I hate this stuff so much. November 20, certain stations start switching to an all-Christmas music format. Essentially, they take 30 or so Christmas songs (you know the ones) and put them on loop for 5 weeks. Try to avoid it, but it's impossible because stores, restaurants, offices, etc. run that #$&@ 24-hours a day.
I hate the repetition of the same tired old songs. Once I had a project at a small village hall that lasted three days. They played that #*($ all. Freakin. Day. I could almost time what was coming on next. "Oh, it's the top of the hour. Time for Springsteen and the E Street Band doing Santa Claus is Coming to Town followed, of course, by Rockin Around the Christmas Tree."
And I hate how it's too damn early. I distinctly remember sitting in the local diner last year around this time. It was almost 60 degrees and there were leaves on the trees across the street and there's Burl Ives singing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." No it isn't. Shut up.
And I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Carol of the Bells. I hate it straight, I hate it as a spoof, I hate it with vocals, I hate it a capella, I hate it instrumental. Everyone else seems to love it so it shows up EVERYwhere, including really stupid spoof versions in commercials.
I start getting into a place where I can enjoy Christmas music right after my birthday, so Dec. 20. I definitely have my favorites from the really heavy orchestral music, to the silly (love the Bob Rivers stuff, especially Me and Mrs. Claus) and stuff in the middle like the Vince Guaraldi records and Wynton Marsalis's excellent Crescent City Christmas (the lone exception to my Carol of the Bells rule), and my local college station does a killer Christmas Eve show where the host brings in hours and hours of great stuff.
But a seemingly neverending loop of "Last Christmas," "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime," "Holly Jolly Christmas," "War is Over," "All I want for Christams is You," "Jingle Bell Rock," "Santa Baby' (Eartha Kitt and the other one by whatsherstupidface), and Sarah McLachlan and Barenaked Ladies doing "We Three Kings" etc. that starts on Nov. 20? Bah Humbug.
Rant over.
I hate the repetition of the same tired old songs. Once I had a project at a small village hall that lasted three days. They played that #*($ all. Freakin. Day. I could almost time what was coming on next. "Oh, it's the top of the hour. Time for Springsteen and the E Street Band doing Santa Claus is Coming to Town followed, of course, by Rockin Around the Christmas Tree."
And I hate how it's too damn early. I distinctly remember sitting in the local diner last year around this time. It was almost 60 degrees and there were leaves on the trees across the street and there's Burl Ives singing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." No it isn't. Shut up.
And I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Carol of the Bells. I hate it straight, I hate it as a spoof, I hate it with vocals, I hate it a capella, I hate it instrumental. Everyone else seems to love it so it shows up EVERYwhere, including really stupid spoof versions in commercials.
I start getting into a place where I can enjoy Christmas music right after my birthday, so Dec. 20. I definitely have my favorites from the really heavy orchestral music, to the silly (love the Bob Rivers stuff, especially Me and Mrs. Claus) and stuff in the middle like the Vince Guaraldi records and Wynton Marsalis's excellent Crescent City Christmas (the lone exception to my Carol of the Bells rule), and my local college station does a killer Christmas Eve show where the host brings in hours and hours of great stuff.
But a seemingly neverending loop of "Last Christmas," "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime," "Holly Jolly Christmas," "War is Over," "All I want for Christams is You," "Jingle Bell Rock," "Santa Baby' (Eartha Kitt and the other one by whatsherstupidface), and Sarah McLachlan and Barenaked Ladies doing "We Three Kings" etc. that starts on Nov. 20? Bah Humbug.
Rant over.
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