Copy Edited by Samia Orva
As humans, we associate sounds (specifically music) with things: a place, object, or person. With the weather getting cooler, the nights getting longer, and snow beginning to fall, we all have one thing on our mind — the holiday season. The most popular of the major holidays that fall around this time of year is Christmas. Being the most commercialized holiday in the world, artists have taken advantage of wintertime to not only make good money, but to express their love for the season.
Surprisingly, many renditions of the holiday songs that we have grown to know and love are not original songs. “Sleigh Ride,” for instance, was originally composed by Leroy Anderson and was not even intended to be an anthem for the holiday season. However, in 1950, Mitchell Parish added lyrics to the tune, creating one of the first songs people associate with the festivities. My favorite rendition of this classic is by jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald. Her jazzy voice and utilization of trumpets in the background really enhances the warm feeling you get from this song. It creates a whole new level of coziness for the listener.
One cannot talk about holiday tracks without mentioning one of the most memorable names in Christmas music, Brenda Lee. At just thirteen years old, she released her original song to commemorate the season, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Lee combined her memorable voice, capable of reaching many ranges, with a snazzy and upbeat instrumental. This song is definitely one of the more popular songs you might hear, especially when shopping in a department store. An upbeat instrumental combined with catchy lyrics create the perfect Christmas bop, and that is exactly what Brenda Lee did.
Despite many of the aforementioned tracks being more cheery, not all Christmas music is like that. A good example of this is “White Christmas.” Its slow tune is refreshing to listeners, as many mainstream holiday tunes can come across as loud, eventually causing people to grow weary of it. In recent years, modern jazz style artists such as Michael Bublé have added a little more pizazz to the track. Bublé’s crystal clear vocals have rejuvenated the holiday genre and added a contemporary feel to the beloved classic.
Although many of the Christmas songs we know and love are (somewhat) “vintage,” many modern classics have continued to emerge. In 1984, Wham! released their single “Last Christmas,” in which George Micheal and Andrew Ridgeley regret giving someone their heart as a christmas gift, only for the person to give it away the day after. This adds a romantic and tragic twist to the holiday, one which we do not see portrayed very often in these types of songs. Mariah Carey continues to add a romantic theme to the genre in her 1994 track, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Carey adds a new pop twist, utilizing her masterful pitch control and rhythmic sound.
No matter the sound, lyrics, or age of a holiday song, they are all iconic in their own respect. Each song brings up memories that allow us to connect to others and truly get into the holiday spirit. Happy holidays!