“Do you hear what I hear?” It’s holiday music time. Winter holiday songs have been a part of our childhoods for as long as we can remember. Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer and Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree are two well-known classics. Adam Sandler’s The Chanukah Song and Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe are two holiday songs that are well-known current hits. In the Curran house, the classics are always playing; Harry Connick Jr, Frank Sinatra, and Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You. Which do you prefer? Do you like the original versions or the modern artist’s renditions of holiday songs?
Classics are the way to go. Math teacher Mrs. McGlynn is fond of classical holiday songs. “My favorite Christmas song is I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayla Peevey,” said McGlynn.
Senior Rebecca Clifford is also a fan of classic holiday songs. “My favorite song is Silent Night because it sounds like a classy Christmas song,” said Clifford.
Senior PJ Cignarella is a classic holiday song listener. “Jingle Bell Rock, I love that one.” said Cignarella. People typically like the classics because they grow up listening to them and their parents are playing them around the house to get in the holiday spirit.
Modern songs are usually just renditions of well-known holiday songs. Senior Alicia Hébert is a fan of Michael Buble. “Michael Buble’s All I Want for Christmas is You is my favorite because who doesn’t like his voice? It’s comforting,” said Hébert. Other artists, like Taylor Swift, have their fans wrapped up in ribbons with their holiday songs. Senior Aylish Lynch is a fan of Taylor Swift. “I like Taylor Swift’s rendition of Silent Night because I love T-Swizzle.” said Lynch. The classic versions are classic for a reason. They are original, often heard of, and cherished for years. When a new and familiar artist does his/her own spin on a classic such as Jingle Bells, the tone and style of the artist’s voice could possibly ruin the song. Classics are often replayed during the holiday season because they bring back childhood memories of past hanukkahs or christmases.
Everyone has different preferences regarding holiday songs. Some could care less and just think it is an excuse for radio stations to overplay the same songs to spread holiday cheer. Some people look forward to listening to holiday songs on the radio because they love the joy and the spirit that the holidays give to people. They also may like listening to more songs that are not replayed every hour of every day.