a partial playlist for a covid christmas 2020

mlmm’s music challenge friday’s pick for December 25 is: “last christmas,” and I commented on how that song is a real earworm (no matter which rendition). The response was: “Why don’t you contribute some of your favorite Christmas music?”

Seems to me this year needs a special sort of playlist; one which transcends the sadness and madness of 2020. So, a collection of childhood songs plus a more recent one or two. (curiously, 1964 to 1966 saw the release of three of the most “classic” christmas specials for television).

“we need a little christmas” (music/lyrics: Jerry Herman, broadway musical Mame, 1966)

Mame loses all her money when the stock market crashes in 1929. As she is totally unprepared for working, she is fired from a series of jobs. She comes home from yet another fiasco, and thinking the members of her household deserve a little cheering up, sings:

. . . For we need

A little Christmas

Right

This very minute

Candles

In the window

Carols

At the spinet . . .

For I’ve grown

A little leaner

Grown

A little colder

Grown

A little sadder

Grown

A little older . . .

For we need

A little music

Need

A little laughter

Need

A little singing

Ringing through

The rafter

And we need

A little snappy

“Happy ever after”

Need a little

Christmas now

 

from the grinch who stole christmas (1966 animation with Boris Karloff; music by Albert Hague/lyrics by Dr. Seuss): welcome christmas

Despite the Grinch’s attempts to steal Christmas from the “Whos down in Whoville” by removing all the toys, decorations and “food for the Whofeast,” the Whos still gather together Christmas morning to sing:

Fahoo fores, dahoo dores

Welcome Christmas, come this way

Fahoo fores, dahoo dores

Welcome Christmas, Christmas day

Welcome, welcome fahoo ramus

Welcome, welcome dahoo damus

Christmas day is in our grasp

So long as we have hands to clasp

Fahoo fores, dahoo dores

Welcome Christmas, bring your cheer

Fahoo fores, dahoo dores

Welcome all who’s far and near

Welcome Christmas, fahoo ramus

Welcome Christmas, dahoo damus

Christmas day will always be

Just so long as we have we

Fahoo fores, dahoo dores

Welcome Christmas, bring your light

Welcome Christmas, fahoo ramus

Welcome Christmas, dahoo damus

Welcome Christmas, while we stand

Heart to heart and hand in hand

Fahoo fores, dahoo dores

Welcome, welcome Christmas, Christmas day

“have a holly, jolly christmas” (sung by Burl Ives in Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer; music/lyrics: johnny marks)

Burl Ives, as the Sam the snowman in Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer; (a stop motion animated special by Rankin-Bass, 1964), peaking in the window of santa’s workshop sings:

Have a holly jolly Christmas

It’s the best time of the year

Well, I don’t know if there’ll be snow

But have a cup of cheer

Have a holly jolly Christmas

And when you walk down the street

Say hello to friends you know

And everyone you meet

Ho ho, the mistletoe

Hung where you can see

Somebody waits for you

Kiss her once for me

Have a holly jolly Christmas

And in case you didn’t hear

Oh, by golly have a holly jolly Christmas

This year

“christmas time is here” (from the 1965 animated special: a Charlie brown christmas; music/lyrics by: Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson)

Charlie brown struggles with the meaning of christmas while his friends put on a christmas concert/play

Once Apple TV got the rights to the Charlie Brown seasonal specials, it planned on only providing it to streaming customers. Public outcry forced Apple to let PBS show each once. Therefore, here are two versions of the vocal “christmas time is here,” and one of the dancing – AppleTV be damned.

Christmas time is here

Happiness and cheer

Fun for all that children call

Their favorite time of the year

Snowflakes in the air

Carols everywhere

Olden times and ancient rhymes

Of love and dreams to share

Sleigh bells in the air

Beauty everywhere

Yuletide by the fireside

And joyful memories there

Christmas time is here

We’ll be drawing near

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year…

 

“it feels like christmas” from a Muppet Christmas Carol: it feels like christmas (Paul Williams)

The ghost of christmas present shows Scrooge how Christmas is “kept”

It’s in the singing of a street corner choir

It’s going home and getting warm by the fire

It’s true, wherever you find love

It feels like Christmas

A cup of kindness that we share with another

A sweet reunion with a friend or a brother

In all the places you find love

It feels like Christmas

It is the season of the heart

A special time of caring

The ways of love made clear

It is the season of the spirit

The message, if we hear it

Is make it last all year

It’s in the giving of a gift to another

A pair of mittens that were made by your mother

It’s all the ways that we show love

That feel like Christmas

A part of childhood we’ll always remember

It is the summer of the soul in December

Yes, when you do your best for love

It feels like Christmas

It is the season of the heart

A special time of caring

The ways of love made clear

It is the season of the spirit

The message, if we hear it

Is make it last all year

happy xmas (war is over) (john lennon/yoko ono)

So this is Christmas

And what have you done

Another year over

And a new one just begun

Ans so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let’s hope it’s a good one

Without any fear

And so this is Christmas

For weak and for strong

For rich and the poor ones

The world is so wrong

And so happy Christmas

For black and for white

For yellow and red ones

Let’s stop all the fight

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let’s hope it’s a good one

Without any fear

And so this is Christmas

And what have we done

Another year over

And a new one just begun

Ans so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let’s hope it’s a good one

Without any fear

War is over over

If you want it

War is over

whatever holiday you honour (or don’t) this time of the year, wishing you health, happiness and hope