Music Mondays: DOWN WITH THESE CHRISTMAS HYMNS!

Last week, I shared some secular Christmas songs I can't help but like. 

This week, I'm going the opposite direction. Here are a few classic Christian Christmas hymns that I do not at all enjoy. I will say this at the outset, there are plenty of renditions I don't like of songs I actually enjoy. Christmas hymns seem to uniquely appeal to artists' desire to show off (cough, Pentatonix, cough). 

Please, by all means sing "O Holy Night" but I want to walk away from your performance worshiping the Lord rather than impressed by how great a voice you have. 

Anyway, this list is not about those kinds of songs. This list is comprised of Christmas hymns I consider inadequate that are probably considered classics by most.

3. "Mary Did You Know?" - Mark Lowry

First of all, it is kind of incredible that Lowry, who made his name by being a Christian version of Weird Al Yankovich, penned this song. My issue with this song is that it fails a basic theological review. I'll give Lowry benefit of the doubt, he seems to have written this out of a sense of wonder and curiosity about the Christmas story. Yet reading the early chapters of Luke, it is clear Mary could emphatically answer "yes" to a number of the questions he poses in the song. I remember preaching on this subject a few years ago, and after close study, my conclusion was Mary didn't know everything about how Jesus' life and mission would play out. But she knew plenty. 

2. "The Christmas Shoes" - NewSong

I liken this song to the movie, Schindler's List. Both are meaningful pieces of art. Both tell important stories. But I only needed to watch Schindler's List once and I was good. You listen to this song the first time, you let your heart feel things and you can move on. Since radio and movies are different mediums, you don't always have a choice about listening to this song. It's a morbid song that has been widely criticized for what it seems to imply and for the way it uses Christmas to make us sad. Shouldn't Christmas be about the joy of the birth of our Savior?

And no, I have exactly zero desire to watch the movie based on the song. I'd rather watch Schindler's List again.

1. "The Little Drummer Boy" - every artist known to man (orig. Katherine Davis)

If I were to believe the best about this song, as I did with Lowry above, I can see that this song tries to express humility and service to Jesus. But how often has that gotten lost within the many many covers of the song since it was written in 1941? And what to do we remember when we think of this song, the "pa-rum-pa-pa-pums", right? 

Even good versions like the one above can't quite do it for me. Btw, what's up with that video? Did the birth of Christ happen during the American Revolution? Did they go through a time-portal that I completely missed? 

Maybe I'm just channeling my inner Scrooge with this and these other songs. But they always pull me away from truly "getting in the Christmas spirit."

Music Mondays: DOWN WITH SECULAR CHRISTMAS SONGS...EXCEPT THESE ONES

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts - the Various and Sundry Pod from Dec. 1 to be specific - and Doc Harmon said something towards the end that really resonated with me, two things actually.

First, he described how he insisted on not allowing Christmas music to be played in his home until after Thanksgiving. I am all for this rule! We don't play much music in our house to be honest. But if I'm in the car and a station starts playing Christmas music before I've eaten my turkey and stuffing, the channel is getting changed for sure.

Second, he expressed his overall disdain for secular Christmas songs that have no connection to the birth of Jesus. I can get behind this too. Most of the time. It got me thinking how there are a few exceptions to this rule in my mind. 

So here's a Music Monday feature on three songs I can't help but like despite having no spiritual Christmas message.

3. "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" - Brenda Lee

This Oldie Classic was recorded when Lee was only 13 years old (!) and didn't become a hit until she later became a pop star later on. Why do I like this particular song? Maybe it's the lyrical focus on the family and friends time we spend during the holiday. I think it's always stuck with me though because of it's inclusion in the original Home Alone movie. 

2. Underneath the Tree - Kelly Clarkson

My wife owns this album and a few years ago I stumbled upon this song - probably on a trip to her parents for Christmas. This peppy tune reminds me of my number one song (below). Between her vocals and the catchy beat, it just sticks in your head in a sort of happy, good way.

1. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" - Mariah Carey

Try as you might, I don't think you can hate this song. It's just too good. Too catchy, too sappy, too fun, too happy. Did you know last year, it hit #1 on Billboard, 25 years after it's release? Widely recognized as the best selling Christmas single of modern times, I for one can't not like it.