Christmas of Songs Written By Jews #MusicMovesMe

It's the third  Monday of December and it's time for #MusicMovesMe.   It is time for something that has become one of my favorite seasonal blog posts, updated a little each year. 


It may surprise you that White Christmas, the most popular Christmas song in our country of all time, was written by a Jewish song writer, Irving Berlin.  Not only that, but Jewish composers are responsible for many other beloved Christmas songs.

My quest to find out more started in 2010, reading a NY Times Op Ed.  There are a number of these songs, and other bloggers and writers have done the research for me:  I thank them, including the  this article. (a must read, based on extensive research).

Here is another, more recent article on the topic.

Why would Jews write Christmas songs?   Well, think of the themes of these songs:  Missing your home.  Childhood nostalgia.  Enjoying a season of lights and happiness. The different child (or reindeer), scorned by others, who becomes the best of all.  These are universal themes, and this is why these songs, I think, are so appealing, no matter who wrote them. 

Now, when hatred seems to be swirling around us more and more, I think it's more important than every to listen to these songs.

After all, It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, written by two Jewish composers, Edward Pola and George Wyle.

In addition to featuring "White Christmas" this year (later in this post), I chose another Irving Berlin song, "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep", sung by the incomparable Bing Crosby.  This may not be a true Christmas song, but many people consider it one.

Johnny Marks was responsible for three of the greatest secular Christmas songs - Jingle Bell Rock, A Holly Jolly Christmas and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  This year, I chose the Rudolph song sung by the late Dean Martin.

In 1944, Mel Torme and Robert Wells, both Jewish, wrote "The Christmas Song", a personal favorite. I choose the version by Nat King Cole.

Last week, I mentioned Santa Baby, a 1953 song made famous by Eartha Kitt. Both its composers, Joan Javits and Phillip Springer, were Jewish.

I also featured a satire of the song "Winter Wonderland", another song written by two men, one of whom, Felix Bernard, was Jewish.  Here is "Winter Wonderland", sung by Tony Bennett.

Finally, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", and I decided to feature a cover sung by a Jewish singer, Barbra Streisand.  I have to admit, I'm not a fan of the video, but close your eyes and listen to the singing.


Thank you for joining me for another episode of Music Moves Me.  We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only,  please! Non-music posts are subject to removal or labeling as "No Music".)   First, there is XmasDolly.  Her chief co-conductor is Cathy of Curious as a Cathy. Her other co-conductors are Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, and me.  

And that's a Christmas wrap! 

Next week, Hanukah songs.