🕯 Christmas Music Trivia 🕯
Impress your friends with some factoids this Christmas
Q. What is the most played Christmas song of the last 50 years?
A. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," written by Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie in 1934. It was first recorded by Tommy Dorsey in 1935, but later versions were recorded by Frank Sinatra, The Supremes, The Jackson 5, The Beach Boys, and Glenn Campbell. Our favourite is Bruce Springsteen’s 1975 cover.
Q. Which controversial Christmas song was almost banned when it was released?
A. “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus”, recorded by Jimmy Boyd at the tender age of 13. The song was almost banned in the 1950’s for “promoting physical intimacy” after uproar from a group of church leaders in the USA. Reportedly, the young Boyd was flown over to meet with the group to talk about the song in person and reassure them. And reassured they were: they quickly dropped their case against him.
Q. How long did it take for “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” to get played on the radio after it was recorded?
A. Only about 1 hour. According to Midge Ure, who co-wrote and produced the charity single, he was driving home from the studio having just finished the song when it was started playing on his car radio. “Bob made a cassette recording and took it straight to the BBC where they played it immediately, so I heard it over the radio while I was driving home, only an hour after leaving the studio.”
Q. Who's the biggest grinch in the rock world?
A. Ozzy Osbourne - he’s just not a fan of the festive season. To quote the man himself, “I f***ing hate Christmas”.