up with favorites. But I can't deny the fun of ripping these apart just a bit. This has been a part of Shopaholic_Man's Christmas Music Write-Off. Make a joyful noise and join in the fun!
One Christmas Catalogue - I had never heard this song by one Captain Sensible before my brother, who was working at The Gap at the time, mentioned it to me. He described it as the weirdest Christmas song he ever heard, and I pretty much agree. I'm not sure it's quite accurate to say I “dislike” it since I collapse into giggles every time I hear it. But this techno-style song with its disappointingly unambitious turkeys and random spoken outbursts of the word “Christmas” sure makes me scratch my head. “And there's a turkey in the wings. It doesn't dance and it can't sing. One Christmas catalogue too many. One Christmas catalogue for you.”
The Cherry Tree Carol - I adore Peter Paul and Mary's live Christmas album, and if I had to choose only five Christmas albums to listen to for the rest of my life, that would almost certainly be one of them. But doggone it, this song is just annoying. It's a traditional folksong that I've nonetheless never heard elsewhere, and in it, Mary comes across as a whiny diva, while Joseph needs a stint in anger management and yet-to-be-born Jesus is a show-off. And I thought the George Washington cherry tree tale was goofy... “Then Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild, 'Joseph, gather me some cherries, for I am with child.' … Then Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he. 'Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee...'”
Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime - All right, this one kinda grates on me too. I love Paul McCartney, and I generally dig his stuff more than John Lennon's, but despite the contempt Lennon often had for Christianity, I can't help loving Happy X-Mas and finding it inspiring. Meanwhile, I can't help disliking this song and finding it insipid. “The choir of children sing their song; they practiced all year long” especially gets to me. 'Cause really? It sounds like they practiced for about ten minutes. And like their director managed to select the Dumbest Song Ever for them to sing for this auspicious occasion.
Happy Holiday - Just irritating. This song, the most common version of which is the swingin' rendition by Andy Williams, has some of the stupidest lyrics in all of Christmas music. The tone of the song is so flippant, it just sounds like he's poking fun at the whole thing. He also sounds borderline tipsy. Eye-rolling. “It's the holiday season, so whoop de do and dickory dock. Don't forget to hang up your sock, 'cause just exactly at 12 o'clock he'll be comin' down the chimney down...”
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys are notable for their amazing harmonies, and that's still present here. And I suppose there's a certain charm in their taking their tendency to sing about souped-up cars and transferring it to Santa's sleigh. But boy howdy, “Christmas comes this time each year”? Thank you, Captain Obvious... And I'll just lump in Run, Rudolph, Run here because there's something about that song that seriously gets on my nerves, especially when Chuck Berry sings it. Something about the weird syntax, I think. And "reindeers". And the word “wet” as a verb.
The Christmas Shoes - I feel like this makes me a terrible curmudgeon. The thing is, I think I enjoyed this Newsong tune well enough the first few times I heard it. But then it just started getting on my nerves. It's way overplayed, and it's just so over-the-top. What really bugs me, I think, is the bridge. Granted, I understand that people come into each other's lives at particular times and affect one another deeply, and sometimes that can feel positively providential. And maybe it is. But something just really rubs me the wrong way about the narrator belting out his conviction that “God had sent that little boy to remind me what Christmas is all about.” Um, this kid is about to lose his mother to a terminal illness. Maybe it's not all about you, dude. And kid, your heart's in the right place, but if your mom is that close to death, my guess is she'd rather have you there than out here fighting the crowds and risking not getting back home in time. “Can you hurry, sir? Daddy says there's not much time. See, she's been sick for quite a while, and I know these shoes will make her smile, and I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight.”
The 12 Days of Christmas - Any straightforward version of the song with no humor added in. I just have come to find that I lack the patience for this one. Of course, I could listen to the Straight No Chaser version all day, but the whole point of that one is making fun of the absurdity of the song while paying tribute to lots of other great Christmas tunes. (And Toto.) If you stop to think about the lyrics, they are completely nonsensical. Every gift but the five golden rings is alive, and half of the gifts are people, for crying out loud. Now, maybe that just means that your true love hired some very lavish entertainment, but whatever the case may be, it's all a little too extravagant for my tastes, and the song is just way too monotonous. “On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a-leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a-milking, 7 swans a-swimming, 6 geese a-laying, 5 golden rings, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtledoves and a partridge in a pear tree.”
Santa Baby - This one gets played on the mall radio a lot. There are lots of different versions; Madonna's probably annoys me the most. It just sort of encapsulates everything that's wrong with this time of year. Oh, the unrelenting avarice! I suppose I should applaud this person for being so virtuous all year (which the speaker in Simple Plan's similarly annoying My Christmas List doesn't seem to have bothered with), but she (or occasionally he) sure doesn't seem very sincere about it, and it's all for personal gain. And such big-ticket items... I mean, a platinum mine??? Maybe what this person really needs to do is snag the true love of the speaker in the song just above... “Santa baby, and fill my stocking with a duplex and checks. Sign your X on the line, Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight.”
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Okay, so this really isn't a Christmas song at all, but it gets so much airplay this time of year that it might as well be. It's just this gin-soaked, smoky exercise in seduction, and while I suppose the girl is just playing hard to get, a part of me feels like she really would like to get away and this guy is pretty much holding her captive. Some versions include extra flirtatious banter that make it seem more obviously two-sided, but those tend to annoy me just as much. Celtic Thunder's Ryan Kelly covered this song recently along with singer Charley Bird, and he identified it as one of his all-time favorite Christmas songs, but I really could do without it. “There's bound to be talk tomorrow; (Think of my lifelong sorrow) At least there will be plenty implied. (If you caught pneumonia and died...)”
Christmas Wrapping - I wasn't going to include this song by the Waitresses because it's grown on me in the past couple of years, since I've heard it enough on the mall radio to finally catch most of the lyrics. It's actually a rather amusing and sweet story of a gal and a guy who circumstances seem determined to keep apart, until fate intervenes at Christmastime. But for years before that, all I really noticed was the blah, monotonous tone of the singing and the equally monotonous melody. And my best friend berated me for leaving this off the list. So here it is! "'Bah, humbug!' No, that's too strong 'cause it is my favorite holiday. But all this year's been a busy blur. Don't think I have the energy..."
The Night Santa Went Crazy - Weird Al is generally a pretty G-rated guy, and he's certainly been a big inspiration to me in my lyric-writing endeavors. But this twisted take on the jolly old elf just makes me cringe. Instead of rampaging reindeer running over Grandma (another song I'm not a huge fan of), we've got Santa flipping his lid and going all Rambo on everybody at the North Pole. It's a Christmas bloodbath, and I want none of it. “Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doin' time in a federal prison for his infamous crime. Hey, little friend, now don't you cry no more tears, 'cause he'll be out for good behavior in 700 more years!”
Last Christmas - This one has to take the cake as my least favorite. The speaker annoys the heck out of me. Talk about whiny! No wonder the addressee of the song dropped his (or her) heart like a hot potato at the first opportunity. Now, that's mean. I shouldn't say that. I should have a little empathy for this poor schmuck. But somehow, I just can't muster up the energy. The lyrics are obnoxious and often seem contradictory, and there's something so profoundly unlikable about the speaker that all my empathy is reserved for whoever the supposed new object of his (or her) affections is. George Michael's original version is probably still my least favorite, but I've never met a rendition I liked. Though I'll grant that Keith Harkin's is almost tolerable. “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away. This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special.”
This is surely not exhaustive, but it's a start. I may add to it later if I come up with some other Christmas songs that make my skin crawl. Up next, the more pleasant – and vastly more difficult – exercise of coming up with favorites. But I can't deny the fun of ripping these apart just a bit. This has been a part of Shopaholic_Man's Christmas Music Write-Off. Make a joyful noise and join in the fun!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Straight No Chaser Brings A Cappella Perfection to the Warner Theatre, Erie, PA, 11-29-10
I try to make it to at least a couple of concerts every year. This year, I got in four big ones: Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard in Chautauqua, NY, and Dennis DeYoung, Celtic Thunder
and Straight No Chaser in Erie, PA. Although I just saw Straight No
Chaser this week, I knew about that concert and had tickets for it long
before the others. I've been a fan of that Indiana University-based a
cappella group since I first heard its rendition of The 12 Days of Christmas two years ago, and my parents and I couldn't pass up the chance to see them live.
The group, in the form that we saw it, includes half of the original members from when it first formed in the late 1990s. The others were in the group in later years and came in as replacements for early members. The guys we saw include original members Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Jerome Collins, David Roberts and Walter Chase and newer members Michael Luginbill, Ryan Ahlwardt, Seggie Isho, Don Nottingham and Tyler Trepp. We bought our tickets back in June and managed seats in the seventh row, so we had a great view of the show, and the sound quality in the Warner Theatre was excellent as always.
At the beginning of the concert, there were the usual announcements, and I assumed that a dire warning against photography would ensue. Instead, however, the loudspeaker informed us that the Warner had waived its no-photography policy at SNC's request. We were not only allowed, we were encouraged to take pictures and even videos, and members of the group itself brought it up a couple more times throughout the show. I'm very glad I brought my camera. Wish I'd thought to change the batteries, but they managed to last me just long enough.
What I love about their stance on this is that Straight No Chaser became a phenomenon because their video went viral, and they are staying true to their roots. They understand and appreciate better than most how powerful word of mouth and social media can be. They want us to spread their pictures all over Facebook and pepper YouTube with video clips. Oh, and they totally cracked me up halfway through the show by actually bringing up the house lights and taking a few pictures of the audience. Which is actually a really neat idea, but I've certainly never seen it done before. The next day, they posted those photos, and I tagged myself and my parents, or at least the general area where I knew we were. Very cool.
The concert included a solid mix of Christmas music and regular pop. Most of the songs they performed were on one of their three albums, but there were several others I'd never heard them do before, so those were a treat. In between songs, there was a fair bit of talking as the guys shared anecdotes and background and introduced themselves to us. I still need to work on figuring out exactly who's who and wish they'd sold programs, which could have aided me in that endeavor, but every one of these guys is a great singer.
I loved the humor they brought to all of their interactions and so many of their performances. While a lot of the talking was rehearsed, there was a definite feeling of spontaneity to it. I got a chuckle out of the moment when all of the guys shouted out what they had majored in during college, and one of them said, “Women!” And then another one said, “He flunked out!” And when one of them asked, “How many of you out there like 'Nsync?” Then, after an enthusiastic response, he went on, “Yeah, we're not gonna do one of their songs, I just wanted to see how many of you I could get to admit that in public.” Hee! Seriously, though, I was never too into those guys, but they did have some great harmony.
The Christmas songs of the night were all drawn from their albums. The hyper, hilarious Christmas Can-Can closed the first act, while they saved The 12 Days of Christmas for the encore. That came as no surprise whatsoever to me, since for much of the audience, that was probably the only performance of theirs they'd ever heard before. It is Straight No Chaser's American Pie. If they're still together in some form a decade from now or even two, they'll still be saving that song for last, I'd wager. What did take me by surprise was the second encore, during which they performed their doo-woppy rendition of O Holy Night without any microphones. It was a wonderfully reverent moment. So was the mash-up of Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Angels We Have Heard on High, which included some truly celestial-looking blue lighting.
The lighting also made an impression during You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, when it was green and ominous as the basses of the group detailed the Grinch's many despicable qualities. More on the madcap end of things was the super-fast Jingle Bells and Donde Esta Santa Claus, which featured some very eyebrow-raising attempts at Latin-style dancing. Hey, Santa! was a lot of fun too, especially when some of the members jumped in to form a vocal brass section. They really are adept at imitating trumpets! While I confess myself a bit disappointed not to hear the gorgeous SNC originals Christmas Wish or Indiana Christmas, I loved all of their selections.
The range of music featured in the rest of the show was pretty diverse. From With a Twist, we got the exuberant cover of Three Dog Night's Joy to the World and the infectious mash-up of I'm Yours and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, as well as the melancholy Under the Bridge. LOST super-fan that I am, I would have loved to hear Wonderwall too, and The Living Years is probably my favorite track on that album. But most of their songs veered more toward the upbeat, allowing them to easily insert some visual humor. We got a taste of Marvin Gaye, the BeeGees and Lady Gaga, and Collins had everybody in stitches with his Michael Jackson moves during the mash-up of Billy Jean and Poison.
I was surprised that Don't Stop Believin' didn't get a bigger reaction, especially with its resurgence as the unofficial theme song for GLEE, though I did hear a rather delayed super-whoop from the upper reaches of the theater about 15 seconds into the song. I was rather taken aback at how pretty I found Madonna's Like a Prayer. Carole King's Hi De Ho was one I don't recall having heard before, but it was quite fun. Probably the number that got the biggest laugh out of this '80s child was the Saturday Morning Cartoon medley. Granted, The Simpsons and Family Guy were a little out of place there, but it was mostly theme songs to shows I grew up watching during that magical time of the week designed just for kids reprieved from school. I also loved the introductory remarks that included references to such '80s kid staples as the E-Z Bake Oven and Lite Brite (and having to physically get up and change the channel on the TV since none of us had remotes). A great nostalgia trip for me.
Going into the concert, I would have said that Jerome Collins was my favorite member of the group, as I love his soulful voice and, frankly, as the only African-American member, he's also the most distinct. After the concert, I'm doubly sure that he's my favorite, since barely a song went by in which he didn't steal the show at some point. That guy has loads of personality, and he's a flat-out amazing singer. I read that when the group reunited, he was playing Simba in a Hong Kong production of The Lion King, and I can just imagine how awesome a job he did. But every member of the group is extremely talented, and it's the way they all work together that makes Straight No Chaser so magical. You never miss the instruments, and you often could swear that they're there. They are vocalists and band all in one. I do have to credit whoever was running the lights, though, because that aspect of the show was phenomenally done and really did add to the whole experience considerably.
Well before the end of the concert, they made a point of inviting us to join them in the lobby about 15 minutes after the show: “We want to meet all 2,222 of you!” I was a little surprised that so few in the sold-out audience took them up on this offer. We made our way to the lobby and watched as all but a few dozen folks filed out. There was a line set up, but it was too crowded at first for me to figure out where we were supposed to stand. By the time I did, even though we were among the first out of the theater, we wound up practically at the end of the line. But the last shall be first, and I'm very glad that we were bringing up the rear.
We snatched up one of the small promotional posters and chatted a bit with the guys behind the long table, and each of them signed the poster for me, and just out of curiosity, we stuck around for a few minutes while the others in line behind us had their turn. At that point, there were barely more than a dozen people left, and the ten members of the group arranged themselves on the Warner's elegant staircase so anyone who wanted a picture with them could get one. Obviously, I wasn't about to pass that up! My dad snapped two photos, both of which turned out great, particularly the first, which was absolutely perfect aside from the two guys in the back losing a couple inches off their heads. It's hard to get all those people in one shot. But there are 11 expansive smiles, and I stick out in my bright blue coat against the backdrop of all those snazzy black suits. They all seem like really nice, down-to-earth guys, and I thought it was classy of them to insist on staying to take pictures despite rumbling stomachs and concerns that, as the clock ticked toward 11:00, they might not be able to find a nearby place still serving food. I hope they did; they certainly earned their dinner that night.
If you have the opportunity to see Straight No Chaser in concert, definitely consider snatching up tickets. This was one of the most vivacious and vocally impressive concerts I've ever attended.
The group, in the form that we saw it, includes half of the original members from when it first formed in the late 1990s. The others were in the group in later years and came in as replacements for early members. The guys we saw include original members Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Jerome Collins, David Roberts and Walter Chase and newer members Michael Luginbill, Ryan Ahlwardt, Seggie Isho, Don Nottingham and Tyler Trepp. We bought our tickets back in June and managed seats in the seventh row, so we had a great view of the show, and the sound quality in the Warner Theatre was excellent as always.
At the beginning of the concert, there were the usual announcements, and I assumed that a dire warning against photography would ensue. Instead, however, the loudspeaker informed us that the Warner had waived its no-photography policy at SNC's request. We were not only allowed, we were encouraged to take pictures and even videos, and members of the group itself brought it up a couple more times throughout the show. I'm very glad I brought my camera. Wish I'd thought to change the batteries, but they managed to last me just long enough.
What I love about their stance on this is that Straight No Chaser became a phenomenon because their video went viral, and they are staying true to their roots. They understand and appreciate better than most how powerful word of mouth and social media can be. They want us to spread their pictures all over Facebook and pepper YouTube with video clips. Oh, and they totally cracked me up halfway through the show by actually bringing up the house lights and taking a few pictures of the audience. Which is actually a really neat idea, but I've certainly never seen it done before. The next day, they posted those photos, and I tagged myself and my parents, or at least the general area where I knew we were. Very cool.
The concert included a solid mix of Christmas music and regular pop. Most of the songs they performed were on one of their three albums, but there were several others I'd never heard them do before, so those were a treat. In between songs, there was a fair bit of talking as the guys shared anecdotes and background and introduced themselves to us. I still need to work on figuring out exactly who's who and wish they'd sold programs, which could have aided me in that endeavor, but every one of these guys is a great singer.
I loved the humor they brought to all of their interactions and so many of their performances. While a lot of the talking was rehearsed, there was a definite feeling of spontaneity to it. I got a chuckle out of the moment when all of the guys shouted out what they had majored in during college, and one of them said, “Women!” And then another one said, “He flunked out!” And when one of them asked, “How many of you out there like 'Nsync?” Then, after an enthusiastic response, he went on, “Yeah, we're not gonna do one of their songs, I just wanted to see how many of you I could get to admit that in public.” Hee! Seriously, though, I was never too into those guys, but they did have some great harmony.
The Christmas songs of the night were all drawn from their albums. The hyper, hilarious Christmas Can-Can closed the first act, while they saved The 12 Days of Christmas for the encore. That came as no surprise whatsoever to me, since for much of the audience, that was probably the only performance of theirs they'd ever heard before. It is Straight No Chaser's American Pie. If they're still together in some form a decade from now or even two, they'll still be saving that song for last, I'd wager. What did take me by surprise was the second encore, during which they performed their doo-woppy rendition of O Holy Night without any microphones. It was a wonderfully reverent moment. So was the mash-up of Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Angels We Have Heard on High, which included some truly celestial-looking blue lighting.
The lighting also made an impression during You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, when it was green and ominous as the basses of the group detailed the Grinch's many despicable qualities. More on the madcap end of things was the super-fast Jingle Bells and Donde Esta Santa Claus, which featured some very eyebrow-raising attempts at Latin-style dancing. Hey, Santa! was a lot of fun too, especially when some of the members jumped in to form a vocal brass section. They really are adept at imitating trumpets! While I confess myself a bit disappointed not to hear the gorgeous SNC originals Christmas Wish or Indiana Christmas, I loved all of their selections.
The range of music featured in the rest of the show was pretty diverse. From With a Twist, we got the exuberant cover of Three Dog Night's Joy to the World and the infectious mash-up of I'm Yours and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, as well as the melancholy Under the Bridge. LOST super-fan that I am, I would have loved to hear Wonderwall too, and The Living Years is probably my favorite track on that album. But most of their songs veered more toward the upbeat, allowing them to easily insert some visual humor. We got a taste of Marvin Gaye, the BeeGees and Lady Gaga, and Collins had everybody in stitches with his Michael Jackson moves during the mash-up of Billy Jean and Poison.
I was surprised that Don't Stop Believin' didn't get a bigger reaction, especially with its resurgence as the unofficial theme song for GLEE, though I did hear a rather delayed super-whoop from the upper reaches of the theater about 15 seconds into the song. I was rather taken aback at how pretty I found Madonna's Like a Prayer. Carole King's Hi De Ho was one I don't recall having heard before, but it was quite fun. Probably the number that got the biggest laugh out of this '80s child was the Saturday Morning Cartoon medley. Granted, The Simpsons and Family Guy were a little out of place there, but it was mostly theme songs to shows I grew up watching during that magical time of the week designed just for kids reprieved from school. I also loved the introductory remarks that included references to such '80s kid staples as the E-Z Bake Oven and Lite Brite (and having to physically get up and change the channel on the TV since none of us had remotes). A great nostalgia trip for me.
Going into the concert, I would have said that Jerome Collins was my favorite member of the group, as I love his soulful voice and, frankly, as the only African-American member, he's also the most distinct. After the concert, I'm doubly sure that he's my favorite, since barely a song went by in which he didn't steal the show at some point. That guy has loads of personality, and he's a flat-out amazing singer. I read that when the group reunited, he was playing Simba in a Hong Kong production of The Lion King, and I can just imagine how awesome a job he did. But every member of the group is extremely talented, and it's the way they all work together that makes Straight No Chaser so magical. You never miss the instruments, and you often could swear that they're there. They are vocalists and band all in one. I do have to credit whoever was running the lights, though, because that aspect of the show was phenomenally done and really did add to the whole experience considerably.
Well before the end of the concert, they made a point of inviting us to join them in the lobby about 15 minutes after the show: “We want to meet all 2,222 of you!” I was a little surprised that so few in the sold-out audience took them up on this offer. We made our way to the lobby and watched as all but a few dozen folks filed out. There was a line set up, but it was too crowded at first for me to figure out where we were supposed to stand. By the time I did, even though we were among the first out of the theater, we wound up practically at the end of the line. But the last shall be first, and I'm very glad that we were bringing up the rear.
We snatched up one of the small promotional posters and chatted a bit with the guys behind the long table, and each of them signed the poster for me, and just out of curiosity, we stuck around for a few minutes while the others in line behind us had their turn. At that point, there were barely more than a dozen people left, and the ten members of the group arranged themselves on the Warner's elegant staircase so anyone who wanted a picture with them could get one. Obviously, I wasn't about to pass that up! My dad snapped two photos, both of which turned out great, particularly the first, which was absolutely perfect aside from the two guys in the back losing a couple inches off their heads. It's hard to get all those people in one shot. But there are 11 expansive smiles, and I stick out in my bright blue coat against the backdrop of all those snazzy black suits. They all seem like really nice, down-to-earth guys, and I thought it was classy of them to insist on staying to take pictures despite rumbling stomachs and concerns that, as the clock ticked toward 11:00, they might not be able to find a nearby place still serving food. I hope they did; they certainly earned their dinner that night.
If you have the opportunity to see Straight No Chaser in concert, definitely consider snatching up tickets. This was one of the most vivacious and vocally impressive concerts I've ever attended.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Straight No Chaser Delivers Another Dose of Yuletide Harmony With Christmas Cheers
On November 29th, my parents and I will be going to see Straight No
Chaser in concert, which I expect to be an explosively fun experience.
We bought the tickets over the summer - though I’m kicking myself a bit
that I didn’t get them the day they were announced, as we probably
could’ve scored seats in the first couple of rows. Still, no matter
where we wind up in that cozy theater, I know the hall will be alive
with the sound of music, and it will wash over us just fine.
Given the fact that this is a post-Thanksgiving concert and that two of Straight No Chaser’s albums thus far have been Christmas releases, I’m going to take a leap and presume that a majority of the songs will be Christmassy in nature. If that’s not the case, I won’t mind; whatever these guys sing is gonna sound fantastic. But I confess I’m hoping for an extra dose of Holiday Spirits, along with this second album, Christmas Cheers, which was released in 2009 and features Ryan Ahlwardt, Walter Chase, Jerome Collins, Seggie Isho, Michael Luginbill, Charlie Mechling, Dan Ponce, David Roberts, Randy Stine and Tyler Trepp.
Straight No Chaser burst into the public consciousness in 2007 with their nearly decade-old performance of a seriously skewered version of The 12 Days of Christmas. This album closes with a studio version of it, and that’s great, but it makes you realize how much the delight of the audience fed the energy of that first performance. The recording feels a bit limp by comparison. It’s also nearly a minute shorter, partly due to a lack of audience response, partly because they seem to have sped it up just a bit, which kinda gives the appearance that they’re rushing through it. Still fantastic, just not quite as good as the live version.
While the harmonies on 12 Days are exceptional, it’s the marriage of harmony and humor that really got everyone’s attention, so I guess they figured they needed something comparable for their second album. Christmas Cheers opens with something brand-new and just as wacky: The Christmas Can-Can. This mixed-up medley created by Chase incorporates Can-Can, along with several Christmas songs, including Deck the Halls, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Angels We Have Heard on High, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In, Jingle Bells, Ode to Joy and, once again, The Dreidel Song.
Can-Can and several of the other songs get new, amusing lyrics having to do with the craziness of the holiday season that now seems to start midway through October. At times, we have two or three songs going at once, and you really get the feeling that you’re walking through a shopping mall where every store is blaring its own collection of Christmas carols and harried shoppers are brushing past you every time you turn around. And if you don’t happen to celebrate Christmas, you’re feeling disenfranchised as well as stressed. Pretty hard to try singing along with, but a hilarious opening track.
Hilarity seems to have been on their minds when they came up with this album, as several other tracks have comical elements. We Three Kings is straightforward lyrically, but it’s arranged in such a way that the traditional carol merges with the Mission: Impossible theme song. Which I suppose is rather fitting for an epic trek that must have come with a challenge or two... A really cool and unexpected mash-up. Donde Esta Santa Claus is a goofy little number, with the tone oscillating between lethargic and trippy. To bring out the mariachi flavor, there are occasional bursts of brass instruments, or at least that’s what it sounds like, though as far as I know, there are no instruments used on this album, so somebody in the group does a pretty mean imitation of a trumpet. Evidently this is not an original song, but it’s one I’d never heard before, and with its hearty mix of English and Spanish, it’s a bit odd. Fun, though.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer pretends that the guys are on an old-timey radio program, and theirs is a wonderfully doo-woppy version of the classic. Their first time through, they don’t add much in the way of embellishment, but on their second run, the lyrics suddenly take a turn for the bizarre. Rudolph becomes a “renegade Arctic deer” with a “nuclear” nose, and the whole thing gets a lot jazzier. Santa Claus Is Back in Town is mostly an Elvis tribute, with Ahlwardt reveling in his mimicry of the King of Rock as he becomes an Elvis-ish Santa seductively addressing the object of his affections. Well, he seems to think he’s being seductive, but he can’t go more than a sentence or two without mentioning food. Mostly, really gross food like mayonnaise candy canes and pigs’ feet-flavored eggnog. Blech! Speaking of eggnog, Who Spiked the Eggnog? is a finger-snappin’ silly fest in which everyone in the group stands accused of spiking the eggnog at the Straight No Chaser Christmas party. These guys are zany enough as it is; I don’t really think they need alcohol to help ‘em out!
While humor isn’t the main focus on most of the other tracks, it still seeps into most of them here and there. Hey, Santa! is a jazzy number reminding me of the Doobie Brothers’ Black Water. It’s a very peppy song that makes me smile. So does the R&B-flavored Let It Snow. Of course, You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch has some pretty ludicrous lyrics to start out with. I absolutely love what they’ve done with this one. It has a really mysterious sound to it, sounding like it would have a place in an old spy movie or something. At times, the melody line isn’t too far off from what we’re used to, but usually it deviates from it wildly, presenting an intriguing alternative to the familiar Thurl Ravenscroft version.
Jingle Bells is quick to the point of being a bit frenzied - as if the horses slipped on a patch of ice and sent the sleigh skittering out of control. In keeping with their habit of incorporating surprising songs into Christmas classics, they occasionally sing the words “jingle bells” to the tune of America from West Side Story, which adds to the fun, as does the spoken objection to the non-word “upsot”. Christmastime Is Here, by contrast, is downright drowsy, one of the few tracks that I imagine it would be possible to fall asleep to. A very soothing rendition with a dash of O Christmas Tree tossed in. I’ll Be Home for Christmas is another of the more sedate tracks, and it may be a challenger to Josh Groban for my favorite version of that song. Another pretty track, which starts out with the spooky whistling of wind, is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The R&B flavor is a nice touch.
I always say that my favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night, but I’ve never been able to find a recording of it that I consider definitive. Straight No Chaser’s is a little too peppy for me to give them the award. Nonetheless, while this is more upbeat than I’m used to hearing this song, the harmonies are just gorgeous, and the doo-wop style actually suits it wonderfully. It sounds all the more sincere for being so different. I was really hoping for an a cappella or near-a cappella version of this song on Celtic Thunder’s recent Christmas album; this almost makes up for its absence.
All things considered, I think I prefer Holiday Spirits to Christmas Cheers, mainly because I’m in love with the poignant Christmas Wish and Indiana Christmas, while all of the original songs on this album are madcap. Not that that’s a bad thing. If you want a laugh while you’re putting up those decorations, Christmas Cheers is sure to bring you cheer.
Given the fact that this is a post-Thanksgiving concert and that two of Straight No Chaser’s albums thus far have been Christmas releases, I’m going to take a leap and presume that a majority of the songs will be Christmassy in nature. If that’s not the case, I won’t mind; whatever these guys sing is gonna sound fantastic. But I confess I’m hoping for an extra dose of Holiday Spirits, along with this second album, Christmas Cheers, which was released in 2009 and features Ryan Ahlwardt, Walter Chase, Jerome Collins, Seggie Isho, Michael Luginbill, Charlie Mechling, Dan Ponce, David Roberts, Randy Stine and Tyler Trepp.
Straight No Chaser burst into the public consciousness in 2007 with their nearly decade-old performance of a seriously skewered version of The 12 Days of Christmas. This album closes with a studio version of it, and that’s great, but it makes you realize how much the delight of the audience fed the energy of that first performance. The recording feels a bit limp by comparison. It’s also nearly a minute shorter, partly due to a lack of audience response, partly because they seem to have sped it up just a bit, which kinda gives the appearance that they’re rushing through it. Still fantastic, just not quite as good as the live version.
While the harmonies on 12 Days are exceptional, it’s the marriage of harmony and humor that really got everyone’s attention, so I guess they figured they needed something comparable for their second album. Christmas Cheers opens with something brand-new and just as wacky: The Christmas Can-Can. This mixed-up medley created by Chase incorporates Can-Can, along with several Christmas songs, including Deck the Halls, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Angels We Have Heard on High, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In, Jingle Bells, Ode to Joy and, once again, The Dreidel Song.
Can-Can and several of the other songs get new, amusing lyrics having to do with the craziness of the holiday season that now seems to start midway through October. At times, we have two or three songs going at once, and you really get the feeling that you’re walking through a shopping mall where every store is blaring its own collection of Christmas carols and harried shoppers are brushing past you every time you turn around. And if you don’t happen to celebrate Christmas, you’re feeling disenfranchised as well as stressed. Pretty hard to try singing along with, but a hilarious opening track.
Hilarity seems to have been on their minds when they came up with this album, as several other tracks have comical elements. We Three Kings is straightforward lyrically, but it’s arranged in such a way that the traditional carol merges with the Mission: Impossible theme song. Which I suppose is rather fitting for an epic trek that must have come with a challenge or two... A really cool and unexpected mash-up. Donde Esta Santa Claus is a goofy little number, with the tone oscillating between lethargic and trippy. To bring out the mariachi flavor, there are occasional bursts of brass instruments, or at least that’s what it sounds like, though as far as I know, there are no instruments used on this album, so somebody in the group does a pretty mean imitation of a trumpet. Evidently this is not an original song, but it’s one I’d never heard before, and with its hearty mix of English and Spanish, it’s a bit odd. Fun, though.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer pretends that the guys are on an old-timey radio program, and theirs is a wonderfully doo-woppy version of the classic. Their first time through, they don’t add much in the way of embellishment, but on their second run, the lyrics suddenly take a turn for the bizarre. Rudolph becomes a “renegade Arctic deer” with a “nuclear” nose, and the whole thing gets a lot jazzier. Santa Claus Is Back in Town is mostly an Elvis tribute, with Ahlwardt reveling in his mimicry of the King of Rock as he becomes an Elvis-ish Santa seductively addressing the object of his affections. Well, he seems to think he’s being seductive, but he can’t go more than a sentence or two without mentioning food. Mostly, really gross food like mayonnaise candy canes and pigs’ feet-flavored eggnog. Blech! Speaking of eggnog, Who Spiked the Eggnog? is a finger-snappin’ silly fest in which everyone in the group stands accused of spiking the eggnog at the Straight No Chaser Christmas party. These guys are zany enough as it is; I don’t really think they need alcohol to help ‘em out!
While humor isn’t the main focus on most of the other tracks, it still seeps into most of them here and there. Hey, Santa! is a jazzy number reminding me of the Doobie Brothers’ Black Water. It’s a very peppy song that makes me smile. So does the R&B-flavored Let It Snow. Of course, You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch has some pretty ludicrous lyrics to start out with. I absolutely love what they’ve done with this one. It has a really mysterious sound to it, sounding like it would have a place in an old spy movie or something. At times, the melody line isn’t too far off from what we’re used to, but usually it deviates from it wildly, presenting an intriguing alternative to the familiar Thurl Ravenscroft version.
Jingle Bells is quick to the point of being a bit frenzied - as if the horses slipped on a patch of ice and sent the sleigh skittering out of control. In keeping with their habit of incorporating surprising songs into Christmas classics, they occasionally sing the words “jingle bells” to the tune of America from West Side Story, which adds to the fun, as does the spoken objection to the non-word “upsot”. Christmastime Is Here, by contrast, is downright drowsy, one of the few tracks that I imagine it would be possible to fall asleep to. A very soothing rendition with a dash of O Christmas Tree tossed in. I’ll Be Home for Christmas is another of the more sedate tracks, and it may be a challenger to Josh Groban for my favorite version of that song. Another pretty track, which starts out with the spooky whistling of wind, is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The R&B flavor is a nice touch.
I always say that my favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night, but I’ve never been able to find a recording of it that I consider definitive. Straight No Chaser’s is a little too peppy for me to give them the award. Nonetheless, while this is more upbeat than I’m used to hearing this song, the harmonies are just gorgeous, and the doo-wop style actually suits it wonderfully. It sounds all the more sincere for being so different. I was really hoping for an a cappella or near-a cappella version of this song on Celtic Thunder’s recent Christmas album; this almost makes up for its absence.
All things considered, I think I prefer Holiday Spirits to Christmas Cheers, mainly because I’m in love with the poignant Christmas Wish and Indiana Christmas, while all of the original songs on this album are madcap. Not that that’s a bad thing. If you want a laugh while you’re putting up those decorations, Christmas Cheers is sure to bring you cheer.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Hope Your True Love Gives You This...
December of 2008 turned out to be a rather momentous month for me, musically. That was when I listened to Celtic Thunder for the first time, and within a couple weeks of that, I heard Straight No Chaser’s The 12 Days of Christmas
on the radio at work, leading me to look the group up as soon as I got
home. I love Christmas music, but I’ll confess to generally finding that
song a bit tedious and strange. Who wants all that stuff? Especially
when half that “stuff” is people?
I’ve pretty much had it with straightforward versions of that song, but the controlled harmonic chaos of this a cappella group’s version is inspired, with something to make me laugh in every verse even as my ears bask in the tight blending of voices. Many others agreed with me; after the video, taken from a 1998 performance of the Indiana University a cappella group, got millions of hits, Atlantic Records came calling. Holiday Spirits - featuring Dan Ponce, Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, Mike Itkoff, Mike Luginbill and Ryan Ahlwardt - is the result.
The 12 Days of Christmas isn’t first, but I have to mention it first since it’s the one that launched the group into national awareness. Founder Dan Ponce’s brilliant arrangement allows the members to breeze through several verses at the same time, though how they can keep straight who’s singing what is a mystery. In addition to singing multiple verses at the same time, they creatively incorporate several traditional songs, including Deck the Halls, Frosty the Snowman, Here We Come A-Wassailing and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
It’s amusing to hear the rather grotesque Boar’s Head Carol, to which VeggieTales’ zany first Christmas album introduced me, tossed in, and Hanukkah gets an endearing nod with an individual outburst of The Dreidel Song. But it’s the inclusion of Toto’s Africa that really gets me. It feels so utterly random, and yet they get the song to fit the format so perfectly. Well, okay, I’ll admit that “drummers drumming like Olympus upon the Serengeti” doesn’t actually make much sense. But the whole thing is so off-kilter that the line just makes me smile. This instantly became one of my favorite Christmas recordings - and my hands-down favorite version of the song, beating out Garrison Keillor’s deranged sound effects fest - so I was excited to learn that there was more where that came from. While this track remains my favorite, the rest of the album provides just as much listening pleasure.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town starts off curiously sedate before turning into a peppy, doo-woppy number complete with finger-snapping and a distinctive backdrop of deep voices. Sound effects of various toys are a nice touch, and Collins, my favorite member of the group, has the lead. Jingle Bell Rock is on the mellow side, with lots of choral back-up, as is The Christmas Song, which also incorporates some jaunty whistling. Collins takes the spotlight again on This Christmas, a song I first heard from American Idol’s Ruben Studdard, though that version was a bit abrasive thanks to some intrusive instrumentation, whereas this one is smooth.
Christmas Wish has a sweetly earnest tone to it. One of two originals on the album, it is the plea of a lonely man longing for a love to share his Christmas with. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is pretty basic, but then Collins comes in with Angels We Have Heard On High, with all the other members providing tiny bursts of backup like cheerily blinking Christmas lights, and his soulful reading of “Come to Bethlehem and see” is among my favorite moments on the album. Considering the Beach Boys’ mastery of close harmony, Little Saint Nick was a natural choice for Straight No Chaser, and they have a lot of fun with it. This is one of only two songs to incorporate an external instrument: jingle bells. And you’ll want some of your own to shake along with the music.
Indiana Christmas is a touching original song in tribute to Indiana, which is in the tradition of many songs about going home for Christmas. I don’t know how many of the group’s members are actually from Indiana, but it was certainly home to all of them at one point. Accentuating the wistful tone of the song is the verse that includes a reflection on deceased loved ones. One of my favorite tracks. Sweet Little Jesus Boy is a lullaby I first heard on Anne Murray’s Christmas album, and their rendition is somber but tender. Collins takes the lead again on the peppy, pleading Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home), and the jingle bells make a welcome return as well.
Carol of the Bells is one of the coolest, incorporating God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen in the beginning and including lots of neat harmonies and voices imitating the sound of bells. From there, we move on to Silent Night, which starts off pretty straightforward before experimenting considerably with melody and harmony on the second verse and returning to a more traditional reading for the third verse. This is one of those songs you can almost guarantee you’ll find on most Christmas albums, and their version has much to recommend it. The album ends on a chipper note even though I generally think of Auld Lang Syne as a rather melancholy song. It sure doesn’t sound like it when they do it, and why should it? These old acquaintances certainly haven’t forgotten one another, nor are you likely to forget them after hearing this luminous reunion recording.
I’ve pretty much had it with straightforward versions of that song, but the controlled harmonic chaos of this a cappella group’s version is inspired, with something to make me laugh in every verse even as my ears bask in the tight blending of voices. Many others agreed with me; after the video, taken from a 1998 performance of the Indiana University a cappella group, got millions of hits, Atlantic Records came calling. Holiday Spirits - featuring Dan Ponce, Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, Mike Itkoff, Mike Luginbill and Ryan Ahlwardt - is the result.
The 12 Days of Christmas isn’t first, but I have to mention it first since it’s the one that launched the group into national awareness. Founder Dan Ponce’s brilliant arrangement allows the members to breeze through several verses at the same time, though how they can keep straight who’s singing what is a mystery. In addition to singing multiple verses at the same time, they creatively incorporate several traditional songs, including Deck the Halls, Frosty the Snowman, Here We Come A-Wassailing and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
It’s amusing to hear the rather grotesque Boar’s Head Carol, to which VeggieTales’ zany first Christmas album introduced me, tossed in, and Hanukkah gets an endearing nod with an individual outburst of The Dreidel Song. But it’s the inclusion of Toto’s Africa that really gets me. It feels so utterly random, and yet they get the song to fit the format so perfectly. Well, okay, I’ll admit that “drummers drumming like Olympus upon the Serengeti” doesn’t actually make much sense. But the whole thing is so off-kilter that the line just makes me smile. This instantly became one of my favorite Christmas recordings - and my hands-down favorite version of the song, beating out Garrison Keillor’s deranged sound effects fest - so I was excited to learn that there was more where that came from. While this track remains my favorite, the rest of the album provides just as much listening pleasure.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town starts off curiously sedate before turning into a peppy, doo-woppy number complete with finger-snapping and a distinctive backdrop of deep voices. Sound effects of various toys are a nice touch, and Collins, my favorite member of the group, has the lead. Jingle Bell Rock is on the mellow side, with lots of choral back-up, as is The Christmas Song, which also incorporates some jaunty whistling. Collins takes the spotlight again on This Christmas, a song I first heard from American Idol’s Ruben Studdard, though that version was a bit abrasive thanks to some intrusive instrumentation, whereas this one is smooth.
Christmas Wish has a sweetly earnest tone to it. One of two originals on the album, it is the plea of a lonely man longing for a love to share his Christmas with. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is pretty basic, but then Collins comes in with Angels We Have Heard On High, with all the other members providing tiny bursts of backup like cheerily blinking Christmas lights, and his soulful reading of “Come to Bethlehem and see” is among my favorite moments on the album. Considering the Beach Boys’ mastery of close harmony, Little Saint Nick was a natural choice for Straight No Chaser, and they have a lot of fun with it. This is one of only two songs to incorporate an external instrument: jingle bells. And you’ll want some of your own to shake along with the music.
Indiana Christmas is a touching original song in tribute to Indiana, which is in the tradition of many songs about going home for Christmas. I don’t know how many of the group’s members are actually from Indiana, but it was certainly home to all of them at one point. Accentuating the wistful tone of the song is the verse that includes a reflection on deceased loved ones. One of my favorite tracks. Sweet Little Jesus Boy is a lullaby I first heard on Anne Murray’s Christmas album, and their rendition is somber but tender. Collins takes the lead again on the peppy, pleading Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home), and the jingle bells make a welcome return as well.
Carol of the Bells is one of the coolest, incorporating God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen in the beginning and including lots of neat harmonies and voices imitating the sound of bells. From there, we move on to Silent Night, which starts off pretty straightforward before experimenting considerably with melody and harmony on the second verse and returning to a more traditional reading for the third verse. This is one of those songs you can almost guarantee you’ll find on most Christmas albums, and their version has much to recommend it. The album ends on a chipper note even though I generally think of Auld Lang Syne as a rather melancholy song. It sure doesn’t sound like it when they do it, and why should it? These old acquaintances certainly haven’t forgotten one another, nor are you likely to forget them after hearing this luminous reunion recording.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The 12 Days of Christmas Books
Several books take inspiration from the song The 12 Days of Christmas, including a couple about Chanukah and Kwanzaa.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Seven-Year-Old Emma Kragen's Vision Hits DVD in The 12 Dogs of Christmas
A couple of years ago, I happened upon The 12 Dogs of Christmas, a cute and simple book that parodies The 12 Days of Christmas
by having each day bring dogs of a different breed. Seven-year-old Emma
Kragen came up with the concept, while three adults helped with
photographing dogs and providing background illustrations. When I found
that this book had inspired a movie, I found it hard to imagine what
kind of film could come out of a mere listing of dogs of various breeds.
I put it in my queue, expecting something pretty silly. After two years
on the list, it finally made its way to my mailbox this month, and I
must say that while it was silly at times, it was better than I
anticipated.
The 12 Dogs of Christmas is a live-action family film set in the 1930s, with a running time of nearly two hours. It stars Jordan-Claire Green as Emma O’Conner, a plucky 12-year-old from Pittsburgh whose out-of-work father sticks her on a train to a town from his past, giving her the address of “Aunt Delores” and a promise to collect her by Christmas. Emma soon finds out that Delores (Bonita Friedericy) is not her aunt but her father’s former flame. She’s still got some pretty bitter feelings toward him and can’t believe his audacity in dropping his daughter on her doorstep.
Naturally, she eventually agrees, albeit reluctantly, to allow Emma to stay with her, though she insists upon her finding a job so she can pay for her food. She even thinks she has the perfect job for Emma - as lackey for the scuzzy local dogcatcher (John Billingsley), who has amorous intentions toward her. But Emma, despite initially professing a dislike for dogs, soon finds herself in league with Mike Stevens (Adam Hicks), a boy who, along with his mom Cathy (Susan Wood), is working diligently to undermine the dogcatcher at every opportunity. His position is especially nefarious because his brother, the mayor (Richard Riehle), in the movie’s most absurd plot point, has outlawed the owning of dogs within city limits, considering them a nuisance. So any dog he finds inside the city is fair game.
This is a direct-to-video movie that is sometimes a little over-the-top and slapsticky and relies on a couple of dubious premises. On the whole, however, it’s polished - infinitely more so than Dear Santa, the low-budget disaster of a movie Netflix last sent me - and the actors, though mostly unfamiliar to me, did their jobs well. I especially enjoyed Riehle, who I’ve seen in several projects, most notably Office Space. He provides a charming mix of pomposity and decency for the mayor. I also loved Eric Lutes, who guest starred in a memorable episode of Frasier, as the football coach who takes over direction of the children’s Christmas program at the last minute, leading him to team up with piano-playing Cathy. His sweet, bumbling manner is most endearing, making him my favorite character in the movie. It was also fun to see Austin Powers‘ Mindy Sterling as a harsh but not altogether unreasonable administrator.
The two young leads are unremarkable but effective. They don’t come across as cheesy, except perhaps Hicks in one scene, though Green is a bit wooden at times. In general, though, they do a good job. Friedericy and Billingsley are both over-the-top, but the former is mostly entertaining, while the latter is mostly grating. The movie, directed by Kieth Merrill and written by Merrill and Steven Paul Leiva, seems mostly historically accurate and reminds me of Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, which is set during the same time period.
Of course, one might argue that the entire purpose of this movie is to find an excuse to assemble a film version of Emma Kragen’s vision, and that does happen, in the form of the kids’ Christmas pageant. It’s a little too convenient that Cathy’s makeshift shelter just happens to contain exactly the right numbers of each type of dog to pull that off. That is the movie’s second-most-unbelievable plot point, but I’ll let it slide since it’s the scene around which the film was written.
The DVD includes a behind-the-scenes peek at the movie that mainly consists of poorly edited interviews with the actors. Lute’s segments are the best, as he infuses his responses with considerable wit. The kids - who include Hicks, Green and Alisha Mullally, who plays their classmate Miranda - seem giggly and nervous, and there’s something a bit eye-rolling about Green’s explanation that, in essence, the true meaning of Christmas is that dogs are lovable.
But dogs are lovable, at least to many of us. If that includes you, The 12 Dogs of Christmas might just bring a smile to your face.
The 12 Dogs of Christmas is a live-action family film set in the 1930s, with a running time of nearly two hours. It stars Jordan-Claire Green as Emma O’Conner, a plucky 12-year-old from Pittsburgh whose out-of-work father sticks her on a train to a town from his past, giving her the address of “Aunt Delores” and a promise to collect her by Christmas. Emma soon finds out that Delores (Bonita Friedericy) is not her aunt but her father’s former flame. She’s still got some pretty bitter feelings toward him and can’t believe his audacity in dropping his daughter on her doorstep.
Naturally, she eventually agrees, albeit reluctantly, to allow Emma to stay with her, though she insists upon her finding a job so she can pay for her food. She even thinks she has the perfect job for Emma - as lackey for the scuzzy local dogcatcher (John Billingsley), who has amorous intentions toward her. But Emma, despite initially professing a dislike for dogs, soon finds herself in league with Mike Stevens (Adam Hicks), a boy who, along with his mom Cathy (Susan Wood), is working diligently to undermine the dogcatcher at every opportunity. His position is especially nefarious because his brother, the mayor (Richard Riehle), in the movie’s most absurd plot point, has outlawed the owning of dogs within city limits, considering them a nuisance. So any dog he finds inside the city is fair game.
This is a direct-to-video movie that is sometimes a little over-the-top and slapsticky and relies on a couple of dubious premises. On the whole, however, it’s polished - infinitely more so than Dear Santa, the low-budget disaster of a movie Netflix last sent me - and the actors, though mostly unfamiliar to me, did their jobs well. I especially enjoyed Riehle, who I’ve seen in several projects, most notably Office Space. He provides a charming mix of pomposity and decency for the mayor. I also loved Eric Lutes, who guest starred in a memorable episode of Frasier, as the football coach who takes over direction of the children’s Christmas program at the last minute, leading him to team up with piano-playing Cathy. His sweet, bumbling manner is most endearing, making him my favorite character in the movie. It was also fun to see Austin Powers‘ Mindy Sterling as a harsh but not altogether unreasonable administrator.
The two young leads are unremarkable but effective. They don’t come across as cheesy, except perhaps Hicks in one scene, though Green is a bit wooden at times. In general, though, they do a good job. Friedericy and Billingsley are both over-the-top, but the former is mostly entertaining, while the latter is mostly grating. The movie, directed by Kieth Merrill and written by Merrill and Steven Paul Leiva, seems mostly historically accurate and reminds me of Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, which is set during the same time period.
Of course, one might argue that the entire purpose of this movie is to find an excuse to assemble a film version of Emma Kragen’s vision, and that does happen, in the form of the kids’ Christmas pageant. It’s a little too convenient that Cathy’s makeshift shelter just happens to contain exactly the right numbers of each type of dog to pull that off. That is the movie’s second-most-unbelievable plot point, but I’ll let it slide since it’s the scene around which the film was written.
The DVD includes a behind-the-scenes peek at the movie that mainly consists of poorly edited interviews with the actors. Lute’s segments are the best, as he infuses his responses with considerable wit. The kids - who include Hicks, Green and Alisha Mullally, who plays their classmate Miranda - seem giggly and nervous, and there’s something a bit eye-rolling about Green’s explanation that, in essence, the true meaning of Christmas is that dogs are lovable.
But dogs are lovable, at least to many of us. If that includes you, The 12 Dogs of Christmas might just bring a smile to your face.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Merry Monsters Abound in Elmo's 12 Days of Christmas
When I was in first grade, my teacher brought in A Sesame Street Christmas on vinyl. I’ve loved the Muppets for as long as I can remember, and I was especially taken with the version of The 12 Days of Christmas
that appeared on this album. So taken, in fact, that I begged my
teacher to let me borrow it, and she agreed. I suspect I had thoughts of
making a tape of the record, though since I can’t ever remember
listening to it after that year, I don’t think that happened. And now I
have a burning desire to see if I can get it on CD.
Anyway, the Sesame Street edition of 12 Days of Christmas was silly and personalized to reflect the wishes of the various characters. I vividly remember Cookie Monster was the first in the lineup and he got “one delicious cookie”. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, I can look up the other verses, which gives me a great nostalgic rush. Two of the featured characters are Muppets I barely remember, but most are more iconic, and Bert, Ernie, Oscar, Count and Big Bird have especially appropriate gifts to recount: argyle socks, rubber duckies, rusty trashcans, counts a-counting (I guess he’s lonely?) and pounds of birdseed.
The board book Elmo’s 12 Days of Christmas similarly takes the basic structure of the song and uses it as the jumping-off point for a Sesame Street-specific song, with an emphasis on Elmo, who is so very popular with the toddler set. In this book written by Sarah Albee and illustrated by Maggie Swanson, Elmo appears on every page, mostly accompanied by generic monsters, though Grover and Cookie Monster put in appearances.
While the Sesame Street version from the 1970s concentrates largely on the personalities of the individuals involved, this book is a celebration of Elmo’s imagination. On the first day, we have Elmo decorating a tree, a very Christmassy scene. Most of the other illustrations have little to do with the season at hand but are fun to look at. Instead of “one delicious cookie,” we get “two yummy cookies”. “Three French friends” yields monsters in berets and mustaches; “four calling monsters” chat on the phone.
The most unseasonal of the days is seven, on which the monsters are swimming in a kiddie pool. Considering the fact that Sesame Street is in New York City, this is not a December scene. “Eight monsters milking,” which takes place out on a farm, also seems very summery. By the time we get to eleven and twelve, it feels Christmassy again, with “eleven monsters piping” in kilts and bagpipes, perhaps my favorite illustration, and “twelve monsters drumming” in red drummer uniforms.
Albee sticks as close as she can to the original song while still making it Elmo-specific. Nine of the twelve verses contain the word “monster(s)”, and in several cases, that’s the only word that is changed. I would say that the first Sesame Street version is more creative, but I like this Elmo edition better than several other knock-offs I’ve seen. You can easily write a custom 12 Days of Christmas around just about any subject out there. It’s Swanson’s pictures that make this sturdy book so fun for pre-readers, and if they happen to start singing about monsters dancing instead of ladies, this song-that-never-ends won’t make any less sense than it already does.
Anyway, the Sesame Street edition of 12 Days of Christmas was silly and personalized to reflect the wishes of the various characters. I vividly remember Cookie Monster was the first in the lineup and he got “one delicious cookie”. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, I can look up the other verses, which gives me a great nostalgic rush. Two of the featured characters are Muppets I barely remember, but most are more iconic, and Bert, Ernie, Oscar, Count and Big Bird have especially appropriate gifts to recount: argyle socks, rubber duckies, rusty trashcans, counts a-counting (I guess he’s lonely?) and pounds of birdseed.
The board book Elmo’s 12 Days of Christmas similarly takes the basic structure of the song and uses it as the jumping-off point for a Sesame Street-specific song, with an emphasis on Elmo, who is so very popular with the toddler set. In this book written by Sarah Albee and illustrated by Maggie Swanson, Elmo appears on every page, mostly accompanied by generic monsters, though Grover and Cookie Monster put in appearances.
While the Sesame Street version from the 1970s concentrates largely on the personalities of the individuals involved, this book is a celebration of Elmo’s imagination. On the first day, we have Elmo decorating a tree, a very Christmassy scene. Most of the other illustrations have little to do with the season at hand but are fun to look at. Instead of “one delicious cookie,” we get “two yummy cookies”. “Three French friends” yields monsters in berets and mustaches; “four calling monsters” chat on the phone.
The most unseasonal of the days is seven, on which the monsters are swimming in a kiddie pool. Considering the fact that Sesame Street is in New York City, this is not a December scene. “Eight monsters milking,” which takes place out on a farm, also seems very summery. By the time we get to eleven and twelve, it feels Christmassy again, with “eleven monsters piping” in kilts and bagpipes, perhaps my favorite illustration, and “twelve monsters drumming” in red drummer uniforms.
Albee sticks as close as she can to the original song while still making it Elmo-specific. Nine of the twelve verses contain the word “monster(s)”, and in several cases, that’s the only word that is changed. I would say that the first Sesame Street version is more creative, but I like this Elmo edition better than several other knock-offs I’ve seen. You can easily write a custom 12 Days of Christmas around just about any subject out there. It’s Swanson’s pictures that make this sturdy book so fun for pre-readers, and if they happen to start singing about monsters dancing instead of ladies, this song-that-never-ends won’t make any less sense than it already does.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
On the First Night of Chanukah Is Simplistic But Fun
The 12 Days of Christmas is an incredibly easy song to adapt, so
it has spawned its own mini-genre of Christmas books. Cecily Kaiser and
Brian Schatell extend its influence by applying it to Judaism in On the First Night of Chanukah.
I’ve read different explanations for the items included in the original 12 Days of Christmas, but no matter how you slice it, that’s a pretty strange list. By contrast, the objects in this book make a lot more sense. Each page features something that is typically a part of a Chanukah celebration: eight candles, seven doughnuts, six finger puppets, five chocolate gelt, four dreidels, three Stars of David, two latkes and one menorah.
One each day, a different person is singled out as the giver. It starts with Mom, then Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, an aunt, an uncle, cousins and a teacher join in the festivities. The beginning of the book is fairly sedate, but by the end of it, it’s quite a rowdy party, with a house full of laugher and love.
Schatell’s illustrations are cartoonish, with each of the family members wearing large grins and sporting rosy cheeks, and as the celebration gains intensity, there are more and more details to discover in the cheerful pictures. One of the neatest elements is the Maccabee Playhouse the children use to put on a puppet show, a great way to bring the family together and let the history of the holiday leap to life in a striking way. I also like the way the candles in the menorah spell out CHANUKAH.
The story itself doesn’t offer explanations for what any of these items are. It’s just your basic 12 Days of Christmas spin-off, so it’s up to the pictures to do the talking, and the book really seems geared toward children who are Jewish. Hence, while it could be an educational tool, I don’t think that was Kaiser’s primary intention, and those who use it in such a way will probably want to include some supplementary materials.
In comparison to the number of Christmas books out there, Chanukah-related selections are fairly few and far between. This one is definitely geared toward the younger end of the age spectrum, and it doesn’t tell a very in-depth story. But it still manages to cover a lot of ground in terms of depicting traditional Chanukah festivities, and the fun, affectionate nature of the family makes On the First Day of Chanukah all the more appealing.
I’ve read different explanations for the items included in the original 12 Days of Christmas, but no matter how you slice it, that’s a pretty strange list. By contrast, the objects in this book make a lot more sense. Each page features something that is typically a part of a Chanukah celebration: eight candles, seven doughnuts, six finger puppets, five chocolate gelt, four dreidels, three Stars of David, two latkes and one menorah.
One each day, a different person is singled out as the giver. It starts with Mom, then Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, an aunt, an uncle, cousins and a teacher join in the festivities. The beginning of the book is fairly sedate, but by the end of it, it’s quite a rowdy party, with a house full of laugher and love.
Schatell’s illustrations are cartoonish, with each of the family members wearing large grins and sporting rosy cheeks, and as the celebration gains intensity, there are more and more details to discover in the cheerful pictures. One of the neatest elements is the Maccabee Playhouse the children use to put on a puppet show, a great way to bring the family together and let the history of the holiday leap to life in a striking way. I also like the way the candles in the menorah spell out CHANUKAH.
The story itself doesn’t offer explanations for what any of these items are. It’s just your basic 12 Days of Christmas spin-off, so it’s up to the pictures to do the talking, and the book really seems geared toward children who are Jewish. Hence, while it could be an educational tool, I don’t think that was Kaiser’s primary intention, and those who use it in such a way will probably want to include some supplementary materials.
In comparison to the number of Christmas books out there, Chanukah-related selections are fairly few and far between. This one is definitely geared toward the younger end of the age spectrum, and it doesn’t tell a very in-depth story. But it still manages to cover a lot of ground in terms of depicting traditional Chanukah festivities, and the fun, affectionate nature of the family makes On the First Day of Chanukah all the more appealing.
Monday, December 31, 2007
So Many Dogs, So Little Time...
Is there any song in the history of Christmas music more irritating and easier to lampoon than The 12 Days of Christmas?
Oh, I like the song just fine, but by the time that 12th repetition
rolls around, I'm usually good and ready to have it over and done with.
In fact, my favorite version of the song is the ludicrous sound effects
extravaganza included on A Prairie Home Christmas, which manages to slice the song's running time about in half.
Despite stories floating around that each item on the list was originally written as a code by which to learn important aspects of Christianity, that sounds like revisionism to me. If you can get some meaning out of it, great, but my sense of it is that the list is just a random compilation of gifts, most of which are completely ridiculous, particularly since everything but the rings is alive, meaning the speaker is the lucky recipient of 324 entities. Who needs that?
Apparently, 7-year-old Emma Kragen does. Many children dream of getting a dog for Christmas. Emma dreams of getting dozens of them. Imagine the chaos! Imagine the grocery bills! Of course, while Kragen came up with the concept, she had a little help bringing her idea to execution. Donald Fuller provided the photography, while Sharon Collins and Kelly Ann Moore were in charge of illustration and design. It's the mix that makes this board book especially fun. Doodly backgrounds surround lively photographed dogs, sure to bring giggles for dog-loving youngsters like Kragen.
The list includes...
1 Poodle
2 St. Bernards
3 Cocker Spaniels
4 Basset Hounds
5 Golden Retrievers
6 Boxers
7 Huskies
8 Sheepdogs
9 Chihuahuas
10 Dalmatians
11 Labs
and...
Well, I won't tell you what shows up on the 12th day, but it certainly shakes things up a bit! The pages are great fun and demonstrate the personalities of the various canines. I especially get a kick out of the golden retrievers' haloes; the Bernards may be the saints, but is there any more angelic breed than the perpetually good-natured golden retriever?
For added fun (and eventual annoyance), a CD with a recording of the song is included. If you really like the book, it inspired a movie; I haven't seen it yet, but I intend to check it out one of these days. For yet another twist on the song that keeps on giving, check out The 12 Dogs of Christmas.
Despite stories floating around that each item on the list was originally written as a code by which to learn important aspects of Christianity, that sounds like revisionism to me. If you can get some meaning out of it, great, but my sense of it is that the list is just a random compilation of gifts, most of which are completely ridiculous, particularly since everything but the rings is alive, meaning the speaker is the lucky recipient of 324 entities. Who needs that?
Apparently, 7-year-old Emma Kragen does. Many children dream of getting a dog for Christmas. Emma dreams of getting dozens of them. Imagine the chaos! Imagine the grocery bills! Of course, while Kragen came up with the concept, she had a little help bringing her idea to execution. Donald Fuller provided the photography, while Sharon Collins and Kelly Ann Moore were in charge of illustration and design. It's the mix that makes this board book especially fun. Doodly backgrounds surround lively photographed dogs, sure to bring giggles for dog-loving youngsters like Kragen.
The list includes...
1 Poodle
2 St. Bernards
3 Cocker Spaniels
4 Basset Hounds
5 Golden Retrievers
6 Boxers
7 Huskies
8 Sheepdogs
9 Chihuahuas
10 Dalmatians
11 Labs
and...
Well, I won't tell you what shows up on the 12th day, but it certainly shakes things up a bit! The pages are great fun and demonstrate the personalities of the various canines. I especially get a kick out of the golden retrievers' haloes; the Bernards may be the saints, but is there any more angelic breed than the perpetually good-natured golden retriever?
For added fun (and eventual annoyance), a CD with a recording of the song is included. If you really like the book, it inspired a movie; I haven't seen it yet, but I intend to check it out one of these days. For yet another twist on the song that keeps on giving, check out The 12 Dogs of Christmas.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Expand Your Cultural Awareness with The Seven Days of Kwanzaa
Several years ago, when my brother Benjamin came home from college for
Christmas, he and my brother Nathan went on a Christmas Eve shopping
expedition and returned laden with gifts that showed up under the tree
the next day in unusual wrapping. "I hope you're not offended," he said
before he brought the presents from their hideaway in his room. During
his shopping trip, he'd happened upon a roll of Kwanzaa paper, and the
rich African designs struck his fancy. I don't know why he thought we'd
be offended by such a display; I'm always happy to expand my cultural
awareness, and that goes for the rest of my family. Those particular
trappings just made his offerings that year all the more memorable.
I will admit, though, that my knowledge of Kwanzaa has been pretty limited, so I was happy to come across The Seven Days of Kwanzaa, a small paperback book that uses the framework of The Twelve Days of Christmas to explain the traditions of this relatively new holiday. A note by author Melrose Cooper in the back goes into greater detail discussing its origins in an African harvest festival and noting that the words used for the days of the week-long celebration are in Kiswahili, with which I am vaguely familiar in association with Lieutenant Uhura from the original Star Trek series.
The days and related objects are as follows:
Umoja (Unity) - a promise for unity
Kujichagulia (Control) - two drums
Ujima (Cooperation) - red (for struggle and bloodshed), green (for fairness and plant life) and black (for the people)
Ujamaa (Sharing of Profits) - four dollars
Nia (Purpose) - five friends
Kuumba (Creativity) - six handmade presents
Imani (Faith) - seven candles
Jeremy Tugeau’s pictures, which have a smudgy quality to them, depict several scenes of family togetherness and celebration of one’s culture. As the members of the extended family gather, they create gifts, make music and light candles, expressions of jubilation on their faces and colorful clothing on their bodies.
For children and for adults who want to learn a bit about this holiday, The Seven Days of Kwanzaa is a basic but enlightening introduction.
I will admit, though, that my knowledge of Kwanzaa has been pretty limited, so I was happy to come across The Seven Days of Kwanzaa, a small paperback book that uses the framework of The Twelve Days of Christmas to explain the traditions of this relatively new holiday. A note by author Melrose Cooper in the back goes into greater detail discussing its origins in an African harvest festival and noting that the words used for the days of the week-long celebration are in Kiswahili, with which I am vaguely familiar in association with Lieutenant Uhura from the original Star Trek series.
The days and related objects are as follows:
Umoja (Unity) - a promise for unity
Kujichagulia (Control) - two drums
Ujima (Cooperation) - red (for struggle and bloodshed), green (for fairness and plant life) and black (for the people)
Ujamaa (Sharing of Profits) - four dollars
Nia (Purpose) - five friends
Kuumba (Creativity) - six handmade presents
Imani (Faith) - seven candles
Jeremy Tugeau’s pictures, which have a smudgy quality to them, depict several scenes of family togetherness and celebration of one’s culture. As the members of the extended family gather, they create gifts, make music and light candles, expressions of jubilation on their faces and colorful clothing on their bodies.
For children and for adults who want to learn a bit about this holiday, The Seven Days of Kwanzaa is a basic but enlightening introduction.
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