© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Holiday Songs to Perk You Up and Settle You Down

Connecticut Public Radio | By Colin McEnroe,
Chion Wolf
Published December 24, 2014 at 11:58 AM EST
1 of 3
Eric Danton writes frequently about music and pop culture for the Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Salon, and Paste, and blogs at listendammit.com.
Chion Wolf / WNPR
2 of 3
Joan Holliday is a DJ on 93.9 & 101.5 The River.
Chion Wolf / WNPR
3 of 3
Matt Sargent is a composition professor at the Hartt School of Music, and he’s a klezmer mandolinist";
Chion Wolf / WNPR
Credit Huge Cool / Flickr Creative Commons
/
Flickr Creative Commons

It's just unthinkable to me that "Why Can't It Be Christmas Time All Year"is not a classic, and a staple of holiday music. But it's not. In fact, you've probably never heard of it or Rosie Thomas, who recorded it. And that helps explain why it has been 20 years since any song became a mainstream hit. "All I Want For Christmas Is You", released by Mariah Carey in 1994, did what is now impossible - it survived its first season, and became a song that is played every year during the holidays, and performed by other people. It got a big boost, of course, from the movie "Love Actually", but that's not the only reason it stuck around. But 20 years is a long time to go without another success in that department.

Today, some of our music mavens explore the ways that holiday songs get built and spread. From Nikki Lane's "FaLaLaLaLove Ya" to "Talkin' Christmas" by Blind Boys of Alabama and Taj Mahal, chances are, you'll find something in this episode that sticks in your head from now until the New Year.

SONGS (in order of appearance):

What holiday songs do you keep coming back to? Comment below, email Colin@wnpr.org, or tweet @wnprcolin.

GUESTS:
  • Joan Holliday is a DJ on 93.9 & 101.5 The River
  • Eric Danton writes frequently about music and pop culture for the Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Salon, and Paste, and blogs at listendammit.com
  • Matt Sargentis a composition professor at the Hartt School of Music, and he’s a klezmer mandolinist
Tags
musictraditions
Colin McEnroe
Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. Colin can be reached at colin@ctpublic.org.
See stories by Colin McEnroe
Chion Wolf
Chion Wolf is the host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public, featuring conversations with people who have uncommon or misunderstood experiences, conditions, or professions.
See stories by Chion Wolf

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Donate
Related Content