You know the titles and melodies of these songs, but you may not know that many of them have very interesting histories.

So let’s look at five fascinating facts about the most popular holiday tunes:

1. Several songs that celebrate Yuletide, including “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “White Christmas” — the top-selling Christmas song of all time — were written by Jewish songwriters.

2. Another popular tune, “Jingle Bells,” is traditionally associated with Christmas, but it was originally written to celebrate Thanksgiving. And it was the first holiday song to be played in space when astronauts Walter Schirra Jr. and Thomas P. Stafford performed it on a harmonica (the world’s best-selling musical instrument) on December 16, 1965 while they were orbiting Earth in Gemini 6.
3. The song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” is part of the Christmas repertoire, but it was actually written in October 1962 as a plea for peace during the Cuban missile crisis.

4. “The Christmas Song,” commonly known as “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” seems perfect for a cold winter day, so it is surprising to learn that it was written during a summer heatwave in 1944 as a way to “stay cool by thinking cool.”
5. Australians have their own version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” where all the animals are replaced by their local wildlife: “Two snakes on skis, eight dingos dancing … nine crocs a – snoozing … ten wombats washing …” And yes, there is a kangaroo in there as well! There’s even an Aussie version of “Jingle Bells” that includes the lyrics, “All the family is there sitting by the pool.”

New Versions of Old Songs

Are you tired of hearing the same old holiday tunes all over again, yet want to continue to enjoy the holiday spirit they impart? No problem. Some old classics have been updated in recent years, and we hope they will bring you much comfort and joy.

With music in our hearts, we’d like to wish our students, their families, and everyone else, very happy holidays!

The post Do You Hear What We Hear? Five Things You May Not Know About Christmas Music appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

But let’s not forget the benefits of singing, whether solo or in a group.

Sing, Sing a Song…

Here are just a few of the many advantages of singing:

1. It strengthens the immune system: A recent study showed that an hour of singing reduces stress hormones and increases the body’s immune activity.
2. It boosts your self-esteem: When you sing in front of a group and get positive feedback from your audience, you will feel more confident, even if you are normally a shy person.
3. It is a natural anti-depressant: Research shows that singing helps release endorphins, the feel-good brain chemical that makes you feel uplifted and happy.
4. It is a good workout: It may not totally replace physical exercise, but singing is an excellent workout for your lungs, diaphragm, and overall circulation.
5. It improves your posture: When you raise your voice in song, you are also developing good posture: standing up straight, expanding your chest cavity, and aligning your back and shoulders. After all, nobody ever sang a powerful song while slouching or stooping!

So there you have it: five reasons why singing is good for you, no matter what age or gender you are.

Belt Out a Tune

Do you want to be able to sing but think (or have been told) that you can’t? Actually, only a small percentage of the population is truly tone-deaf, suffering from a rare condition called amusia. For others, the inability to hear pitch or distinguish among musical notes is nothing more than lack of proper training.

Don’t be deterred by people saying that you sing off key. Your ability to carry a tune can be vastly improved by lessons that train your voice. A good teacher will show you proper singing techniques and vocal projections.

So go ahead and find your voice!

Photo: Michal Shapira courtesy of Alexander Kinik and WikiMedia Commons

The post The Perfect Pitch: Five Reasons Why You Should Raise Your Voice In Song appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Speaking of music, there are so many great summer-related songs that it is difficult to choose only five. But choose we must, so here is our list of timeless songs that (in our humble opinion) best reflect the spirit of the summer — whether you are spending it in the city or on a secluded beach somewhere.

1. “Those Hazy Lazy Days of Summer.” This melodious and upbeat tune by Nat King Cole is as close to the ultimate summer song as you can get.

2. ““Kokomo” has the “beach vibe” that is so typical of The Beach Boys songs. (Think “Surfin’ USA” and “Surfer Girl”)

3. “Summer Wind.” When Frank Sinatra sang it, you could almost hear and feel how “the wind came blowing in from across the sea,” skimming through the palm trees and ruffling the leaves.

4. “Summer in the City” by Joe Cocker pulsates with the balmy energy of the sizzling summer in the urban jungle.

5. “Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy.” We just have to include this song on our list. Just think: would it really be summer without this smooth Ella Fitzgerald classic?

The Sounds of Summer

Obviously, the above is only a partial list of all the great summer hits — both old and newer ones.

Among the ones that are not listed but are certainly worth mentioning are Kelly Rowland’s “Summer Dreaming” “Summer Loving” from the movie “Grease,” and “King of the Beach” by the appropriately named Wavves.

And how can we not mention George Harrison’s song, “Here Comes the Sun.” The music is beautiful and the lyrics impart that quintessential summery feel:

“Come on over, let’s have some fun
Dancing in the morning sun
Looking to the bright blue sky
Come and let your spirit fly
You’re living it up this brand new day
Summer sun, it’s time to play.”

We hope you take these words to heart and enjoy the summer months because ‑ before you know it— fall will be upon us and you might remember the warm, sunny days with a bit of nostalgia.

Photo: Musician at the Beach

The post A Place in the Sun: Five Cool Songs for Hot Summer Days appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.