The American Spectator : Christmas Melodies From Near and Far

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Special Report

Christmas Melodies From Near and Far

By William Tucker on 12.24.09 @ 6:08AM

There are many good reasons why they've become our favorite things.

(Page 2 of 2)

Mel Tormé and Bob Wells, two transplanted New Yorkers, wrote "The Christmas Song" while suffering through a Los Angeles heat wave in 1944. Jay Livingston and Ray Evans' "Silver Bells" debuted in Bob Hope's The Lemon Drop Kid (1950). "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," now the third most played Christmas song on ASCAP, was written by Hugh Martin while vacationing at his parents' home in Alabama. (Isn't it amazing how often inspiration came in non-wintery climes?) It was introduced by Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). And of course Bing Crosby introduced Berlin's "White Christmas" in Holiday Inn (1942).

So here's a question. If so many Christmas standards have been written by Jewish composers, why aren't there any good Hanukkah songs? After all, how many times can you sing, "Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel"?

Well, here's a nomination.

Several years ago my son was in a middle school chorus in Brooklyn. Every year they sang a hora-like Hanukkah song so mournful and stirring it made you want to be Jewish.

Light the candle, spin the dreidel,
Sing the songs that tell the fable

For years I wondered, "Why have I never heard this song anywhere else?" Then I discovered why. The chorus director, Alan Zwirn, a hard-working middle -school music teacher, had written it himself. Like all those other obscure 19th century parsons, he had gotten a melody in his head. I asked Zwirn if he had ever attempted to market it to congregations around the country. He said he had tried but had never had much luck. Still, I encouraged him not to give up. After all, "Jingle Bells," written years after James Lord Pierpont's failures in the Gold Rush, did not become popular until long after his death.

Merry Christmas to all.

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topics:
Christmas Carols

About the Author

William Tucker is the author of Terrestrial Energy: How Nuclear Power Will Lead the Green Revolution and End America's Energy Odyssey.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (38) | Leave a comment

Melvin| 12.24.09 @ 8:23AM

Bahhhh Humbug, damn secularists, atheists or whatever the hell these life hating people want to call themselves nowadays.
You what Christmas is? Whatever the hell you want it to be. To some it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. To others its the twinkle likes. And like me its a mix of both.
But the biggest impact of Christmas on me is? Memories. Memories of me bugging dad to drag the Christmas lights so we could put them and I would stand outside the house being mesmerized that Santa Clause was going to land on my very roof.
Living in Oregon at the time the whole place was filled up with Christmas trees, so the whole family would walk into the forest and pick out the Leppla Family Christmas tree, and if I had to climb a tree to cut the top out that made it all the better, and we would drag it out and throw it in dad's pickup truck as I sat in the back taking in the smell of Christmas.
Christmas was mom's time to make and bake intestinal treasures worthy of Santa's approval, and it all was filled with enough transfat to make a person drool. Back then we didn't call it transfat, we called it, "boy this is good."
The church, denomination I have long forgotten played Christmas music over Hillsboro as we gazed at the Nativity scene by the Court House as me and my sisters walked to the movies.
Back then being a little kid I didn't realize the religious significance of the Nativity I just like all the lights around it, and the fake camel that had been used so much the poor creature was suffering from camel baldness as the fake hair was falling out.
I couldn't wait to get back home from the movies to see if dad left the Christmas lights on as we walked down our long driveway and I squealed
with delight that he did.
Our driveway was dark and my sisters told me that monsters lurked in the shadows and they would get me if I stepped of the gravel driveway, but I didn't care as long as I saw my twinkle lights.
Today, I still stand outside the house in the cold gazing at the very same strings of Christmas lights that adorned my father's and mother's house when I was a kid. Dad and mom saved every one of them before they died and made me the keeper of the lights.
As my son climbs off the roof of my house because my wife won't let me up there anymore he stands beside me, and Tristan, Andre, Maddox, and Leigh ask in unison, "Grandpa, where is Santa going to land his sleigh?" I point up at the roof as my father did, "Right up there on grandma's and grandpa's roof."
This is one thing that the secularists and atheists don't get. Its the memories you fools, its the memories of tradition, families, food your not supposed to eat, and going to church for my one time a year to sing Christmassy songs with people I don't even know."
As I hold my youngest grandchild as he trying to sing along with his, "Wah, wah, wah to the Christmas music, I close my eyes and thank the man upstairs, for giving me such a wonderful life."

Alan Brooks| 12.24.09 @ 4:11PM

At the very least religion wins by default.

Alan Brooks| 12.24.09 @ 4:16PM

Which would you rather listen to? Silent Night, or Rap music?

Conservative School Counselor| 12.24.09 @ 9:30PM

Silent Night, rap music is a contradiction in terms.

Northern Rebel| 12.24.09 @ 10:13AM

Manheim Steamroller's "Silent Night", never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

Jabberwok| 12.24.09 @ 1:09PM

It is better in the original German as "Stille Nacht."

R Martin| 12.24.09 @ 1:07PM

Nice bit of research, Mr. Tucker. Did you do that work yourself? My daughter, who has master's degree in French, did not know about the French partridges. Thanks for your effort and have a Merry Christmas.

Margie| 12.24.09 @ 3:05PM

"Meanwhile, the Puritans had brought their dour attitudes to the New World and Christmas was not celebrated in Massachusetts until after the Civil War."

Perhaps these Christians didn't celebrate Christmas as such, but they certainly had no dour attitudes.
Read this wonderful book if you want to see a bit of truth about them. And the truth about Christopher Columbus as well.
"The Light and the Glory" by Peter Marshall.

Dan| 12.24.09 @ 8:46PM

The real story, which the American Spectator is IGNORING, is that Barack Hussein Obama and his family are not attending church tomorrow for Christmas. When can we start calling this Muslim what he is?

Grant| 12.25.09 @ 9:42AM

60% of Israelis when polled express their belief that our president is a Muslim. They are correct. According to shariah, if ones father is a Muslim, one is a Muslim. Period.
No one need point out that his mother's second husband was a Muslim, too. Add to the mix that Grandpa Dunham had that good Commie friend, Frank, too. While it still doesn't make sense (Commies? Muslims? U.S.A. 1960s?), at least the mystery is gone. Bill Ayers and Rev. Wright must have seemed immediately familiar.
Things must have been complicated for young Barack in Indonesia, however. Suharto, an anti-Communist Muslim, came to power, so the larger struggle in Indonesia was between the two sides of his family, as it were.

victor| 12.27.09 @ 7:04PM

You forgot that his step-father Lolo, adopted young Barry so that he could attend muslim schools in Indonesia and that was how he went to Pakistan in 1980. On an Indonesian passport.
PS it also means he is an apostate muslim and subject to death.

WRJonas | 12.25.09 @ 8:55AM

To hear a wonderful and spirited version of Handels Messiah is a treat which never fails to delight. As the chorus grows and swells the hallelujahs become vocal waves we can imagine vast oceans of spirit angels praising God..... for he shall reign forever and ever ,... hallelujah, hallelujah hallelujah.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Margie| 12.25.09 @ 10:29AM

I agree. Handel's Messiah has to be the most beautiful of them all.

victor| 12.27.09 @ 7:10PM

Here is the link to most likely the best version that is not in the original orchestration, which is wonderful as well, this version is quite magnificent.
Well worth the money. This was aChristmas present for my wife one year.
Bring's tears to one's eyes.
Though I had one boss turn it down one Christmas. Did not like Messiah or Classical for that matter.

http://www.amazon.com/Messiah-.....amp;sr=1-1

Grant| 12.25.09 @ 9:29AM

"Good King Wenceslas" gets my vote. In the later verses, the saint sets a perfect example of confident, manly belief when he tells the page to "Follow me". The good king went on a charity mission, at night, through the cold and snow. Contrasting examples are too numerous to elaborate.

Sam| 12.26.09 @ 1:46AM

I was raised in Jewish traditions, but I'm not gonna lie- Hannukah songs in no way compare to Christmas songs.

And Alan, FYI- I listen to rap music all the time. But everyone knows Christmas is special and that one puts 50 cent and Lil Wayne off to the side in order to here Christmas music. You can listen to rap music and still have a special place for Christmas music.

And by the way- for all of you wondering, I'm 19 so there might be a generational gap with regards to me listening to rap...

victor| 12.27.09 @ 7:28PM

Not to worry, it's only a phase, you'll grow out of it.
One day you might even listen to Miles, Mozart or Messiah, eh?

cuban pete| 12.27.09 @ 8:06PM

...and Parker and Purcell.

duong| 12.26.09 @ 11:20PM

:D May this New Year bring many opportunities your way, to explore every joy of life and may your resolutions for the days ahead stay firm, turning all your dreams into reality and all your efforts into great achievements. “MERRY CHRISMAST & HAPPY NEW YEAR”
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somnolence| 12.26.09 @ 11:29PM

Handel's Joy To The World puts the repetitious chorus of The Messiah to shame. My condolences to all the world choirs that have to go through that toil and suffering.

victor| 12.27.09 @ 7:31PM

"somnolence" Apt name.
Your big brother "Stupor" couldn't make it?

Somnolence is a state of near-sleep,
It is considered a lesser impairment of consciousness than stupor.

Margie| 12.27.09 @ 3:59PM

"The LORD GOD Omnipotent reigneth.. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Amen.
:^)

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gaia gold| 12.28.09 @ 8:52PM

Somnolence is a state of near-sleep,
It is considered a lesser impairment of consciousness than stupor.

somnolence| 12.28.09 @ 10:00PM

Ah, but I am awake enought to be personally intolerant of the repetitious "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah." I do not like repetitive oaths or sentences, or phrases or lieder within any format. At least Handel achieved lyrical clarity with Joy To The World. Somnolence can also imply that you (I) always have one unwavering eye open. I'm so glad that I didn't participate in high school choir over 40 years ago when I was picked by the director as best baritone in the class after an impromptu performance. I eventually would have had to sing that loathsome yuletide abomination.

Radegunda| 12.29.09 @ 9:52PM

One of the very best Christmas melodies is "Mary's Little Boy-Child," which I recently learned was written by Jester Hairston--a name I had never heard before.

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