[Muncle]

I was listening to one of the 24x7 Christmas Carol FM stations today. It was great and all that, but after a while I was hit by a blinding flash of the obvious. It dawned on me that almost every song I heard was one that we used to sing as kids. There were virtually no new carols (anything written in the last 40 years) except for a few lame rock 'n roll numbers.

Got to thinking about it. I was born in '46 and as I was growing up we had a ton of great carols. To me it seemed they'd been around forever, even though many of them were composed and first recorded in the 40's and early 50's. Of course the best ones were a couple hundred years old, but let's leave those out. Anyway, what hit me was that in our youth, we had all the carols, from Broadway and the movies like White Christmas and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and individually written like Mel Torme's Christmas Song.

There might be a few generally forgettable songs from Scrooge, Polar Express, or the Dr. Seuss stuff, but nothing that will be lovingly played every Xmas 50 years from now. 'Tis a pity.

By the by, one of my favorite movie scene and favorite Xmas carols was Judy Garland singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to Margaret O'Brien. I tear up just thinking about it.

[chuckinca]

No new Christmas Carols, Not many new musicals either (other that a few "rock operas")

.

[TallerTrees]

I love the OLD ones -- O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, Joy to the World, Oh Come All Ye Faithful.

But please of please don't let me have to hear 12 Days of Christmas.

Merry Christmas

[ejp52]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Did_You_Know%3F
This is a newer Carol,and Bowzer's group sang it at Savannah center last week.

[Peggy D]

This is such a beautiful song. I'm sure it will be around a long time.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by Muncle

I was listening to one of the 24x7 Christmas Carol FM stations today. It was great and all that, but after a while I was hit by a blinding flash of the obvious. It dawned on me that almost every song I heard was one that we used to sing as kids. There were virtually no new carols (anything written in the last 40 years) except for a few lame rock 'n roll numbers.

Got to thinking about it. I was born in '46 and as I was growing up we had a ton of great carols. To me it seemed they'd been around forever, even though many of them were composed and first recorded in the 40's and early 50's. Of course the best ones were a couple hundred years old, but let's leave those out. Anyway, what hit me was that in our youth, we had all the carols, from Broadway and the movies like White Christmas and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and individually written like Mel Torme's Christmas Song.

There might be a few generally forgettable songs from Scrooge, Polar Express, or the Dr. Seuss stuff, but nothing that will be lovingly played every Xmas 50 years from now. 'Tis a pity.

By the by, one of my favorite movie scene and favorite Xmas carols was Judy Garland singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to Margaret O'Brien. I tear up just thinking about it.

Oh Munc,

You nostalgic ol' boomer you.

You know, sometimes I think TOTV must really be the "Twilight Zone." A couple of days ago, I said, "I wonder how old Christmas Carols are. I need to look up the dates on some of them." Now, how weird is that? Can you hear that "Twilight Zone" theme playing in the background?

I am that person who knows all the words to all the verses of the sacred carols. Too bad I can't sing.

I was always an angel in the Christmas pageant in Sunday School. I won't kid you. I never got to be THE REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT ANGEL. Oh no, I had to just be one of those ones in the angel choir. I was the angel with the frizzy permanent and cateye glasses. We wore strands of garland for our halos. But I took my small part quite seriously. And I sang all those words sincerely as could be. (I was a nerd before nerd was a word.)

My sister hoped every year to get to be Mary, but that part always went to the really tall girl. My sister has never fully recovered from that. I think she still harbors resentment toward that tall girl.

And, Munc, did you by any chance have one of those "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" pop-up books from our childhood days? When I saw your post I actually went to the shelf and found mine. Oh dear, I think our childhood treasures are now antiques, Munc. Uh oh. I am saying too much.

Well, enough flashbacks for now. But thanks for the memories, you ol' boomer you.

Boomer

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Oh Munc,

You nostalgic ol' boomer you.

You know, sometimes I think TOTV must really be the "Twilight Zone." A couple of days ago, I said, "I wonder how old Christmas Carols are. I need to look up the dates on some of them." Now, how weird is that? Can you hear that "Twilight Zone" theme playing in the background?

I am that person who knows all the words to all the verses of the sacred carols. Too bad I can't sing.

I was always an angel in the Christmas pageant in Sunday School. I won't kid you. I never got to be THE REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT ANGEL. Oh no, I had to just be one of those ones in the angel choir. I was the angel with the frizzy permanent and cateye glasses. We wore strands of garland for our halos. But I took my small part quite seriously. And I sang all those words sincerely as could be. (I was a nerd before nerd was a word.)

My sister hoped every year to get to be Mary, but that part always went to the really tall girl. My sister has never fully recovered from that. I think she still harbors resentment toward that tall girl.

And, Munc, did you by any chance have one of those "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" pop-up books from our childhood days? When I saw your post I actually went to the shelf and found mine. Oh dear, I think our childhood treasures are now antiques, Munc. Uh oh. I am saying too much.

Well, enough flashbacks for now. But thanks for the memories, you ol' boomer you.

Boomer

I was the tall girl.

[KathieI]

Originally Posted by ejp52

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Did_You_Know%3F
This is a newer Carol,and Bowzer's group sang it at Savannah center last week.

Eddie, I never heard this carol... It was beautiful, thanks for sharing!

[jojo]

I'm having problems with radio reception despite buying an antenna at Best Buy. What stations are playing Christmas music 24/7? I miss that from back up north.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I was the tall girl.

Oh My! GG! You were the tall girl! When I said that my sister had never fully recovered from those Christmas pageants, that was the truth. She talks about it every Christmas. It will come up. I know it will. I do not make this stuff up. Really. So......you were the tall girl. Small world, huh.

And my Christmas wish for all of you....

"Comfort and Joy"

Boomer

[renielarson]

EJP
Eerie...my sister just sent me this exact song in an email earlier today.

[Muncle]

Originally Posted by jojo

I'm having problems with radio reception despite buying an antenna at Best Buy. What stations are playing Christmas music 24/7? I miss that from back up north.

Sorry it took me so long to get back. The stations I found are FM, 98.5 and 88.3.

[jojo]

Thanks Muncle. Now if I can get my indoor antenna to work.

[Muncle]

Two things -- I heard a great new version of an old carol today. It was "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" done in a very upbeat manner by the Barenaked Ladies with Sarah MacLachlan. Very unusual and quite good.

Second, I found a "fairly" new Xmas carol, written in 1970 and HUGE in the early-mid 70's. It's "Merry Christmas, Darling", written by Richard Carpenter and sung by Karen. Now just might be biased because I was truly in love with Karen Carpenter -- it was unrequited. If y'all remember, her anorexia was devastating to thousands, if not millions. Remember watching her just fade away. I think Karen made a lot of us realize that this new fangled anorexia was actually a disease that was really serious. Their "Christmas Collection" is one of the best Xmas albums around.

That's enuf rambling . . .

[schotzyb]

Ramble on , Munc. Never get tired of your posts. I too enjoyed The Carpenters. A big loss to all that loved their music.