# It's the most miserable time of the year (Christmas music all the eff'in time) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 19, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800 "2022-12-19T19:17:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/21 "2022-12-21T23:35:30Z")
That’s why I pep it up with a little mayhem. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/22 "2022-12-21T23:36:52Z")
That’s what the wrists are for! ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/23 "2022-12-22T11:56:30Z")
I sang in my high school choir as a bass/baritone. Four years of “prum, pum, puddly pum” was enough. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/24 "2022-12-22T14:57:26Z")
That’s one of my top three hated songs of all time. All time, not just Christmastime. The others are Proud To Be An American by Lee Greenwood and Red Red Whine by UB40. (That’s an intentional typo, BTW.) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/25 "2022-12-22T15:17:50Z")
I heard what sounded like Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing “Silver Bells” in Walgreens yesterday. 😬 Actually, their version wasn’t all that bad, though I would have preferred the less traditional “Don’t Fence Me In”. _Let me be by myself in the evenin’ breeze_\* _And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees_ _Send me off forever but I ask you please_ _Don’t fence me in._ ---
**Author:** ![Mortimus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mortimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mortimus)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/26 "2022-12-22T16:12:52Z")
Some of our local TV stations feature high school choirs performing Christmas songs on their morning news programs. They’ve been doing that for several weeks now. The videos all look like they were shot by whoever the school had handy to run the camera, they are very poorly done. On top of that, about 90% of the singers are sadly out of tune. As a former TV news person and a singer myself I can’t bring myself to watch. I have to turn the TV off. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/27 "2022-12-22T16:47:48Z")
Relevant _On the Fastrack_ strip today: [![](https://safr.kingfeatures.com/api/img.php?e=gif&s=c&file=T25UaGVGYXN0cmFjay8yMDIyLzEyL0Zhc3RfVHJhY2suMjAyMjEyMjJfMTUzNi5naWY=) ](https://safr.kingfeatures.com/api/img.php?e=gif&s=c&file=T25UaGVGYXN0cmFjay8yMDIyLzEyL0Zhc3RfVHJhY2suMjAyMjEyMjJfMTUzNi5naWY=) ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/28 "2022-12-23T17:29:17Z")
Try being a musician right now. Today will be my eighth performance this month to _play_ Christmas music. (Could be worse) The upside is that most of the groups have been pretty good, with unusual spins on the music. One was a brass quintet playing jazz arrangements of christmas music and the other was two performances of my all tuba group. The not-so-great one was three shows from a community choir. Well meaning, but hoo boy, some clinkers. Hey- don’t judge me. I gotta buy groceries. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/29 "2022-12-23T18:09:39Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Hey- don’t judge me. I gotta buy groceries. On the contrary, I salute you for bringing joy to people in a trying season! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/30 "2022-12-24T07:06:35Z")
I am listening to Steeleye Span, Golden Bough, Broken Peach and The Roaches on Pandora this Christmas season. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/31 "2022-12-24T07:28:58Z")
In my younger, retail-working days, I’d tell my employers that I was Jewish, and that I felt ostracized around this time of year because I had to listen to 8 hours of music about a holiday that I don’t celebrate. It actually worked once, and they played almost no Christmas music that year. As I got older, I felt bad about appropriating someone else’s culture just to prevent me from hearing _The Little Drummer Boy_ (especially the Bob Seger version, which was my mother’s favorite), so I learned to tune it out, mostly. There are a few, more obscure ones that I enjoy. I like _Christmas Wrapping_, though I prefer the Kylie Minogue version. I’m kind of addicted to the 1948 Peggy Lee version of _[Papa Noel](https://youtu.be/EoLuN2PtlRM)_, even though, when watching the linked lyric video, I still have no idea what the hell she’s talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/32 "2022-12-24T07:48:29Z")
Every year there is this thread, and every year I have to come in here and defend the Little Drummer Boy. He’s a poor kid with nothing to give the newborn king, so what does he do? He plays a song from his heart. He gives Jesus _art_. _Sob_ ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/33 "2022-12-24T07:50:57Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > other was two performances of my all tuba group I, for one, would quite like to hear an all tuba group playing the _Little Drummer Boy_ ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/34 "2022-12-24T07:51:20Z")
I don’t have a problem with the message. I just hate the song about it. We never really hear the tune he was drumming. It’s like _The Monster Mash_ in that it’s a song about a song that we never hear. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/35 "2022-12-24T08:37:18Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > We never really hear the tune he was drumming. It’s like _The Monster Mash_ in that it’s a song about a song that we never hear. It’s the _Tennessee Waltz-_ of Christmas carols. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/36 "2022-12-24T13:56:48Z")
Ah yes, The Little Tuba Boy I played my horn for him Pa ruba ru-ba I played my best for him Pa ruba ru-ba, Ruba ru-ba, Ruba ru-ba Then he smiled at me Pa ruba ru-ba Me and my tuba ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/37 "2022-12-24T15:36:01Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Every year there is this thread, and every year I have to come in here and defend the Little Drummer Boy. He’s a poor kid with nothing to give the newborn king, so what does he do? He plays a song from his heart. He gives Jesus _art_. But, damn, couldn’t he play the flute? . There’s an apocryphal tale that Mary turned to the drummer boy and asked him, beatifically, whether he knew something less boring… "Knowest thou _Wipeout?"_ ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/38 "2022-12-24T15:41:49Z")
Once I went into FAO Schwartz (the famous toy store) just before Christmas. The cutesy Christmas music was deafening. I asked one of the clerks how he bore it and he said, “you just don’t hear it after awhile.” ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/39 "2022-12-24T15:43:34Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Every year there is this thread, and every year I have to come in here and defend the Little Drummer Boy. He’s a poor kid with nothing to give the newborn king, so what does he do? He plays a song from his heart. He gives Jesus _art_. > > _Sob_ This year there’s a lot of memes about Mary getting real fed up with him. “I just put Jesus down for a nap and then YOU show up”. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800/40 "2022-12-24T15:47:46Z")
I do think I might be more favorably disposed toward that song if I were to hear a speed metal band doing their version of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-most-miserable-time-of-the-year-christmas-music-all-the-effin-time/976800.md?page=3)