🎺The Great Christmas Songs🎺
December 15, 2016
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3:59Now Playing🎺The Great Christmas Songs🎺
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as posted by the channelThe following video highlights the history behind just a few classic Christmas songs, including "White Christmas", "Silver Bells", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", and "The Christmas Song". Get the Christmas workbook
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“White Christmas”, “Silver Bells”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, and “The Christmas Song” are widely regarded as classics. How long have these songs been a part of the Christmas tradition?
“White Christmas” was written by Irving Berlin in 1940. According to legend, he was relaxing by a pool in Phoenix, Arizona when he told his secretary to grab a pen. “I’ve just wrote the best song I’ve ever written,” he said. “In fact, I’ve just written the best song anyone has ever written!”
In 1941, Bing Crosby performed the song live on the Kraft Music Hall radio program on Christmas Day. The following year, Crosby performed the song in a movie titled Holiday Inn. Crosby’s recording of the song continued to become more and more popular. Today it is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling song of all-time.
The song has been recorded by hundreds of different performers and has been featured in several different movies and television programs. It has also left generation after generation of young children and adults alike staring out their window and dreaming of a white Christmas.
“Silver Bells” was written for a movie as well. Originally titled “Tinkle Bells”, the title was changed to the more memorable name. It was featured in the movie Lemon Drop Kid in 1951 and was performed by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell.
Since that time, it has been recorded by over two hundred artists spanning a broad range of musical genres from Bob Hope to Twisted Sister. With new singers recording the song every year, it ensures that “Silver Bells” will continue to be a part of the holiday tradition.
The Christmas classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” also found its beginnings in a movie. Judy Garland first performed the song in the 1944 film Meet Me in St. Louis. According to legend, Garland disliked the depressing nature of the song (as it was originally written) and asked that the lyrics be altered to be more uplifting. The altered lyrics are the ones we know and love today.
“The Christmas Song” is more commonly known by the opening line of the song which begins “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” The man who wrote this famous line, Mel Tormé, claims he wrote it on a hot summer day while attempting to cool off by thinking about Christmas.
The song was first recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946, and his rendition is still regarded as the definitive version of the song.
These songs, and many others, help to make our season bright. Every winter, as we stroll down busy sidewalks, these will surely be the songs we continue to hear being sung on every street corner.
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