For your convenience, MYPWHAE has combined Green Chri$tma$ (Part 1 and 2) into a single file. (Single file--I like that.) Or, rather, the friendly folks at the Capitol label did so for us. All I did was rip the track.
That would make a nice, confusing T-shirt: "All I Did Was Rip the Track." ("Uh, sir? What does that mean?"--Confused onlooker.) It would be the context that confused, not the phrase itself. Such an original idea, to take a common phrase and present it out of context. I should patent that idea before it's too late.
Oops. Too late.
Speaking of lack of originality, Stan Freberg's commercialization-of-Christmas shtick, even in 1956, was about as fresh as a Little Debbie snack cake uncovered from a 1973 landfill. Satire was not Freberg's forte, and he in fact rarely indulged in it. Most of his records are parodies steeped in ridicule, not satire. They're marvelous for what they are, but what they are is not satire. And that's O.K. Great parody is nothing to undervalue.
I'm undecided. Green Chri$tma$ (whose file I labeled Green Christmas to avoid giving Box.net fits) may or may not qualify as satire by way of its ad parodies. And I reckon it does, but I suspect that even MAD magazine would have rejected this routine as too lightweight. In place of edge we have style--in other words, we have Freberg. All that matters, really, is that it works. Freberg is a genius, and I love his records, but he was no satirist. And I know this record isn't the least bit uncommon, but I wanted to present it, anyway. It's my blog, you know. Nyah. (Uh-huh. Lee's got "attitude.")
Green Chri$tma$, Part 1 and 2 (Freberg), Stan Freberg, 1956.
"Santa Got Stuck in the Elevator" coming up. I think.
And I almost posted this to Vintage Lounge. Hello. It's wakey-wakey time, Lee.
Lee
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
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8 comments:
Lee, you assert that Freberg's takes were stale even then, yet you offer no links or samples of similar parodic/satiric takes on Christmas OR on the Greening of Christmas, OR on American merchandising per se...
I'm not scolding, nor am I hinting broadly at some delicious MP3s of such examples, just an easy link or two, Sir, because you have consistently been a notch or two ABOVE mere linkless assertion. Sir.
Hi, Carridine. Sorry if I'm answering this late--I just spotted your comment!
Good point--I should have given a couple of examples. Well...
One that comes right to mind is 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street," which I consider a far more clever (and cynical) critique of holiday consumerism. I realize Freberg hardly has time in a couple of 45 RPM sides to cover the same ground, but "Green Chri$tmas" is nevertheless a single theme played over and over--to me, anyway. Another example would be the source for his parody--Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol." Freberg does his usual ingenious job of transplanting ideas and characters from one setting to another, but those ideas were--what?--a number of decades old, at least, by the time he used them. The theme of valuing the spiritual over the material is one that pops up frequently in the New Testament, of course, and which has been showing up in sermons for many years, especially around Christmas. Freberg was not being very original, imo!
Lee
shit, my family had been listieing to an old tape for years now, "that xma$ story mom recorded once from npr..". i finally decided to search the web for it, and you had it!!
thanks a bunch. i am so excited. and i didnt pay a cent on amazon or something. christmas should be about giving, and not buying, aiiieee!
Lee, I just stumbled over my Bookmark, and I today (July 5) read your response.
And you WERE responsive to my suggestions, THANK YOU.
When trying to assess something (like a picture, painting, play, story, mime, film or song-play-dramatization thingy, I find it difficult to remove ME from the equation, when I am the one either moved, touched and inspired by Freberg's work (the plaintive, "I know, Mr Scrooge, ... I know..." as Bob Cratchet ends the record answering Scrooge's challenge: "Wake up, Cratchet! It's later than you think!" IS poignant, plaintive, and puts an effective, but not overwrought, exclamation point on the work, as the cash-register drives home the Ca$h-Chri$tma$)
Satire? Parody? We really just appreciate that it all goes together with remnants of (and parodies of) straight Christmas caroles.
If only Jesus had meant what He said about the 'One, like unto the Son of Man' coming 162 years ago, when all of Jesus' promises came to fulfillment...
Anyhow, THANKS for the posting.
And Lee, if you want some CURRENT satirical, sarcastic or straight recordings, may I suggest:
BrainSurgeryWithSpoons.blogspot.com
Try 1-900-REA.LITY
Its In the Koran
Bennish Quiz
Zarkman (any of 7 posted)
They ain't Freberg, but they ain't bad!
In the late 60's I heard a tape made from a parady of Dickens "Christmas Carol" called Green Christmas.
In this Parady, Scrooge was all for Christmas, after all, theres lots of money to be made at Christmastime.
A song parady was included, going something like:
Deck the halls with advertising,
fa la la la la la la la la.
Tis the season for merchandizing,
fa la la la la la la la la.....
Is this the Green Christmas parady by Freberg you are talking about. I have wanted to get a copy of the one I had heard for many years.
I tried to download from your blog, but I get a file not found error.
Ron
Hi Lee and Ron!
Here is what I believe you are looking for:
http://www.wepsite.de/Freberg,%20GREEN%20CHRI$TMA$.htm
Scroll to the bottom and you will find the download as well as the lyrics.
I've been loolking for it for several years and just found it. SF really does a good job of hiding this one. I'd my absolute favorite.
Rick, Home, Bowie, MD, Saturday, 22 December 2007, 1705 EST
"Stan Freberg's commercialization-of-Christmas shtick, even in 1956, was about as fresh as a Little Debbie snack cake uncovered from a 1973 landfill."
Whooaaaaaa... Lee, you gotta realize that no one before Freberg even thought of satirizing the commercialization of Christmas.
Today it's common place but in 1958, it was considered taboo.
Read about Freberg's "Green Chri$tma$" at the yuleblog - perhaps it might give you a better perspective into the whole matter.
Capt
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