Comments on: Most melancholy Christmas song ever

By: “White Christmas” and A Christmas Story : Historiann : History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:18:53 +0000

[...] troops wonder when (or if) they’ll ever again take part in family holiday celebrations. Much like Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), it’s really a three-hanky operation (and right at the start [...]

By: Indyanna

Indyanna — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 18:58:36 +0000

When I was back there in colledge it was an urban legend, maybe a stoner’s urban legend (and before the term “urban legend” entered our lexicons) that Walt Disney was autopsied after his death and that his lungs were found to be something like “caked with cocaine residues.” Not sure whether we really believed it even then, but it did provoke a few mirthful coughing fits.

I was thinking this morning that I should nominate “Merry Little Christmas” as a nice balanced medium point between the treacly and the teary.

By: FrauTech

FrauTech — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:50:47 +0000

Agreed, I tear up every time I watch that scene. I was familiar with the song before I saw the movie, but never realized the lyrics or the sadness until I saw Judy Garland singing it (maybe I was listening to ones with the lyrics re-written). I guess it inspires the “soldier on” and “suck it up” attitude I think we, as a culture, are good at even through historically troubled times. I never connected it to the war, now I’m guaranteed to cry even more next time I see this.

By: truffula

truffula — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:22:43 +0000

heavy stuff

The thread that runs through all these conversations is compassion. We can love these people even while we see what is hurtful and unhealthy in their actions, and indeed, for both their sake and our own, we should love them. It isn’t always easy but it is always right.

By: Historiann

Historiann — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:03:28 +0000

Wow, truffula. That’s a lot of heavy stuff for a couple of little kids. (Or even for you, a grownup, quite frankly.)

I feel like my life is a Walt Disney or Frank Capra movie by comparison, only without the struggles/adversity/filibusters/suicidal despair up front.

By: truffula

truffula — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:49:07 +0000

not at all for the kiddies Well, it’s gritty.

In the last year I’ve talked with my kiddies about the death by drug overdose of a friend’s father and about why we don’t see anymore an adult whom they adore (who also turns out to be a sexual predator). In the context of our lives, Fairytale of New York seems okay.

By: Historiann

Historiann — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:37:10 +0000

IIRC, Fairytale of New York is pretty foul-mouthed and not at all for the kiddies. (Like most Pogues songs?)

By: truffula

truffula — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:43:47 +0000

I’m with Dr. J on Fairytale of New York. Melancholy and angry all mashed up, sometimes is what you need.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:51:12 +0000

I agree — I cry with this one too. I love the song (and movie). My grandmother had me watch it on TV when I was about 6, and I was completely freaked out by the Halloween scene, and the Christmas scene is just so sad.

By: Dr J

Dr J — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:30:51 +0000

I’m going to have to nominate “Fairytale of New York” as the most melancholy Christmas song.
If not the most melancholy, then surely the most awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwHyuraau4Q