White Christmas! (by Irving Berlin)

I don't care if I'm a week too early for Christmas music. I started 3 weeks ago (and so have many musicians in preparation for concerts and recitals), and I've been barely holding in the sparkly snowflakes, frosted sugar cookies, and loudly sung carols. I am literally bursting with Christmas cheer. (Maybe not literally, physically bursting, but you can safely assume that I am emotionally consumed with thoughts of sugarplum faries, John Lewis adverts, and eggnog.) From now until December 25th, we're going to take a look at the origins and evolutions of popular holiday music. Today, we discuss "White Christmas," the impossibly successful ballad by Irving Berlin.

Irving Berlin, photo courtesy of MusicalReviewer.com

This song is the most popular song by sales standards. Ever. Not just in Christmas music, but in all music. It has sold more than any Beatles song, or Elvis hit, or Barry Manilow phenomenon. According to Jody Rosen in his book, "White Christmas - Story of a Song" (Available through Amazon here), sales have topped 125 million (and the book was published in 2003, so it is likely a fair amount more than that now). One HUNDRED and twenty-five million.

"White Christmas" is also the most recorded Christmas song, which is notable not only because there are plenty of songs out there, but that the rights to record this song still cost money to publish and sell, as its not in the public domain (and won't be for a long time). Pick your favourite artist, and chances are, if they've made a Christmas album, they've recorded it. Most only record the popular 'Holiday Inn' version (the oft-forgotten movie with Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Virginia Dale that introduced this ballad 11 years before the better-remembered 'White Christmas' film), which doesn't include the first verse! For posterity (and science) (kind of) I recorded a capella the version with the "missing" verse. Keep in mind I recorded this in my flat, in my pajamas, in about 5 minutes with no preparation.

Click Here for Recording

Or, here is a version with Joan Morris and William Bolcom:

OR! A version by the Carpenters!

Or, a slightly altered version by Keane! (Which applies to me, a current Londoner):

As someone who grew up in Chicago, (where you can bet on snow being on the ground from November 1st through May 10th), moving to Texas, and then to Vancouver, and now to London, I well and truly miss having a "White Christmas," which is why I prefer the "missing" verse version. I don't, however, miss lake-effect snow and waking up at 5am (and again at 7, and again at 8) to shovel the driveway. Ideal Christmas snow is a lovely non-threatening dusting ON Christmas (when nobody is driving anyways because they're all getting drunk at family get-togethers), with enough to make a snowman and have a snowball fight, that melts on December 26th.

"White Christmas," which was written in 1940 and first released in 1942, resonated with overseas troops during World War II, which helped catapult it to fame. It won an Academy Award in 1942 for Best Original Song, and Bing Crosby's version is by far the most popular. The recording you most often hear on the radio, seen below, is NOT the original 1942 recording, which was damaged by over-use. It is in fact the 1947 recording, with the addition of a celesta in the orchestration.

Finally, have an indulgent listen to the traditional version of this classic song, sung by the iconic crooner Bing Crosby. Have a wonderful start of the season, everyone!