Everyone's doin' the Holiday hustle!

Thanks to Michelle Solomon. (Click the albums)

The Holiday Troubador :: Many Color Collar Music :: Vol. 2

Here in the US when we think of holidays we think of family, giving, and lots and lots of shopping. There’s also the music we associate with the holidays: Christmas songs, Hanukah songs, songs about Santa and more. Every year, starting just after Halloween (though it seems earlier every year), professional musicians all over the world begin preparing for the big event. Its time to drop everything you’ve been working on all year and brush up on those holiday tunes, again.

Sing the song, spend the money

Holiday music is in the air almost everywhere we go this time of year. Just one more way of setting the Holiday tone, reminding you that it’s an appropriate time to reach into your pocket book and shell out the dough for your relative, friend, co-worker or even yourself.

Our friends, co-workers, relatives and economy as a whole owe quite a debt of gratitude to the minstrels of the holiday tone. Who are these musicians that choose to spend a quarter of their year performing the same old songs? And why? Is it all just for the money or is there a genuine love of the season?

The Preschool Sing Along

I worked as a preschool teacher for three years and would often bring my guitar or bass in for show and tell. Nothing captures children’s attention like live music.

I was recruited to lead the annual ‘Holliday sing-along’ the last couple years I worked there. Not being someone who would choose to sit around the house and sing Christmas tunes to myself (or really sing much at all), it required a bit of preparation

to learn these songs well. It also required a bit of creativity as we were trying to be all inclusive with respect to faith (or lack there of). “We wish you a happy Kwanza!”

I have to admit, my first motivation in accepting this gig was the money. As a preschool teacher I was tremendously underpaid. Just 30 minutes of singing Christmas songs to youngsters and their families amounted to over 8 hours of regular pay; chasing little rascals around the play yard and trying to soothe hysterically crying babies (no joke).

At least the children are accompanied by their parents and an arsenal of teachers at the Christmas sing along… all I have to do is sing, strum the correct chords and try to be engaging.

On the stage

As it turned out the whole experience was actually quite intrinsically rewarding. I got to be in the front of the room to see all of the little kid’s eyes light up as they repeated after me “Santa’s got a beard that’s long and white.” I also received some knowing glances from dads and moms as they enthusiastically clapped along attempting to keep the mood and attention of the children in the music. Everyone was working together to stay in the spirit.

It was like we were all in a dinghy together navigating the sometimes rough waters of the Holiday season and I was the slightly off key but well intentioned captain. I belted out a hardy, ‘Ho Ho Ho’ to capture their attention and then launched into Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Then it was on to Jingle Bells, It’s a Small World After All. Now, ‘does anyone know the classic Dreidel song?’ Well anyway, we all eventually made it to dry land and aside from quite a few nasty ear worms (songs stuck in your head) everyone was safe and I felt a little exhausted, relieved and really quite happy.

Why?

I have to assume that most musicians who play Holiday music every year do it for the money. Good paying gigs can often be hard to come by and the holiday season is a great time to get out there and make some money. A set of Christmas lights, a tree and/or menorah, a few Santa hats and a gift exchange doesn’t always

cut it for making your party legit; you’ll need the music too. There are plenty of us musicians out there ready to nail a few tunes down for you.

So as it turns out it may not only be about that money. When you play Holiday music you are playing hit, after hit, after hit, after hit! Everyone knows the words and is ready to sing along to get the magic of the season flowing.

You are the captain of the Holiday dinghy and we are all working together to get this boat back to shore. Tis the season for ear worms and eggnog!

Look here to see Dylan go Christmas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVs6X9yIM_k

On the Road :: Green Collar Music :: Vol. 1

Look here for my first blog entry on Pandora:
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2009/11/on_the_road_gre.html