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Why are so few of the pop Christmas canon perennials from the 60s?

Started by ajsmith2, December 24, 2020, 03:54:35 PM

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ajsmith2

50s - Dean Martin, Sinatra, Brenda Lee, Jingle Bell Rock, loads of other sentimental/trad stuff
70s - Slade/Wizzard/Mud/Greg Lake/Boney M/Lennon/McCartney and tons of others
80s- Cliff/Glitter/Band Aid/Fairytale/Shakey/Waitresses/Wham etc etc

In comparison, the 60s (otherwise a hugely monumental decade for post war pop music) gave us the Beach Boys 'Little Saint Nick' and the Spector album, both in 1963. Pretty much fuck all else happening from the decade in terms of stuff that gets wheeled out at every party/shop/radio Xmas playlist in the UK since time immemorial. I mean obviously loads of artists did do Xmas songs in the 60s but much less seems to have stuck long term compared to the adjacent decades. Anyone got any idea why dat?

the science eel

The Spector album is HUGE tho' - lots of great stuff on there, a handful pretty well known. That almost compensates for the lack of 'significant' tunes from other 60s artists.


Pink Gregory

It amazes me that the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack isn't a staple.  I could listen to that Greensleeves overture forever.


purlieu

The '90s is similarly low on Christmas classics, Mariah aside. Unless 'Christmas in Blobbyland' has become part of the canon.

I.D. Smith

Quote from: purlieu on December 24, 2020, 06:53:13 PM
The '90s is similarly low on Christmas classics, Mariah aside. Unless 'Christmas in Blobbyland' has become part of the canon.

I would probably throw 'Stay Another Day' by East 17 in there too, for the 90s. It seems to have been accepted as a Christmas Radio staple for a while now.

Brundle-Fly

What about the last twenty years then?  Just TV talent show cruddy covers and sarcastic wild cards that nobody ever associates with Xmas six months later.

sutin

Quote from: Pink Gregory on December 24, 2020, 06:40:24 PM
It amazes me that the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack isn't a staple.  I could listen to that Greensleeves overture forever.

It probably is in the USA.

sutin

Quote from: ajsmith2 on December 24, 2020, 03:54:35 PM
50s - Dean Martin, Sinatra, Brenda Lee, Jingle Bell Rock, loads of other sentimental/trad stuff
70s - Slade/Wizzard/Mud/Greg Lake/Boney M/Lennon/McCartney and tons of others
80s- Cliff/Glitter/Band Aid/Fairytale/Shakey/Waitresses/Wham etc etc

In comparison, the 60s (otherwise a hugely monumental decade for post war pop music) gave us the Beach Boys 'Little Saint Nick' and the Spector album, both in 1963. Pretty much fuck all else happening from the decade in terms of stuff that gets wheeled out at every party/shop/radio Xmas playlist in the UK since time immemorial. I mean obviously loads of artists did do Xmas songs in the 60s but much less seems to have stuck long term compared to the adjacent decades. Anyone got any idea why dat?

McCartney was the '80s, no?

non capisco

Quote from: sutin on December 24, 2020, 08:34:52 PM
McCartney was the '80s, no?

Nearly, 'Wonderful Christmastime' was Christmas '79.

I've developed such an amount of affection for that goofy ass record this year for some reason. Sounds like a bloke in his shed with some jerry built synths he's built out of the guts of old toy robots.

DrGreggles

What's the most recent song to make those Christmas music rotations?
The Darkness? Seem to hear that one a lot.

honeychile

Quote from: DrGreggles on December 24, 2020, 09:02:33 PM
What's the most recent song to make those Christmas music rotations?
The Darkness? Seem to hear that one a lot.

Kelly Clarkson's Underneath the tree (2013) seems to have cut through more than most recent stuff.

jobotic

Quote from: non capisco on December 24, 2020, 08:41:48 PM
Nearly, 'Wonderful Christmastime' was Christmas '79.

I've developed such an amount of affection for that goofy ass record this year for some reason. Sounds like a bloke in his shed with some jerry built synths he's built out of the guts of old toy robots.

Me too. For years and years I despised it. Up there in my top two hated songs along with one that goes "oh oh oh it's magic".

Then I think last year I listened to it once and thought actually this is very weird and really quite good. Like to hear an instrumental though.

DrGreggles

Quote from: honeychile on December 24, 2020, 10:25:10 PM
Kelly Clarkson's Underneath the tree (2013) seems to have cut through more than most recent stuff.

Not heard that - we obviously frequent different supermarkets.

Stoneage Dinosaurs

That awful Leona Lewis one about sleeps seems very prominent in the supermarket radio circuit. It also uses C Am F G which is NOT A CHRISTMASSY CHORD PROGRESSION.

Shoulders?-Stomach!

Would love a year where the normal roster goes missing, just a group decision to temporarily shitcan the lot.

Then everyone is forced to listen to new Christmas songs or perhaps ones which didn't cut through when they first were released. How many would become permanent rotation just from the one year of mega exposure?

lazarou

Maybe the biggest cultural shock I've got from moving to the US is the christmas songs. No slade, cliff, glitter (well obviously), shaky, wizzard, not even a Fairytale Of New York. Hope you like All I Want For Christmas is You because jesus christ you're gonna be hearing a lot of it.

You passed over it lightly, but "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" absolutely demolishes everything else you've named.

A few more big ones, but they're all early 60s (the fifxties)

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" (1963)

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (1963)

"A Holly Jolly Christmas" (1964, but written 1962)


ajsmith2

Quote from: Pearly-Dewdrops Drops on December 25, 2020, 02:33:20 AM
A few more big ones, but they're all early 60s (the fifxties)

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" (1963)

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (1963)

"A Holly Jolly Christmas" (1964, but written 1962)

Wow, had no idea 'Most Wonderful Time' was that (relatively) modern, fair dos. Would have told you that was 40s or 50s. The other two fail my own personal 'immediate recognition through seasonal osmosis' litmus test that's an essential quality of being part of the canon, your mileage may vary.

It is still true (as you observed) that even the ones that are technically from 196- years are all confined to 63 or earlier when the afterglow of the 50s was still lingering. The 'high' 60s (beat/classic soul/psyche/etc 64-69) was conspicuously low on successful Xmas anthems.

kngen

Quote from: lazarou on December 25, 2020, 01:02:50 AM
Maybe the biggest cultural shock I've got from moving to the US is the christmas songs. No slade, cliff, glitter (well obviously), shaky, wizzard, not even a Fairytale Of New York. Hope you like All I Want For Christmas is You because jesus christ you're gonna be hearing a lot of it.

Second this, also that Trans-Siberian Orchestra abomination (Christmas classics given a prog makeover by your local guitar shop staff. So grim).

Feliz Navidad is pretty jolly, though - and sounds pleasingly exotic to my otherwise jaded ears.