Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Mark Leslie's Silly Christmas Lyric Meme

I've always wanted to start a Meme, and of course, try to give it a title that I'd recognize as mine and see how far the thing could spread. An experiment in vanity, of course . . .

The Rules: Pick a Christmas lyric that you've always had a question about and discuss it. Then either tag one or more people or either tag nobody and invite your readers to tag themselves and enjoy discussing the subject on their own.

Feel free to use the "Cousin Eddie" image by copying the following code and replacing the '(' and ')' with '<' and '>' :


(a href="http://markleslie.blogspot.com/2006/12/mark-leslies-silly-christmas-lyric.html")(img src="http://static.flickr.com/136/321235351_90abf16624_m.jpg" alt="Mark Leslie's Silly Christmas Lyric meme" /)

The Song: The Christmas Song (by Nat King Cole)

Lyrics In Question: "And so I'm offering this simply phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two; although it's been said many times many ways: Merry Christmas to you."

The Comment: Nothing against Nat King Cole or the multitude of people who sing this song. I, in fact sing this song all the time. Even when it's not Christmas time. It's just a fun song, an easy tune and I find it so wonderfully relaxing.

And I'm not even going to take the "easy one" about this song and discuss the whole politically incorrect "folks dressed up like Eskimos" -- that's a freebee for another who wants to run with it.

But I've always been bothered a little bit by some of the lyrics. "To kids from one to ninety-two."

What about kids that aren't yet one year old? Why haven't they been included in the Christmas wishes? I suppose when I was that age I never noticed that the singer didn't include me in his Christmas wishes, so I was never upset about it. But if I do get to live to the ripe age of 92, will I be worried that Nat King Cole and most of the others who sing this song don't include me in his Christmas wishes? Will I myself stop singing it? And how would I feel singing in a room to a group of people if there were any babies under 1 or people older than 92 there? Would I feel it necessary to stop and apologize to them that they weren't included and perhaps after finishing the song go and wish them their own unique "Merry Christmas to you" since the song didn't include them?

Don't get me wrong, I know that to make the thing rhyme the writer had to pick an age range. But I always wondered how 1 and 92 were decided on and not something like: "from my heart and out to you....." which still rhymes and is relatively inclusive. Or perhaps to keep the "kids" motif something like: "from kids out there like me and you" (implying, like the original lyrics do that we're all kids nomatter what age)

But maybe I worry too much about these things . . . and regardless of YOUR age: Merry Christmas to YOU!

Tagging: Anyone who wants to play as well as Franny, Rainy Pete, Lime and Gwen. (I'm rather curious to read your takes on different Christmas lyrics)

7 comments:

lime said...

ooooh! It even comes with its own fabulous graphic too! and what better than cousin eddie! love it. i've got to think about this one and i may paossibly save it until next week's weird wednesday post but i will DEFINTIELY do this meme!

Sheri said...

I'm doing it too! I've got a song that the words always bugged me and Hannah asked me about it just the other day!

I guess when you're 93 and older the ol'Merry Christmas ain't what it used to be.

Rainypete said...

Damn your dark and twisted mind! A chance to stretch my off balance brain is just what the doctor ordered anyhow, and on a thirteenth no less! Here is my return shot.

As for kids under one, I think they get frequently overlooked because they usually drool when asked for a reply. People are generally unable to tell the difference between a contented drool and a drool of rage. When the poor little critter actually has a good wail to make its intentions clearer they find themselves stripped, redressed and muffled with some manner of food.

Anonymous said...

well mr. leslie, I will have to steal this html and think about it.

You make an interesting point. I would say, those children under one are thinking about the best thing on earth...boobie milk.

Franny said...

LMFAO! Done! (Love a good rant!)

Leesa said...

This is great! I'll have to give it a try :)

Anonymous said...

Franny tagged me with this one - and I've loved reading everyone else's take on it - nice work!