# Christmas songs with parts that irritate me **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212 "2017-12-11T17:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/41 "2017-12-11T22:35:19Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Fortunately, “O Come All Ye Faithful” is usually not performed with the second verse, > > _True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal, > Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb; > Son of the Father, begotten, not created_ I sum up my attitude toward Christmas by singing it in Latin–thus: Abeste Fidelis Nusquam triumphante… ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/42 "2017-12-11T22:47:30Z")
You did mean **Adeste** , didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/43 "2017-12-11T22:59:23Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Yeah, the sarcastic mockery of some hypothetical someone who apparently is thanking God “it’s them,” doesn’t come off at all well. > > Nor does the actual title of the song: “Do They Know it’s Christmas?”–that question carries an implicit suggestion that Christianity is far more important than any religion the benighted denizens of Africa might happen to follow. Insulting, to say the least. well it was in reference to the Ethiopia famine. Ethiopia is about 60% Christian. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/44 "2017-12-11T23:12:26Z")
_Mary nodded … the ox and lamb_\* kept time\*\* …\* Dude, you’re the drummer! You had _one job_! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/45 "2017-12-11T23:33:42Z")
I’ve always taken the last verse of “Little Drummer Boy” as proof that Mary was indeed a saint. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/46 "2017-12-11T23:54:51Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > 1. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” - _There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long long ago_. There will? I’ve heard ghost stories at Christmas. But I’ve never, ever associated Christmas with roasting marshmallows. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/47 "2017-12-12T00:11:36Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I like Whams _Last Christmas_ but I don’t like hearing it at Christmas time. It’s too heart breaking. Break up songs need to be sung at other times. The problem with “Last Christmas” is that it _has nothing to do with Christmas!!_ You could change the line to “Last Easter” or “Last Flag Day” or “Last Tuesday” and it would be the same damn song. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/48 "2017-12-12T00:13:42Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > You did mean **Adeste** , didn’t you? No. I know the difference between _adeste_ and _abeste._ ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/49 "2017-12-12T00:55:56Z")
Blue Christmas by Elvis is the worst. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/50 "2017-12-12T01:06:38Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I’ve heard ghost stories at Christmas. But I’ve never, ever associated Christmas with roasting marshmallows. You’ve never toasted marshmallows around a cozy yuletide fire? :dubious: I wish I had a nice hearth in my apartment. I’d not only toast marshmallows in it, I’d roast chestnuts too. :o ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/51 "2017-12-12T01:08:27Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > Blue Christmas by Elvis is the worst. Them’s fightin’ words, Yankee! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/52 "2017-12-12T02:18:29Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > I despise “The First Noel” because it’s such a pain to sing, since virtually every other syllable covers multiple notes. Having one word (especially a mono-syllabic one) cover a note change occasionally is standard, but in that song, it’s incessant. > > Here are some of the classic, very singable carols > > “O Come All Ye Faithful, joyful and triumphant” (12 syllables, 12 notes) > “Joy to the World, the lord has come–let Earth receive her king” (14 syllables, 14 notes) > “O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we-ee see thee lie” (14 syllables, 15 notes) > “Hark the Herald Angels Si-ing, glory to the newborn king” (14 syllables, 15 notes) > > Now here’s the Fucking First Noel > > “The-uh Fir-irst No-oh-el, The-ee angel did say…” (9 syllables stretched across 13 notes) > “Ih-in fiee-elds wher-ere they, lay-ay keeping their sheep…” (9 syllables, 13 notes) > “A-and by-ey the-eh light uh-of tha-at same star…” (8 syllables, 13 notes) > “A-and to-oo the-eh earth, i-it ga-ave great light…” (8 syllables, 13 notes) > > And so on ad nauseum. HATE, HATE, HATE!!! Must really, really hate Silent Night, then. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/53 "2017-12-12T02:19:46Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > Blue Christmas by Elvis is the worst. That weird ethereal sound the backup singers make, belongs in a Halloween song! ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/54 "2017-12-12T02:25:01Z")
“So let’s give thanks to the Lord above 'Cause Santa Claus is coming tonight.” These lyrics do not appear is all versions. I first noticed them on Dylan’s Christmas album and thought Bobby was making a joke. I don’t know if these lyrics were in the 1934 original, but they appear in some 1950s recordings. Thanks God, for Santa Claus. Thanks God, for not abhorring the virgin’s womb. Thanks God, that it’s them, not me. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/55 "2017-12-12T02:28:00Z")
For the win: Any song, and there sure a lot, that want to wish it was Christmas every day. Oh my god, can you imagine? It is currently exactly two weeks before Christmas and I’m singing, only two more weeks till it’s over. Hooray! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/56 "2017-12-12T05:06:04Z")
> [@ioioio](#): > > “So let’s give thanks to the Lord above > 'Cause Santa Claus is coming tonight.” > > These lyrics do not appear is all versions. I first noticed them on Dylan’s Christmas album and thought Bobby was making a joke. > I don’t know if these lyrics were in the 1934 original, but they appear in some 1950s recordings. > > Thanks God, for Santa Claus. > Thanks God, for not abhorring the virgin’s womb. > Thanks God, that it’s them, not me. _Here comes Santa Claus_ was written by Gene Autrey, and he first recorded it in 1947. He did sing, “Let’s give thanks to the Lord above” in his recording. > **[Here Comes Santa Claus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_Comes_Santa_Claus)** > > "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" is a popular Christmas song written and originally performed by Gene Autry, with music composed by Oakley Haldeman. Autry's original recording (in which he pronounces Santa Claus as "Santy Claus") was a top-10 hit on the pop and country charts; the song would go on to be covered many times in the subsequent decades. > Autry got the idea for the song after riding his horse in the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade (now the Hollywood Christmas Parade)... ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/57 "2017-12-12T05:50:33Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > He also wrote a story -within-a-story of “The Goblin who Kidnapped a Sexton”, a sort of proto-Christmas Carl, inside **the Pickwick Papers**. Betcha nobody here has even heard of these, let alone read 'em. I have, but I admit I haven’t read them. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/58 "2017-12-12T05:55:26Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Ever since I learned what a virgin was, and how it is 100% related to sexual intercourse, I’ve always felt extremely awkward about the whole concept of “The VIRGIN Mary” and the extended and excruciating line about a “viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIiiiiiiirgin mother and child” in “Silent Night” and having to sing it at church every year while sitting right next to my mom. > > Otherwise, beautiful song. Even before I knew what a virgin was, I wondered what a “roungeon virgin” was. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/59 "2017-12-12T06:05:41Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Even before I knew what a virgin was, I wondered what a “roungeon virgin” was. No, that was a fat guy who’s never had sex. Round John Virgin. 😃 What’s the deal with _My Favorite Things_? It mentions “doorbells and sleighbells”, and has a couple of lines about snowflakes and silver white winters, but otherwise, what does it have to do with Christmas? There’s nothing in it that’s specifically about the holiday, especially if you live Down Under. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212/60 "2017-12-12T11:53:50Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > You’ve never toasted marshmallows around a cozy yuletide fire? :dubious: If you asked a million people in the northern hemisphere “Don’t you love that time of year when you tell ghost stories and roast marshmallows?” approximately zero people will answer “Yes, I love Christmas!” Likewise, I’m sure some people sing the national anthem and light off fireworks on New Year’s, but I wouldn’t write a bloody song about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-with-parts-that-irritate-me/804212.md?page=4)