eBook - ePub

Sleigh Rides, Jingle Bells, and Silent Nights

Name: Sleigh Rides, Jingle Bells, and Silent Nights
Author: Ronald D. Lankford

A Cultural History of American Christmas Songs

Ronald D. Lankford,

English
ePUB (mobile friendly)
Available on iOS & Android

eBook - ePub

Sleigh Rides, Jingle Bells, and Silent Nights

A Cultural History of American Christmas Songs

Ronald D. Lankford,

About this book

When Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" debuted in 1942, no one imagined that a holiday song would top the charts year after year. One of the best-selling singles ever released, it remains on rotation at tree lighting ceremonies across the country, in crowded shopping malls on Black Friday, and at warm diners on lonely Christmas Eve nights. Over the years, other favorites have been added to America's annual playlist, including Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas," the King Cole Trio's "The Christmas Song," Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Willie Nelson's "Pretty Paper," and, of course, Elmo & Patsy's "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer."

Viewing American holiday values through the filter of familiar Christmas songs, Ronald Lankford examines popular culture, consumerism, and the dynamics of the traditional American family. He surveys more than seventy-five years of songs and reveals that the "modern American Christmas" has carried a complex and sometimes contradictory set of meanings. Interpreting tunes against the backdrop of the eras in which they were first released, he identifies the repeated themes of nostalgia, commerce, holiday blues, carnival, and travesty that underscore so much beloved music. This first full-length analysis of the lyrics, images, and commercial forces inextricably linked to Yuletide music hits the heart of what many Americans think Christmas is--or should be.

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Yes, you can access Sleigh Rides, Jingle Bells, and Silent Nights by Ronald D. Lankford in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Media & Performing Arts & North American History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.