Note: Most of the entries in this list were written several weeks in advance. Today’s entry was originally written as Day 2, but when I heard news of Shane MacGowan’s passing I decided to shuffle things a bit to make room for “A Fairytale of New York.” I may refer in future tense to things that have already happened, but adding this note was less work than fixing it.
Today’s song is notable for its arrangement, more than anything. It’s The Drifters’ version of “White Christmas,” the Irving Berlin tune.
Bing Crosby’s original recording of the song came out in 1942, when it was featured in the film Holiday Inn (no relation to the hotel chain). The US was deep into World War II at the time, and 16 million Americans—more than one-eighth of the entire population—had left home to take part in the war effort. Everyone was missing their loved ones, and so it’s no surprise that a sentimental song about being reunited with family and friends became the top-selling single of all time. Heck, they even made a movie based on the song, and that was a smash hit, too.
But I’m not here to tell you “White Christmas” is popular. I’m here to tell you it’s boring. In your head you can hear Bing Crosby crooning it right now: “I’mmmmm… dreaming… of a whiiiiiite…. Christmaaaaaas…”
By the time Der Bingle gets through those first six words, we are approximately nine minutes into the song and I’m tearing my hair out. Why is it so slow, so bland, so monotonous? Everything about this song screams “I’m afraid to make choices.” It is the lukewarm oatmeal of music. Can’t someone do better?
Yes, someone can. Enter The Drifters, in 1954:
That is how the song is done properly. It bounces, it dances, it has whimsy and fun and interesting musical choices, and best of all it never seems to do the same thing twice. In the 69 years since it was released it’s become the go-to arrangement for pop singers like Michael Bublé and Meghan Trainor when they’re looking to cash in on some Christmas tinsel. (Note that Bublé, a talented if uninspiring singer, brought in Shania Twain to sing Clyde McPhatter’s falsetto part. Who can blame him?)
The canon of Christmas songs is pretty well set, and they are reimagined and rerecorded over and over every year. It’s an extreme rarity for a new song to truly break into that rarefied domain; the last one that’s really made the list is probably Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and you’d better believe it’s going to make an appearance on this list because that song is awesome.
Here, here! I love Bing as much as the next starry-eyed vintage gal, but the Drifters' version is by far my favorite too. Glad it made your list!
Hahahaha -- or "hohoho" -- that's spectacular. I laughed out loud when the chorus came in. What incredible vocalists! It feels like they use a different intonation on every note. This one made my day. And of course, I remember when it came out.