You know who else loves Christmas music? The music industry. In the oft-talked about era of declining record sales, Christmas music remains a fairly reliable source of revenue. Bing Crosby's rendition of "White Christmas" has been the best selling single of all time for over five decades, and the lucrative nature of holiday tunes continues on. The individual songs may not be rocketing up the Billboard charts, but the albums are consistently push units. Case in point: Josh Groban's Noël became the best-selling album of 2007, despite being out for less than three months at the time.
Looking over the Billboard 200 for the week of December 8, 2012, seven of the top 40 selling albums were Christmas records, ranging from Rod Stewart's Merry Christmas, Baby (#6) to Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night) (#37). Taking the entire chart into account, nearly 1/4 of the best-selling albums that week were Christmas albums. And keep in mind, that "December 8" is the issue date, corresponding to the tracking period of November 19-25. We'd just barely entered Christmas season by this point.
Yet the success of Christmas records has always kind of baffled me. It's not that I don't get why people listen to Christmas music; that's not a particularly shocking phenomenon. No, what I want to know is why people keep purchasing Christmas music.
There are three reasons for my confusion. First off all, in relation to the calendar, Christmas music has a short shelf-life; even with the holiday season bleeding out of December, at most we're talking a ten-week period of relevancy. No one is going to be spinning "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" in April without irony. Secondly, during this brief period of relevancy, it's not as if Christmas music is difficult to come by. Even if (or especially if) you're from a rural town like I am, you can probably find a radio station that switched to an all-Christmas format around Thanksgiving.
But I can come up with counterpoints to those arguments. For one thing, even though non-seasonal albums can be enjoyed year-round, who actually listens to any given record that often? It sort of makes sense to buy a Christmas record and let it gather dust in-between plays. And while it probably makes more economic sense to just tune in to the local Clear Channel station, to do so makes it impossible to listen to whatever carol it is you want on demand. Especially in the Internet era of instnat gratification, a personally-owned record seems like a good investment.
Here's the thing (and my third point), though: holiday music is a pretty static genre; it's not as if there is a steady stream of holiday classics coming out. When we think "Christmas music", we're thinking the standards that have been put on record countless times by countless artists. There's very little variety in terms of content, just in presentation. It's this reason that trips me up. There should be no rush to get new Christmas music because, when you get right down to it, there are only so many ways one can record "Jingle Bells", right?
Well, all this thinking got me thinking: why don't I put that notion to the test? For this post, I decided to listen to a whole bunch of Christmas albums, from the mega-sellers to the obscurities, and see whether or not I can find some reason, some clue, as to why these things keep selling after all these years. Maybe the end product is a cynical cash-in used to fill contractual obligations, but it could well be the case that such-and-such's performance of a holiday favorite does justify an album purchase. Grab a carton of eggnog and stoke up the fire, because here we go!
Exhibit A: Barenaked for the Holidays - Barenaked Ladies (2004)
Well, we might as well start with a bit of the old hypocrisy, because I listen to this record every December (and because I need to start this piece somewhere). Tie it in with the impulse to experience Christmas music on one's own terms, I suppose. I absolutely love Barenaked Ladies, but they're not the sort of act that screams, "Christmas album!" Even at 12 years-old, I doubt that I was clamoring for BNL to hit the studio and record their variation on "Jingle Bells", complete with the "Batman smells" lyrics thrown in for good measure.
Yet, it kind of works. I know, I've got my own biases, but the arrangements the band gives the material keeps it fresh. Okay, sometimes the results don't sound remotely Christmas-y ("I Saw Three Ships"), but more often than not, they evoke the proper spirit. The vibraphone driven "Carol of the Bells" sounds like an impending ice storm, while "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings" captures the feeling of company surrounding a roaring fire on a cold winter's night, aided by Sarah McLachlan's airy vocals.
Further, I've always respected the high proportion of original tracks, and while some are dead-weight (the dour "Snowman" or the overly-goofy "Christmas Pics"), on the whole they give the album the band's signature humorous touch. "Elf's Lament" always sticks out in my mind; I just love the image of Santa's elves trying to organize a strike, working through a dead end job "making crappy little gizmos". And, for the longest time, I did not realize that Michael Bublé was a featured vocalist on it. Speaking of which...
Exhibit B: Christmas - Michael Bublé (2011)
Staying in Canada but transitioning from goofy to classy, we move on to the living anachronism, Michael Bublé. A Michael Bublé Christmas LP is such a no-brainer as a concept that I'm still shocked it took so long for one to materialize. As the one of the few performers in the Frank Sinatra/Tony Bennett tradition of vocal jazz with mainstream recognition, a Christmas album was an inevitability, and a lucrative one at that. Only Adele's 21 moved more units in 2011 than Christmas (though it was by quite a wide margin).
Bublé's set only shares one song with Barenaked for the Holidays, which would be the ubiquitous "Jingle Bells". Yet I find they share a sense of humor, though Bublé's is far less overt. Well, okay, there's his rendition of "Santa Baby", which is hilarious by nature, but mostly I find the humor derives from the vocal deliver. It may just be me, but it sounds like Bublé is trying to stifle a laugh on the upbeat tracks. Here's clearly having a good time. And I am perfectly cool with that, since what is Christmas time if not a good time?
Further, the arrangements on Christmas are quite varied in tone. Some choices are obvious, such as the requisite reverence paid to "Silent Night", but others genuinely surprised me, especially the melancholic take on "All I Want for Christmas Is You". Oddly, though I normally love big, hot brassy arrangements, songs which feature prominent horn sections, notably "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Blue Christmas", don't quite work for me; I guess that particular sound doesn't quite fit the Christmas mood. But at least there's effort in that.
Overall, Bublé's interpretations are rather traditional, but that 1950s sound is a solid one for the occasion. It's as if Bublé was made to sing Christmas carols.
Exhibit C: Christmas in the Heart - Bob Dylan (2009)
Bob Dylan, on the other hand, was not made to sing Christmas carols. Now, don't get me wrong: I adore Dylan voice. No, really. I've long felt that his loud, nasal singing voice was an asset rather than a liability. Even as it's disintegrated over the decades, it remains a powerful vehicle for his lyrics. But gravel and sandpaper are not the sounds one associates with Christmas songs. On top of that, a large portion of Dylan's work consists of songs which may be summarized as, "You suck!" Really, he is just about the last person I'd expect to hear singing of peace on earth and good will towards men.
Yet, when I thought about it: of course Bob Dylan would record a Christmas album. After all, he made his name in the folk revival scene of the early 1960s, and has built a career of recording and appropriating folk music ever since. The vast majority of Christmas songs we hear are passed down and recast through the various cultural institutions to the point that the originators are historical footnotes. In other words, Christmas carols may be considered a (very lucrative) subset of modern folk music. Why wouldn't America's leading folk artist get involved?
One thing that sticks out about Christmas in the Heart compared to the Bublé and BNL efforts is the higher proportion of religious songs. And it's on these tracks where the concept of a Dylan Christmas album really shines. Yes, he sounds absolutely wretched on the ballads such as "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", but I truly believe his inarticulate growl provides for a fresh interpretation of the time-honored tunes. Rather than the soft, angelic, hopeful renditions I'm used to hearing, Dylan casts himself as man long in the darkness which Christ's birth was to illuminate, particularly on "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
And on a side note: the video for "Must Be Santa" is just hilarious. I mean, just look at that wig.
Exhibit D: Elivs' Christmas Album - Elvis Presley (1957)
Moving from one American icon to another: the King. All these decades later, Elvis still holds a prominent position in popular culture. From the glamour of the Vegas years to the indelible vocal stylings, every element of the Elvis persona permeates the cultural landscape. The man left his mark not only on the then-emerging genre of rock music, but also gospel, country and blues as well. So it should come as no surprise to learn that, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, his first Christmas album is the best-selling holiday record of all time.
Elvis' Christmas Album is a split LP: the first side consists of secular Christmas tunes, the second side religious ones. The two are a study in contrast. On side one, Elvis' delivery is just dripping with sexuality. This is, of course, best demonstrated on the definitive take on "Blue Christmas", but it blankets the entire first half. There is just something righteous about the energy of "Santa Claus in Back in Town", in which the vocals combine with the classic blues lyric pattern to create an irresistible treat. Even if the thought of Santa Claus is not at all sexy.
The gospel tracks of side two, however, suffer as a result. The style is not my thing to begin with, but after hearing a similar vocal delivery on the love-laden tracks of side one, I become incapable of hearing it in a nonsexual context. I realize that Elvis is going for a reverential tone here, and had I listened to say, "Silent Night" or "I Believe" first, I could probably appreciate the whole record. Alas, given the image of Elvis which has been built in the collective memory over the years, I can't imagine that the sincere religious tunes would hold up very well. Curse you, sexy Elvis!
Exhibit E: Miracles: The Holiday Album - Kenny G (1994)
Elvis' Christmas Album may be the best selling holiday collection as per the RIAA, but the top spot in the Nielsen SoundScan era (1991-present) goes to Kenny G. I've always found it rather amusing that an artist as mellow as Kenny G is among the most loathed musicians, period. Granted, under normal circumstances I would never consciously choose to put on smooth jazz--and I was hoping against reason that I would find a previously unreleased Bill Evans Christmas album--but, really, it's all harmless elevator music. Boring as all hell, by harmless.
In fact, if there is one context where I can appreciate Kenny G's brand of musak, it's probably Christmas. The whole mood of Miracles: The Holiday Album is burnt out. I can just imagine walking into the living room after shoveling the driveway on a late December night, then plopping down in an easy chair beside the fire and falling asleep to Kenny G's warbling sax on "Winter Wonderland". (And then Norman Rockwell could step in and paint a portrait for the Saturday Evening Post).
Yes, it's all wonderful background music. And it fades into the background incredibly, blessedly quickly. Perhaps too well, actually: the whole record comes off as a nonentity. Still, if you need something to make your eyelids heavy on a cold winter's eve, it's hard to beat Kenny G. The other 364 days of the year, though, just give me that John Coltrane.
Exhibit F: A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi (1965)
Actually, let's stick with jazz for a bit. I take it that all of you--at least you in America, I don't know about elsewhere--know and love A Charlie Brown Christmas. The sad-sack protagonist, the aluminum trees, Linus' recitation from Luke: so much of this little special has become forever lodged in our collective Christmas consciousness. Yet perhaps no element of the special has had as great an impact as the score. Case in point: when I went on to Rhapsody to put on the album, I saw that Vince Guaraldi was listed among the 10 most played artists at the time. I can think of no other reason why that would be the case.
It's not just nostalgia filters which makes A Charlie Brown Christmas such as delight. It's just all around great music. I especially dig the bass solo featured on "O Tannenbaum"; it's the same sort of experience I get listening to Sunday at the Village Vanguard, which is a quite a feat. And maybe it's because the special is so engrained in my memory, but the drastic tonal shifts make perfect sense. Of course "Linus and Lucy" gives way to two different versions of the downbeat "Christmastime Is Here". It's a collection that gets the highest highs and lowest lows of late December.
Of everything here, A Charlie Brown Christmas is the least directly tied to Christmas traditions. Many pieces are Guaraldi originals, and they don't have the immediate warmth that the chestnuts that Kenny G offers have. Yet I feel the performances do tie in nicely with the more meditative outings from Bublé, Dylan and Presley. But instead of communing with the religious or romantic aspects of Christmas, Guaraldi occasionally delves into straight depression--which is just perfect for a Peanuts special, now that I think on it.
Exhibit F: The Beach Boys' Christmas Album - The Beach Boys (1964)
And now for something completely different. I've never been much of a Beach Boys fan; that surf-y, beach music sound holds very little appeal for me. Still, there's a certain charm to hearing "Little Saint Nick" every year in December: short and sweet and not in the least bit Christmas-y. That "Little Saint Nick" steadfastly remains in holiday rotation is another surprise. How is it that a group called "the Beach Boys" recorded such a winter-time classic? The name alone should disqualify them, let alone the sound of the track.
Yes, yes, this is a very Northern perspective on Christmas, but there are some styles which just clash with my conception of Christmas. The sunshiny music of the Beach Boys is definitely one of them. This is less a problem with the traditional numbers than with the original compositions. The combination of happy vocal harmonies surf-rock guitar and goofy lyics simply don't mesh with Santa songs. Not that I can't imagine it working. Perhaps if they wrote about Christmas in the surf culture, there'd be a place for it.
The traditional tunea and covers are a bit more interesting, in that they seem to be experiments I'm not quite getting. Between the overblown strings and rather low vocals, "We Three Kings of Orient Are" sounds more morose than I'd expect, while the flute work on "Blue Christmas" gives the recording an underlying happiness. Neither is a choice that I really agree with, but it at least demonstrates that these well-worn tunes are rather robust. It doesn't take a drastic move to put a new spin on them, even if that spin doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Conclusion:
I think seven albums are more than enough to make some tentative conclusions:
1) Is Christmas music a stagnant genre?
Yes and no. It's stagnant in the sense that, in my investigations, a similar set of songs were present on most of the albums, while none of the original songs got rerecorded by another act. Granted, seven records representing less than five hours of music is an extremely small data set, but I feel that patterns emerge rather quickly here.
On the other hand, if we treat Christmas music as a sort of folk tradition, then the reuse of chestnuts is not a problem. In fact, the fresh interpretations I heard throughout were more than enough justification for me to say that it's alive. Folk music is all about reinterpreting and recontextualizing the past, and it's a area where Christmas music can succeed.
2) Is there a reason to purchase Christmas music?
Even after all these albums have been spun and given me varying degrees of joy, I still say no. Most of the marquee tracks from each record were singles, which makes them easy to access on the radio. Even if that were not the case, the presence of the Internet makes laying down however-much-a-CD-goes-for seem like an odd decision. Even in the case of A Charlie Brown Christmas, by far my favorite, I wouldn't think it vital to have a physical copy for the experience.
3) Why do people keep purchasing Christmas music anyway?
Here, I admit I don't know. For all I know, a new Christmas album might be a salvage gift. Don't know what to get someone for Christmas? Then pick Christmas music! I kid, but for all I know that could be true. But, as I said, I don't know. Maybe my readers do--that's right, all two of you. If you have any ideas, let me know.
Until next time, Happy Holidays from Cinema Saturdays!
Oh, and one more:
No comments:
Post a Comment