JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL ROCK...

This is the week before Christmas and quite a few radio stations across North America are playing NOTHING BUT Christmas music.  Some of those songs have become annual classics, such as Bobby Helms “Jingle Bell Rock”, Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and nothing can beat those Singing Dogs barking out “Jingle Bells” for a holiday treat.  Who will ever forgot those immortal lyrics: Arf Arf Arf, Arf Arf Arf, Arf Arf Woof Woof Woof!  And where are the Singing Dogs today anyway?  Probably enjoying the annual residuals from that song living the life of Riley in Dogpatch, USA.  So for this pre-Christmas week, our quiz is about contemporary Christmas songs (from the 1960’s ‘til the 2000’s), some you might even call rock’n’roll Christmas.  All of these songs are played every holiday season, so get in the yuletide spirit, but not too heavily, there are RIDE programs out there (for those outside Canada, those are police checkpoints/roadblocks set up on a regular basis over the holidays to see who’s been naughty while drinking and driving when they shouldn’t).

Ho ho ho, a very merry Christmas to everyone.     

    

QUESTIONS:

1.  This holiday ditty was # 1 on the Christmas charts for 5 weeks in 1967.  The lyrics to the majority of the choruses were: “Christmas bells, those Christmas bells.  Ringing through the land.  Bringing peace to all the world.  And good will to man”.  It was a story about a certain fearless pooch from the Charles Shultz cartoon strip “Peanuts”.  It was the holiday version of a previous hit for this ‘Royal’ group.  Can you name this Christmas song?                                                                                                                  

2.  This annual Christmas classic has been around since 1934 and has been recorded by dozens of performers, including The Supremes, The Four Seasons, Ray Charles, Neil Diamond, The Jackson 5, The Partridge Family, Mariah Carey, Gene Autry, Stevie Nicks and Bruce Springsteen.  What’s the title of this song?  I suppose you want a lyric or two to help you out.  Well, since it is the season to give...here you go:  “You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why...” Sing the next line and you’ve got the answer. 

3.  Just about every major British pop star appeared on this 1984 charity Christmas single, including Sting, Bono and Adam Clayton from U2, Phil Collins, Boy George (who flew in from New York that same day at the insistence of co-organizer Bob Geldof), George Michael, Paul Young, Simon LeBon and the rest of Duran Duran, plus the members of Bananrama and many more.  In Great Britain, the song sold a million copies the first week of release and raised many more millions for the starving people in Ethopia.  ‘Do you know’ the name of this important fund raising Christmas song?    

4.  Paul McCartney sang this song on “Saturday Night Live” last weekend.  He wrote it (naturally) and first released it in 1979.  In 1984, it made it to # 10 on a special Billboard Christmas singles chart.  It’s a ‘wonderful’ up tempo holiday hit that you just have to sing along with every ‘Christmastime’.  So what’s the title of this one already?  (HINT:  I already gave you two hints in that last sentence, don’t get greedy).    

5.  Every year around this time, David Letterman features legendary singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Darlene Love belting out this Christmas classic on his nightly TV show.  It was originally recorded for Phil Spector’s 1963 album, “A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records” and then in 1987, recorded by U2 for the Special Olympics charity compilation album, “A Very Special Christmas”.    What’s the name of this Christmas ‘baby’?     

ANSWERS

1.  “Snoopy’s Christmas” by the Royal Guardsmen made it to # 1 on the Christmas charts of 1967.  The previous year, “Snoopy Vs The Red Baron” made it to # 2 on the pop charts.  The Royal Guardsmen were from Ocala, Florida and took ‘Snoopy’ to the charts several times.  In early ’67, they released “The Return of The Red Baron” which went as high as # 15.  In 1968, they recorded “Snoopy For President”.  Not many people bought it apparently, since it only made it to # 85 on Billboards Hot 100 chart.  But “Snoopy’s Christmas” appears on the radio every year at this time.  The reason I said ‘the majority of the choruses’ in the question is because the first chorus is slightly different:  “Christmas bells, those Christmas bells.  Ring out from the land. Asking peace of all the world.  And good will to man”, so it is slightly different than the rest of the choruses.             

2.  Both The Jackson 5 AND Bruce Springsteen took “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” to # 1 on the Christmas chart.  The original title was “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” but the ‘g’ on ‘coming’ has been dropped for most contemporary versions.  The song was written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie and, according to Wikipedia, was first sung on Eddie Cantor’s network radio show in November 1934.  By that Christmas, 400,000 copies of the sheet music had been sold.  Every year, the Rankin-Bass animated feature based on the song plays on TV.  That tradition began in 1970 and will most likely show up on your TV every Christmas until well past 2070.        

3.  The song in question was, of course, “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, which started a major fund raising trend among pop stars at the time.  It was co-written by Bob Geldof (of The Boomtown Rats) and Midge Ure (of Ultravox) to help supply food for the famine in Ethopia.  It was recorded and mixed in one day and night (November 25^th, 1984).  It was released on December 3^rd and went straight to # 1 on the UK charts, where it remained for 5 weeks, eventually selling over 3,000,000 copies, becoming the fastest selling single of all time in the UK.  The total number of records sold around the world were in excess of 6,000,000 copies.  The song made it to # 13 on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart in December of ’84.  After “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, American pop stars got together the following January as USA For Africa to record “We Are The World”.  Canada’s major music artists came together as Northern Lights for the song “Tears Are Not Enough”.  All 3 charity singles raised tens of millions of dollars for African famine relief with a percentage of the monies received from Canadian sales remaining in Canada to assist Canadian food banks.            

4.  Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” is more of a holiday pop song and not meant to be taken as seriously as Paul’s former Beatles band mate John Lennons’ classic, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”.  Paul recorded it during June and July of 1979, while working on his “McCartney II” album.  Paul played all of the instruments on this song.  “Wonderful Christmastime” was featured in the 1998 animated feature, “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer: The Movie”. 

5.  “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is the song we were looking for.  It was written by Hall of Fame songwriters Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, along with producer Phil Spector.  Originally recorded by Ronnie Spector, producer Phil re-recorded the vocals with Darlene Love and that’s the hit version that’s been played every year since 1963.  In December of 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) # 1 on its list of ‘The Greatest Rock and Roll Christmas Songs”.  Darlene Love, as part of The Blossoms, sang back up for many music legends, including Sam Cooke, Frank Sinatra, Duane Eddy and Elvis Presley and has sung “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) on the David Letterman show every holiday season since 1986 (the one exception was during the writers’ strike in 2007).

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY...

This past weekend, I hung out with longtime friends, Julie Card and Dan Plouffe from mycollingwood.ca along with our mutual friend from Kingston, Ontario – John Hanlon.  Even though it was cold, windy and occasionally raining, last Saturday we attended the Thornbury Winter Carnival and just had the best time.  Sunday, Dan, John and I were also the ‘test mouths’ for Julie’s Christmas cookie concoctions...my oh my, they were all super dee-lish.  We ate and ate and ate.  Julie bakes the best cookies ever.  It was a fabulous time spent with good friends.  All those yummy cookies got me to thinking about food mentions in Christmas songs.  And that’s exactly what this weeks’ quiz is about.  The songs in question are all classic Christmas fare that you hear every year...some are pop songs, some are traditional carols.  There’s no Christmas rap here...unless you spell it wrap.  So, put on your thinking toque and have a go.

QUESTIONS:

1.  This holiday season song was featured on Phil Spector’s 1963 album, “A Christmas Gift For You”, sung by Darlene Love.  Some of the lyrics are:  “It’s a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts.  Take a walk with your favourite girl.  It’s a sugar date, what if spring is late.  In winter, it’s a.....”.  If you know the next two words, then you’ve got the yummy answer.  What’s the name of this food related Christmas song?                                                                                                                  

2.  Here’s a lyric from a very famous Christmas song, “It doesn’t show signs of stopping, and I bought some corn for popping.  Since we’ve no place to go....”.  Sing the next line and you’ve got the answer. 

3.  Can you guess the classic Christmas carol that these lyrics come from: “Oh bring us a figgy pudding, oh bring us a figgy pudding, oh bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer”.  (HINT: I ‘wish’ you luck with this one)  

4.  The opening lyrics to this Christmas classic are: “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.  Jack Frost nipping at your nose...”.  C’mon you know the title of this holiday hit.  So, what is it?  

5.  “Take a look in the five and ten, glistening once again with candy canes and silver lanes aglow” is part of the lyric for this Yuletide standard.  Johnny Mathis and Bing Crosby were but two famous singers who recorded this song.  ‘See’ if you can guess the name of this song?  

ANSWERS

1.  “Marshmallow World” is the popular song that’s been recorded by the likes of Dean Martin and Johnny Mathis as well as Brenda Lee (“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”).  It was written in 1949 by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose.  Crooner Bing Crosby recorded it in 1950 and took it to # 24 on the pop charts (of course, it was Christmas time).  Phil Spector’s “A Christmas Gift For You” album, featuring Darlene Love’s version of the song, was originally released on November 22, 1963, but John F. Kennedy’s death in Dallas overshadowed everything else and the album stiffed.  It’s been released many times since and is considered a rock and roll Christmas classic.  Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it # 142 on their list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.      

2.  You probably guessed “Let it Snow! Let It Snow! Let it Snow! and if you did, then you would be correct.  It was written in California in 1945 during one of the hottest days in July by Sammy Cahn and Jules Styne, two legendary songwriters (they also wrote the standard, “Three Coins In The Fountain”).  “Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let It Snow!” has been recorded by a who’s who of pop performers, including Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Michael Buble, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Chicago, country singer Blake Shelton and Andy Williams.  The song was featured in “Glee” during the 2010 season, although it was drastically altered.  Originally recorded in 1945 by Vaughan Monroe, whose version eventually reached # 1.  If you remember the Bruce Willis movies, “Die Hard” (1988) and “Die Hard 2” (1990), Vaughan Monroe’s version was played during the closing credits. 

3.  You can’t get much more basic than the classic “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”.  Those ‘figgy pudding’ lyrics are from the traditional olde English version.  Bing Crosby is probably the most famous singer of this wonderful holiday ditty.  Figgie pudding by the way, is a spice cake made with figs and walnuts.  Yum.      

4.  Nat ‘King’ Cole probably has the most famous version of “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)”, but it’s also been recorded by Christina Aguilera, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Clay Aikin, Tony Bennett, The Carpenters, James Brown (I kid you not), The Supremes, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan (seriously), Celine Dion, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Cee Lo Green, Frank Sinatra, Donna Summer, Michael Bolton, Whitney Houston and The Jackson 5 as well as Justin Bieber & Usher.  Mel Torme and Bob Wells wrote the holiday classic on, you guessed it, a hot summer day.    

5.  “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” is the song we were looking for.  It was written in 1951 by Meredith Willson ( who also wrote “The Music Man”.  Remember ”76 Trombones”?) and has been recorded by many artists, including Michael Buble, Perry Como and even the Chipmunks.  “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” was one of the songs featured in the 1992 movie, “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” starring McCauley Culkin.   

BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

It won’t officially be winter until December 21^st, but in some places, “the snow is snowing, the wind is blowing” already.  Winter is a time for people to enjoy the outdoors - skiing, skating, tobogganing or just taking a walk in the snow.  Throughout rock and roll’s history, many groups or solo artists have done either a Christmas album or single, but we’re NOT talking Christmas...at least not just yet.  That’ll come in a quiz a couple of weeks from now.  We’re talking about Winter, in all its magnificent splendor.  Gwen Stefani had a song called “Early Winter” in 2007, Gordon Lightfoot recorded “Song For A Winter’s Night” in 1967.  In ‘68, The Doors had “Wintertime Love”, in 2006, the Red Hot Chili Peppers released a song called “Snow” (OK, that one probably wasn’t about winter), Steve Miller had “Winter Time” in 1977 and of course, Frank Zappa’s infamous “Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow” in ’74.  So, all of the songs in our questions this week are about winter in some form or another.  Most were hits, although none of them went to # 1.  There’ll be a hint with every question, so you won’t have to tax your brain too much.  It’s much too cold for that.  Good luck!    

QUESTIONS:

1.  This ‘winter’ song was a hit twice.  Once in 1966 by a world famous duo and again in 1988 by an all female group.  One line of the lyrics is:  “Ahhh, season’s change with the scenery.  Weaving time in a tapestry.  Won’t you stop and remember me.  At any convenient time.”  If those lyrics don’t ring a bell, maybe the opening line will:  “Time, time, time, see what’s become of me.”  What’s the name of this two time hit?  (HINT:  Hopefully, your mind is clear and not ‘hazy’)                                                                                                                

2.  OK, hopefully we’re not getting too obscure here.  This song was on the flip side of the 1971 holiday hit 45 record, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over), which made it to # 3 on Billboards Christmas holiday chart.  I’ll even give you the title - “Listen, The Snow Is Falling”.  This time we want to know who sang this ‘winter’ song?  (HINT: The opposite of oh yes). 

 

3.  This one should be a snap.  The opening lyrics are:  “All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey.  I went for a walk on a winters day”.  What’s the name of this ‘winter’ song?  (HINT:  Winter is a ‘state’ of mind). 

4.  The opening lyrics to this 1970 song are:  “Beneath this snowy mantle cold and clean.  The unborn grass lies waiting for its coat to turn to green.”  It was the first hit for a Canadian female singer who went on to have many more, including a # 1 in 1978.  What’s the name of this Top Ten song?  (HINT:  It’s a word used to describe Canadians who go south for the winter months, usually to Florida).      

5.  This singer is known for his 1960’s hits such as “Sheila”, “Sweet Pea” and “Hurray For Hazel”.  The ‘winter’ song from this performer that we’re looking for was a medium hit in early 1967.  It only made it to # 23 on Billboards’ Hot 100, but it’s still played on oldies radio stations a lot during this season. (HINT: Row, Row, Row your boat)   

ANSWERS

1.  Simon & Garfunkel’s “A Hazy Shade of Winter” peaked at # 13 on the singles chart in 1966.  The Bangles did even better with the song in 1988, taking the Paul Simon written song to # 2 on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart.  That version was used in the 1987 film, “Less Than Zero”, which starred Andrew McCarthy, Jamie Gertz and Robert Downey Jr.  The Bangles version didn’t appear on any of their albums until The Bangles “Greatest Hits” package released in 1990.       

2.  This could have been a tough one, but the single of “Listen, The Snow Is Falling” was sung by Yoko Ono, wife of John Lennon and a talented artist in her own right.  John and Yoko met at the Indica Gallery in 1966 and fell in love.  The song John Lennon wrote about their marriage and  subsequent honeymoon, “The Ballad Of John And Yoko” went to # 8 on the singles chart.  It was credited as The Beatles, but only John and Paul McCartney played and sang on it.  John and Yoko’s last album together while Lennon was still alive, was “Double Fantasy” which featured seven of John’s songs and seven of Yoko’s.  The album went to # 1 during the week of December 27^th, 1980 and remained at the top of the album chart for 7 weeks.  Lennon was killed on December 8^th, 1980 as he and Yoko returned home from the recording studio.

3.  If you didn’t guess this one, you might want to hand in your trivia players’ card.  The song in question was “California Dreamin’” from The Mamas & The Papas.  Lead singer, Denny Doherty from Halifax, Nova Scotia.  It was the groups’ first charted hit and peaked at # 4 in 1966.  That same year, The Mamas & The Papas next hit, “Monday, Monday” went straight to # 1 and stayed there for 3 weeks.  On Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, “California Dreamin’” is # 89.    

4.  “Snowbird” was the song we were looking for.  It was Anne Murray’s first Top Ten hit, peaking at # 8 in 1970.  Anne started her singing career on a weekly CBC TV network show called “Singalong Jubilee”, broadcast out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Anne came to the attention of ARC Records in Toronto, who signed her to a contract.  After one album, Capitol Records Canada snapped her up and “Snowbird”, written by Gene MacLellan, was on Anne’s first capitol LP.  Anne’s other Top Ten hits include: “Danny’s Song” (# 7 in 1973), “You Won’t See Me” (# 8 in 1974) and “You Needed Me” (# 1 in 1978).  

5.  The singer was Tommy Roe, who took his 1967 song “It’s Now Winter’s Day” to # 23 on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart.  Roe’s hit making career, which started in 1962 with his first                  # 1, “Sheila”.  Tommy’s songs made the Top Ten six times, including two # 1’s, “Sheila” in ’62 and “Dizzy” in 1969.