WHITE CHRISTMAS A Brief History |
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- Опубліковано 22 гру 2023
- Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I wanted to share what the Beatles said about White Christmas as well as offer a brief history as I give my original copy a spin on my old record player!
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Merry Christmas, Matt, and to every one of you, who watch Pop Goes the 60s
Thank you, Schemel!
Berlin never wrote two songs that were alike; the variety of ideas in his compositions is staggering. As a musician he was an autodidact who played by ear, and he had a penchant for using the black keys. He had a specially made 'transposing' upright piano, so he could play in any key..
Classic Gerrard you got there, Matt.
Happy holidays, man.
Thank you Dr!
Excellent. A song that never gets tiresome (as many holiday songs do) is the mark of greatness and White Christmas has proven to be remarkably memorable. As far as traditional hymns go, I have to say that "O Holy Night" written by Adolphe Adam in 1847 tops my list. Its melody and chord structure are unique, and I have yet to get tired of hearing it, even after many decades. May you and yours have a very Merry Christmas.
Thank you, Rollietom!
I also have a fondness of collecting 78s of Christmas classics. I have a 78 of one of my favorites, "The Little Drummer Boy" by the Harry Simeone Chorale, that was not released in the US because it was a year or so after 78s were all but discontinued. So I had to acquire it up north from our neighbors in Canada. In the next couple days I will be taking out all of my Christmas 78s and playing them as I traditionally do to honor the era of our grandparents and the music which helped guide them through some pretty difficult times. Those 78s somehow have the same impact on me when I listen to them as I watch them spin.
Enjoy those 78s!
John credited a Bing Crosby song for the "Please" word play in "Please Please Me"
Thanks for showing what that funky looking box with 4 knobs in the background was. Turns out it’s an old record player…which totally makes sense!
My favorite along with The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
Thanks Matt, great video. I find it a criminal that Bing Crosby was not included on the recent 200 greatest singers of all time - I know taste and times have changed but you can’t erase his greatness and influence of the generations on singers since. Cheers Matt
Yes, I noticed that as well. The Rolling Stone continues to embarrass itself with regard to serious rock journalism.
Thanks Matt for all of your videos throughout the year.
It’s hard to imagine a White Christmas 🎉in Australia, but that song gets played a lot!!
My pleasure! Thanks for the support!
Simple, on point and nostalgic. Just like the song a holiday classic. Thanks Matt.
Thanks Gonzo!
Wonderful video on Bing Crosby''s White Christmas 👍 -Have yourself Matt and your family a very Fab Christmas ✌️
Very nice video Matt. Happy Holidays!!
Great video Matt. Love the old record player. I also have one that plays 78s and 16s…. It needs repair now, but I have old talking book records from my childhood that we’d listen to at bedtime as we fell asleep. So many good memories.Thanks for sharing the song history. Merry Christmahanakwanzika!
Thank you, Jilly! Good to hear from you.
Thanks for another great episode! Merry Christmas Matt!
Great info Matt. Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas Matt, love your channel and am looking forward to next years videos.
That was nice. Merry Christmas!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful video Matt! Happy holidays!!
Very nice video! Thanks again Matt, and Happy Holidays.
Great video - thanks so much for sharing. Happy holidays!! 😁🎄
Wonderful video Matt! Thanks.
Merry Christmas to you, too. 🌲
Nice history lesson. Interesting and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Matt, you rock. I discovered your channel several months ago and absolutely loved watching your videos about The Beach Boys and all the other great bands of the 60's, but your tribute to White Christmas is the cherry on top. It's been part of my holiday tradition for years, as has Holiday Inn. Thank you for bringing joy and great music to world that sorely needs it. Merry Christmas!
My pleasure, Lawrence! I will be working on part 6 of the Beach Boys too so that will be nice to get off my plate.
Really enjoyed this Matt! Hope you’re having a nice holiday!
Thank you Tyler!
Outstanding episode. BRAVO! Merry Christmas Matt, from one of your many followers from Canada!
Thank you Canada!
Merry Christmas Matt ! 🧑🎄🎶🌟🎄 … Thanks so much for this little peace of Holiday joy … and wonderful memories of playing my mom’s 78’s when I was a kid … (I’m off now - in a few mins - to a wee gig to sing White Christmas today … love love this tune … my group always gives it to me … and I include the opening verse too : ) Have a wonderful Holiday to you and your family … see you in ‘24 🎉!
Thank you Lynda!
And a happy new year!
I watched the 1954 film White Christmas for the umpteenth time today - I just love that film. I've noticed that record player before in your videos. My ex-wife's mother had one. I believe it was a Pye and it was stereo, unusual for a compact record player back then. This was in the UK.
Great film and so fun. We watch it every year!
Greetings Matt, that was a wonderful Christmas story. I for one love Christmas music, and I still think it’s some of the very very best! This is a great story of the history of this song, and one of the best of the season! Thank you!❤️ Merry Christmas !
Mery Christmas, Bill - thank you!
Wow, another great vid. Cool tidbit, album. I like your record player.
This is cool,
Merry Christmas to everybody.
Merry Christmas, Matt! This was much appreciated. I really loved your assessment of the value of popular music being the song of the Common Man and the soul of the Country. You are correct about White Christmas, this song is about the Ideals of the heart and as such it has the greatness that fine music strives for. I think the Beatles knew that and also knew that this was the direction that Pop music was headed, ultimately.
Thank you for the nice comments, Dan - Merry Christmas!
Matt, thank you for playing my my favorite Christmas song by my favorite singer from my 2nd favorite Christmas movie. My #1 favorite is White Christmas (1954) with Bing, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen, filmed in Vista Vision! I always meant to tell you how much I liked the Bing Crosby album on your back wall. I love Bing Crosby. I'm watching Going My Way as I write this. May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.
What good timing, Jacky - hard to not love Bing! I've already watched both White Christmas and Holiday Inn. Tonigh is It's A Wonderful Life or Bishop's Wife. Merry Christmas!
Nice to find you shining the spotlight on this great standard, Matt. Berlin's success as a songwriter actually began thirty years before "White Christmas, " with "Alexander's Ragtime Band." Many of his compositions from the '20s and '30s make up what today is known as "The Great American Songbook." Too, he wrote the scores for three Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers films in the '30s. To mention another Bing-Beatles connection, John said that he was "intrigued" by the words to a song introduced by Bing, the Leo Robin-Ralph Rainger "Please"; he cited the line "Please lend your little ear to my pleas" as lyric inspiration for "Please Please Me," saying he liked the "double use" of the word _please_ . Not too surprising, given the Lennon fascination with various words and their sounds. It's been my observation that many younger Beatle fans tend to be dismissive of the group's pre-Rock influences, and I feel that in so doing they fail to appreciate a part of The Beatles' musical background that contributed to their craftsmanship as songwriters. John may have made derisive use of the term "granny music," but it's obvious that the author of "Good Night" himself had some appreciation of the old tunes. Paul is an avowed Astaire admirer, and this is very apparent in "Honey Pie" as well as Wings' "You Gave Me The Answer." George was crazy about Hoagy Carmichael and knowledgeable about songs of that general era. And then of course there's Ringo's _Sentimental Journey_ album. ... Merry Christmas!
I think Lennon really loved the granny music and you rightly pointed out, he could write with the best of them!
Awesome video Matt! My girlfriend and I are big fans of the show we ended up making some Tom and Jerry’s and watching Holiday inn and it was an epic way to spend the holiday. Also for anyone who was wondering holiday inn> White christmas😊
That is great to hear! I hope you enjoyed the drinks!
Cool episode, Matt, talking about the history of the song "White Christmas". Nice that you have a 78 copy of the original 1942 version of the song. My Dad, who was from the World War II era, had a bunch of 78 records, some of which were in the forerunners to vinyl record albums, like you showed of the Dick Cantino records set. Have read that in the late 1950s, when Elvis recorded his version of "White Christmas", Irving Berlin hated it, but from what I've read, seems he didn't have a high opinion of Rock'N'Roll music in general. Didn't know that the Beatles expressed any opinions about "White Christmas". Have heard them do a jokey version of "Good King Wencelas" on one of their Fan Club Christmas records. About to put on a CD of Bing along with the Andrews Sisters singing some Christmas songs. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Looking forward to your episodes in 2024!
Thank you, Robert!
Thanks! 🎼
Lovely discussion, thank you Matt
Thank you, John.
Nice Departure from the 60s. berlin had a real knack for pleasing the public. Louis B. Mayer at MGM used to rib Gershwin for not writing as many hits as Berlin. And his range - from the simplicity of White Christmas to the sophistication of Let's Face the Music and Dance. That Garrard turntable is interesting. They'd been making turntables at least since 1920 , so they could have made it, but their look was always very spare, basically a wooden frame (even in the 70s when the one to have was a Garrard or a Dual).. That case isn't like them at all. Though turntable cases were popular in the 50s, they were just cases without speakers or all those controls. You have a very unique piece there.
Thank you, John. I hadn't brought it out for quite a while, so I was due.
Happy New Year
I'm sure like many I never knew that about origin of 'album', and I think many of us of a certain age began playing The Beatles on Garrard decks. As they said on a Christmas fan club disc, 'Oh, ev'rywhere it's Christmas and I'm off to join the cheer! Ev'rywhere it's Christmas, at the end of ev'ry year!'. A charming edition Matt, best to you and yours.
Thank you, Bob!
I just did a thing on this very song for a christmas trivia show! That you have a copy of the original pressing should not surprise me (though it does).
Thank you for all the music this year Matt, I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas to you and your family from Downunder 🎅 🦘 🎄 🐨 🎅
Thank you, wonsworld!
Thanks for this. I was just walking around the house singing this today. It really is beautiful the way it recalls that heartwarming sensation hopefully everyone has experienced at least once. Warm and safe inside a house or wearing bulky winter clothes as you look around at the world as clean as it ever could be. (Till it all melts!) A fantastic song.
Well stated! I appreciate the comments.
Thanks for your review of White Christmas. Bing has always been a favorite of mine. Also, I never thought about where the term record album came from. Thanks to you, now I know.
Thank you for your sense of history. Perspective.
My pleasure.
And in February 2024, still most enjoyable. I admired The Beatles' connections but the piece de resistance was about Bing singing to the troops.
Love the video, but I thought sure you would talk about the Drifters’ version of White Christmas.
I have a 78 album called CROSBY CLASSICS, which features sings he did in the early to mid 1930s. He was what they called a hepcat. The cover of that album had him in a sailor hat and I think in the background is a college pennant. They presented him as a young yachtsman.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Matt. We are so glad to have discovered your channel this year. Great reviews, biographies, and reminisces of the music and bands of the decade of my youth. All the best from Round Rock, Texas.
Always glad to have Texans on board. Thank you, Spyder!
Garrards were put in a lot of those small units. I had a Wurlitzer built like a roll top desk that had one it it.
So wonderful to hear on a record player!
Did they give you a copyright strike?
No, I dodged it this time! Probably because it was in the background.
I was already in my late twenties when I actually saw the movie 'White Christmas' for the very first time (when I spent time at university in Scotland). It is, of course, a traditon in English speaking countries, but it is not necessarily shown around Christmas in German speaking countries - although the song itself, of course, is also very popular there.
Thanks for the great work on your channel and...Merry Christmas.
Thank you Murdock!
The Garrard sounds great! Also love that Lou Rawls Christmas album on the shelf. “Ho, Ho, Ho” Happy Holidays Matt 🎄🎸🍺
Awesome. Thanks Matt.... And that 1964 Columbia 360 Stereo Turntable? Classic. The Garrard TT is actually original, thats what they came with. Youve got 3 speakers on each side & the interesting feature to that unit is that the underside of the turntable acts as a "base resonator" when you play records with the lid shut. Obviously gives you a lot more depth, base..... All the Best to you & yours, all here at Pop Goes the 60's. Cheers!
Thanks for that background on the Garrard, Steve!
Lots and lots of good history in there, Matt! I'm pretty sure that Garrard turntable was not original to your Columbia record player chassis, but I'm not an equipment geek, so I could be wrong. More importantly, thanks for the very interesting historical context, and Best Wishes for the Holidays!
Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters recorded a Rhythm & Blues version in 1954 and Stiff Little Fingers recorded a punk version in 1980, both outside of your decade.
Lovely seasonal episode, Matt. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Love this Matt,! Irving Berlin could only play the piano in one key - F# i believe. The only thing i question is you say Rudolph the rednosed reindeer came out in the '30's but that was the book. Gene Autrey's song about Rudolph came out in' '49 written by Johnny Marks. White Christmas was definitely the first secular non christian holiday song and it clearly inspired everything that followed. Thanks again man!
Hey Ronny, thank you for that correction on Rudolph. I appreciate the comments.
Great video. Matt. I love all those old 78rpm albums. Perhaps you could have gone on to mention how the song was used in the film 'White Christmas in '54. Jerry Lee Lewis could have done a great rock'n'roll version of 'White Christmas'. Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Christchurch, Dorset in the UK! 🙂
Hey Graham! Yes, I should have mentioned the namesake movie! I just came back from California and I had wanted to do this before I left. I totally forgot. Next time for sure!
@@popgoesthe60s52 Irving Berlin's adjustable key piano is quite amazing too.
For the 1977 Johnny Cash Christmas Special, that Jerry Lee guest starred on, he performed "White Christmas" (Possibly as a tribute to Bing Crosby, who had died I think in October, 1977). Think Johnny's Christmas show was taped in November, 1977.
@@robertzastrow4648 Thanks, I will look for that show!
@@popgoesthe60s52 Jerry did "White Christmas" in a medley with "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" (What a combo of songs to pair together! HaHa). As he sings the first song, he gives a nod to Elvis by singing "Elvis got the bull by the horns". In another part of the show, Johnny, Jerry, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison pay tribute to Elvis, after Johnny mentions Elvis's love of Gospel music, by singing a Gospel song together called "This Train (Is Bound For Glory)". My guess is that at parts or the whole 1977 J.C. Christmas Special has been put on UA-cam.
The Drifters' version is pretty good. When I first heard it, I thought it was Elvis, backed by the Jordanaires.😆
Now I'm gonna see if I can find that on YT.
Great video! FYI, I think that Garrard changer actually is original to that phonograph.
Thank you for that. Electronics is not my area of expertise. 🙂
Irving Berlin was the Lennon/McCartney of the first half of the 20th Century - I know there was George Gershwin and Cole Porter that might be considered the number 1 pop song writer, but Berlin's quantity and diversity of A+ songs puts him at #1 for me (And also like John and Paul, he couldn't read/write music - maybe there's something happening there!). Thanks Matt for your great videos through the year which we enjoy - take care and look forward to catching up with you in the year coming! Regards. Terry, Australia.
Yes to that. Diversity--every song he did is different from all the others----and so many are just sublime, it's ridiculous.
Good points Terry - thank you!
Have Yourself a Merry Little Xmas next year please
Don Draper on MadMen said every Bing Crosby song sounds like Xmas. I wonder if Crosby, who had quite a catalog of crooner jazz hits, regretted tying himself and his career forever to the holiday season
He seemed to enjoy it. And his movie career took of then so without White Christmas, maybe the film career doesn't blossom? My wife and I are just finishing the Madmen series again and that was a great quote from Draper.
@@popgoesthe60s52 Whenever I went to visit my grandma at her retirement community we would either watch the Milwaukee Brewers or a "Road Picture" with Hope and Crosby. I loved how she collectively referred to them as "Road Pictures"
@@bucksdiaryfan Those "Road Pictures" are great!!
You are dead on about "White Christmas"....We see "Holiday Inn" every year....Berlin also only played the piano in F# (all black keys)...after his initial success, he got a lever to put on the side of his piano...the first transposer for a keyboard allowing him to still play in F# but change the key with the lever....very entertaining.... Peace and Love and Happy Holidays, Terry and Julia Tutor
Thank you Terry and Julia!
I made a similar comment before I saw yours. Yeah, that piano was famous.
I hereby nominate Bing Crosby for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
I second the motion!
Actually, the song 'Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer' was written and released in 1949 by Johnny Marks; though it was based on a story written 10 years earlier.
Thanks for that correction Jeff!
The 20th century is Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson. To me the interesting thing is that "It's been a long long time" (featuring the first hit song with electric guitar from Les Paul) was more popular with the service men. White Christmas was more popular state side
Thanks for that Les Paul tidbit - much appreciated!
Nice holiday topic, Matt. Wanted to clarify one thing I may have misunderstood...the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" wasn't from the 30's although the children's story upon which it is based dates to 1939. The song was written much later...its live radio debut (by singer Harry Brannon) and first recording (by Gene Autry) occurred in 1949.
Thank you for that correction. That's what I get for going off the cuff!
Merry Christmas, Matt, to you and yours.
Despite being out of your normal sphere, I feel that songs like this deserve to be more talked about. I'd rather hear about them than be subjected to the countless modern covers that are done without any feeling in the vocals whatsoever. That it could bring tears to 100,000 soldiers speaks not only of the song's impact, but also that these young men probably hadn't seen home in two years and never knew if they would ever come back. One of the greatest generations, indeed.
If I may, I have to slightly correct you about what sort of holiday Christmas really is. Yes, it's Christian now, but it was a celebration long before the Christians conquered so much of Europe. It wasn't even observed by the Church until centuries after the events in the bible supposedly took place. Instead, it was created as a means of subjugating the Pagan peoples into altering their mid-Winter festivals into following what the new reality was. The decorating of trees, yule logs in the fire, giving gifts, hanging pine boughs and mistletoe inside the homes, as well as many more still current traditions, were all a part of the Pagan celebrations. Even the concept of Santa Claus was based in Norse mythology. All of it centered around the Winter Solstice - the shortest day of the year - as the days would begin to get longer again as Spring approached. The Holly King gives way to the Oak King until the Summer Solstice, when the Holly King would take the season back. To many, the festival was called Yule and it took place over a 12 day period (the 12 days of...). Going even further back, the Romans called it Saturnalia.
Thanks for the comments! Much appreciated.
I know this was focused on the original, but, harking back to The Beatles saying it was a rock and roll song, there is a very significant cover of White Christmas by the Drifters from 1954 that was, quite deliberately, sung as "black" as possible.
Thanks, i will have to check out the Drifters version!
Taylor Swift's music makes me cry... but I think that's a whole different kind of thing. Merry Christmas!
Bing Crosby went to school at gonzaga. Go zags!!
That is the correct record player. There is one on EBay selling for $3,889.00 dollars.
Whoa, I had no idea it was valuable. Thanks Robbie!
@@popgoesthe60s52 Your Welcome. Merry Christmas!!!!
With regard to Holiday Inn, note that the Christian holiday songs are not religious (White Christmas, In Your Easter Bonnet). I read once that Berlin, despite not really being a practicing Jew, simply could not bring himself to write an overtly Christian song.
You are forgetting Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Joy To the World, Silent Night, Away In the Manger, Angels We Have Heard On High, etc.
I don't think I can ever get used to people putting fingers on the vinyl.
Technically this is lacquer and way more durable, but less fidelity. I don't do that with actual vinyl records.
Someone should borrow Peter jackson's MAL machine to make a new master from the 1942 78, minus crackles, and pops.
I think it was Danny Kaye in White Christmas not Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was In Holiday Inn with Crosby which is the film that introduced White Christmas in 1942. White Christmas came out 12 years later.
Uh, oh! That 1942 record is a Decca!
1930/40's sjould be out of copywrite now surly ??
Copyright can be renewed, like the Beatles have done. I’m not sure how many times they can be renewed though.
I wonder if George' choice was carefully picked to appease the parents of the many screaming teenagers. Don't forget that Beatles image was construct... Oh... let's cut this analytic bs and enjoy the holidays! Thanks for this year of content, Matt. Merry Christmas!
What the hell is that thing on your right??
I always get an education here.
Plenty to come in 2024! Thanks for the support, Steve.
Lol. I think Paul McCartney owns the publishing rights. You might owe him money. Lol.
That bastard!
@@popgoesthe60s52 lol.
The Garrard is original and Garrard is English made.
Ok, I wasn't sure about that - thank you!
The early Beatles were natural comedians.
Even if they'd had no musical skills, they'd have been as funny as Spinal Tap.