Christmas Carol Complaints
I've listened to a lot of Christmas music this holiday season, and I haven't gotten incredibly sick of it either, oddly enough. There are, however, certain songs that always bug me.
The Christmas Waltz
This first one REALLY bugs me. I think mainly because the first version of it I heard just didn't fit right with the singers. I have it on a cd of Michael W Smith songs. The line I dislike is Santa's on his way, he's filled his sleigh with THINGS, things for you and for me. And yes, there is an emphasis on "things". It just seems to outline to me what Christmas is to so many people...a bunch of STUFF. I'm used to Michael W Smith doing mainly Christian songs, and usually not so corny either, but actually with decent essence to the words and some nice musical background too because I like his piano skills. The lady that sings with him in this song also just makes it sound all the more wacky. Anyway, on to my next one...
Do You See What I See
I don't know if this is the technical name of the song, but I'm sure you know what one I mean. I like the song in general, and there's a version by Destiny's Child that I really like how they harmonize, but one line just doesn't make sense. Now I get that they're trying to keep things rhyming, but still... In your palace warm, mighty king, do you know what I know? A child, a child, shivers in the cold; Let us bring him silver and gold. How about some blankets? Or heck, if the king is in a nice warm palace, how about he bring the family out of the stable and into the palace too? He's the king, he can arrange something. But silver and gold? That may be able to buy things to keep them warm, I guess, but if you know a kid is cold, that's not the first thing you think of.
Silver Bells
Apparently people go all over hearing these special silver bells. What about the gold ones? What about any other color? Are peoples' ears racist and only pay attention the silver ones? Does a different color make them sound different? Can ears hear color?
Christmas Calypso
Now I'm guessing the name of this one but I may just be mixing memories. In high school we played "Christmas Calypso" in band for a Christmas concert and everyone hated it. Most of us also had never heard the song with the words, and the music doesn't sound like anything Christmas-ish. Even if this isn't the same song, it still makes me laugh because it is either sort of redundant, technically wrong, or both. The line is Mary's boy child Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day. The reason Christmas is called what it is is because it was originally a celebration of Christ's birth. So saying Christ was born on Christmas day is just stating the obvious. Then if you want to get into technicalities, Christ wasn't born on December 25th. Historically, I do believe he was born sometime in March. The Church just chose Dec. 25 as the day to celebrate it.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
This song is just all sorts of wrong. You better watch out, you better not cry...Why would you have to watch out if Santa is a good guy? What if you got badly hurt, or someone was trying to hurt you, or you had to get someone's attention when something bad was happening, or perhaps someone close to you dies? Can you cry out then? I realize this song is kinda meant to get kids to be good, but people have to realize how literal little kids take things sometimes. He's making a list...How in the world did he get my name to put it on a list? He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake...What kind of person watches kids while they sleep...and all other times? And how? Does he have cameras all over your house, even in your bedroom? Is he spying through the windows? Does he live in the attic and has tiny holes all over through the ceiling? What kind of sick twisted person is this? Gonna find out who's naughty or nice...he knows if you've been bad or good...What exactly is "good" and "nice" and what is "naughty" and "bad" and exactly what is Santa gonna do when he puts you in those categories? I think it was Steve who pointed this out, that it seems that Santa is either a pedophile or a serial killer. If nothing else, he's a creepy pervert.
I'm sure there are others, but those are what come to mind at this point. I better be done though. I bought ice cream and I think it's calling, along with a movie, which means I need to go home (Steve took his PS2 with him when he left Holland). I'll freeze with the ice cream, but I'm cold there anyway unless I'm in bed, and that's debatable, so I might as well be cold for a good reason.
Happy Christmas Eve, and Merry Christmas in case I don't get online tomorrow. :)
-Peta
*edit (or addition, perhaps)*
I heard another at work that always bugs me too. I Don't remember the name of the song, but the chorus is Last Christmas I gave you my heart, and the very next day you gave it away. This year, to save me my tears, I'll give it to someone special. I guess it just makes my wonder as to why he didn't give his heart to someone special in the first place. If he's going to just foolishly give his heart to any old person, and doesn't think they're special, than is it all that surprising that they threw it away?
The Christmas Waltz
This first one REALLY bugs me. I think mainly because the first version of it I heard just didn't fit right with the singers. I have it on a cd of Michael W Smith songs. The line I dislike is Santa's on his way, he's filled his sleigh with THINGS, things for you and for me. And yes, there is an emphasis on "things". It just seems to outline to me what Christmas is to so many people...a bunch of STUFF. I'm used to Michael W Smith doing mainly Christian songs, and usually not so corny either, but actually with decent essence to the words and some nice musical background too because I like his piano skills. The lady that sings with him in this song also just makes it sound all the more wacky. Anyway, on to my next one...
Do You See What I See
I don't know if this is the technical name of the song, but I'm sure you know what one I mean. I like the song in general, and there's a version by Destiny's Child that I really like how they harmonize, but one line just doesn't make sense. Now I get that they're trying to keep things rhyming, but still... In your palace warm, mighty king, do you know what I know? A child, a child, shivers in the cold; Let us bring him silver and gold. How about some blankets? Or heck, if the king is in a nice warm palace, how about he bring the family out of the stable and into the palace too? He's the king, he can arrange something. But silver and gold? That may be able to buy things to keep them warm, I guess, but if you know a kid is cold, that's not the first thing you think of.
Silver Bells
Apparently people go all over hearing these special silver bells. What about the gold ones? What about any other color? Are peoples' ears racist and only pay attention the silver ones? Does a different color make them sound different? Can ears hear color?
Christmas Calypso
Now I'm guessing the name of this one but I may just be mixing memories. In high school we played "Christmas Calypso" in band for a Christmas concert and everyone hated it. Most of us also had never heard the song with the words, and the music doesn't sound like anything Christmas-ish. Even if this isn't the same song, it still makes me laugh because it is either sort of redundant, technically wrong, or both. The line is Mary's boy child Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day. The reason Christmas is called what it is is because it was originally a celebration of Christ's birth. So saying Christ was born on Christmas day is just stating the obvious. Then if you want to get into technicalities, Christ wasn't born on December 25th. Historically, I do believe he was born sometime in March. The Church just chose Dec. 25 as the day to celebrate it.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
This song is just all sorts of wrong. You better watch out, you better not cry...Why would you have to watch out if Santa is a good guy? What if you got badly hurt, or someone was trying to hurt you, or you had to get someone's attention when something bad was happening, or perhaps someone close to you dies? Can you cry out then? I realize this song is kinda meant to get kids to be good, but people have to realize how literal little kids take things sometimes. He's making a list...How in the world did he get my name to put it on a list? He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake...What kind of person watches kids while they sleep...and all other times? And how? Does he have cameras all over your house, even in your bedroom? Is he spying through the windows? Does he live in the attic and has tiny holes all over through the ceiling? What kind of sick twisted person is this? Gonna find out who's naughty or nice...he knows if you've been bad or good...What exactly is "good" and "nice" and what is "naughty" and "bad" and exactly what is Santa gonna do when he puts you in those categories? I think it was Steve who pointed this out, that it seems that Santa is either a pedophile or a serial killer. If nothing else, he's a creepy pervert.
I'm sure there are others, but those are what come to mind at this point. I better be done though. I bought ice cream and I think it's calling, along with a movie, which means I need to go home (Steve took his PS2 with him when he left Holland). I'll freeze with the ice cream, but I'm cold there anyway unless I'm in bed, and that's debatable, so I might as well be cold for a good reason.
Happy Christmas Eve, and Merry Christmas in case I don't get online tomorrow. :)
-Peta
*edit (or addition, perhaps)*
I heard another at work that always bugs me too. I Don't remember the name of the song, but the chorus is Last Christmas I gave you my heart, and the very next day you gave it away. This year, to save me my tears, I'll give it to someone special. I guess it just makes my wonder as to why he didn't give his heart to someone special in the first place. If he's going to just foolishly give his heart to any old person, and doesn't think they're special, than is it all that surprising that they threw it away?