Christmas Music

Thanks to the king of rock and roll Elvis’ Christmas Album of 1957, “Blue Christmas” became a rock and roll Christmas standard.  The tune had been around since 1948 and was popularized by others (for example, Russ Morgan, Hugo Winterhalter, Ernest Tubb, and Billy Eckstine), but Elvis rocked it with a blues touch. The song, written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson, tells of a man lonely from unrequited love at Christmastime.

In general, the reviewers did not receive the album well, because they felt Elvis had somehow changed the spirit of Christmas. Much of the brouhaha revolved around the rendition of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” rather than the gospel tunes that were really close to Elvis’ heart. Over the years, fans made it the best-selling Christmas album in the U.S., receiving RIAA Diamond status (i.e., more than 10,000,000 units sold). Elvis laughed all the way to the bank – if anyone ever done  such a thing. Out of pure joy, Elvis decorated his recently purchased mansion, Graceland, into a rock n’ roll Christmas wonderland. His Frostee-Glow white nylon artificial tree came with red ornaments and twinkle lights; the revolving base played Christmas carols.  It became known as the Presley tree.

Here are the lyrics to “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley:

“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you
I’ll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Wont be the same dear, if you’re not here with me

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That’s when those blue memories start calling
You’ll be doin’ all right, with your Christmas of white
But I’ll have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas

[Instrumental]

You’ll be doin’ all right, with your Christmas of white,
But I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas”

For another song by Elvis Presley: “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.”

For a comprehensive narrative biography of Elvis, there is the two-volume set by Peter Guralnick, which includes Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley and Carless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley.

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop music, rock and roll hits, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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