[78-L] The Christmas Songs

[Michael Biel]

Tom (no last name ever noted) wrote:
> If I remember correctly, one of the very first popular secular Christmas
> songs was the recording of "Winter Wonderland" by Ted Weems and his
> Orchestra which, I believe, was released in the early 30's. I think it
> made it to number two or three on the charts of that era.

Neither "Winter Wonderland" nor "Jingle Bells" are "secular Christmas"
songs.  They are WINTER songs.  Absolutely NOTHING to do with Christmas.
 NOTHING.  Just like "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" which goes
one step further into winter weather into seduction.  

For a song to be a "secular Christmas" song it would have to reference a
non-religious aspect of Christmas such as perhaps one of the pagan
aspects of the holiday such as the tree, or perhaps Christmas presents
-- and I don't think that being able to keep a woman from going home is
strictly even a "Christmas" present even if the assignation takes place
on Christmas Eve or in a manger.  

Just because a song is played during the "Christmas season" doesn't make
it a "Christmas song" secular or otherwise.  After all, the season of
Winter only begins four days before Christmas and continues for almost
three months after the presents are unwrapped and the tree is dumped
outside to be picked up in the trash.  And the tribute to the Druids
results in the coming of Spring, which would arrive anyway.


Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com

> Great recording, too. I have it on my Xmas music playlist right now.
> Otherwise, I'd think Jingle Bells was probably the most popular secular
> Christmas songs prior to WW II -- again, if I remember correctly, it was
> written toward the end of the 19th century.   Tom


--- On Fri, 12/11/09, Royal Pemberton <ampex354 at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Royal Pemberton <ampex354 at gmail.com>
And was the first dance band version, as opposed to such versions as the
'American Novelty Orchetra' 1934 recording, the one by Tommy Dorsey (on
Victor 25145,  with Benny Goodman's 'Jingle bells' on the flip [arranged
by
Fletcher Henderson])?

On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 5:54 PM, Taylor Bowie <bowiebks at isomedia.com>
wrote:

> Gotta be Santa Claus Is Coming To Town for dance bands,  right?
>
> I have heard an Art Landry (?)  Gennett of Jingle Bells which is pretty
> damn good and there are plenty of dance records of that...so it's one
> or the other of those two tunes.   Taylor

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kristjan Saag" <saag at telia.com>
> > Which were the most recorded (secular) American and English Christmas
> > songs before WW II in the jazz and dance band and popular vein?
> > Kristjan