Are they indeed among the most powerful melodies ever composed or is it the association with the season that imparts a certain magic upon them?
 
I spent a few years in my Forties actually getting away from the inevitable commercial Christmas mania every year and living as a recluse during the holiday season, to the extent of eventually not even knowing what day it was. I swear in the silence of a cold and frosty evening during that time of year and you listen carefully enough to that silence you can hear the strains of something strongly resembling 'Silent Night'.
 
My personal conclusion is that there is a real magic in some of those tunes. YMMV.

Just my take, but I'd say they were crafted. And well crafted at that.

Didja know that "Let It Snow" was written by the two guys on their way to Florida form New York....... in the summer?

Good songs is good songs even if they were written in the car. JMO.

Jonbouy


Are they indeed among the most powerful melodies ever composed or is it the association with the season that imparts a certain magic upon them?
 
I spent a few years in my Forties actually getting away from the inevitable commercial Christmas mania every year and living as a recluse during the holiday season, to the extent of eventually not even knowing what day it was. I swear in the silence of a cold and frosty evening during that time of year and you listen carefully enough to that silence you can hear the strains of something strongly resembling 'Silent Night'.
 
My personal conclusion is that there is a real magic in some of those tunes. YMMV.

Completely agree. It's a heady brew of melancholia and cheery sentiment tied to the dying of the year, and a yearning for a re-birth. A lot of carols are both uplifting and dark at the same time - 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' for example, my personal favourite.

are we talking carols as I know them (centuries old) or general christmas songs though?

The more recent christmas songs are greed based wheras what I think of as a christmas carol is based on the birth of Jesus/pagan midwinter festival and written for faith not money

Hey Daryk,

If by recent do you mean Bing's rendition of I'll Be Home For Christmas, Elivis' Blue Christmas or my Kitten Wonderland masterpiece tripe?

daryl1968


are we talking carols as I know them (centuries old) or general christmas songs though?

The more recent christmas songs are greed based wheras what I think of as a christmas carol is based on the birth of Jesus/pagan midwinter festival and written for faith not money

Exactly what I'm talking about, carols written before ad-agencies and corporations started designing jingles to aid in parting you from your money.

The more recent christmas songs are greed based wheras what I think of as a christmas carol is based on the birth of Jesus/pagan midwinter festival and written for faith not money

Definately some are produced primarily for commercial purposes.  There are some modern Christmas Songs that are just really good; still written well and not just for commercialism, in my opinion.  "Mary Did You Know", comes to mind.  I have always liked "Little Drummer Boy" and it is fairly modern.
 
I'm not really sure where "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer", fits into the equasion, however.
 
From a different perspective, however...  Last night my 13 year old daughter played Christmas songs on her violin for 25-30 retired folks at a local Retirement Community and I was really touched.  I could hear many of them singing ALL of the words very softly while she was playing and they were just genuinely happy to be singing them.  Later they, as a group, just sang carols accapella.  There is something magical about the old songs and the memories they bring.

Some say music is a language whose modes, intervals, melodies, rhythms and harmonies richly express the deepest feelings of the soul.  Others say it just noise with a bit of cultural programming stirred in.  We call those people, "Record Label Executives".