Where Did Some Christmas Songs come from ????
Christmas is so much to so many, but in my mind, other than the origin of Christianity, Christmastime also includes some of the most joyous and memorable music ever written.
Many of you may not be aware of it, but some of the most familiar songs you hear played each and every year were written to be included in a play or movie or television special.
Let's look back at some of the most memorable of these, and perhaps you might get a surprise about just where and when they were introduced.
First up is a song called "Baby It's Cold Outside," first performed in the movie "Neptune's Daughter," and sung by Red Skelton and Betty Garrett.
There is the beautiful tune, "Silver Bells," now a holiday classic that was introduced in a movie called "The Lemon Drop Kid" in 1951 by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell.
Who can ever forget Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" to little Margaret O'Brien in 1944's movie, "Meet Me In St. Louis?"
...and of course the immortal "White Christmas" performed by Bing Crosby in two films, "Holiday Inn" in 1942, and again in "White Christmas" in 1954.
The modern era has made a few contributions as well. There is the theme song from the 1992 movie, "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," entitled "Somewhere in My Memory."
Perhaps Broadway's biggest contribution to Christmas music was Angela Lansbury's portrayal of Auntie Mame" in the 1966 original cast of the hit musical, "Mame", singing "We Need a Little Christmas".
Then along came television, and how many of you remember these specials from yesteryear ?
In 1965, Burl Ives introduced the song, " Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" in the TV special, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."
Back home in Chicago, beginning in 1954, this video of "Frosty the Snowman" ran year after year...
...along with this touching version of an earlier 1951 original "Here Comes Susie Snowflake."
But in my opinion, perhaps the best of the best, was produced just a short time ago in 2004, combining animation in the movie, "Polar Express", while Josh Groban sang one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded, "Believe".
No song or animated display could better bring back my memories of the joy of Christmas; waking up in the morning, looking under the tree, the glass of milk was empty; the cookies devoured.
Santa delivered all of those brilliantly wrapped packages and left them under a tall tree decorated with ornaments and tinsel...with mom having the hot chocolate ready as my little brother and I awoke after a short night's sleep....as dad sat in a large rocking chair smiling a smile that remains in my heart to this day.
A Very Merry Christmas to all of you...
...and Santa, that little boy that believed then..
Still Does...
Just as he did some 60 years ago.
Dick Arendt
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