Is your Christmas time music happy or sad?
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
Eugene, Oregon
December 1, 2016 11:27am CST
I pretty much avoid Christmas music of either kind (except for the non-stop stuff played in most stores). But I was reading an article the other day about the number of sad Christmas pop tunes out there. There is Elvis's mournful "Blue Christmas," for an oldie example; Amy Grant (I read) has three melancholy tunes on her new holiday album, including one in fact called "Melancholy Christmas."
There is even one by country singer Kacey Graves called "Christmas Makes Me Cry." For Pete's sake, why would anyone listen to stuff like this that is bound to bring you down (clever rhyme).
Anyway, I'll take old Blue Eyes singing "Oh by gosh, by golly, time for mistletoe and holly" over those dreary dirges anytime. Another really upbeat song I like is from my second favorite holiday movie, "Love Actually." The song is "All I Want For Christmas Is You," co-written and sung by Mariah Carey (didn't know that).
The link will work (I think) if you copy and paste it.
Mariah Carey's official music video for 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'. Click to listen to Mariah Carey and more Christmas songs on Spotify: http://smartu...
15 people like this
17 responses
@sallypup (69210)
• Centralia, Washington
1 Dec 16
@JamesHxstatic Jackson Browne: The Rebel Jesus.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Dec 16
@sallypup Never heard that one, will check it out, though I am a lifelong heathen.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (69210)
• Centralia, Washington
1 Dec 16
@JamesHxstatic Oh Holy Night still calls to me. Must be the Catholic upbringing in me cause I lean toward the Wiccan and Druid side of thinking these days. Goddess bless you as you move through to the Solstice.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Dec 16
Classic religious music. I stay with the pop stuff and avoid the rest.
3 people like this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
1 Dec 16
One of my favorites is "White Christmas" sung by, of course, Bing Crosby. (You knew he grew up in Spokane, didn't you.) Another is "Silver Bells." The Carpenters had a good one called, "Merry Christmas, Darling" (music by Richard Carpenter and words by Frank Pooler).
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Dec 16
I had forgotten that Bing was from Spokane. Even that one has a sadness to it. Of course, it was written in war time (1945) so it had a reason to be poignant.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
3 Dec 16
@RichardMeister That falls into the category of a stupid song, but it made some money for the bozo who wrote it.
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
3 Dec 16
@JamesHxstatic My brother and I were talking about the song, Grandma Got Ran Over by Reindeer. It's supposed to be funny but anyone's grandmother getting ran over isn't funny. So would that be a sad song or a happy song?
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
1 Dec 16
I prefer upbeat Christmas songs. I listen to some at home from time to time. I have a CD with Christmas carols played on the organ. It can be moving.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Dec 16
Anne likes organ music as well, but I really never have.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Dec 16
@Morleyhunt That would be enough to make me head for the hills!
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@JudyEv (382325)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
When we played in a brass band based in an isolated town, in the two weeks before Christmas we travelled out to different centres to play carols. At one place we played in a shearing shed. The two solid weeks of carols over several years has pretty much turned me off carols - which is a great shame really. But I like the upbeat Christmas songs rather than sad ones.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
2 Dec 16
You may have mentioned this, but what instruments did you and your husband play?
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
2 Dec 16
@JudyEv Amazing for both of you! I can imagine how much fun it was.
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@JudyEv (382325)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Dec 16
@JamesHxstatic Anything from tenor horn to euphonium (me) and tenor to bass for Vince. In a later band that did more marching Vince usually played bass drum. He can still beat exactly 120 beats per minute which was important in marching competitions.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43642)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Dec 16
So many people are depressed during this time of year as it is. Why make it worse by listening to sad Christmas songs.
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@xstitcher (39050)
• Petaluma, California
2 Dec 16
When it comes to Christmas music I prefer tunes about the real meaning of Christmas--aka Christ .
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Dec 16
I don't listen to much Christmas music at home, I get plenty of that starting in what......... like July, in the stores when I shop. Ok not July but it sure seems like it's earlier every year.
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@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
1 Dec 16
I generally avoid Christmas music but it is hard to argue with Bing's White Christmas.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Dec 16
True, and I was thinking about it earlier too. It is quite poignant and written by Mel Torme and Bob Wells.
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@DesirousDreamer (34776)
• Peoria, Arizona
1 Dec 16
Well, I guess the stuff I listen to isn't really sad, it can be happy but it is normal crude haha I like rock bands covering christmas songs like My Chemical Romance doing All I want for christmas is you. It sounds amazing. Or Band doing Nightmare Before christmas songs. It is wonderful haha
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Dec 16
Interesting choices. I will have to check out My Chemical Romance.
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
2 Dec 16
Christmas magnifies expectations of "happiness" and sends depressed lonely people even lower. I avoid the whole thing as much as I can.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
1 Dec 16
I do like Christmas music but I like the upbeat and fun ones!
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98072)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
1 Dec 16
I become a total nostalgic slob at Christmas. I go from rocking round the Christmas tree to crying over Christmas carols. I am so unpredictable but you are absolutely right I do not listen to the really sad stuff. Last year I remember a few poems were inspired by the sadder songs but that is another story. Keep rockin' round that Christmas tree.
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