Least Favorite Christmas Carol

[chi-o_cat]

Originally Posted by NWguy

"Do They Know It's Christmas" - Band Aid

I've always thought it was a dumb song, but I also feel like Christmas music should focus on the holiday and not about poverty in Africa.

Isn’t that the point of the song, though? That people in the first world just want to focus on the holiday, when there are people who are struggling just to make it through the day.

[amillionlights]

Originally Posted by chi-o_cat

Isn’t that the point of the song, though? That people in the first world just want to focus on the holiday, when there are people who are struggling just to make it through the day.

My disdain for that song has always been the 'white savior' aspect of it: it is racist, and condescending, and really, really gross. This article says it really well, so I'll quote:

The celebrities promote a worldview in which “they,” Africans, are unable to help themselves in preventing famine, and so passively await rescue from “we” Western famine experts, a category that apparently includes rock stars.

It also bothers me that, really, the celebrities that recorded it could donate far more money than could ever be raised by singles being bought (especially now, with a changing industry), yet they decide to stick their name on a single and consider it done, problem solved.

I definitely believe the holidays are a time for giving, helping others, etc, and I support that. But this song just leaves me feeling... a little icky.

[Munchkin03]

"Do They Know It's Christmas" always struck me as a poor man's "We Are the World." Same intent, not enough star power (or the wrong star power) to pull it off successfully. Even though it happened first, it's just weak.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"--WORST.

Like an above poster, I also worked retail at Christmas. The store manager LOVES Elvis. In another life, she'd want to be Priscilla. So she played "An Elvis Christmas" the whole holiday. They were all terrible, but "Why Can't Every Day Be Christmas" was the worst.

[navane]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Like an above poster, I also worked retail at Christmas. The store manager LOVES Elvis. In another life, she'd want to be Priscilla. So she played "An Elvis Christmas" the whole holiday. They were all terrible, but "Why Can't Every Day Be Christmas" was the worst.

Hahaha...while shopping this evening, I heard Elvis' "Santa Bring My Baby Back" and immediately thought of you.

[carnation]

Over the last 15 years of this thread, people have mentioned disliking "Little Drummer Boy". While I like the song itself, what bothers me is the playing the drum for a newborn who probably wants to sleep! The year the thread started, I had a baby and all I could think of when I heard the song was, "Doooon't wake up that baby!"

With Jesus being a baby boy (I swear that boys are all such light sleepers), I keep picturing Mary's mental reaction when the drummer boy asks if he can play for them.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by carnation

Over the last 15 years of this thread, people have mentioned disliking "Little Drummer Boy". While I like the song itself, what bothers me is the playing the drum for a newborn who probably wants to sleep! The year the thread started, I had a baby and all I could think of when I heard the song was, "Doooon't wake up that baby!"

With Jesus being a baby boy (I swear that boys are all such light sleepers), I keep picturing Mary's mental reaction when the drummer boy asks if he can play for them.

That's what ruins the song for me, too. One of my very earliest memories is of having a migraine, and from the first time I heard the song, I though, "poor baby Jesus is going to have migraines."

The one with hearing reindeer hooves on the roof did the same thing to me.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by carnation

Over the last 15 years of this thread, people have mentioned disliking "Little Drummer Boy". While I like the song itself, what bothers me is the playing the drum for a newborn who probably wants to sleep! The year the thread started, I had a baby and all I could think of when I heard the song was, "Doooon't wake up that baby!"

With Jesus being a baby boy (I swear that boys are all such light sleepers), I keep picturing Mary's mental reaction when the drummer boy asks if he can play for them.

Oh yeah. Meanwhile, I always have to suppress a chuckle (or an eye roll, or both) when I get to "The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes/But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes” in "Away in a Manger." I find the no crying part very hard to believe.