# Misunderstood holiday songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 14, 2000, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528 "2000-12-14T14:16:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/21 "2000-12-15T08:46:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bwk \* > **What about Good King Wensceslaus or however the heck you spell it? Who is this guy? What is the feast of steven? If he’s a good king, why is this poor man out having to gather winter fuel? What happens during the rest of the song?** Wenceslaus was a real person, king of Bohemia in the 10th century. If you remember Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution in 1989, much of the action took place in Wenceslaus Square in Prague… named for this guy. He legalized Christianity in Bohemia, though he seems to have stayed away from the “Convert or lose your head” tactics many other kings used to get their subjects to become Christian. Anyway. Bohemian tradition would have it that he was a pretty good king for his day, and the Catholic Church made him a saint. The story in the song is apocryphal, but the peasant’s actions are nothing unusual. Few people owned enough land to support a forest big enough to supply all the wood they needed through the winter, so most people would have to buy or gather wood for heating and cooking. And the guy is poor, so he has to do it himself. Why were there poor people in this “good king’s” realm? Because that’s the way it was in Europe at the time. If he had managed to single-handedly change **that** , we’d be singing about Amazingly Wonderful Brilliant King Wenceslaus, and that doesn’t really scan, does it? “The Feast of Stephen” is St. Stephen’s day, 26 December. The king and his page (servant) are going out to bring meat and wine to this poor fellow. The page is exhausted from walking through the snow, and the king offers to do the hard work of breaking a trail. And because the king is such a holy guy, a miracle occurs - the footprints the king left in the snow are warm. Hey, **Archive Guy** , do you know if “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” is another one of the war Christmas songs? It sounds like it to me - the singer, as I hear it, is only daydreaming about being able to come home for Christmas. Maybe a soldier who desperately wishes he could come home? Or someone separated from his/her family by the war for other reasons. At any rate, it doesn’t seem to be the cheery, upbeat song some make it out to be. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/22 "2000-12-15T08:50:17Z")
There are only three Christmas songs I like (being Pagan), and they are We Three Kings (because of the minor key), and Adeste Fideles and O Magnum Mysterium (“O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio, alleluia.”) because of the Latin. “We three kings of orient are, trying to sell some cheap underwear, so fantastic, no elastic, just $3.99 a pair…” ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/23 "2000-12-15T08:52:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bwk \* > \*\* > Also, I forgot to ask in another thread… but… what is a creche? \*\* Crèche is French for manger. In English, a crèche is a Nativity scene. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/24 "2000-12-15T08:54:26Z")
Oh, I almost forgot All This Time! (“All this time this song is best, Verbum Caro Factum Est. This night there is a childe y-born, that sprang from Jesse’s thorn; we must sing and say thereforn, all this time this song is best, verbum caro factum est.”) Again, because of the Latin. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/25 "2000-12-15T12:07:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by flodnak_ > Hey, Archive Guy, do you know if “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” is another one of the war Christmas songs? It sounds like it to me - the singer, as I hear it, is only daydreaming about being able to come home for Christmas. Indeed, der Bingle recorded “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in 1943, a year after his supersmash “White Christmas”. And you’re right, although the melody is more upbeat and the words generally optimistic, there’s one line–“I’ll be home for Christmas/If only in my dreams”–that’s a haunting reminder of how many weren’t coming home any time soon (if at all). ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/26 "2000-12-15T16:42:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phobia \* > \*\*delphica > I would guess that you are thinking of a song by Ray Stevens that is not a holiday song. “Mama’s In The Sky With Elvis” on the “I Never Made A Record I Didn’t Like” collection. \*\* Maybe I’m reading too much into the title, but the song you mentioned actually sounds _good_. Who wouldn’t want to be hanging out with the King? The song I heard on the radio said something about the mother being with either Jesus or in heaven. And it sounded so sappy! It was playing on a top 40 type station, if that helps at all. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/27 "2000-12-15T16:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Juniper200 \* > \*\* Listening to my brand-new copy of Rockapella Christmas (\buy a copy! buy copies for friends and family!\ **Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/28 "2000-12-15T17:01:53Z") > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by matt\_mcl \* > \*\*There are only three Christmas songs I like (being Pagan), and they are We Three Kings (because of the minor key), and Adeste Fideles and O Magnum Mysterium (“O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio, alleluia.”) because of the Latin. > > “We three kings of orient are, trying to sell some cheap underwear, so fantastic, no elastic, just $3.99 a pair…” \*\* I was always a fan of Ave \ **Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/29 "2000-12-15T17:04:15Z") > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bwk \* > \*\*One thing that bugs me is a lot of times for ‘Silent Night’ people say ‘round young virgin’ instead of " 'round yon virgin". > > \*\* THat always sounded like someone giving directions… “Where can i find the manger?” “Manger, oh it’s over there, 'round yon virgin” ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/30 "2000-12-15T17:10:45Z")
**Up on the rooftop reindeer paws…** I thought reindeer had hooves. And from Suzy Snowflake: **If you want to build a snowman I’ll help you make one 1-2-3. If you want to take a sleigh ride The ride’s on me.** That last line always struck me as kinda gross. ---
**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/31 "2000-12-15T17:30:07Z")
My father told me this funny story: During World War II my father was a guard in a P.O.W. camp. It was Christmastime, and the German prisoners were singing “O Tannenbaum”. A fellow guard became irate and started slapping some of the prisoners around. He wasn’t keen on the idea of them singing “German war songs”. My father disabused him: “You idiot! They’re singing 'O Christmas Tree!” After which, the other guy was very apologetic and shared his candy bars with the P.O.W.s. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/32 "2000-12-15T17:45:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bagkitty \* > \*\*What perturbs me is when radio stations play Jesus Christ Superstar anywhere near Christmas… it should be played near Easter… on the flip side, Handel’s Messiah is Christmas-ee, and it disturbs me when it is played near Easter… (and our national broadcaster HAS done this before) > > don’t know why I let it bother me, being an atheist and all, but it is damn sloppy \*\* Actually, Handel’s Messiah is both Christmas and Easter. It is divided into two parts (I believe the ‘break’ is at the instrumental interlude), and the “Hallelujah Chorus” is part of the ‘Easter’ section. Most performances include both the Christmas and Easter sections because, well, most people would feel cheated about hearing only the music, especially not hearing the “HC”. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/33 "2000-12-15T17:54:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\ ***Up on the rooftop reindeer paws…** > > I thought reindeer had hooves. > > \*\* I believe it’s reindeer pause… However I’ll admit that I still don’t know this one. In O Holy Night there is a line long lay the world in sin and “aeropining” What the heck is aeropining? Is it anything like those Aeropostal clothes stores. Then I can where God my want to take advantage of these fabulous sales. Others were talking Jesus Christ Superstar at Christmas instead of Easter. I took until I moved to NYC to figure why they always played the Ten Commandments at Easter. ---
**Author:** ![Medea\_s\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Medea\_s\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Medea_s_Child)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/34 "2000-12-15T18:12:16Z")
matt mcl… O Magnum Mysterium! If its the same one I sung in high school I am so with you! Ave Maria, in several forms … grr, memory dying as to who wrote my favorite. mmm… Christmas music, sigh, now I want to sing. Minor keys that ache… that’s holiday spirit. “sin and error pining” Zebra, pal. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/35 "2000-12-15T18:20:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > \*\*long lay the world in sin and “aeropining” > > What the heck is aeropining? > \*\* I thought the line was “In sin and error, pining” ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/36 "2000-12-15T19:20:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by poohpah chalupa \* > \*\*When I was but a lad, I thought the lyrics from **“Winter Wonderland”** were: > “In the meadow, we can build a snowman, > and pretend that he is _parched and_ brown…” > This never ever made sense to me. \*\* 🙂 When I was but a lass, I also misunderstood “Winter Wonderland” lyrics: “Later on, we’ll perspire, while we drink, by the fire…” I always thought it meant they were drinking hot chocolate by the fire and getting all hot and sweaty. Good Christmas song lyric place: [http://christmaswish.cjb.net/](http://christmaswish.cjb.net/) Yes, in “O Holy Night”, it is “Long lay the world in sin and error pining,” ---
**Author:** ![Juniper200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/37 "2000-12-15T19:25:12Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by BurnMeUp_ > **You know, I can’t STAND Rockapella, their smug faces, the Camren Sandiego thing… and then they made that commercial where they all love the tree so much the leave it in the forest and decorate it… they just make me want to retch.** Well, that’s your perogative…but you realize that I have to kill you now, right? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/38 "2000-12-15T20:58:59Z")
s/fx: head repeatedly bashed on keyboard Brain is running faster than the fingers > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by screech-owl \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > … most people would feel cheated about hearing only the music, especially not hearing the “HC”. \*\* Should properly read: …most people would feel cheated about hearing only **half of** the music, **and** especially not hearing the “HC”. ::note to self - DayQuil = daytime NyQuil = nighttime On that same note: \ Cars will pass,… seem ‘em glisten; Hear them crash,… if you listen. A horrible sight, We’re slidin’ tonight, Drivin’ in a Winter Wonderland. Gone away… is the tarmac, Someone side… swiped my car, mac!\* We’ll skid and we’ll pray, Then call Triple-A\*\*, Drivin’ in a Winter Wonderland. In the left lane, someone built a snowman. We’ll pretend that he is Parson Brown. Ask me if I’ll stop and I’ll say “No, man!” “I’m gonna run the mm-mmmm mmmm-mm down!” Later on,… we’ll perspire, As we change… the flat tire. We’ll moan and we’ll bitch ‘Cause we’re in the ditch, from Drivin’ in a Winter Wonderland. - Okay, it’s a little lame. I’m on Ny-Quil for g\*d’s sakes! \*\*for all you really northern folks, change this line to: Then call C-A-A ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/39 "2000-12-15T21:28:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Medea’s Child \* > **…Ave Maria, in several forms … grr, memory dying as to who wrote my favorite…** Several composers have set the “Ave Maria” to music, most notably Franz Schubert (in German, not the Latin text; I believe it’s about a young woman who doesn’t want to get married and beseeches Virgin Mary to help her) The text starts “Ave Maria, Jungfrau mild” (and again, my _Schubertliederbuch_ is at home). You may also be be thinking of the Bach-Gounod “Ave Maria” - (music by J.S. Bach, arranged and Latin words added by Charles Gounod) - one of the more popular "AM"s. [Several “Ave Maria” snippets](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000001G5C/o/qid=976915295/sr=2-2/107-4123427-6198951) ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528/40 "2000-12-15T21:36:54Z")
[hijack] I was just wondering if you people have heard the song _White Trash Christmas_ I have and it’s hilarious but I cannot find the lyrics and was wondering if anyone else knoew where I could find them…[/hijack] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misunderstood-holiday-songs/45528.md?page=3)