One of the best things about Christmas is listening to all the music on the radio.

A couple of weeks ago, during his “Most Ridiculous Item of the Day” segment, Bill O’Reilly vented his spleen on — of all things — Christmas music.  According to O’Reilly, New York has four radio stations that play only Christmas music and that if he heard Holly, Jolly Christmas one more time (presumably the Burl Ives version) then he would scream.  O’Reilly, who has been crusading to defend Christmas, suggested that the ACLU might want to step in and put this music to a stop.

When I saw the segment I said to myself, “Bill, why give the ACLU any more ideas?”  Would O’Reilly prefer to listen to Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo on Air America 24 hours a day?

However, to be fair, O’Reilly does have a point.

My favorite radio station is WODS  FM (better known as Oldies 103.3 — check out www.oldies1033.com).    Yes, I am an oldies fan even though most of the music was popular before I was born.  Give me the Beatles, Three Dog Night and the Four Tops every day of the week.  I enjoy its Morning Show — The Breakfast Club with legendary Boston radio personality (and Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer) Dale Dormand.   It is certainly preferable to listening to the all sports radio stations complain about the Red Sox and Patriots and proclaim a lost season when they lose a game.  My favorite program on the station is the Thursday Night Countdown where host Patrick Callahan does the Top 20 songs for the week in a particular year.  Not only do I enjoy the countdown of what was popular that week but I enjoy hearing obscure one hit wonders such as Hey Little Girl by the Syndicate of Sound or Ma Bell Ami by the Tee Set or Winchester Cathedral by the New Vaudeville Band just to name a few.    

So needless to say, I was a bit perturbed when one week before Thanksgiving Oldies 103.3 began playing nothing but Christmas and Holiday music 24/7.  How could I possibly stand nearly six weeks of nothing but Christmas music?  Of course, I don’t observe the occasion.  I mean how many versions of Winter Wonderland have been recorded?   Must all of them be played in the same hour?  I must admit that for the first few days I would occasionally turn to the classic rock station or listen to my CDs while working on the computer.

But then something happened.  I noticed the joy my co-workers got out of listening to the Christmas songs.  And then I began to hearing some of the Christmas songs that I’ve always liked, such as Jose Feliciano’s Feliz Navidad, Paul McCartney’s Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time and Bruce Springsteen’s version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  I don’t care if the Boss campaigned for Kerry.  His live version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town is the most interesting rendition of that song I have heard.

There are many Christmas songs that make for great rock n’ roll.   Merry Christmas, Baby by Otis Redding with the Muscle Shoals session players in the background makes you want to go out and buy the record….if you can find it.  Wilson Pickett’s version of Silver Bells and Chuck Berry’s Run, Run Rudolph, and even Bobby Helms’ rockabilly Jingle Bell Rock also fall into this category.

As I write this I am listening to the Drifters’ version of White Christmas.  As one can imagine it is quite different from the crooning of Bing Crosby.  I don’t think it is what Irving Berlin intended.  On the other hand I don’t think he would mind the juxtaposition of tenor and falsetto.  In fact, I think he would quite like it.

Come to think of it, although many people like Christmas music because it is upbeat, White Christmas has a tinge of sadness.    Think about it.  “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas/Just like the ones I used to know.”  Just like the ones I used to know.  Sounds like someone to whom the memory of a joyful Christmas is but a distant memory — though not distant enough to have forgotten the meaning of Christmas.    

Another Christmas song with a sharply pessimistic tone is I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake (of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer fame).  Its cynical, morose lyrics belie its beautiful orchestral arrangements and intricate guitar work.   Consider its first, third and fourth verses:

They said there’ll be snow at Christmas,
They said there’ll be peace on earth,
But instead it just kept on raining,
A veil of tears for the Virgin birth.

They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a silent night,
They told me a fairy story,
‘Til I believed in the Israelite.

And I believed in Father Christmas,
And I looked to the sky with excited eyes,
Then I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn,
And I saw him and through his disguise.

This almost makes John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Happy X-Mas (War is Over) sound like something recorded by Cristy Lane.   Well, O.K., maybe not.   

Of course, Christmas and its music have many dimensions to it.    There are Christmas standards such as Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  The former was written by J.S. Pierpoint in 1857 in Medford, Massachusetts — just outside of Boston. Some have claimed the song was written in Savannah, Georgia — yet, somehow I doubt that one does much dashing through the snow in Savannah.  Of course, many a school child has sung, “Jingle Bells/Batman smells/Robin laid an egg.”  The most interesting version of the song I’ve heard is Frank Sinatra’s, where the back up singers spell “J-I-N-G-L-E” at the beginning of the song.  I am not sure if Nelson Riddle was the arranger, but I imagine he would have come up with such an innovative introduction.    

Sinatra’s fellow Rat Pack buddy Dean Martin recorded the most interesting version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer I have heard.  My younger brother, who is a musician, very much likes Dean Martin and thinks his voice is more interesting than Sinatra’s.  I must say that with all due respect to the Chairman of the Board, I agree.  Martin’s voice has the sound of red wine at its peak, with a strong touch of playfulness.  Who else but Dean Martin could get away with singing, Rudy the Red Nosed Reindeer or Rudy the Red Beaked Reindeer?  Although the Temptations’ version of the song with Dennis Edwards on lead vocal gives Deano a run for his money.

Some Christmas songs, dare I say, also have an erotic dimension.   There’s Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt.  Radio stations tend to play Madonna’s version more frequently, however.  The version by the Material Girl or Esther (or whatever she wants to be called these days) is more up tempo, and was recorded earlier in her career — when she was in her Marilyn Monroe phase.   I suspect if she were to rerecord the song it might come closer to Eartha Kitt’s version — slower and more seductive, as it was intended to be sung.

Then, of course, there is I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.   The most bizarre recording of this song was done by the Jackson Five, with Michael proclaiming, “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus!  I really did and I am going to tell Daddy.”  One cannot help but think that this might in part explain the problems that have befallen Jacko over the years.

Perhaps the most bizarre pairing of two artists on a Christmas song was the collaboration of  Bing Crosby and David Bowie on Little Drummer Boy.  I remember seeing Much Music (the Canadian equivalent of MTV) broadcast that part of the Bing Crosby Christmas special, and I had to do a double take.  But there it was.  And it actually worked.  Bowie sang most of the verses while Bing went “pa rum pum pum pum,” and then they sang together with a surprisingly terrific harmony.  I’m sure Bing’s contemporaries thought booking David Bowie on a Christmas special made little sense and was at best an attempt to reach a younger audience.     Say what you will about Bing’s conduct outside a recording studio, the man knew music and knew a good voice when he heard one.

Of course, there are the parodies of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  But the two best Christmas novelty songs are Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey by Lou Monte and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer by Elmo and Patsy.  In fact, I am now listening to Elmo and Patsy as I try to write this column with a straight face.

Do I have a favorite Christmas song?  I would have to give the nod to You Make it Feel Like Christmas, by Neil Diamond.  Most of the Neil Diamond material I like is from the late 60s and early 70s, but this holiday theme song was recorded in 1992 and it stands up with his best songs.  You could include it on a greatest hits compilation with Brooklyn Roads, I Am I Said and every Red Sox fan’s favorite, Sweet Caroline, without batting an eye.  It nicely balances the joyous occasion with the melancholy that this time of the year regrettably brings to some families.  Yet it is not overwrought by outright pity and too many strings.  It would fit nicely into my CD collection.

I am looking forward to Oldies 103.3 returning to its regular format on December 26th.  But I admit that I enjoyed the Christmas music and will actually miss listening to it.   Well, at least I have something to look forward to next year.