Talk:Christmas music

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Contents

[edit] Christmas songs (Best and Worst)

Is this section really needed? It paints the singles in an unflattering light, which is unfair considering they all (except Hot Pantz) did quite well. Saying At This Time Of Year 'sank without a trace' is also misleading, seeing as it reached number 14. Besides, is one channels view on the 'worst' Christmas singles really that notable? BillyH 14:40, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

I don't think it's any good and have removed it - perhaps it could go into a separate article. violet/riga (t) 15:24, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

REPLY i do not think this is really needed because it is not the whole worlds view and so people could rate a song differently.

[edit] Bob the builder???

I must say, I've never heard of Bob the Builder as being associated with Christmas. If someone has a reference to this, please let me know, otherwise I'll remove it in a few days. Phantom784 19:05, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

It was the Christmas number one single in the UK back in 2000, selling over a million copies. BillyH 19:24, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
I never knew that, living in the US. Phantom784 19:11, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
  • And how many of them were returned on Boxing Day? Wahkeenah 19:20, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mariah Carey

This entire article, and most of the songs it links to, is one giant Mariah Carey ad. Please.

I have to disagree with you. there aren't that many songs from Mariah Carey to really be noticeable.
-(Y.krzepicki 00:21, 6 December 2006 (UTC))

[edit] External Link Spam

Why is there links to ringtones and MP3 sites at the bottom? I am marking for clean-up

[edit] Info from List of Christmas carols

Much of the information in the "Popular Christmas songs that are not considered carols" from the List of Christmas Carols article could be blended with this entire article - as if each page could learn something from the other. The "carols" article seems to be organized much better and gives many more dates, while this one has much more information. The majority from the "carols" article fit with the ones under General Christmas Songs in this one - I personally prefer the term standards for these types. EC2 22:50, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Great, but what about "Santa's a Fat Bitch" and "Red Christmas" by Insane Clown Posse? Do these make the list? In case you don't know, here's two links for Santa's a Fat Bitch and Red Christmas. Could they be too gory and vulgar for Christmas? --Angeldeb82 17:04, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Mess

This is a horrible article. Huge, nebulous lists of poorly defined subjects. Ramblings bordering on the incoherent. Few citations. Weasel words. Possible expression of personal opinion. Inaccurate and obscure references to "spring day", which is not at all properly introduced.

I recommend a complete rewrite or even deletion, given the ample information available on individual Christmas songs. MergeCar 01:12, 24 November 2006 (UTC)

Could we use this page (the intro paragraphs) as one that splits with thinks to the different types of music, e.g. Christmas/Advent hymns, traditional carols, and 20th century songs? Hymns & traditional carols are repeatedly listed with modern artists (see "Joy to the World", "O Holy Night" among others). EC2 15:11, 27 November 2006 (UTC)

Yes. Would you even add "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" to the list? Here's a link to this song. --Angeldeb82 22:24, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

Completely agree that the article is atrocious. I'm deleting the worst of it and have moved some to separate list articles. I've done all I can today, and maybe someone else will continue cleanup. Kla'quot 07:54, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Carols vs. Songs

This section seems inconsistent:

"Songs which are traditional, even some without a specific religious context, are often called Christmas carols. Some songs of more recent vintage, often introduced in films, are specifically about Christmas, but are typically not overtly religious and therefore do not qualify as Christmas carols." The first sentence implies that religious content is not necessary for something to quality as a carol, the second implies that it is. It seems that the distinction has more to do with the vintage of the song rather than its content.68.255.73.196 01:13, 17 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Would Be Very Useful to Make a Chronological List

The Christmas celebration has changed over the centuries. An exciting thing I think would be a Chronological List of Christmas Carols, by the date composed. That would perhaps add needed order and interesting links to the whole subject. Mlhooten

[edit] Traditional Christmas Songs - MESS

This section is a complete mess only 1/3 of the songs in it are actually traditional Christmas songs, the other 1/3 are carols (which are in a completely differenty article altogether!) and the other 1/3 are singles which should be put into the section below it. If you don't understand what I'm on about, here's an example taken from the first few lines of the section:

"12 Days of Christmas" - which right enough should be there as it is traditional "All I Want for Christmas Is You" - THIS IS A HIT SINGLE BY MARIAH CAREY, it shouldn't be here "Angels We Have Heard on High" - Carol, shouldn't be in the article at all has its own "Ave Maria" - traditional should stay "Away In A Manger" - traditional turned carol should stay "Blue Christmas" - HIT SINGLE, should go

I've done as much as I can with the other 2 sections, but can someone please help clean this one up. Also the page for List of Christmas Carols contains pop songs(!) in the non-religious section!!! Help needed, Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Jkaharper (talk • contribs) 21:08, 27 December 2006 (UTC).

Traditional songs should be sung traditionally, not with a lot of screaming, hollering, off tempo, and key. Like the star spangled banner they should be sung as written, not degraded. nevrite.

[edit] External links to commercial sites?

Way back on 19:39, 29 November 2006, a bunch of Internet-based Christmas Music radio stations were removed from the external links. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christmas_music&diff=90967875&oldid=90966059 It seems those could be relevant to be linked, since it allows people to listen to Christmas music. I'd love for my site to be added back again, but the guidelines say not to add your own site. Should Christmas Broadband be removed from the external link list, or could my site/Internet radio station be added? Christmas Music 24/7 - reachable in Google. Thanks, Mike

[edit] Section on Popular Christmas songs

Might it be better to structure this section into paragraphs on each of the different types of Christmas song (traditional carol, composed carol, pop song, novelty song, etc), using the different songs and carols as examples? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Yip1982 (talk • contribs) 04:26, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] A new section on the evolution of Christmas music

I was thinking that this article could include a short little section describing how Christmas music has evolved. I know we've talked a little about the history of the proper carols, but I've thought let's include a broader history on Christmas music, including the recent secular songs. I don't know if my section will be all right, but I'd be happy to let you improve on it. I'm sorry but I fear that I haven't got a paragraph on the history of the carol before the 18th century.


Most of the carols we sing today come from the 18th and 19th centuries, either as newly composed carols or new words written for old tunes. Although some carols, such as Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful and We Three Kings were newly written, others were composites of words and music from different eras. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is one example, since it was a composite of a text by Charles Wesley a tune by Felix Mendelssohn. Good King Wenceslas and What Child is This were newly-written texts set to old tunes. All these developments emerged amid the backdrop of a Christmas that Charles Dickens idealised in A Christmas Carol, celebrating at home by the fireside, alongside Clement Clarke Moore's depiction of Santa Claus in his poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, or more commonly known as The Night Before Christmas.

The turn of the 20th Century saw the developments of popular culture and sound recording. These too had a part to play in Christmas music as a whole. This time, the Christmas songs that were written over this period tended to be more secular, emerging mainly from the styles of Tin Pan Alley and other popular styles such as blues and rock. Songs such as Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Winter Wonderland were written in this context, and were introduced through radio programmes. Music from popular entertainments such as films and movies also contributed songs to the Christmas songbook, with such notable examples as White Christmas from the film Holiday Inn, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Silver Bells from The Lemon Drop Kid and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas from Meet Me in St. Louis.

Recording has been a powerful force of Christmas music such that many music artists have recorded albums of Christmas songs and carols to cash in on the season. Shopping centres also play muzak arrangements of Christmas songs during the Christmas season. Recording has also promoted the competition for Christmas hit singles that chart during the season.Yip1982 (talk) 07:52, 25 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] What happened to "classical" music for the church from chant to masses to who knows what else?

see subject header —Preceding unsigned comment added by Shlishke (talk • contribs) 03:58, 25 December 2007 (UTC)