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Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: roadman on November 30, 2018, 01:36:14 PM

Title: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman on November 30, 2018, 01:36:14 PM
So, we're into that season where radio stations are playing non-stop Christmas music.

Our office manager - who is on the opposite side of my cubicle wall - has one of those stations on most of the day.  She keeps the volume low, so it's not a huge annoyance to others.  And I decided several years ago to mostly ignore the music.

However, I've noticed that this particular station will play different versions of the same song within a short (half hour to hour) time frame.  Anybody else think this is a totally idiotic format.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Scott5114 on November 30, 2018, 01:45:07 PM
As the years go by, I find myself more and more annoyed by Christmas music. There's only about 20 Christmas songs, so to fill time they have to play different covers of the same songs. It gets incredibly repetitive, especially if you're somewhere you can't leave or change the station, like at work or in a store.

Thus, in the moments where I do have control over my surroundings, I avoid it altogether. None of those 24/7 Christmas stations, and once the non 24/7 ones start slipping them in I just switch over to what's on my phone to avoid it completely. (There's only one Christmas song on my phone, Jonathan Coulton's "Chiron Beta Prime", which is hilarious enough I'm fine with it coming on in June.)
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hotdogPi on November 30, 2018, 01:49:47 PM
Quote from: roadman on November 30, 2018, 01:36:14 PM
However, I've noticed that this particular station will play different versions of the same song within a short (half hour to hour) time frame.  Anybody else think this is a totally idiotic format.

Most stations do that with Christmas songs.

When I made a tally a few years ago, the station I listen to played 77 songs. Add about 20 for the religious ones they don't play (they play a few religious ones but not many), 5 for the "funny" ones (Chipmunk, Hippopotamus, and a few others) which most stations play but this one didn't, and you have about 100 without any particularly obscure ones. Even 130 is possible. You can go at least 2 hours without repeats, even if some are much more common than others.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: vdeane on November 30, 2018, 01:59:08 PM
One of the stations on my presets in the car does that, leaving a "hole" in the radio corridor along the Thruway (around Rochester, no less) for a month and a half or so.  It's not the fact that it plays Christmas music non-stop per se (although I would prefer they didn't; many stations will just intersperse Christmas stuff in with their regular playlist and I think it works quite well), or even that they start before Thanksgiving.  It's that the majority of the songs they play aren't my preferred style of music.  It's mostly the same stuff that has been played since the boomer and silent generations were young.

This issue of it creating a "hole" in my radio coverage is relatively recent.  Back when my preset radio corridor only went from Albany to Rochester, it basically amounted to chopping off one end to Syracuse.  Now that I've decided to fill out my FM 1 presets by adding stations from Buffalo and the Hudson Valley, it creates a true hole, which is a little annoying.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:01:59 PM
This is the time of year when I stop listening to the car radio.  Thank God for CDs...
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman on November 30, 2018, 02:03:10 PM
Quote from: 1 on November 30, 2018, 01:49:47 PM
Quote from: roadman on November 30, 2018, 01:36:14 PM
However, I've noticed that this particular station will play different versions of the same song within a short (half hour to hour) time frame.  Anybody else think this is a totally idiotic format.

Most stations do that with Christmas songs.

When I made a tally a few years ago, the station I listen to played 77 songs. Add about 20 for the religious ones they don't play (they play a few religious ones but not many), 5 for the "funny" ones (Chipmunk, Hippopotamus, and a few others) which most stations play but this one didn't, and you have about 100 without any particularly obscure ones. Even 130 is possible. You can go at least 2 hours without repeats, even if some are much more common than others.
There are more than five "funny" Christmas songs that aren't considered obscure.  And, based on your song count, there appears to be no reason to play multiple "covers" of the same song within a 30 minute period.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman on November 30, 2018, 02:06:38 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:01:59 PM
This is the time of year when I stop listening to the car radio.  Thank God for CDs...
I hardly listen to the car radio anymore.  Even easier to do since I got my 2012 Focus.  USB input for my 16gb mP3 player, and I can change songs or albums with simple voice commands.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:01:59 PM
This is the time of year when I stop listening to the car radio.  Thank God for CDs...

A - a - a - and . . . I just found out I'm going to need to start using a different restroom at work for a few weeks.  The ladies up front have Christmas radio going already.  Sorry, but I can't handle the Chipmunks in November.




What annoys me the most is the abrupt end to both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As soon as Black Friday rolls around–BAM! everyone's putting up lights and decorations and the tree.  No break between the holidays, no chance to just sit back and enjoy turkey leftovers and take a breath.  And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman on November 30, 2018, 02:33:16 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM

What annoys me the most is the abrupt end to both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As soon as Black Friday rolls around—BAM! everyone's putting up lights and decorations and the tree.  No break between the holidays, no chance to just sit back and enjoy turkey leftovers and take a breath.  And then, once December 26 comes around—BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over—like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.

Agree with you 100% on this.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: PHLBOS on November 30, 2018, 02:42:33 PM
Quote from: roadman on November 30, 2018, 02:33:16 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM

What annoys me the most is the abrupt end to both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As soon as Black Friday rolls around–BAM! everyone's putting up lights and decorations and the tree.  No break between the holidays, no chance to just sit back and enjoy turkey leftovers and take a breath.  And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.

Agree with you 100% on this.
Ditto as well. 

One would think that given the calendar arrangement for this year providing an additional week between Thanksgiving & Christmas; there would be a bit of a breather so to speak... nope.

Tid-bit: next year with Thanksgiving being on the 28th, the shortest period between that & Christmas Day.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on November 30, 2018, 03:05:22 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 30, 2018, 01:45:07 PMThere's only about 20 Christmas songs
That's probably the radio station, rather than you being sheltered, but there's way more.

Also 20 songs is an hour non-stop, making half-hourly intervals between different versions really silly.
Quote from: 1 on November 30, 2018, 01:49:47 PMWhen I made a tally a few years ago, the station I listen to played 77 songs.
That sounds more accurate, given they don't have religious songs either.

And there's loads more when you include Christmas-adjacent songs like Bohemian Rhapsody - Xmas #1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UK_Singles_Chart_Christmas_number_ones) in the UK in both 1975 and 1991 - and due to film tie-in, Carnaby Street's Christmas lights this year.* Or, perhaps more commonly in compilations/playlists, stuff like Auld Langs Syne or Abba's Happy New Year.

*as can be seen in this video - it's mostly lines of the song put in neon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shNY3q44Hbg

----

Radio Christmas (https://www.radiochristmas.co.uk/), my local Christmas pop-up charity radio station, has rules about not playing too many Christmas songs too early in December - sure, by the last few days, it will all be Christmas, but I imagine the hour and a half the youth group I help out with* has on Tuesday night will be allowed 3 Christmas songs at most - it's just too early in the season.

In previous years I've listened to it, and felt I had to switch to the online-only non-stop Christmas feed (24-7-365) as it was mid-December and the weekday stuff was fine, but not the Christmas music I wanted - there were whole hours without a single Xmas song, back to back with other ones.

*Where I lost the Pogue's game that Tom Scott plays on Tuesday - it's November dammit, you can't hear some Irish scumbag (as the song he wrote calls him) drunkenly slur out of a speaker "It's Christmas eve'ing innnnn the drunk tank..." - it makes no sense without that Christmas spirit December brings behind it.

---
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PMAnd then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.
Lightweights. At least wait until the New Year, even if you can't stomach Twelfth Night.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 03:18:33 PM
Quote from: english si on November 30, 2018, 03:05:22 PM
Lightweights. At least wait until the New Year, even if you can't stomach Twelfth Night.

In my family, I grudgingly allow my wife to put the tree up on December 1–but you can bet your socks that we'll be putting it up ON the 1st and not a day later, because she's already itchy by the time Thanksgiving rolls around.  We leave the house decorated and one present unopened until Epiphany, and on Epiphany we have a big family holiday dinner and open the remaining present.  Then, after that, the decorations come down.

As for music, she knows to have the Christmas music turned off in the house by the time I get home, unless it's sufficiently close to Christmas and I've told her it's all right.  I've started teaching my sons some Advent hymns (I grew up in a liturgical church but the church we attend is not like that) in the weeks leading up to Christmas, as well as Epiphany hymns on the 6th.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on November 30, 2018, 03:43:39 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 03:18:33 PMWe leave the house decorated
Well you guys aren't lightweights, unlike your compatriots you bemoan in the post I quoted.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:21:30 PM
Quote from: english si on November 30, 2018, 03:43:39 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 03:18:33 PMWe leave the house decorated
Well you guys aren't lightweights, unlike your compatriots you bemoan in the post I quoted.

I'm only about 115 pounds, but my wife is about twice that (a little less).  So you be the judge on whether we're lightweights or not.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on November 30, 2018, 04:46:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:21:30 PMI'm only about 115 pounds
And here's me thinking my 125lbs is light.  :-o

...though I meant it into the unserious, unable to endure, etc sort of fashion rather than about how much force pulls you towards the earth.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.

Tradition in my house that the tree doesn't come down until February, sometimes...
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Brandon on November 30, 2018, 04:47:48 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.

Tradition in my house that the tree doesn't come down until February, sometimes...

How dry does that tree get!?!  :-o
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:50:14 PM
Quote from: Brandon on November 30, 2018, 04:47:48 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.
Tradition in my house that the tree doesn't come down until February, sometimes...
How dry does that tree get!?!  :-o

Haha, it's an artificial tree, so it doesn't. It's not like I'm sitting around with a giant fire hazard in my living room. :-D
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:51:30 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.

Tradition in my house that the tree doesn't come down until February, sometimes...

There's an old tradition to leave to leave the decorations up until Candlemas (February 2), and also an accompanying tradition that it's bad luck to leave it up after that.  In order to avoid the bad luck, one would then leave it up until the following Christmas (Candlemas).
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:51:30 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.
Tradition in my house that the tree doesn't come down until February, sometimes...
There's an old tradition to leave to leave the decorations up until Candlemas (February 2), and also an accompanying tradition that it's bad luck to leave it up after that.  In order to avoid the bad luck, one would then leave it up until the following Christmas (Candlemas).

Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:57:11 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.

Oh, I know.  I just thought you might enjoy being able to tell people it's actually tradition.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:58:34 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:57:11 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.
Oh, I know.  I just thought you might enjoy being able to tell people it's actually tradition.

Just what a lazy person needs: a legitimate excuse! :)
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on November 30, 2018, 06:43:39 PM
Quote from: roadman on November 30, 2018, 01:36:14 PMAnybody else think this is a totally idiotic format.
Not enough people, or they wouldn't do it.

I have a Pandora Christmas music station, which means I don't have to godawful shite like Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime or, worse, Christmas Shoes.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on November 30, 2018, 08:20:10 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:57:11 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.

Oh, I know.  I just thought you might enjoy being able to tell people it's actually tradition.

We usually took the tree down around Three King's Day, but I'm not sure when we put it up.

Do any of these stations play "Santa and His Old Lady" or is that just rock stations? I think it is my favorite secular Christmas song.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: adventurernumber1 on November 30, 2018, 08:44:46 PM
There really are tons of Christmas songs, more than you might think, so I agree that it is a little peculiar to play different covers of the same song in just 30 minutes on a radio station. Hell, artists like Merle Haggard, (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merle_Haggard's_Christmas_Present) and Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beach_Boys%27_Christmas_Album) were writing tons of original Christmas songs for their own Christmas albums, along with performing other classic holiday standards that are more well-known.

Interestingly, Christmas time is the one time of the year when I can handle listening to radio stations that play primarily modern pop music. Otherwise, the rest of the year, I only listen to the radio if it is Classic Rock or plays a variety of music that is primarily older. However, even with that said, most of my Christmas music listening is still done not via the radio, but on personally chosen albums through stuff like YouTube or CD's. I always loved using Pandora back when I had the app, but I haven't had it in forever (I deleted it a few years ago due to maxed out storage, but I had never remembered to get it back afterward). I should look into getting Pandora again, and also trying out its Christmas music stations as well.


Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 08:48:57 PM
I hate Christmas music. Stuff should be played at most only the week before Christmas, no sooner. I still dislike how every place that plays music (stores, etc) immediately goes to it the day after Thanksgiving (if not sooner!) Eww. :ded:
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: tdindy88 on November 30, 2018, 08:51:07 PM
Looking at some of the past comments, it is interesting then that in church the Christmas music doesn't being UNTIL Christmas Day itself (or at least Christmas Eve.) I found it a little strange growing up hearing Christmas music soon after the New Year when the church still considered it part of the Christmas season. In my mind the secular season of Christmas leads up to the holiday (and on to New Year's) while the religious season begins on the holiday itself and continues for some time afterwards. Easter follows a similar pattern, the day after Easter you are probably finished with chocolate candies and Easter eggs yet the church celebrates all the way into June. 
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on November 30, 2018, 09:18:31 PM
Quote from: jon daly on November 30, 2018, 08:20:10 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:57:11 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.

Oh, I know.  I just thought you might enjoy being able to tell people it's actually tradition.

We usually took the tree down around Three King's Day, but I'm not sure when we put it up.

Do any of these stations play "Santa and His Old Lady" or is that just rock stations? I think it is my favorite secular Christmas song.
I've only heard it on dinosaur rock stations.

A close second is the Iron Man parody, I Am Santa Claus.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Hot Rod Hootenanny on November 30, 2018, 09:42:07 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM

What annoys me the most is the abrupt end to both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As soon as Black Friday rolls around–BAM! everyone's putting up lights and decorations and the tree.  No break between the holidays, no chance to just sit back and enjoy turkey leftovers and take a breath.  And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.

You don't celebrate Mardi Gras? (which has MUCH better music than Christmas does, IMO)
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: vdeane on November 30, 2018, 10:39:00 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:50:14 PM
Quote from: Brandon on November 30, 2018, 04:47:48 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.
Tradition in my house that the tree doesn't come down until February, sometimes...
How dry does that tree get!?!  :-o

Haha, it's an artificial tree, so it doesn't. It's not like I'm sitting around with a giant fire hazard in my living room. :-D
Yeah, it's not good to have a dry tree waiting to become a raging inferno! (skip to 3:40 for the dry tree, 5:05 for the artificial tree)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ggmmzFSgpU

Remember kids: water your trees.  And don't decorate them with accelerant and light them on fire with a blow torch.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman65 on November 30, 2018, 10:53:31 PM
Quote from: tdindy88 on November 30, 2018, 08:51:07 PM
Looking at some of the past comments, it is interesting then that in church the Christmas music doesn't being UNTIL Christmas Day itself (or at least Christmas Eve.) I found it a little strange growing up hearing Christmas music soon after the New Year when the church still considered it part of the Christmas season. In my mind the secular season of Christmas leads up to the holiday (and on to New Year's) while the religious season begins on the holiday itself and continues for some time afterwards. Easter follows a similar pattern, the day after Easter you are probably finished with chocolate candies and Easter eggs yet the church celebrates all the way into June. 
Z88.3 in Orlando is a Christian Music Station and they always follow the secular season with their format.  Its most likely cause they are not a specific denomination as most Protestants do not have the seasons that the Catholics due.  In my denomination we have Advent starting this Sunday and that is the precursor to Christmas.  We do not celebrate Christmas until Christmas Eve which then goes on to the Baptism of the Lord.

Now Spirit FM in Tampa is now playing Christmas Music, but not 24/7!  They still have their regular format but every third song is a Christmas one, so you are not bombarded with it all unlike Z88 and Magic in Orlando who plays it all from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day with no regular programming at all.  Z is regular Matt Maher, Mercy Me, Lauren Dagle etc all year long, and Magic is all 80's, 90's, and today pop hits when Santa Claus is Coming to town is not on the playlist.

Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: formulanone on December 01, 2018, 06:44:56 AM
I'm not much for radio, but I think I experienced the record for "Earliest-Heard Christmas Music on the Radio": Q102 in Cincinnati was playing at least one song an hour in mid-September. I wish I was making that up. Although nowhere near a marathon of songs, it seemed to be at least two months too early to nudge us into shopping and planning.

There may be 20 really popular songs, but there's probably 75-100 that get some sort of play. There's probably hundreds more, but I suppose the favorites and standards have to be repetitively put in. When I worked retail jobs, I'd count them because there's not much else to do. But other than helping decorate the house after Thanksgiving, and the week leading up to Christmas, I don't need to hear the stuff.

Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months. It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.

Hmmm...I seem to notice most folks leave the decorations up until New Years Day or so. Many holiday commercials still air for a few more days. Most stores seem to leave up a lot of their decorations, although there's a gradual theme change (and make room for a wider the return line). Folks usually have a little more time to shop again, there's gift cards and certificates to be spent. The focus changes somewhat from Old Giving Father to New Year's Baby; retailers put out a token display for the get-togethers with next year's number on it, and leftover wrapping paper is a bargain. But I guess the retailers then move on to Valentine's Day; it has become a gift-giving occasion in it's own right.

Sometimes we leave them up for a few days after that, although partially out of laziness, I do enjoy the lights on the tree at night. It depends on when have to get back to work.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: SSOWorld on December 01, 2018, 11:00:40 AM
You frickin' kidding me? Christmas started in September the day retailers started selling Christmas lights and decor.  :ded:
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Scott5114 on December 01, 2018, 01:20:02 PM
Quote from: english si on November 30, 2018, 03:05:22 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 30, 2018, 01:45:07 PMThere's only about 20 Christmas songs
That's probably the radio station, rather than you being sheltered, but there's way more.

Also 20 songs is an hour non-stop, making half-hourly intervals between different versions really silly.

Not so much me being sheltered, but my employer hating me and wanting me to die.

Fortunately, it hasn't started yet but once they switch over it gets really bad. Nothing worse than trying to get through a nine-hour shift with Bing Crosby...
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 01, 2018, 02:21:21 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on December 01, 2018, 11:00:40 AMYou frickin' kidding me? Christmas started in September the day retailers started selling Christmas lights and decor.  :ded:
September? January (I've just got out a box of lights that hadn't been used under the rest of the lights, which means they must have been bought in early January as all the other lights that were taken down, dried, tidied up, put in a box and buried under a load of other stuff for 11 months. If we had them, we'd have used them).

But selling stuff is different from doing stuff. Easter doesn't start in January when the first eggs appear on shelves - that's just for the hyper-prepared to get a bargain. And so it is with lights and tinsel - selling it, even displaying it where it is sold, isn't the same as decorating with it.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: nexus73 on December 01, 2018, 06:17:28 PM
Watching the SEC title game let me catch a commercial for an FM station in Eugene which advertised themselves as playing all Christmas music all the time.  I wonder what their Arbitron numbers are with that format?

Rick
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on December 01, 2018, 07:22:45 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on December 01, 2018, 06:17:28 PM
Watching the SEC title game let me catch a commercial for an FM station in Eugene which advertised themselves as playing all Christmas music all the time.  I wonder what their Arbitron numbers are with that format?

Rick

Some folks wish that every day was Christmas. Others pine for Halloween.

My mom wishes every day was Thanksgiving. She doesn't like it when she stops to eat somewhere and can't order turkey with gravy.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hbelkins on December 01, 2018, 09:22:32 PM
Tradition in my house growing up was that we went and cut the tree and put it up on Dec. 12, which was my dad's birthday. It usually stayed up until at least New Year's Day, although I'm told that one year in my youth, it stayed up until sometime in February.

Putting up a tree since I've been married has been hit-and-miss because every year except our first Christmas, we've had cats.

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas music, but there are some songs I absolutely cannot stand. John Lennon's Christmas song is one of the most depressing things I've ever heard that purports to be a holiday tune. The first Christmas I was out of college and was working, the local radio station played "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" on heavy rotation and I got sick of it in 1983. And although "Baby It's Cold Outside" doesn't creep me out the way it does so many of these new age snowflakes -- the same people who get offended by the Charlie Brown and Rudolph TV shows, if any of you have seen the news stories that have come out in the last couple of weeks -- I'm not a fan of it either. At work, I'm the guy who sits in his office and listens to talk radio while everyone else has Christmas music playing in their offices.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: qguy on December 01, 2018, 09:51:34 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:51:30 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 02:22:56 PM
And then, once December 26 comes around–BAM! all the decorations come down, all the Christmas music abruptly stops, nobody even mentions the holiday again for another ten or eleven months.  It's as if, rather than looking forward to holidays, everyone is super-glad they're over–like they just couldn't wait for it to be over.
Tradition in my house that the tree doesn't come down until February, sometimes...
There's an old tradition to leave to leave the decorations up until Candlemas (February 2), and also an accompanying tradition that it's bad luck to leave it up after that.  In order to avoid the bad luck, one would then leave it up until the following Christmas (Candlemas).
Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.

In the Northeast, with the cultural influence of Russian Orthodox Christmas/Epiphany on 6 Jan, many leave their decorations up a lot longer. When I was stationed in the South, for example, it seemed like everyone had kicked their Christmas trees to the curb a day or two after Christmas. In the Northeast, many leave everything up as long as the third or fourth week in January. A small percentage even leave their exterior lights lit late as well. It just seems people aren't in such a hurry to ditch the Christmas season as quickly as in other parts of the country.

The Christmas music on the radio does end just as quickly though.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on December 02, 2018, 02:06:42 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on November 30, 2018, 09:18:31 PM
Quote from: jon daly on November 30, 2018, 08:20:10 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:57:11 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.

Oh, I know.  I just thought you might enjoy being able to tell people it's actually tradition.

We usually took the tree down around Three King's Day, but I'm not sure when we put it up.

Do any of these stations play "Santa and His Old Lady" or is that just rock stations? I think it is my favorite secular Christmas song.
I've only heard it on dinosaur rock stations.

A close second is the Iron Man parody, I Am Santa Claus.

A bunch of roakc artists have played Christmas songs, but I think these stations don't normally play them. Mellencamp, the Kinks, Springsteen, Billy Squier are a few I can think of OTTOMH. My guess is that solo Paul McC is soft enough for the format, but not these guys.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 02, 2018, 02:23:56 PM
Quote from: jon daly on December 02, 2018, 02:06:42 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on November 30, 2018, 09:18:31 PM
Quote from: jon daly on November 30, 2018, 08:20:10 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 04:57:11 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on November 30, 2018, 04:55:37 PM
Huh, never heard of that before. I was referring to my "tradition" sarcastically, since mine only (sometimes) stays up that long due to laziness.

Oh, I know.  I just thought you might enjoy being able to tell people it's actually tradition.

We usually took the tree down around Three King's Day, but I'm not sure when we put it up.

Do any of these stations play "Santa and His Old Lady" or is that just rock stations? I think it is my favorite secular Christmas song.
I've only heard it on dinosaur rock stations.

A close second is the Iron Man parody, I Am Santa Claus.

A bunch of roakc artists have played Christmas songs, but I think these stations don't normally play them. Mellencamp, the Kinks, Springsteen, Billy Squier are a few I can think of OTTOMH. My guess is that solo Paul McC is soft enough for the format, but not these guys.
The same dinosaur rock stations that play Cheech and Chong also play Springsteen's cover of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. Maybe the Billy Squier Christmas song too. Father Christmas is probably a little too subversive for radio play.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: cjk374 on December 02, 2018, 03:09:57 PM
I wish CD's were an option, but my new car did not come equipped with a CD player.

I started seeing Christmas crap getting put up in August. Perhaps by the time we are buried & gone, Christmas will be celebrated in stores year round.

I like Christmas music...but only about a week or 2 before Christmas.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hotdogPi on December 02, 2018, 04:37:56 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on December 02, 2018, 03:09:57 PM
I started seeing Christmas crap getting put up in August. Perhaps by the time we are buried & gone, Christmas will be celebrated in stores year round.

Most places put it up in September or October. The only place I've seen it in August is Cracker Barrel (and they've done it more than once).
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: cjk374 on December 02, 2018, 06:00:18 PM
Quote from: 1 on December 02, 2018, 04:37:56 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on December 02, 2018, 03:09:57 PM
I started seeing Christmas crap getting put up in August. Perhaps by the time we are buried & gone, Christmas will be celebrated in stores year round.

Most places put it up in September or October. The only place I've seen it in August is Cracker Barrel (and they've done it more than once).

Cracker Barrel, Michael's, & Hobby Lobby were the offenders I saw this year...complete with decor & music to boot.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Scott5114 on December 02, 2018, 07:01:04 PM
I feel like starting the Christmas stuff that early has opposite of the intended effect–it makes the holiday feel less special, and by the time it's actually the Christmas season, one is already fatigued by it!
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 02, 2018, 07:01:41 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on December 02, 2018, 03:09:57 PM
I wish CD's were an option, but my new car did not come equipped with a CD player.
You could plug a Discman into the auxiliary jack.

Way OT, but apparently Cracker Barrel is selling country-fried turkey now...that's the hardest I'd hard passes.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: 1995hoo on December 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PM
I cranked up Twisted Sister's Christmas album while doing the dishes after dinner tonight. Great stuff. But I found myself thinking how many so-called Christmas songs (many of which, like the various iterations of "Jingle Bells," have nothing do to with Christmas) are snow- or winter-themed and are utterly incongruous when you celebrate Christmas in Florida and it's typically 75°F and sunny.

I do not listen to Christmas music on the radio, in part because by Thanksgiving I'm often sick of the insipid shit they play. I'd like to go back in time and shoot the jackarse who composed "Jingle Bell Rock."  :angry:  So much of the retail "Christmas" stuff shows a fear of recognizing that Christmas is in fact a religious holiday and has a very rich tradition of liturgical music. You almost never hear any of the hymns on the radio. Similar to how some dumbarses are now afraid to call it a "Christmas tree." Our community newsletter referred to "holiday tree disposal." WTF. Jews won't be offended by the term "Christmas tree" because it is, in fact, a Christmas tree!
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: ErmineNotyours on December 02, 2018, 11:15:44 PM
Most of the year my boss forces us to listen to the rap station.  This is the month he forces us to listen to Christmas music.  Given the choice, I'll take the Christmas music, especially if they have variety.  Mitch Miller is almost square enough to be cool again, but, really, who needs to hear a straight version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" ever again?

The main radio where this plays from has a USB connector, so one time I put in the hilariously obscene comedy songs played on The Mad Music Show (http://www.madmusic.com/playlist.aspx?Show=MMS-192) to see if anyone noticed.  No one did.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: formulanone on December 03, 2018, 05:32:23 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PMBut I found myself thinking how many so-called Christmas songs (many of which, like the various iterations of "Jingle Bells," have nothing do to with Christmas) are snow- or winter-themed and are utterly incongruous when you celebrate Christmas in Florida and it's typically 75°F and sunny.

That's where it gets a bit meaningless; hearing two dozen songs about "snow" gets to be absurd, and I figured that there should have been other local traditions to take its place. At least the part I enjoyed about the holidays was seeing your relatives and family, and your friends' extended family, too.

I always figured there was a market for at least one Snowbird Christmas song, but Bing Crosby sort of filled that niche with "Mele Kalikimaka" decades ago. (Still, one explaining that you can unwrap gifts in your shorts, dodge out-of-town traffic, make multiple trips to the airport...but would probably concentrate on stereotypes about citrus fruit, sandals with socks, and alligator threats.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 03, 2018, 07:19:39 AM
Quote from: formulanone on December 03, 2018, 05:32:23 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PMBut I found myself thinking how many so-called Christmas songs (many of which, like the various iterations of "Jingle Bells," have nothing do to with Christmas) are snow- or winter-themed and are utterly incongruous when you celebrate Christmas in Florida and it's typically 75°F and sunny.

That's where it gets a bit meaningless; hearing two dozen songs about "snow" gets to be absurd, and I figured that there should have been other local traditions to take its place. At least the part I enjoyed about the holidays was seeing your relatives and family, and your friends' extended family, too.

I always figured there was a market for at least one Snowbird Christmas song, but Bing Crosby sort of filled that niche with "Mele Kalikimaka" decades ago. (Still, one explaining that you can unwrap gifts in your shorts, dodge out-of-town traffic, make multiple trips to the airport...but would probably concentrate on stereotypes about citrus fruit, sandals with socks, and alligator threats.
There's "Christmas in Dixie,"  staple of the Stone Mountain (GA) Christmas Laser Show, but I honestly can't remember if it mentions snow or not. There are portions of the South that see a white Christmas, after all.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: 1995hoo on December 03, 2018, 07:27:03 AM
The PC Police probably object to the word "Dixie."
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 03, 2018, 08:17:21 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PMBut I found myself thinking how many so-called Christmas songs (many of which, like the various iterations of "Jingle Bells," have nothing do to with Christmas) are snow- or winter-themed and are utterly incongruous when you celebrate Christmas in Florida and it's typically 75°F and sunny.
Legit Christmas songs too - eg hymns such as In the Bleak Midwinter

Part of the problem is that most of traditional Anglophonic Christmas canon was written during the 'Little Ice Age' and either in the NW of the US, or in Britain - so snow was ubiquitous at that time of year in that era. Add in cultural icon Prince Albert - who, along with Dickens, turned Christmas from a fairly minor feast to the big one of the year - was from the middle of Germany where it was very cold in December (and had pine trees, which weren't native to Britain) and so we Brits imported a ton of those traditions and then exported them to the US (which also got traditions direct from central Europe).

And it doesn't have to be Florida - all the snow stuff linked with Christmas made little sense to me in Southern England in the 1990s, when we got little snow, and then normally some time after Christmas. Sure, it certainly isn't warm (December average high here is 45, with the average low 37), but the image you get from the songs is that everything is frozen solid or under a load of snow. Band Aid's nonsense line "and there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time" is even worse as the Christmas before (1983) didn't have snow at Christmas time in the UK and, while that was uncommon at the time, the White Christmases (which can just be one flake) in the years around it were mostly rather localised (1980 the exception) to upland areas where people (especially not trendy musicians) don't tend to live - and even if not having snow at Christmas was a problem, it was one that London has too!

As for warm-weather songs - even Aussies view these warm-weather 'Christmas' songs as terrible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhvBkbOMUf0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnJ8jsw4BSo
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hotdogPi on December 03, 2018, 08:44:27 AM
Quote from: english si on December 03, 2018, 08:17:21 AM
Legit Christmas songs too - eg hymns such as In the Bleak Midwinter

That one's even more of a problem, as the place where Jesus was born never receives any snow.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on December 03, 2018, 08:45:08 AM
I made my own Christmas playlist on Pandora.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: 1995hoo on December 03, 2018, 08:46:12 AM
Quote from: 1 on December 03, 2018, 08:44:27 AM
Quote from: english si on December 03, 2018, 08:17:21 AM
Legit Christmas songs too - eg hymns such as In the Bleak Midwinter

That one's even more of a problem, as the place where Jesus was born never receives any snow.

Almost never. It snowed in Jerusalem and Bethlehem a few years ago and it caused a traffic apocalypse similar to what snow does to Atlanta.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman65 on December 03, 2018, 08:55:43 AM
When my dad was alive he always thought that some artists used to ruin popular Christmas songs just by adding a few words or especially when Gospel artists would extend a certain note and add their traditional ooh ooh to it.  He would call them disrespecting God, but to me personally I think it ads their own signature to the song.

Just like adding an intro to a song or putting it part of a medley makes the listening to a song more enjoyable as it makes it interesting to see how each artist comes up with his or her own way to sing a popular song.

BTW, I cannot wait to hear Eric Clapton's new Christmas Album as he has a neat White Christmas video to go with it of a young boy (who is modeled after him) gets his wish: A guitar for Christmas!
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 03, 2018, 09:00:16 AM
Quote from: english si on December 03, 2018, 08:17:21 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PMBut I found myself thinking how many so-called Christmas songs (many of which, like the various iterations of "Jingle Bells," have nothing do to with Christmas) are snow- or winter-themed and are utterly incongruous when you celebrate Christmas in Florida and it's typically 75°F and sunny.
Legit Christmas songs too - eg hymns such as In the Bleak Midwinter

Part of the problem is that most of traditional Anglophonic Christmas canon was written during the 'Little Ice Age' and either in the NW of the US, or in Britain - so snow was ubiquitous at that time of year in that era. Add in cultural icon Prince Albert - who, along with Dickens, turned Christmas from a fairly minor feast to the big one of the year - was from the middle of Germany where it was very cold in December (and had pine trees, which weren't native to Britain) and so we Brits imported a ton of those traditions and then exported them to the US (which also got traditions direct from central Europe).

And it doesn't have to be Florida - all the snow stuff linked with Christmas made little sense to me in Southern England in the 1990s, when we got little snow, and then normally some time after Christmas. Sure, it certainly isn't warm (December average high here is 45, with the average low 37), but the image you get from the songs is that everything is frozen solid or under a load of snow. Band Aid's nonsense line "and there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time" is even worse as the Christmas before (1983) didn't have snow at Christmas time in the UK and, while that was uncommon at the time, the White Christmases (which can just be one flake) in the years around it were mostly rather localised (1980 the exception) to upland areas where people (especially not trendy musicians) don't tend to live - and even if not having snow at Christmas was a problem, it was one that London has too!

As for warm-weather songs - even Aussies view these warm-weather 'Christmas' songs as terrible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhvBkbOMUf0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnJ8jsw4BSo
Dear God, what is that second link you listed?  I understand about 50% of the words they're using.

I'm not seeing the problem with being able to hold an outdoor BBQ on Christmas, personally.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Henry on December 03, 2018, 11:47:54 AM
What's worse is the abrupt end to Halloween. On November 1, the Christmas products start popping up in stores, and it's just like they jump into the season ASAP.

As for Christmas music on the radio, my preferred choice is still 93.9 in Chicago, and I can listen to it via the iHeartRadio app on my phone. IMHO, the Windy City is the most Christmas-like large city in America, as it's a prime location for snow and very cold weather. What I wouldn't give to have one of those Chicago snow globes...but I digress.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hbelkins on December 03, 2018, 01:06:59 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on December 03, 2018, 08:55:43 AM
When my dad was alive he always thought that some artists used to ruin popular Christmas songs just by adding a few words or especially when Gospel artists would extend a certain note and add their traditional ooh ooh to it.  He would call them disrespecting God, but to me personally I think it ads their own signature to the song.

Just like adding an intro to a song or putting it part of a medley makes the listening to a song more enjoyable as it makes it interesting to see how each artist comes up with his or her own way to sing a popular song.

I hear this complaint frequently about the national anthem. "Oh say does that star-spangled ban-ner yet wave..." often becomes "ba-aa-anner" and people go crazy over it, saying it's disrespectful. Key didn't write the music, his poem was put to the tune of an old British drinking song.

Quote from: ErmineNotyours on December 02, 2018, 11:15:44 PM
Most of the year my boss forces us to listen to the rap station.

I'd have to quit. Or murder the boss. I can't take rap, and I can't take this modern country (I guess they call it "bro" country?")
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 03, 2018, 01:22:55 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 30, 2018, 03:18:33 PM
Quote from: english si on November 30, 2018, 03:05:22 PM
Lightweights. At least wait until the New Year, even if you can't stomach Twelfth Night.

In my family, I grudgingly allow my wife to put the tree up on December 1–but you can bet your socks that we'll be putting it up ON the 1st and not a day later, because she's already itchy by the time Thanksgiving rolls around.  We leave the house decorated and one present unopened until Epiphany, and on Epiphany we have a big family holiday dinner and open the remaining present.  Then, after that, the decorations come down.

As for music, she knows to have the Christmas music turned off in the house by the time I get home, unless it's sufficiently close to Christmas and I've told her it's all right.  I've started teaching my sons some Advent hymns (I grew up in a liturgical church but the church we attend is not like that) in the weeks leading up to Christmas, as well as Epiphany hymns on the 6th.

We have now decided to change our tradition.  Because December 1 fell on a Saturday this year, we had a much more leisurely time of putting up and decorating the tree, even had to time to watch a movie when we were finished.  So I decided that, moving forward, we'll decorate the tree on the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent.  That date will range anywhere from November 26 to December 2, and it will always be either two or nine days after Thanksgiving.  Plus, it makes religious sense to fix the date based on the church calendar.

I set Pandora to the 'Classic Choral Christmas' station, which was much more enjoyable than any of the pop or jazz mixes.  Now that the decorations are done, I'm back to steering clear of Christmas music for a while.  Fortunately, I've found that BOB FM is still playing their usual range of music.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US 89 on December 03, 2018, 01:43:25 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 03, 2018, 08:46:12 AM
Quote from: 1 on December 03, 2018, 08:44:27 AM
Quote from: english si on December 03, 2018, 08:17:21 AM
Legit Christmas songs too - eg hymns such as In the Bleak Midwinter

That one's even more of a problem, as the place where Jesus was born never receives any snow.

Almost never. It snowed in Jerusalem and Bethlehem a few years ago and it caused a traffic apocalypse similar to what snow does to Atlanta.

I was going to say: according to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem#Climate), Bethlehem averages three days of snow per year: one each in December, January, and February. So it would be possible (although unlikely) that it snowed on the first Christmas.

Except for one thing: Jesus probably wasn't born on December 25th.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on December 03, 2018, 02:00:34 PM
"bro country." I  like the phrase, don't care for the music.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 03, 2018, 02:31:13 PM
Quote from: US 89 on December 03, 2018, 01:43:25 PMI was going to say: according to Wikipedia]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem#Climate]Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem#Climate), Bethlehem averages three days of snow per year: one each in December, January, and February.
It's high up, and while the Med (and Red?) is a warming influences in winter, it is a smaller body of water than an ocean, and Bethlehem isn't coastal so that effect is muted!

I didn't mention the supposed lack of snow (accumulation is rare, so "snow on snow on snow" needs something special) in Bethlehem, as my point was that London isn't currently a snowy city in December either!
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 03, 2018, 02:44:55 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 03, 2018, 11:47:54 AM
What's worse is the abrupt end to Halloween. On November 1, the Christmas products start popping up in stores, and it's just like they jump into the season ASAP.

As for Christmas music on the radio, my preferred choice is still 93.9 in Chicago, and I can listen to it via the iHeartRadio app on my phone. IMHO, the Windy City is the most Christmas-like large city in America, as it's a prime location for snow and very cold weather. What I wouldn't give to have one of those Chicago snow globes...but I digress.
White Christmases were rare here when I was growing up, though we've had one or two since I moved back.

Very cold weather...yes, that's fairly consistent year to year.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: MNHighwayMan on December 03, 2018, 08:15:05 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 03, 2018, 11:47:54 AM
IMHO, the Windy City is the most Christmas-like large city in America, as it's a prime location for snow and very cold weather. What I wouldn't give to have one of those Chicago snow globes...but I digress.

The Twin Cities glare hard at that assessment.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: webny99 on December 03, 2018, 10:39:37 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 03, 2018, 08:15:05 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 03, 2018, 11:47:54 AM
IMHO, the Windy City is the most Christmas-like large city in America, as it's a prime location for snow and very cold weather. What I wouldn't give to have one of those Chicago snow globes...but I digress.
The Twin Cities glare hard at that assessment.

There are a lot of cities glaring at that assessment.
Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and every other major city north of Chicago, just to name a few.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: ErmineNotyours on December 03, 2018, 10:43:39 PM

Quote from: ErmineNotyours on December 02, 2018, 11:15:44 PM
Most of the year my boss forces us to listen to the rap station.

I'd have to quit. Or murder the boss. I can't take rap, and I can't take this modern country (I guess they call it "bro" country?")
[/quote]

A previous place I worked at played country one morning, and rap the next afternoon.  One week they accidentally played the shock jock station two days in a row.  I went into a meltdown, and they fired me.  I was seriously thinking of filing a sexual harassment complaint against them for the rap station.  I can't shout at my boss the lyrics from the station, yet I was forced to listen to it.  I did report them to ASCAP for playing music over an amplified system without a license, but it had no effect.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 04, 2018, 01:08:17 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 03, 2018, 08:15:05 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 03, 2018, 11:47:54 AM
IMHO, the Windy City is the most Christmas-like large city in America, as it's a prime location for snow and very cold weather. What I wouldn't give to have one of those Chicago snow globes...but I digress.

The Twin Cities glare hard at that assessment.

I've only been to the Twin Cities on Christmas once without snow.  Multiple times with several inches.  A few years ago, it was a perfect white Christmas, with snow already on the ground and falling again on the evening of December 24.  I believe that was the year it never got above 0°F during our entire trip from Wichita to Minnesota and back–until we crossed south from Iowa into Missouri, and then it crept just above 0°F.  The morning of the 24th, it was -19°F.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: ET21 on December 04, 2018, 02:47:12 PM
Spotify my own Christmas playlist, so I don't get the annoying station playing the same 5 songs over and over again within 30 mins
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: PHLBOS on December 04, 2018, 03:04:26 PM
Quote from: ErmineNotyours on December 03, 2018, 10:43:39 PM
Quote from: ErmineNotyours on December 02, 2018, 11:15:44 PM
Most of the year my boss forces us to listen to the rap station.
I'd have to quit. Or murder the boss. I can't take rap, and I can't take this modern country (I guess they call it "bro" country?")

A previous place I worked at played country one morning, and rap the next afternoon.  One week they accidentally played the shock jock station two days in a row.  I went into a meltdown, and they fired me.  I was seriously thinking of filing a sexual harassment complaint against them for the rap station.  I can't shout at my boss the lyrics from the station, yet I was forced to listen to it.  I did report them to ASCAP for playing music over an amplified system without a license, but it had no effect.
What line of work are you in that one has to listen to rap music... especially if such is of the hard-core variety?

Unless you work at a dance/night club; such a condition has sexual harassment/hostile work environment written all over it.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: ErmineNotyours on December 04, 2018, 11:33:33 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on December 04, 2018, 03:04:26 PM
What line of work are you in that one has to listen to rap music... especially if such is of the hard-core variety?

Unless you work at a dance/night club; such a condition has sexual harassment/hostile work environment written all over it.

I said just that when the boss was indignant that I turned off the radio.  I said, "This isn't a night club."  And he replied, offended, "Night club!?"

Only slightly less worse than hearing the programming of rap stations is hearing the endless commercials on the radio.  Clearly, radio is meant for people too stupid to figure out an iPod, and they can't go out of business soon enough for me.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hbelkins on December 05, 2018, 11:52:29 AM
I worked for years at a newspaper office in an old brick hotel building in a river valley town. The phone system was located under the stairs from the first floor lobby to the basement, and there was a radio plugged into the system to play music for people who were on hold. There weren't many stations to choose from due to poor reception given the location and the construction of the building, and the boss would not allow the local radio station to be aired because he considered them to be a competitor for advertising dollars. They kept it on WLAP, 94.5 out of Lexington, because it played relatively inoffensive pop music. I switched it to the former 98.1, WKQQ, which was an AOR/classic rock station. The boss didn't like that, not because he didn't like the music -- he did -- but he was afraid the rock music might offend some callers.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: formulanone on December 05, 2018, 11:58:57 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 05, 2018, 11:52:29 AMThe boss didn't like that, not because he didn't like the music -- he did -- but he was afraid the rock music might offend some callers.

When I worked at an auto repair shop frequented by many senior citizens, the complaints of "the technician put it on a rock station" or (my favorite old-timey complaint) a "hot jazz station" were rather numerous. There would be at least one valet who cranked the volume up excessively, so I tried to inspect the car before  delivery, if possible. We replaced a fair number of head units for bad amplifiers, jammed with homemade CDs, or just needing a new battery; most of the factory presets lined up with static or distant stations. Customers complained about that, too. When in doubt, I'd put it on classical.

On the other hand, the variety you'd hear coming from a busy service drive was akin to playing around in Grand Theft Auto...the roulette of sound was almost endless.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 05, 2018, 12:36:37 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 05, 2018, 11:58:57 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 05, 2018, 11:52:29 AMThe boss didn't like that, not because he didn't like the music -- he did -- but he was afraid the rock music might offend some callers.

When I worked at an auto repair shop frequented by many senior citizens, the complaints of "the technician put it on a rock station" or (my favorite old-timey complaint) a "hot jazz station" were rather numerous. There would be at least one valet who cranked the volume up excessively, so I tried to inspect the car before  delivery, if possible. We replaced a fair number of head units for bad amplifiers, jammed with homemade CDs, or just needing a new battery; most of the factory presets lined up with static or distant stations. Customers complained about that, too. When in doubt, I'd put it on classical.

On the other hand, the variety you'd hear coming from a busy service drive was akin to playing around in Grand Theft Auto...the roulette of sound was almost endless.
I'm pretty sure any time I've had service done on a car that required disconnecting and reconnecting the battery, it's been returned to me with the station on static.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on December 07, 2018, 11:46:11 AM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 05, 2018, 12:36:37 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 05, 2018, 11:58:57 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 05, 2018, 11:52:29 AMThe boss didn't like that, not because he didn't like the music -- he did -- but he was afraid the rock music might offend some callers.

When I worked at an auto repair shop frequented by many senior citizens, the complaints of "the technician put it on a rock station" or (my favorite old-timey complaint) a "hot jazz station" were rather numerous. There would be at least one valet who cranked the volume up excessively, so I tried to inspect the car before  delivery, if possible. We replaced a fair number of head units for bad amplifiers, jammed with homemade CDs, or just needing a new battery; most of the factory presets lined up with static or distant stations. Customers complained about that, too. When in doubt, I'd put it on classical.

On the other hand, the variety you'd hear coming from a busy service drive was akin to playing around in Grand Theft Auto...the roulette of sound was almost endless.
I'm pretty sure any time I've had service done on a car that required disconnecting and reconnecting the battery, it's been returned to me with the station on static.

When David Puddy worked on mine, all the presets were switched to Christian rock.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 07, 2018, 12:46:41 PM
Quote from: jon daly on December 07, 2018, 11:46:11 AM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 05, 2018, 12:36:37 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 05, 2018, 11:58:57 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 05, 2018, 11:52:29 AMThe boss didn't like that, not because he didn't like the music -- he did -- but he was afraid the rock music might offend some callers.

When I worked at an auto repair shop frequented by many senior citizens, the complaints of "the technician put it on a rock station" or (my favorite old-timey complaint) a "hot jazz station" were rather numerous. There would be at least one valet who cranked the volume up excessively, so I tried to inspect the car before  delivery, if possible. We replaced a fair number of head units for bad amplifiers, jammed with homemade CDs, or just needing a new battery; most of the factory presets lined up with static or distant stations. Customers complained about that, too. When in doubt, I'd put it on classical.

On the other hand, the variety you'd hear coming from a busy service drive was akin to playing around in Grand Theft Auto...the roulette of sound was almost endless.
I'm pretty sure any time I've had service done on a car that required disconnecting and reconnecting the battery, it's been returned to me with the station on static.

When David Puddy worked on mine, all the presets were switched to Christian rock.
That's because he was worried you were going to hell.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 07, 2018, 01:28:42 PM
Quote from: US 89 on December 03, 2018, 01:43:25 PM
Jesus probably wasn't born on December 25th.

I forgot to mention, for those who might be unaware...  December 25 as the birth of Jesus is a tradition that dates back to the 3rd Century.  By a combination of religious and historical reasoning, Hippolytus of Rome determined that Jesus was crucified on the vernal equinox, which he calculated to be March 25.  It was a popular belief at that time that a man of greatness would die on the same day of the year he was conceived.  Hippolytus therefore pegged the date of Jesus' conception at March 25, and likewise his birth nine months later.  Others later arrived at the same date by similar reasoning, and it stuck.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 07, 2018, 04:32:34 PM
Pretty sure the exactly 9 months (rather than a more accurate 40 weeks) gestation to give a date for his birth was his contemporary Tertullian.

Either way, both thought doing stuff differently to the pagans was a must. And both lived by the Mediterranean, so even if Yule existed further south or Saturnalia existed a couple of decades before the oldest reference we have for it (I doubt either theologian would know about either pagan festival), they'd have run a mile from putting Christmas at the same time as them.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 07, 2018, 04:55:04 PM
Quote from: english si on December 07, 2018, 04:32:34 PM
Pretty sure the exactly 9 months (rather than a more accurate 40 weeks) gestation to give a date for his birth was his contemporary Tertullian.

The earliest known reference was Hippolytus.  Commentary on Daniel, IV.23.3 & Chronicon, 686ff.

Quote from: english si on December 07, 2018, 04:32:34 PM
Either way, both thought doing stuff differently to the pagans was a must. And both lived by the Mediterranean, so even if Yule existed further south or Saturnalia existed a couple of decades before the oldest reference we have for it (I doubt either theologian would know about either pagan festival), they'd have run a mile from putting Christmas at the same time as them.

Not to mention that there's no record of the holiday being celebrated as a festival until the 4th Century.  People back then didn't get all excited about birthdays the way we do now.  The annunciation, epiphany, and resurrection have all historically been much more important feast days than Christmas.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: ce929wax on December 07, 2018, 07:05:26 PM
My favorite Christmas song is "Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen(e).  I'm sure some would be offended by it as it mentions tampons, cigarettes, drinking, and the fact that they don't know what to think about their sister's boyfriend being Mexican.  In a civilized state like Michigan we will be adding pot to our Christmas traditions starting around 2020.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on December 08, 2018, 11:20:15 AM
Quote from: kphoger on December 07, 2018, 01:28:42 PM
Quote from: US 89 on December 03, 2018, 01:43:25 PM
Jesus probably wasn't born on December 25th.

I forgot to mention, for those who might be unaware...  December 25 as the birth of Jesus is a tradition that dates back to the 3rd Century.  By a combination of religious and historical reasoning, Hippolytus of Rome determined that Jesus was crucified on the vernal equinox, which he calculated to be March 25.  It was a popular belief at that time that a man of greatness would die on the same day of the year he was conceived.  Hippolytus therefore pegged the date of Jesus' conception at March 25, and likewise his birth nine months later.  Others later arrived at the same date by similar reasoning, and it stuck.

This is my reminder that I should brush up on patristics. Thanks, kp.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on December 08, 2018, 11:21:11 AM
Quote from: ce929wax on December 07, 2018, 07:05:26 PM
My favorite Christmas song is "Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen(e).  I'm sure some would be offended by it as it mentions tampons, cigarettes, drinking, and the fact that they don't know what to think about their sister's boyfriend being Mexican.  In a civilized state like Michigan we will be adding pot to our Christmas traditions starting around 2020.

Well, it's no "Baby It's Cold Outside."
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 08, 2018, 11:32:38 AM
Quote from: jon daly on December 08, 2018, 11:21:11 AM
Quote from: ce929wax on December 07, 2018, 07:05:26 PM
My favorite Christmas song is "Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen(e).  I'm sure some would be offended by it as it mentions tampons, cigarettes, drinking, and the fact that they don't know what to think about their sister's boyfriend being Mexican.  In a civilized state like Michigan we will be adding pot to our Christmas traditions starting around 2020.

Well, it's no "Baby It's Cold Outside."
There's no "e"  at the end of "Keen."
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: 1995hoo on December 08, 2018, 01:57:40 PM
I just learned of this Christmas song of which I had never heard before. It was mentioned by a Washington Post columnist.

Warning, the lyrics can easily get stuck in your head after only one listen.

Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: SSOWorld on December 08, 2018, 03:48:12 PM
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bu.edu%2Fsynapse%2Ffiles%2F2011%2F11%2FEARWORM-HEADER.jpg&hash=105513f8b340765559c610334de2787cf043d589)
Ohrwurm
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 08, 2018, 03:54:17 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 08, 2018, 01:57:40 PM
I just learned of this Christmas song of which I had never heard before. It was mentioned by a Washington Post columnist.

Warning, the lyrics can easily get stuck in your head after only one listen.


No thanks, I just had to listen to Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer at Costco the other weekend.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: renegade on December 10, 2018, 01:31:40 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 03, 2018, 07:27:03 AMThe PC Police probably object to the word "Dixie."
I don't.
Quote from: ce929wax on December 07, 2018, 07:05:26 PMIn a civilized state like Michigan we will be adding pot to our Christmas traditions starting around 2020.
I've already done that! :-D
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: inkyatari on December 10, 2018, 02:17:22 PM
I've been looking for alternate christmas music the last few years.  Twisted Sister's "Twisted Christmas," Rob Halford's "Winter Songs," whatever jazz Christmas tunes I've never heard (I really like the Dave Brubeck Christmas album.)
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 02:18:09 PM
Quote from: inkyatari on December 10, 2018, 02:17:22 PM
(I really like the Dave Brubeck Christmas album.)

Ooh!  That sounds intriguing..
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: inkyatari on December 10, 2018, 02:39:06 PM
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman on December 10, 2018, 02:41:34 PM
Quote from: ce929wax on December 07, 2018, 07:05:26 PM
My favorite Christmas song is "Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen(e).  I'm sure some would be offended by it as it mentions tampons, cigarettes, drinking, and the fact that they don't know what to think about their sister's boyfriend being Mexican.  In a civilized state like Michigan we will be adding pot to our Christmas traditions starting around 2020.
That was my sister Betsy's favorite "non-standard" Christmas song.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 03:02:48 PM
I just got back from my department's holiday party, where the music included multiple renditions of Luck Be A Lady.

:confused:

Does the second bridge of the Frank Sinatra version include sleigh bells, or something?
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 03:15:49 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 03:02:48 PM
I just got back from my department's holiday party, where the music included multiple renditions of Luck Be A Lady.

:confused:

Does the second bridge of the Frank Sinatra version include sleigh bells, or something?

I don't know, dude.  Can't figure out why that might be, except for the below album:

Brian Setzer Orchestra  –  Boogie Woogie Christmas + Luck Be a Lady EP

1   Jingle Bells   
2   Boogie Woogie Santa Claus   
3   Winter Wonderland   
4   Blue Christmas   
5   Santa Claus Is Back In Town   
6   Baby Its Cold Outside – Featuring [With] — Ann-Margret)
7   The Nutcracker Suite   
8   (Everybodys Waitin For) The Man With The Bag   
9   Sleigh Ride   
10   So They Say Its Christmas   
11   O Holy Night   
12   The Amens   
13   Jingle Bells - Instrumental   
14   Luck Be A Lady   
15   Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow   
16   Run Rudolph Run   
17   What Are You Doin' New Year's Eve   
18   Cactus Christmas
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 03:34:40 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 03:15:49 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 03:02:48 PM
I just got back from my department's holiday party, where the music included multiple renditions of Luck Be A Lady.

:confused:

Does the second bridge of the Frank Sinatra version include sleigh bells, or something?

I don't know, dude.  Can't figure out why that might be, except for the below album:

Brian Setzer Orchestra  –  Boogie Woogie Christmas + Luck Be a Lady EP

1   Jingle Bells   
2   Boogie Woogie Santa Claus   
3   Winter Wonderland   
4   Blue Christmas   
5   Santa Claus Is Back In Town   
6   Baby Its Cold Outside – Featuring [With] — Ann-Margret)
7   The Nutcracker Suite   
8   (Everybodys Waitin For) The Man With The Bag   
9   Sleigh Ride   
10   So They Say Its Christmas   
11   O Holy Night   
12   The Amens   
13   Jingle Bells - Instrumental   
14   Luck Be A Lady   
15   Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow   
16   Run Rudolph Run   
17   What Are You Doin' New Year's Eve   
18   Cactus Christmas
Actually, I think it might have been a Pandora station someone created and must have thumbs-up'd some Rat Pack Christmas songs, since I think I also heard Ain't That A Kick In The Head as performed by Dean Martin.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: SSOWorld on December 10, 2018, 07:28:16 PM
(https://i.imgflip.com/2onod8.jpg)
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Tonytone on December 10, 2018, 07:53:07 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on December 10, 2018, 07:28:16 PM
(https://i.imgflip.com/2onod8.jpg)
This made me laugh, it seems the tradition of seeing the bell ringers & everyone else loses its value after a while.


iPhone
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 08:04:39 PM
I haven't seen a single SA bell ringer this season.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US71 on December 10, 2018, 08:54:01 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 08:04:39 PM
I haven't seen a single SA bell ringer this season.

I see them at Wally World
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: SSOWorld on December 10, 2018, 09:24:27 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 08:04:39 PM
I haven't seen a single SA bell ringer this season.
Consider thyself lucky.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: wxfree on December 11, 2018, 12:29:06 AM
Any Christmas music I like is in my main playlist.  Good music is good all year.  I don't like it being concentrated in a confined period just because that's supposedly the "correct" time to enjoy it.  I never listen to the radio except when in a place where I don't have a choice.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: allniter89 on December 11, 2018, 12:49:18 AM
Our Lowes was playing Christmas music the 1st week of Nov, waaay too early IMO.
Mom must have the tree up the day b4 Thanksgiving, it's artificial so it's not a problem, then it stays up til the 1st week of Jan. I put ours up sometime b4 1 Dec, it's also artificial & it comes down sometime b4 1 Jan.
Is y'alls tree real or artificial?
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kurumi on December 11, 2018, 01:59:39 AM
Rush fans, you might not be aware that Rush has a Christmas song! It's off Caress of Steel I believe. (Or Farewell to the King of Kings)

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Was a very happy pup
And his old man in Saskatchewan
Would let you know what's up

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Liked to bury bones in ice
Now sit right here and drink this beer
And I'll give you some advice

Paul Bunyan threw a frisbee
Across the frozen lake
Then By-Tor laced his hockey skates
And you know this story's fake

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Laying down on Neil Peart's rug
Smoking cigarettes with Boba Fett
And reading Atlas Shrugged
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kevinb1994 on December 11, 2018, 03:07:12 AM
Quote from: kurumi on December 11, 2018, 01:59:39 AM
Rush fans, you might not be aware that Rush has a Christmas song! It's off Caress of Steel I believe. (Or Farewell to the King of Kings)

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Was a very happy pup
And his old man in Saskatchewan
Would let you know what's up

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Liked to bury bones in ice
Now sit right here and drink this beer
And I'll give you some advice

Paul Bunyan threw a frisbee
Across the frozen lake
Then By-Tor laced his hockey skates
And you know this story's fake

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Laying down on Neil Peart's rug
Smoking cigarettes with Boba Fett
And reading Atlas Shrugged

I don't know exactly what you're referring to, but By-Tor and the Snow Dog is on the second RUSH studio album Fly By Night (early 1975), the first one with Neil Peart on drums/percussion and of course lyrics.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on December 11, 2018, 03:07:58 AM
Since Rush came into the discussion, Jon Anderson and Chris Squire of Yes each had a solo Christmas album release. Anderson's 3 Ships is proggier, done during the awkward 80s-Yes period where he and Yes kind of struggled to figure out whether they wanted to be full-on pop or bend back toward their earlier styles. Squire's Swiss Choir was done in the mid-2000s, a much more "traditional" music approach, unfortunately being his final solo album release. I usually put these two albums on on Christmas Day, the only two Christmas albums I specifically listen to.

I did discover today Wesley Willis has a Christmas song, which with Rock and Roll McDonald's are probably his only two songs safe for work/radio. :D
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kevinb1994 on December 11, 2018, 03:10:41 AM
Quote from: allniter89 on December 11, 2018, 12:49:18 AM
Our Lowes was playing Christmas music the 1st week of Nov, waaay too early IMO.
Mom must have the tree up the day b4 Thanksgiving, it's artificial so it's not a problem, then it stays up til the 1st week of Jan. I put ours up sometime b4 1 Dec, it's also artificial & it comes down sometime b4 1 Jan.
Is y'alls tree real or artificial?

We have had a fake Christmas tree for some time now. Much easier than maintaining a live Christmas tree.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 11, 2018, 06:57:01 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on December 11, 2018, 03:07:58 AMJon Anderson and Chris Squire of Yes each had a solo Christmas album release.
Where's Rick (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Variations)?*

My parents next Monday are going to Rick Wakeman playing Christmas songs. Though if my Mum reckons she can tolerate it, it clearly won't be prog-style.

*This was shouted at the last Yes concert my Dad went to when they introduced the band, to general laughs. A couple of weeks later he went to a "Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman" concert and the same guy shouted it again just before they introduced him and there was a splattering of laughter from the few with the time and money to see two different line ups of Yes in the same month.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman65 on December 11, 2018, 07:29:47 AM
I like though hearing songs that are from those long gone like Bing Crosby.  Hey Bing did duets with many others including the Little Drummer Boy with the now late David Bowie (an unlikely combo at the time, but two different eras coming together).

However I like Meli Kalikamaka with the Andrew Sisters.  That is the Hawaiian Christmas song that was later covered by Jimmy Buffet.

That is the only time you hear from Dean Martin or stars of old including Andy Williams and even Carpenters (though some very light rock do play songs like Close To Me or Rainy Day and Mondays, but still who goes to those AM stations) as normal you do not hear about them the rest of the year.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 07:44:58 AM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.
Bougie white people love caroling. Some friends of mine in DC were in seventh heaven when they bought a house and learned it was in a neighborhood sufficiently bougie and white that they got carolers at Christmastime.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 07:47:15 AM
Quote from: kevinb1994 on December 11, 2018, 03:10:41 AM
Quote from: allniter89 on December 11, 2018, 12:49:18 AM
Our Lowes was playing Christmas music the 1st week of Nov, waaay too early IMO.
Mom must have the tree up the day b4 Thanksgiving, it's artificial so it's not a problem, then it stays up til the 1st week of Jan. I put ours up sometime b4 1 Dec, it's also artificial & it comes down sometime b4 1 Jan.
Is y'alls tree real or artificial?

We have had a fake Christmas tree for some time now. Much easier than maintaining a live Christmas tree.
We got a real one our first year we had room for a tree. The dog ate the pine needles and got pancreatitis. So we had to get a fake one. Personally I'd prefer a real one.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hbelkins on December 11, 2018, 11:58:58 AM
Quote from: kurumi on December 11, 2018, 01:59:39 AM
Rush fans, you might not be aware that Rush has a Christmas song! It's off Caress of Steel I believe. (Or Farewell to the King of Kings)

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Was a very happy pup
And his old man in Saskatchewan
Would let you know what's up

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Liked to bury bones in ice
Now sit right here and drink this beer
And I'll give you some advice

Paul Bunyan threw a frisbee
Across the frozen lake
Then By-Tor laced his hockey skates
And you know this story's fake

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Laying down on Neil Peart's rug
Smoking cigarettes with Boba Fett
And reading Atlas Shrugged

This is genius.

However, given that Peart is very openly atheist, and Lee's Jewish, I highly doubt the power trio from Toronto celebrates Christmas at Lakeside Park or anywhere else, for that matter.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: hotdogPi on December 11, 2018, 12:17:39 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 11, 2018, 11:58:58 AM

However, given that Peart is very openly atheist, and Lee's Jewish, I highly doubt the power trio from Toronto celebrates Christmas at Lakeside Park or anywhere else, for that matter.

Many people celebrate Christmas non-religiously. I'm one of them.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 12:52:58 PM
Quote from: 1 on December 11, 2018, 12:17:39 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 11, 2018, 11:58:58 AM

However, given that Peart is very openly atheist, and Lee's Jewish, I highly doubt the power trio from Toronto celebrates Christmas at Lakeside Park or anywhere else, for that matter.

Many people celebrate Christmas non-religiously. I'm one of them.
Me too, I have a Jewish father and a Catholic mother and the holiday morphed into a non-religious one after a few years of trying to observe Christmas and Hanukkah religiously.

Also, from what I understand (and I'm sure english si will correct me), Christmas is celebrated non-religiously by most Britons.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 12:57:04 PM
Also, Christmas is probably the most libertarian/Randian major holiday.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: inkyatari on December 11, 2018, 01:56:52 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 12:57:04 PM
Also, Christmas is probably the most libertarian/Randian major holiday.

As a libertarian, I don't quite follow.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 02:11:27 PM
Quote from: inkyatari on December 11, 2018, 01:56:52 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 12:57:04 PM
Also, Christmas is probably the most libertarian/Randian major holiday.

As a libertarian, I don't quite follow.
Rampant consumerism, any acts of charity are 100% voluntary.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Henry on December 11, 2018, 02:36:01 PM
Somewhere out there, Dean Martin is turning in his grave over this article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/drinking-smoking-carousing-why-baby-its-cold-outside-is-actually-a-feminist-anthem/ar-BBQNJtp?ocid=spartanntp

In light of the #MeToo movement, it's no wonder the only time you'll get to hear that song played is on Pandora. I feel sorry for Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton (whose cover ranks closest to Martin's standard), Michael Buble & Idina Menzel and a few others.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:06:15 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 11, 2018, 02:36:01 PM
Somewhere out there, Dean Martin is turning in his grave over this article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/drinking-smoking-carousing-why-baby-it's-cold-outside-is-actually-a-feminist-anthem/ar-BBQNJtp?ocid=spartanntp

In light of the #MeToo movement, it's no wonder the only time you'll get to hear that song played is on Pandora. I feel sorry for Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton (whose cover ranks closest to Martin's standard), Michael Buble & Idina Menzel and a few others.
The Buble/Menzel cover is my least favorite, sounds like it was recorded for a Target commercial.  I remember David Johansen (possibly in character as Buster Poindexter) performing it on SNL in the 80s, though I don't remember who the other half of the duet was.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:06:58 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.

Same here, but I miss doing it.  I fully intend to get a group from our church to go caroling for shut-ins and at the nursing homes and hospitals.  We'll see if I remember in time to actually get it going or not.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:08:34 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:06:58 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.

Same here, but I miss doing it.  I fully intend to get a group from our church to go caroling for shut-ins and at the nursing homes and hospitals.  We'll see if I remember in time to actually get it going or not.
Just promise me you won't all sing in unison.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:11:01 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:08:34 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:06:58 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.

Same here, but I miss doing it.  I fully intend to get a group from our church to go caroling for shut-ins and at the nursing homes and hospitals.  We'll see if I remember in time to actually get it going or not.
Just promise me you won't all sing in unison.

*groan*   Oh man, I've thought of that, and I hear ya.  It shouldn't take too much work for me to produce a booklet of Christmas carols with four-part harmony written in.  That doesn't mean people will actually sing harmony, but it sure increases the likelihood.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:33:13 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:11:01 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:08:34 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:06:58 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.

Same here, but I miss doing it.  I fully intend to get a group from our church to go caroling for shut-ins and at the nursing homes and hospitals.  We'll see if I remember in time to actually get it going or not.
Just promise me you won't all sing in unison.

*groan*   Oh man, I've thought of that, and I hear ya.  It shouldn't take too much work for me to produce a booklet of Christmas carols with four-part harmony written in.  That doesn't mean people will actually sing harmony, but it sure increases the likelihood.
You should find a Lutheran church, Garrison Keillor says Lutherans take to four-part harmony like ducks to water.

Assuming you're not already a Lutheran.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:50:50 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:33:13 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:11:01 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:08:34 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:06:58 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.

Same here, but I miss doing it.  I fully intend to get a group from our church to go caroling for shut-ins and at the nursing homes and hospitals.  We'll see if I remember in time to actually get it going or not.
Just promise me you won't all sing in unison.

*groan*   Oh man, I've thought of that, and I hear ya.  It shouldn't take too much work for me to produce a booklet of Christmas carols with four-part harmony written in.  That doesn't mean people will actually sing harmony, but it sure increases the likelihood.
You should find a Lutheran church, Garrison Keillor says Lutherans take to four-part harmony like ducks to water.

Assuming you're not already a Lutheran.

Not currently, but I am the son of a Lutheran pastor.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kevinb1994 on December 11, 2018, 04:29:04 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 11, 2018, 11:58:58 AM
Quote from: kurumi on December 11, 2018, 01:59:39 AM
Rush fans, you might not be aware that Rush has a Christmas song! It's off Caress of Steel I believe. (Or Farewell to the King of Kings)

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Was a very happy pup
And his old man in Saskatchewan
Would let you know what's up

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Liked to bury bones in ice
Now sit right here and drink this beer
And I'll give you some advice

Paul Bunyan threw a frisbee
Across the frozen lake
Then By-Tor laced his hockey skates
And you know this story's fake

By-Tor the Snow Dog
Laying down on Neil Peart's rug
Smoking cigarettes with Boba Fett
And reading Atlas Shrugged

This is genius.

However, given that Peart is very openly atheist, and Lee's Jewish, I highly doubt the power trio from Toronto celebrates Christmas at Lakeside Park or anywhere else, for that matter.

Don't forget that Lifeson is also atheist/agnostic.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 11, 2018, 05:19:02 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 12:52:58 PMAlso, from what I understand (and I'm sure english si will correct me), Christmas is celebrated non-religiously by most Britons.
I think 'most' might be a bit bold, but it's probably around that 50-50 mark.

I'd suggest that Christmas is the time when the 59.5% figure for the Christian population of the UK isn't a total misrepresentation - it's still a bit of an inflation (fed by it being seen as the default, rather than 'none', by older generations), but its not far off if you count a low bar of religious affiliation. But only for a short period at Christmas.

Certainly religious carols often feature regardless of religious views. It's relatively common for there to be a trip to church for a carol service (usually candlelight, unlikely to be in a modern church) to sing them (in my student days, we had to turn people away from the 8:30pm one as we already had a dangerously high number of standees, having mostly filled a 4pm, and fully filled a 5:30pm and 7pm ones before that - I spend one year as an underling fire marshal sat under the tree for three services. The church sat a good few hundred a go, most of the congregation were students and at least 75-80% of them didn't bother with Christian stuff the rest of the year).
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 11, 2018, 05:27:50 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 11, 2018, 02:36:01 PMI feel sorry for Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton (whose cover ranks closest to Martin's standard), Michael Buble & Idina Menzel and a few others.
The Welsh pairing of Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews knew what they were getting into:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m3JfmExzsQ
I mean, Cerys starts in a cage, gets her drink spiked by Tom and eventually traps Tom in a cage in order to get away...
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 05:40:59 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 11, 2018, 02:36:01 PM
Somewhere out there, Dean Martin is turning in his grave over this article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/drinking-smoking-carousing-why-baby-its-cold-outside-is-actually-a-feminist-anthem/ar-BBQNJtp?ocid=spartanntp

In light of the #MeToo movement, it's no wonder the only time you'll get to hear that song played is on Pandora. I feel sorry for Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton (whose cover ranks closest to Martin's standard), Michael Buble & Idina Menzel and a few others.

It seems as good a time as any to share this video...

Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US71 on December 11, 2018, 06:16:21 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 05:40:59 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 11, 2018, 02:36:01 PM
Somewhere out there, Dean Martin is turning in his grave over this article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/drinking-smoking-carousing-why-baby-its-cold-outside-is-actually-a-feminist-anthem/ar-BBQNJtp?ocid=spartanntp

In light of the #MeToo movement, it's no wonder the only time you'll get to hear that song played is on Pandora. I feel sorry for Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton (whose cover ranks closest to Martin's standard), Michael Buble & Idina Menzel and a few others.

It seems as good a time as any to share this video...



I just heard a role reversal on Sirius XM.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 07:01:46 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 05:40:59 PM
Quote from: Henry on December 11, 2018, 02:36:01 PM
Somewhere out there, Dean Martin is turning in his grave over this article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/drinking-smoking-carousing-why-baby-its-cold-outside-is-actually-a-feminist-anthem/ar-BBQNJtp?ocid=spartanntp

In light of the #MeToo movement, it's no wonder the only time you'll get to hear that song played is on Pandora. I feel sorry for Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton (whose cover ranks closest to Martin's standard), Michael Buble & Idina Menzel and a few others.

It seems as good a time as any to share this video...


I think I'd find JP Sears less irritating if he satirized one side or the other instead of everyone. His thesis appears to be "caring about stuff is stupid."

Also,

Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US71 on December 11, 2018, 07:08:16 PM
In a similar vein as Baby It's Cold:



http://12daysofchristmascarols.blogspot.com/2007/12/that-holiday-feeling-lyrics.html
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 07:14:47 PM
Quote from: US71 on December 11, 2018, 07:08:16 PM
In a similar vein as Baby It's Cold:



http://12daysofchristmascarols.blogspot.com/2007/12/that-holiday-feeling-lyrics.html
And no conversation about Steve and Eydie would be complete without:

Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: GaryV on December 11, 2018, 07:17:42 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:11:01 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 03:08:34 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 03:06:58 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 11, 2018, 12:08:00 AM
I can't remember the last time I ever saw a group of people go caroling. I kinda thought that was an old-timey tradition that no one does anymore.

Same here, but I miss doing it.  I fully intend to get a group from our church to go caroling for shut-ins and at the nursing homes and hospitals.  We'll see if I remember in time to actually get it going or not.
Just promise me you won't all sing in unison.

*groan*   Oh man, I've thought of that, and I hear ya.  It shouldn't take too much work for me to produce a booklet of Christmas carols with four-part harmony written in.  That doesn't mean people will actually sing harmony, but it sure increases the likelihood.

I'd rather hear a group sing well in unison than sing out of tune in harmony. 

The worst singer I ever knew was a Lutheran pastor - we didn't chant anymore when he came.  Although at least one Methodist comes in close, but maybe he had an excuse because of his hearing loss.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 07:34:26 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 07:01:46 PM
I think I'd find JP Sears less irritating if he satirized one side or the other instead of everyone. His thesis appears to be "caring about stuff is stupid."

Interestingly, that's kind of why I like him.  If he were super-far to one side, then I probably wouldn't watch his stuff.  But I like how he can poke fun at all sorts.  Hearing someone satirize your own views as well as your antagonists' views is a good thing, I think.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: webny99 on December 11, 2018, 08:13:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 07:34:26 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 07:01:46 PM
I think I'd find JP Sears less irritating if he satirized one side or the other instead of everyone. His thesis appears to be "caring about stuff is stupid."
Interestingly, that's kind of why I like him.  If he were super-far to one side, then I probably wouldn't watch his stuff.  But I like how he can poke fun at all sorts.  Hearing someone satirize your own views as well as your antagonists' views is a good thing, I think.

Couldn't agree more, and I will stop now (before I start discussing how avoidance of exposure to viewpoints other than one's own is responsible for increasing polarization in the US).

Also, post #2000.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 09:30:25 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 07:34:26 PMHearing someone satirize your own views as well as your antagonists' views is a good thing, I think.
Sneering at people for having sincerely-held beliefs is a bad thing, I think.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: qguy on December 12, 2018, 06:39:29 AM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 09:30:25 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 11, 2018, 07:34:26 PMHearing someone satirize your own views as well as your antagonists' views is a good thing, I think.
Sneering at people for having sincerely-held beliefs is a bad thing, I think.

"Sneering at some sincerely-held beliefs is a good thing, I think." --Sally Brown to Linus Van Pelt after the pumpkin patch debacle
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: 1995hoo on December 12, 2018, 07:26:48 AM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 12:52:58 PM
Quote from: 1 on December 11, 2018, 12:17:39 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 11, 2018, 11:58:58 AM

However, given that Peart is very openly atheist, and Lee's Jewish, I highly doubt the power trio from Toronto celebrates Christmas at Lakeside Park or anywhere else, for that matter.

Many people celebrate Christmas non-religiously. I'm one of them.
Me too, I have a Jewish father and a Catholic mother and the holiday morphed into a non-religious one after a few years of trying to observe Christmas and Hanukkah religiously.

Also, from what I understand (and I'm sure english si will correct me), Christmas is celebrated non-religiously by most Britons.

Regarding recording artists, Neil Diamond recorded a Christmas album of religious songs some years back. He's Jewish. His comment was along the lines of there being a rich transition of religious music he appreciates.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 09:05:37 AM
Quote from: english si on December 11, 2018, 05:19:02 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 11, 2018, 12:52:58 PMAlso, from what I understand (and I'm sure english si will correct me), Christmas is celebrated non-religiously by most Britons.
I think 'most' might be a bit bold, but it's probably around that 50-50 mark.

I'd suggest that Christmas is the time when the 59.5% figure for the Christian population of the UK isn't a total misrepresentation - it's still a bit of an inflation (fed by it being seen as the default, rather than 'none', by older generations), but its not far off if you count a low bar of religious affiliation. But only for a short period at Christmas.

Certainly religious carols often feature regardless of religious views. It's relatively common for there to be a trip to church for a carol service (usually candlelight, unlikely to be in a modern church) to sing them (in my student days, we had to turn people away from the 8:30pm one as we already had a dangerously high number of standees, having mostly filled a 4pm, and fully filled a 5:30pm and 7pm ones before that - I spend one year as an underling fire marshal sat under the tree for three services. The church sat a good few hundred a go, most of the congregation were students and at least 75-80% of them didn't bother with Christian stuff the rest of the year).
I guess what I meant is that, again, from what I've read and observed in British entertainment, there's less "Jesus is the reason for the season" hooey and more "let's exchange gifts and spend time with family," which is why Christmas has managed to persist in a population that's at least 40% non-Christian.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jeffandnicole on December 12, 2018, 09:14:23 AM
Someone started a petition about the Christmas decorations in front of the Holland Tunnel sign. 

But this time, it's not a religious issue.  It's an OCD issue...

https://www.nj.com/news/2018/12/holland-tunnel-decorations-are-a-giant-pain-in-the-a-for-this-man-so-he-launched-a-crusade-to-fix-christmas-for-commuters.html

Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 09:37:24 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on December 12, 2018, 09:14:23 AM
Someone started a petition about the Christmas decorations in front of the Holland Tunnel sign. 

But this time, it's not a religious issue.  It's an OCD issue...

https://www.nj.com/news/2018/12/holland-tunnel-decorations-are-a-giant-pain-in-the-a-for-this-man-so-he-launched-a-crusade-to-fix-christmas-for-commuters.html
My wife would hate the fact that the decorations are asymmetrical.

She may have passed that on to our son, who cries when he has one arm in his onesie and one outside of his onesie, but stops crying when both arms are in the onesie.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman on December 12, 2018, 11:50:18 AM
So, after a couple of weeks of managing to mostly ignore the Christmas music coming from the opposite side of my cubicle wall, I've decided that this year's winner for most obnoxious Christmas song is Snoopy's Christmas.  For one thing, I don't recall the song having gotten nearly as much airplay in years past.  And, at least on the local station, it's gotten more airplay than that other "classic" obnoxious Christmas song, Grandma got hit by a Mack Truck run over by a Reindeer.

Of course, I've always been a huge Peanuts fan, and one of my favorite novelty songs is Snoopy vs the Red Baron.  So perhaps my bias is showing.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 12:04:34 PM
I've never even heard of Snoopy's Christmas.  It must be pretty obnoxious to top that list, though.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Tonytone on December 12, 2018, 12:13:59 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 12:04:34 PM
I've never even heard of Snoopy's Christmas.  It must be pretty obnoxious to top that list, though.
Don't ever disrespect the peanuts!!! All classics with good stories. charles would be rolling in his grave, if he heard you say that.


iPhone
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 12, 2018, 01:05:15 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 09:05:37 AMI guess what I meant is that, again, from what I've read and observed in British entertainment, there's less "Jesus is the reason for the season" hooey and more "let's exchange gifts and spend time with family,"
From what I've seen in US media, you have a lot of the latter and not much of the former.

We don't, however, have the same culture warring as the US. We're not even getting the anti-'Winterval' rants in red-top papers anymore - they used to be frequent, then one or two articles per year per paper, and now practically nothing.
Quotewhy Christmas has managed to persist in a population that's at least 40% non-Christian.
America is at least 40% non-Christian too, just that a big chunk haven't twigged that they are non-Christian (and I'm using Christian in the broadest possible sense here). Partially as their self-help gurus they see every Sunday occasionally mention Jesus and there's a cultural assumption that that's Christian. We over here wouldn't see it that way, most of the time, but see them as secular clubs.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US71 on December 12, 2018, 01:08:01 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 12:04:34 PM
I've never even heard of Snoopy's Christmas.  It must be pretty obnoxious to top that list, though.

Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 01:41:47 PM
Quote from: english si on December 12, 2018, 01:05:15 PMWe don't, however, have the same culture warring as the US.
That's what I was trying to say, thank you.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: kevinb1994 on December 12, 2018, 04:47:06 PM
Quote from: Tonytone on December 12, 2018, 12:13:59 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 12:04:34 PM
I've never even heard of Snoopy's Christmas.  It must be pretty obnoxious to top that list, though.
Don't ever disrespect the peanuts!!! All classics with good stories. charles would be rolling in his grave, if he heard you say that.


iPhone

C'mon, give him a break...
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: bing101 on December 12, 2018, 10:55:19 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aznAq5a5aP4


Wham's Last Christmas is playing a lot on the radio. But when George Michael did Last Christmas the song was supposed to be about love though. But on the day George Michael died the song lyrics got viewed with a sad meaning though about mourning him.


https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7633394/wham-last-christmas-first-hot-100-appearance


https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7633292/george-michael-dead
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Scott5114 on December 13, 2018, 12:31:02 AM
Quote from: Tonytone on December 12, 2018, 12:13:59 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 12:04:34 PM
I've never even heard of Snoopy's Christmas.  It must be pretty obnoxious to top that list, though.
Don't ever disrespect the peanuts!!! All classics with good stories. charles would be rolling in his grave, if he heard you say that.


iPhone

Peanuts was good for its time but the fact that it's still being rerun on comics pages keeps another currently-produced strip from getting the exposure they need. There's only so much room on the comics page.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: english si on December 13, 2018, 09:03:11 AM
Quote from: english si on December 12, 2018, 01:05:15 PMWe don't, however, have the same culture warring as the US.
I've just seen, on reddit, a post where an American visitor to the UK was outraged that the hijab-wearing Muslim clerk in a shop wished him a Merry Christmas, rather than Happy Holidays - feeling that the evil Christians had forced her to say that. The Brits have been out in force to tell him what a bigot he is towards UK Christians, Muslims, and generally all British people - because we see him as fighting a war that just doesn't exist here (just as we do the same with those complaining that they've taken Christ out of Christmas).

We Brits do have Season's Greetings as an option. Which is non-descript, but implies one thing "the season" rather than lots of different things 'holidays' that you don't want to treat as individual things out of viewing referencing the specific holidays as offensive. The shops and councils and politicians will usually offer salutations around any relevant (you don't bother if you are unlikely to see people celebrating it) holiday for that specific holiday rather a generic greeting that suits no one.

The British problem with Winterval (Birmingham City Council's branding for various secular and religious events during Fall and Winter 97-98 and 98-99) was that it was a branding fail - imagine Halloween and Chinese New Year and everything in between (which included Diwali, Ramadan, Hanukkah, Guy Fawkes Night, Advent, Christmas, Western New Year, etc) between as being part of the same 'Winter festival', diluting every one of a dozen or so separate celebrations (the issue wasn't that they took the 'Christ out of Christmas' but made it seem as if they had, and the same sort of thing with other holidays).
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: jon daly on December 13, 2018, 09:11:09 AM
I was surprised that in my online wanderings recently to see that Tertullian's name came up here instead of somewhere else. english_si is moving up the charts on my favourite poster's list.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: abefroman329 on December 13, 2018, 09:13:51 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on December 13, 2018, 12:31:02 AM
Quote from: Tonytone on December 12, 2018, 12:13:59 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 12:04:34 PM
I've never even heard of Snoopy's Christmas.  It must be pretty obnoxious to top that list, though.
Don't ever disrespect the peanuts!!! All classics with good stories. charles would be rolling in his grave, if he heard you say that.


iPhone
Peanuts was good for its time but the fact that it's still being rerun on comics pages keeps another currently-produced strip from getting the exposure they need. There's only so much room on the comics page.
I think you're overstating the number of comics in existence that are milquetoast enough to replace Peanuts in the comic section of major newspapers without generating complaints about a) the removal of Peanuts and/or b) the comic that would take its place. 
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US71 on December 13, 2018, 10:46:21 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 13, 2018, 09:13:51 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on December 13, 2018, 12:31:02 AM
Quote from: Tonytone on December 12, 2018, 12:13:59 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on December 12, 2018, 12:04:34 PM
I've never even heard of Snoopy's Christmas.  It must be pretty obnoxious to top that list, though.
Don't ever disrespect the peanuts!!! All classics with good stories. charles would be rolling in his grave, if he heard you say that.


iPhone
Peanuts was good for its time but the fact that it's still being rerun on comics pages keeps another currently-produced strip from getting the exposure they need. There's only so much room on the comics page.
I think you're overstating the number of comics in existence that are milquetoast enough to replace Peanuts in the comic section of major newspapers without generating complaints about a) the removal of Peanuts and/or b) the comic that would take its place. 

Newspapers will occasionally change the comics they publish &/or shrink them to fit more on a page. But with on-line comic publishers like Go Comics, there is practically no limit. In addition to "Classic" Peanuts, there is "Peanuts Begins".
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: roadman65 on December 13, 2018, 10:57:31 PM
Speaking of Peanuts I just heard the Royal Guardsmen singing a song about Snoopy verses the Red Baron.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Big John on December 13, 2018, 11:59:09 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on December 13, 2018, 10:57:31 PM
Speaking of Peanuts I just heard the Royal Guardsmen singing a song about Snoopy verses the Red Baron.
Regular or Christmas version?
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: Henry on December 14, 2018, 11:48:50 AM
If I may, I'm going to share this with my fellow Midwesterners:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/recipes/you-know-youre-from-the-midwest-if-you-eat-these-things-on-christmas/ss-BBQP6T4?li=BBnb7Kz
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US71 on December 14, 2018, 11:54:55 AM
Quote from: Henry on December 14, 2018, 11:48:50 AM
If I may, I'm going to share this with my fellow Midwesterners:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/recipes/you-know-youre-from-the-midwest-if-you-eat-these-things-on-christmas/ss-BBQP6T4?li=BBnb7Kz

None of the above. We had Fannie May candy and Lenell cookies.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: golden eagle on January 11, 2019, 06:43:33 PM
A radio station here in Jackson is still playing Christmas music.
Title: Re: Christmas music on the radio
Post by: US71 on January 19, 2019, 11:11:50 AM
SiriusXM Channel 782 is 24/7/ 365 Christmas Music