Do You Hear . . .

Singing penguins

'Tis the season for endless playing of holiday tunes everywhere, including our home. These ear worm tunes start airing in November and go through to Christmas Day. Of course, like many, we have favorites ranging from the standards of our childhood and there's interesting facts about many.

That said, here's some holiday song trivia (multiple choice and fill in the blank ?)

No prizes, just braggin' rights. Answers are provided below.

1. What popular holiday tune was written in 1962 during the Cold War?

Joy to the World, Little Drummer Boy, Do You Hear What I Hear?, I'll Be Home for Christmas

2. What's the best selling song ever, including Christmas?

White Christmas, The Christmas Song, Silent Night, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Some popular holiday albums

3. What's the best selling Christmas album?

Elvis Christmas, Miracles (Kenny G), The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole), Merry Christmas (Mariah Carey)

4. What popular holiday tune was written during a July 1945 heat wave?

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, White Christmas, The Christmas Song, We Need a Little Christmas

5. What popular song played at Christmas was written for another major holiday?

6. Complete the lyric, a ___convertible, light blue from what song?

7. What holiday song released in 1984 topped the charts in January 2021, 36 years after its release (sadly, the singer died early Christmas Day 2016)

8. What did Alvin want for Christmas in The Chipmunk Song?

hula hoop, bicycle, baseball glove, his front tooth

9. What artist or group has recorded the most Christmas albums?

Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Mannheim Steamroller

10. What popular holiday songs has two titles; who first recorded it?

11. What singer popularized Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas in what film?

12. What (non-holiday) song did Hugh Grant dance to in Love Actually?

13. Cheers! What should we enjoy in A Holly Jolly Christmas; what did grandma have too much of before being run over by a reindeer?

14. Do you know how many gifts are given in The Twelve Days of Christmas?

15. What Christmas standard was first a popular WW II holiday tune?

Song Trivia Answers

1. Do You hear What I Hear? (really), 2. White Christmas, 3. Elvis' Christmas album (1957), 4. Let It Snow and The Christmas Song (both written during a July 1945 CA heat wave), 5. One Horse Open Sleigh (1857) which later was renamed Jingle Bells and written for Thanksgiving, 6. '54 from Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt), 7. Last Christmas (George Michael of Wham!), 8. hula hoop, 9. Mannheim Steamroller with 8, 10. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting Over an Open Fire) and Nat King Cole Trio first recorded it in June 1946, 11. Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), 12. Jump (for my Love) Pointer Sisters 1984, 13. cup of cheer and egg nog, 14. 364. 15. I'll Be Home for Christmas (recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby)

Rudolph by R. May (1939)

This tune came from a store promo . . .

In 1949, a recording of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by the singing cowboy and actor, Gene Autry was No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas and it was his biggest hit. 

The song written by Johnny Marks was based on a 1939 story,  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, written by his brother-in-law, Robert L. May.

That story first appeared in 1939 when the Montgomery Ward company, a department store chain, asked one of its copywriters, 34-year-old May, to create a Christmas story it could give away to shoppers as a Christmas promotion. The retailer had been buying and giving away coloring books annually and decided that creating a book would save money. 

May created Rudolph as the ninth and youngest of Santa's reindeer, who uses his luminous red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide the sleigh on Christmas Eve. May considered "Rollo" or "Reginald" before selecting Rudolph, thankfully. 

The story goes that May while thinking about how to craft a reindeer story looked out his Chicago office window. When, a thick fog from Lake Michigan inspired him to use a bright red nose that would shine through it like a spotlight. Ironically, that story line was initially rejected as in 1930s popular culture, a bright red nose was associated with alcoholism and drunkards. May asked Denver Gillen, an illustrator friend at Montgomery Ward to draw cute reindeer. The alert, bouncy character that he created, convinced management to support the idea.The company gave away more than 2 million copies of the book in its first year, rising to 6 million copies by 1946. 

Holiday songs written by Jewish composers . . .

White Christmas (Irving Berlin)

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire (Mel Torme & Robert Wells)

Let it Snow (Sammy Cahn & Jule Styne)

Santa Baby (Joan Javits & Phil Springer)

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (George Wyle & Eddie Pola)

Silver Bells (Ray Evans & Jay Livingston)

Walkin’ In a Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard & Richard B. Smith) 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, A Holly, Jolly Christmas, Silver and Gold (Johnny Marks)

Non-holiday songs played mainly during Christmas, include . . .

Let It Snow, Winter Wonderland, Baby, It's Cold Outside, Ave Maria, My Favorite Things, It's a Marshmallow World, Walking' in a Winter Wonderland, Frosty the Snowman, You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), Carol of the Bells

This fun post was compiled from various internet sources and print articles. 

It was an interesting look at popular holiday tunes. Hope you enjoyed as well.🎄

Your turn — if you know any interesting song facts, please share in a comment !