Ricochet Christmas Music Fight Club: The Final Battle for Eternal RCMFC Glory!

 

Like the Ricochet Movie Fight Club of happy memory and the Ricochet Dueling Book Club, the Ricochet Christmas Music Fight Club is a place for fighting to the death over who has the best answer to a selected question of the week.  I’ve been post the RCMFC around Friday or Saturday each week between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Whoever’s answer gets the most likes wins!

The winner of the first four fights selected the question for the following week, but the winner of this fight will have only the reward of the eternal glory of winning this magnificent Christmas battle.

But, in addition to the joys of verbal combat, let’s remember that the RCMFC is meant to be a place for sharing beautiful Christmas music. Let’s have fun!

Last week’s battle saw MeandurΦ victorious with “G-d Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”  This week, MeandurΦ asks us:

What is the best non-Christmas song that was repurposed as a Christmas song?

You know what to do now: Answer the question, and fight about it!

(Reminders: Fight, but don’t be a jerk.  And share some Christmas joy even if we are pretending to be fighting!)

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  1. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    colleenb (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    I was going to ask yesterday why I have been seeing “What a Wonderful World” on more than a couple Christmas albums and playlists. So I’ll ask it today. Is it becoming associated with Christmas? And if so, why?

     

    It is a great, little song about loving everyone so I think that’s why it’s become associated with Christmas. I got to admit I still choke up when I hear it sung by Louie Armstrong.

    Oh yeah, well it has to be Louis Armstrong.

    • #31
  2. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    How do we play this? If I understand rightly, Advent ends at Christmas Day, when the 12 Days start. Advent is the time of waiting, coming, anticipation. Christmas is the time of arrival.

    So “O Come O Come, Emmanuel” should qualify.

    Then again, if we use the contemporary Just Christmas approach, then “Good King Wenceslas” qualifies as a Boxing Day song.

    And “Carol of the Bells” as originally a New Year’s song–right?–would also qualify.

    I guess . . . we vote on it with likes!

    (Take one of these ideas if you like them! I don’t need to win any of these things. I’m just glad they’re working out. But if anyone wants fighting from me, then I say PEOPLE WHO DON’T LIKE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA ARE LOSERS! Looooosers!)

    Why is there no love for the Cis Siberian Orchestra, huh? Why is that?!

    • #32
  3. FridayNightEcon Inactive
    FridayNightEcon
    @FridayNightEcon

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Щедрик / Shchedryk. Aka Carol of the Bells.

    I learned about it today, after getting nostalgic for the days in the mid 1960s, after we moved to Minnesota, when my mother would listen to high school a cappella choirs on the TV station which broadcast from Alexandria, Minnesota (the only TV station we could get reliably). In those days I think the choirs had to make a trip to the TV station to do their performances. Some of those small school high school choirs in Minnesota were quite good. It may have been the influence of all those German and Scandinavian Lutherans in the communities.

    I was wishing I could listen to some high school choirs like that again. I think they were my first exposure to songs like Carol of the Bells.

    And about the time I was bringing that back to my memory, the YouTube algorithm showed me this video:

    I learned that Carol of the Bells was originally a Ukrainian folk chant for the New Year, and goes back to pagan times. The reference to swallows and the birth of lambs goes back to the days when the new year was celebrated in springtime.

    At the end of World War I, Ukraine was trying to regain independence, along with Poland, the Baltic countries, Finland, and Czechoslovakia. But as is happening now, Russia wanted no such thing right on its borders, especially in the case of Ukraine. Nor did the White Russians, who could have been allies against the Bolsheviks, but wanted the old empire back. The new Republic of Ukraine realized that it needed to gain European and world support, and quickly formed a choir that would tour the world to make people more conscience of the existence of Ukraine as a separate country. Shchedryk was one of the songs in its repertoire, having already been arranged into its current melody by a small-town Ukrainian composer. Its first performance was in Prague in 1919.

    All of this PR work was too late to stop the Bolsheviks from taking over the country, and after a brief fake reprieve from Lenin, the Russians went back to their old work of stamping out any sense of Ukrainian culture and identity. The choir never returned to Ukraine and kept touring, reaching Carnegie Hall in 1922. School choir directors soon learned of the song and asked to have the music. It quickly gained popularity as a Christmas song in the United States. It even reached my ears around 1964. (As often happens, I was probably the last to know.)

    Here is a version with the original pagan lyrics, in both English and Ukrainian.

    Never heard of this before. Fascinating foundation of a lovely tune!

    • #33
  4. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    How do we play this? If I understand rightly, Advent ends at Christmas Day, when the 12 Days start. Advent is the time of waiting, coming, anticipation. Christmas is the time of arrival.

    So “O Come O Come, Emmanuel” should qualify.

    Then again, if we use the contemporary Just Christmas approach, then “Good King Wenceslas” qualifies as a Boxing Day song.

    And “Carol of the Bells” as originally a New Year’s song–right?–would also qualify.

    I guess . . . we vote on it with likes!

    (Take one of these ideas if you like them! I don’t need to win any of these things. I’m just glad they’re working out. But if anyone wants fighting from me, then I say PEOPLE WHO DON’T LIKE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA ARE LOSERS! Looooosers!)

    Ok, I’m putting in an official answer based on the traditional calendar:

    “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel” or “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”!

    And now I’ll lose the fight.

    But . . . Handel and Beethoven deserve to win anyway.

    Let’s just hope no one ruins it all by voting in “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.”

    • #34
  5. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Okay, . . . here’s one that comes to mind.

    Chris Eaton’s Breath of Heaven, which did not start out as a Christmas song, . . .

    But then Amy Grant made it into a Christmas song. (Or maybe someone else did it first)

    And now it’s only the Christmas version I ever hear.

     

    • #35
  6. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    How do we play this? If I understand rightly, Advent ends at Christmas Day, when the 12 Days start. Advent is the time of waiting, coming, anticipation. Christmas is the time of arrival.

    So “O Come O Come, Emmanuel” should qualify.

    Then again, if we use the contemporary Just Christmas approach, then “Good King Wenceslas” qualifies as a Boxing Day song.

    And “Carol of the Bells” as originally a New Year’s song–right?–would also qualify.

    I guess . . . we vote on it with likes!

    (Take one of these ideas if you like them! I don’t need to win any of these things. I’m just glad they’re working out. But if anyone wants fighting from me, then I say PEOPLE WHO DON’T LIKE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA ARE LOSERS! Looooosers!)

    Ok, I’m putting in an official answer based on the traditional calendar:

    “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel” or “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”!

    And now I’ll lose the fight.

    But . . . Handel and Beethoven deserve to win anyway.

    Let’s just hope no one ruins by voting in “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.”

    Great tune. Accent on chords & notes. 

    • #36
  7. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

     

    • #37
  8. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Two more versions. I’m familiar with the Sara Groves cover . . .

    This one is new to me, but I really like it:

     

    • #38
  9. The Girlie Show Member
    The Girlie Show
    @CatIII

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

    Wrong GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    • #39
  10. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    LeRoy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride.

     

     

    • #40
  11. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

    Wrong GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

     

    • #41
  12. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

    Wrong GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

     

    The original is a dirge, man!

    • #42
  13. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Percival (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

    Wrong GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

    The original is a dirge, man!

    It sure is. All 782 verses of it.

    • #43
  14. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Percival (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

    Wrong GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

    The original is a dirge, man!

    I liked it in the Justice League trailer.

    • #44
  15. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

    The original is a dirge, man!

    I liked it in the Justice League trailer.

    I hate it everywhere.

    • #45
  16. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

    The original is a dirge, man!

    I liked it in the Justice League trailer.

    I hate it everywhere.

     – in a house, with a mouse….

    • #46
  17. Tex929rr Coolidge
    Tex929rr
    @Tex929rr

    Deleted

    • #47
  18. The Girlie Show Member
    The Girlie Show
    @CatIII

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

    Wrong GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

    The original is a dirge, man!

    It sure is. All 782 verses of it.

    It’s one thing for Christian worship bands to make their own awful music, but they need to stop bastardizing other people’s songs.

    • #48
  19. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    It’s one thing for Christian worship bands to make their own awful music, but they need to stop bastardizing other people’s songs.

    Don’t care! : )

    • #49
  20. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    It’s one thing for Christian worship bands to make their own awful music, but they need to stop bastardizing other people’s songs.

    Martin Luther didn’t agree.  

    • #50
  21. The Girlie Show Member
    The Girlie Show
    @CatIII

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    It’s one thing for Christian worship bands to make their own awful music, but they need to stop bastardizing other people’s songs.

    Martin Luther didn’t agree.

    Another reason not to be Lutheran.

    • #51
  22. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Deleted

    ^cancelled 

    • #52
  23. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    The Girlie Show (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Similarly, there’s the atrocious Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, which has, I believe, 487 verses. I hate this song.

    But then along comes Cloverton, and they made it into something I actually like.

    Our worship team did this version at the Christmas Eve service a few years ago, and . . . chills, man.

    Wrong GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    No, it’s the original that is wrong, and I hate it.

    The original is a dirge, man!

    It sure is. All 782 verses of it.

    It’s one thing for Christian worship bands to make their own awful music, but they need to stop bastardizing other people’s songs.

    Used to be the only way we even got songs. 

    Copyright pretty much finished that off. 

    • #53
  24. Duane Oyen Member
    Duane Oyen
    @DuaneOyen

    I would guess “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, which Hugh Martin wrote originally for “Meet Me In St Louis”.  But in later life, Mr. Martin became very devout in his Seventh Day Adventist fellowship, and wished to make his music more of a glory to God.  So he re-wrote the song as “Have Yourself A Blessed Little Christmas” it was re-recorded by gospel artists. 

    • #54
  25. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Percival (View Comment):

    Handel’s Messiah. First performed April 13, 1742.

    Easter music.

    I’m pretty sure this is going to be the undisputed winner.

    The glory, it seems, will go to Percival.

    • #55
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