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 Easy Listening by Perry Como Cassette $1.00 End Date: Thursday May-24-2012 19:04:50 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.00 Buy It Now | Bid now | Add to watch list |
 JUKEBOX TAG COMOPerry 45rpm Juke Song Title StripEXC $2.00 End Date: Friday Jun-1-2012 20:10:15 PDT Buy It Now for only: $2.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Secrets Perry Como 1946 $1.00 End Date: Monday Jun-18-2012 16:23:23 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Surrender Perry Como 1946 $1.00 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 20:50:17 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 I Dont See Me In Your Eyes Anymore Perry Como 1949 $1.00 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 6:25:50 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Zing Zing Zoom Zoom Perry Como 1950 $1.00 End Date: Thursday Jun-14-2012 17:37:09 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Surrender Perry Como 1946 $1.00 End Date: Thursday Jun-14-2012 17:37:09 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 My Love and Devotion Perry Como 1952 $1.00 End Date: Saturday Jun-23-2012 8:57:46 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 1949 A DREAMERS HOLIDAY PERRY COMO VINTAGE SHEET MUSIC SONG BOOK FREE SH $3.37 End Date: Thursday Jun-21-2012 21:12:04 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.37 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como The Songs I Love Record LP vinyl w Mitchell Ayres DAVID HECHT $0.99 End Date: Thursday May-31-2012 11:10:04 PDT |
 Prisoner Of Love 1931 Perry Como Leo Robin Clarence Gaskill 4302 $0.49 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 18:31:29 PDT |
 ORIGINAL GENUINE PERRY COMO DEE PALMER ELMO TANNER PLUS OTHER SIGNED PAGE $0.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 17:16:56 PDT |
 Youll Know When It Happens 1946 Perry Como $0.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 18:56:55 PDT |
 Vintage Sheet Music Rumors Are Flying Perry Como 1946 $1.00 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 15:08:44 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Mandolins in the Moonlight Perry Como 1958 $1.00 End Date: Thursday May-31-2012 7:12:45 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 If You Were The Only Girl Perry Como 1929 $1.00 End Date: Friday Jun-1-2012 12:31:46 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 When You Were Sweet Sixteen Perry Como 1944 $1.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-3-2012 7:23:50 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 I Want To Thank You Folks Perry Como 1947 $1.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-3-2012 8:31:00 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Sonata Perry Como 1946 $1.00 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 15:40:22 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 I Wanna Go Home Perry Como 1945 $1.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-10-2012 18:16:18 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 I Dont See Me In Your Eyes Anymore Perry Como 1940 $1.00 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 6:35:17 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Vintage Sheet Music Its A Big Wide Wonderful World Perry Como 1940 $1.00 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 15:40:47 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Long Ago Far Away Perry Como Legacy 2000 10 10 Music $3.87 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 20:30:17 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.87 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Love Letters Music $3.87 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 0:50:04 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.87 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Im Confessin Perry Como Memoir Records 1999 02 19 Music $3.87 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 18:26:15 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.87 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Perry Como Time Music 2002 06 24 Music $3.87 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 6:25:29 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.87 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Till the End of Time Perry Como Laserlight 2004 06 08 Music $3.87 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 8:23:36 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.87 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Incomparable Perry Como Prism Import Music $3.87 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 13:34:56 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.87 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Audio CD Ill Be Home for Christmas $3.89 End Date: Sunday Jun-3-2012 2:26:34 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.89 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Audio CD They Call Him Mr Cool $3.89 End Date: Monday Jun-11-2012 2:12:07 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.89 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Moon Talk $0.75 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 14:32:54 PDT |
 Perry Como Collection 23 Old Time Radio Shows OTR MP3 $3.95 End Date: Thursday May-24-2012 20:51:58 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.95 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 PERRY COMO The Songs I Love LP RCA Victor LSP 2708 $3.95 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 8:04:17 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.95 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas with Perry Como BMG by Perry Como CD Sep 2003 BMG Special $3.95 End Date: Saturday Jun-23-2012 11:49:22 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.95 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 JUDY GARLAND BING CROSBY NAT KING COLE PERRY COMO A $0.98 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 18:41:24 PDT |
 Star Power Perry Como by Perry Como CD Nov 2001 Direct Source $0.99 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 8:09:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: $0.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Time Life by Perry Como CD Jun 2002 Time Music $0.99 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 10:00:43 PDT Buy It Now for only: $2.95 Buy It Now | Bid now | Add to watch list |
 8 Track Tape Old Time Pop Music Perry Como And I Love You So Rca Stereo Records $0.99 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 14:57:08 PDT |
 45 RPM PERRY COMO WANTED $0.99 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 10:44:36 PDT Buy It Now for only: $0.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 PERRY COMO DONT YOU FORGET IT ONE MORE MOUNTAIN 45 RECORD $0.99 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 11:50:15 PDT |
 So Smooth We Get Letters by Perry Como CD Mar 2006 Collectables $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 13:07:31 PDT |
 Dont Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes 1952 Perry Como Slim Willet 4329 $0.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 8:31:36 PDT |
 Perry Como record album We Get Letters $0.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 20:21:25 PDT |
 VINTAGE SHEET MUSIC 1947 WHEN YOU WERE SWEET SIXTEEN RECORDED BY PERRY COMO $0.99 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 9:31:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.99 Buy It Now | Bid now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas with Perry Como BMG by Perry Como CD Sep 2003 BMG Special $0.99 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 8:16:56 PDT |
 K tels Original Christmas Classics Andy Williams Perry Como with C Good $3.99 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 15:12:38 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 PURE GOLD PERRY COMO CASSETTE $0.99 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 16:01:37 PDT |
 Perry Como The Scene Changes 8 TRACK TAPE Untested $0.99 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 16:43:16 PDT |
 Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music Perry Como Good $3.99 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 1:44:47 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Seasons Greetings from Perry Como LP 1959 $0.99 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 9:09:54 PDT Buy It Now for only: $0.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 The Pallbearer Al Green Perry Como Herbie Han Very Good Soundtrack $1.00 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 19:20:27 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 ROSEMARY CLOONEY GENE AUTRY PLATTERS PERRY COMO BING CROSBY LES BROWN FRED $3.99 End Date: Saturday Jun-16-2012 15:13:37 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
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 Seasons Greetings Perry Como Good $1.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 19:25:24 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 They Call Him Mr Cool by Perry Como CD Sep 2002 $0.99 End Date: Monday Jun-18-2012 11:07:42 PDT Buy It Now for only: $0.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Comos Golden Records by Perry Como Cassette $1.00 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 10:01:32 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas With Perry Como Perry Como Acceptable $1.00 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 23:41:32 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 25 Hits of the 50s Volume 3 Perry Como Nat King Col $4.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-3-2012 15:12:10 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como All Time Greatest Hits Vol 1 by Perry $4.00 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 11:41:49 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 1945 PEERLESS SCALES PERRY COMO NM 402823 $4.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 5:42:25 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 1945 PEERLESS SCALES PERRY COMO NM 402816 $4.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 5:42:27 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 1945 PEERLESS SCALES PERRY COMO NM 402807 $4.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 5:42:34 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 1945 PEERLESS SCALES PERRY COMO NM 402800 $4.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 5:42:37 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Its Impossible new sealed cassette tape $1.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 10:10:14 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como All Time Greatest Hits Vol 1 Perry Como Acceptable $1.00 End Date: Friday Jun-22-2012 7:59:44 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 PERRY COMO WWII Sheet Music I WANNA GO HOME 1945 LOOKS COOL $2.09 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 10:20:17 PDT Buy It Now for only: $2.09 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Today Perry Como Very Good $4.07 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 4:56:18 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.07 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas With Perry Como by $4.13 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 17:56:07 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.13 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas Favorites Dean Martin Perry Como Bing Crosby Mel Torme $4.15 End Date: Tuesday Jun-19-2012 8:27:07 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.15 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 PERRY COMO Seattle VG+ 45 RPM REISSUE $0.19 (1 Bid) End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 17:20:36 PDT |
 Perry Como More Glendora 1956 RCA Victor 45 $1.25 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 15:44:13 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.25 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como If We Cant Be the Same Old Sweethearts $1.25 End Date: Thursday Jun-7-2012 19:50:58 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.25 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Magic Moments Best of Perry Como Bmg Special Product 2003 10 24 Music $4.23 End Date: Monday Jun-11-2012 0:44:25 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.23 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 PERRY COMO DELAWARE RCA 45 1960 $1.99 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 12:59:45 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 There Never Was A Night Perry Como Sheet Music 1950 $0.99 End Date: Thursday Jun-21-2012 14:41:26 PDT Buy It Now for only: $0.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Say Youre Mine Again Perry Como 1952 $0.99 End Date: Friday Jun-22-2012 7:36:45 PDT Buy It Now for only: $0.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Comos Golden Records by Perry Como CD Apr 1992 RCA $1.50 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 20:49:43 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.50 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Pure Gold Cassette 1975 $1.25 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 16:57:14 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.25 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Legendary Performer VG+ w booklet included $0.77 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 22:44:06 PDT |
 PERRY COMO Hes Got The Whole World In His Hands VG+ 45 RPM EP RECORD ONLY $0.29 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 18:30:55 PDT |
 Perry Como Dream Along With Me Audio CD $4.31 End Date: Wednesday Jun-6-2012 17:48:21 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.31 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas With Perry Como Perry Como Excellent $4.39 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 18:13:55 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.39 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas with Perry Como by Perry Como CD Sep 200 $1.49 End Date: Wednesday Jun-6-2012 13:10:09 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.49 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 POPCORN BALLAD 45 PERRY COMO DREAM ON LITTLE DREAMER MY OWN PECULIAR WAY $0.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 14:07:14 PDT |
 Perry Como Dream Along With Me LP Record 1957 CAL403 $4.49 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 23:28:32 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.49 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 PATRICIA Sheet Music Benny Davis Perry Como 1950 VTG $4.49 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 11:21:50 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.49 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 HOT DIGGITY Juke Box Baby PERRY COMO $3.49 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 15:18:41 PDT Buy It Now for only: $3.49 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Christmas with Perry Como by Perry Como CD Sep 2003 BMG Special Products $4.49 End Date: Saturday Jun-2-2012 15:58:16 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.49 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como Sing To Me Mr C LP Record 1961 $4.49 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 10:46:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.49 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Perry Como When You Come To The End Of The Day LP $4.49 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 10:51:03 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.49 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Seattle Perry Como Custom Edition RCA 1973 vinyl record album $4.50 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 16:30:03 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.50 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 45RPM PERRY COMO MI CASA SU CASA ROUND AND ROUND RCA RECORDS 47 6815 $4.50 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 5:38:59 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.50 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 Vintage 1956 Release Perry Comos Golden Records 45rpm 4 Songs RCA Victor $1.99 End Date: Sunday Jun-10-2012 1:28:47 PDT Buy It Now for only: $1.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
 WAITIN FOR THE TRAIN TO COME IN FEATURED PERRY COMO SHEET MUSIC COVER ONLY $4.50 End Date: Monday Jun-11-2012 10:02:28 PDT Buy It Now for only: $4.50 Buy It Now | Add to watch list |
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The Twelve Songs of Christmas: Surprising Secrets of the
Season's Most Popular Tunes
The holidays are filled with joyful emotions and honored
traditions, including the playing of songs about snowmen, St.
Nick, evergreen trees, and presents wrapped up with big pretty
bows. No matter how you celebrate the season, you'll hear these
songs on the radio, on TV, at the mall, in the office, and just
about anywhere music is performed.
If you think the same songs are played over and over, you're
right, but if this bothers you, consider the alternative:
Christmas carols were banned in England between 1649 and 1660.
Oliver Cromwell, serving as Lord Protector of Britain, believed
Christmas should be solemn and also banned parties, limiting
celebrations to sermons and prayer services.
Lots of holiday songs are festive, many have spiritual
overtones, and all are played so often that they are familiar no
matter what your faith. But what do you know about how these
songs were created and the people who wrote them?
There are some fascinating facts behind this memorable music.
So, toss a log in the fireplace, pour yourself a hot toddy or
some cold eggnog, and sit back as we reveal the secrets behind
many of the tunes you are going to be hearing dozens of times
during December.
"The Christmas Song," Mel Torme and Bob Wells, 1944. On a
sweltering July day in Los Angeles, 19-year-old jazz singer
Torme worked with 23-year-old Wells to create this beautiful
tune. Full of wintry images and a charming wistfulness for all
the delights of the season, the song became an enormous hit by
Nat "King" Cole the following year. In Torme's autobiography, he
says Wells wasn't trying to write lyrics but was simply jotting
down ideas that would help him forget about the heat wave.
"The First Noel," Traditional, 16th or 17th century. Some say
this is a song with a British background while others insist it
has French origins. So far, no one has any definitive proof. Two
thing are for certain: first, it's very popular if two countries
are claiming it; and second, counting the title, the word "Noel"
appears in the song 30 times.
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," Felix Mendelssohn, Charles
Wesley, and William Cummings, 1739-1855. Wesley's opening line
was "Hark how all the welkin rings" and he protested when a
colleague changed it. Wesley wanted a slow and solemn anthem for
his song, but William Cummings set the lyrics to rousing music
by Felix Mendolssohn (from a cantata about movable type inventor
Johann Gutenberg). For his part, Mendolssohn specified that his
composition only appear in a secular context, not spiritual. So
both original authors' wishes were thwarted in the creation of
this glorious song.
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Hugh Martin and Ralph
Blane, 1943. The songwriting team of Martin (music) and Blane
(lyrics) worked together for five decades, producing Oscar- and
Tony-nominated songs. This hauntingly lovely tune was made
famous by Judy Garland in the 1944 film, "Meet Me in St. Louis."
While the song is a bittersweet gem, the original lyrics were
actually darker and not to Garland's liking. Since she was a
huge star at the time, and was dating the film's director,
Vincent Minnelli (she married him the following year), the
changes were made.
"I'll Be Home for Christmas," Kim Gannon and Walter Kent, 1942.
Gannon (lyrics) and Kent (composer) worked often together, but
even with her three Academy Award nominations, nothing was as
successful as this wartime song. By getting it to Bing Crosby,
they were assured of big sales even though it competed with
Crosby's recording of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." The
song is a perennial favorite, and appears often in films,
including "Catch Me If You Can" and "The Polar Express."
"Jingle Bells," James Pierpont, 1850s. Starting out as a lively
celebration of the Salem Street sleigh races, the song called
"One-Horse Open Sleigh" made a fast transition to the more sober
atmosphere of the church social and became known as "Jingle
Bells." While there are four verses, only the first is usually
sung because of the lyrics in the remaining three verses. A
woman named Fannie Bright appears in verse two, which also
features a sleigh crash. The third verse displays an
anti-Samaritan laughing at a fallen sleigh driver and leaving
him sprawled in a snow bank, while the final verse offers such
lines as "Go it while you're young" and "Take the girls
tonight." Ah yes, just good clean mid-nineteenth century fun.
"Joy to the World," Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason, 1719 and 1822.
The words, inspired by the 98th Psalm, were written by Watts, a
British pastor, preacher, and poet. More than a century later,
banker and choral teacher Mason composed music for the piece but
attributed it to Handel, presumably to make the hymn more
popular. It took another century for the hoax to be uncovered.
"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Johnny Marks, 1949. Beginning
as a coloring book written by advertising copywriter Robert L.
May in 1939, the story of an unloved caribou triumphing over
adversity was a promotional item for Montgomery Ward department
stores. May's fairy-tale was enormously popular, and became even
more so when May's brother-in-law, songwriter Marks, composed
music and lyrics and got the composition to singer Gene Autry.
That version sold 2 million copies the first year alone. While
most of the other reindeer names were invented by Clement Moore
in his 1822 poem, "The Night Before Christmas," the hero of the
May story was called Rollo. Wait, that name was nixed by store
executives, so he became Reginald. Oops, that was rejected, too.
Finally, May's daughter suggested Rudolf.
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Haven Gillespie and J. Fred
Coots, 1932. After countless versions by stars as varied as
Bruce Springsteen and Perry Como, it's hard to believe that
Gillespie and Coots' song was turned down all over town because
it was "a kid's song." Even though Coots was a writer on the
Eddie Cantor radio show, Cantor at first passed on the song,
only agreeing to do it at the urging of his wife. Now it's so
successful there's even a parody version by Bob Rivers (in the
style of Springsteen) called "Santa Claus is Foolin' Around."
"Silent Night," Joseph Mohr and Franz X. Gruber, 1816-1818.
There are numerous stories and fanciful speculations about the
origin of this beautiful song. Tossing aside the more lurid
stories, we are left with this: the poem, "Stille Nacht," was
written by Mohr, who became assistant pastor of the St. Nicholas
Church (really!) in Oberndorf, Austria. Mohr gave the poem to
Gruber, the church organist, reportedly on Christmas Eve, 1818,
and was performed that same midnight. Oddly, the first version
did not involve an organ, but was arranged for two voices,
guitar and choir. Both Mohr and Gruber created manuscripts with
different instrumentation at various times from 1820 to 1855.
The tune first made its way around the world as a "Tyrolean Folk
Song" before gaining enough fame to be instantly recognized with
its first two words or first four notes. The Silent Night Web
page (www.silentnight.web.za) claims there are more than 300
translations of the song and features links to 180 versions in
121 languages.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas," Traditional, 16th Century. Okay,
let's get the two most popular myths out of the way: the dozen
days are December 26 through January 6, and there is no hidden
religious meaning to the lyrics. It's simply a song that's also
a memory game. Little brother sings a line, you sing two lines,
Aunt Lucy sings three lines, and so on around the room. This
passed for a good time in 1590. The "four calling birds" are
another popular misconception. It's actually "four colley birds"
(or blackbirds). Besides the seven swans a-swimming and six
geese a-laying, there are more birds in the lyrics than you
might think, as "five golden rings" actually refers to
ring-necked birds, such as pheasants.
"White Christmas," Irving Berlin, 1942. Sometimes considered
America's most popular holiday song, Berlin composed it for a
movie soundtrack ("Holiday Inn" starring Bing Crosby and Fred
Astaire). With its quiet power and elegant longing for the
simple pleasures of the past, it was the perfect song for the
gloomy months during the middle of World War II. Composer Berlin
was not positive about the song when he first presented it to
Crosby, but Bing's confidence was well-founded. Spawning a movie
of its own (1954's "White Christmas" with Crosby and Danny
Kaye), the song hit the Top 30 nearly 20 times and has now sold
more than 30 million copies. There are reportedly 500+ recorded
versions of the tune in two dozen languages.
About the Author
Scott G owns G-Man Music & Radical Radio (www.gmanmusic.com)
where he makes radio commercials for Verizon Wireless, Goodrich,
Micron, National Steel, the Auto Club, and many others. He also
is recording artist The G-Man, with 4 albums on iTunes and
Delvian Records.
Thanks for visiting!