Charlie Brown first asked in 1965, "Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?" Judging by the Christmas songs featured on the morning network shows during the 2008 Christmas season, his question is still relevant 43 years later.
Researchers at the Culture and Media Institute analyzed the songs artists performed during appearances on ABC’s "Good Morning America," NBC’s "Today," and CBS’ "The Early Show" between October 31 and Dec. 16 and found that only six out of the 22 Christmas songs performed on the morning shows had religious themes.
Performers on ABC failed to highlight religious carols but did offer viewers a dose of liberal politics disguised as Christmas cheer. Melissa Etheridge ("A New Thought for Christmas") sang her original song "Christmas in America" on the Dec. 16 broadcast while wearing a Barack Obama campaign symbol on her guitar strap. Lyrics of the song include:
You’re in someone else’s land
So I’m sending out my only wish
Hey Santa tell the man
Hey mister send my baby home
This December I don’t want to be all alone
…
What happened to peace on earth
All that goodwill toward men
Oh come on all ye faithful
It’s time to think again
ABC also featured Martina McBride’s "Blue Christmas" duet with Elvis Presley ("Elvis Presley Christmas Duets") on Dec. 3 and a Dec. 15 performance by the cast of "Irving’s Berlin’s White Christmas" who sang a medley of songs from the Broadway show.
Performers on NBC left politics alone but still failed to highlight beloved religious Christmas carols, except for Faith Hill’s ("Joy to the World") spirited rendition of "Joy to the World" during the Nov. 24 "Today" broadcast and choral ensemble Chanticleer’s version of "Christmas Bells are Ringing" on Dec. 5. Hill also performed "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" during her appearance.
Other "Today" performances included Harry Connick Jr.’s "Please Come Home for Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" ("What a Night!") on Dec. 3. Connick performed a tiny portion of "Winter Wonderland" during an earlier appearance on Nov. 13. Tony Bennett ("A Swingin’ Christmas") appeared on Nov. 20 to croon, "I’ll Be Home for Christmas."
Overall, CBS demonstrated the most traditional Christmas spirit. "The Early Show" featured performances of four religious songs. Andrea Bocelli performed "Silent Night" on Dec. 2, Mary Donnelly Haskell sang the title song from her album "Just in Time For Christmas" on Dec. 13. On Dec. 15, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and singer Allison Krause performed "O Come All Ye Faithful" and the "Wexford Carol" from the album "Songs of Joy and Peace."
Other performances on CBS included Tony Bennett’s Dec. 1 "Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town" duet with his daughter Antonia and his swinging version of "I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" on. On Dec. 9, Amy Grant and Vince Gill ("The Christmas Collection") offered audiences "Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree" and "Baby It’s Christmas." R&B star Brian McKnight ("I’ll Be Home for Christmas") performed "Let It Snow" with his three sons and a solo version of the title track from his album "I’ll Be Home for Christmas" on Dec. 13.
Most of the songs featured on the morning shows have their time and place during the Christmas season. But with the lone exception of Bennett’s, each of the albums the artists were promoting contains at least one religious song. Even Etheridge’s has an interpretation of "O Holy Night."
Instead of highlighting those traditional songs, artists chose to water down the meaning of Christmas. It’s enough for all the Linuses out there to say, "Lights, please."
—Colleen Raezler is a research assistant at the Culture and Media Institute
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Comments Policy
Here's the deal.
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 20:56 ET by Mike BrattonWe should never be surprised when non-believers act... well, like non-believers.
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport.com
Merry Christmas Mike
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 21:10 ET by RukusAnd we all see the MSM going to hell now??? Just wait, it's gonna be a lot worse for them when we are all called Home, way worse! I pray for them to find theTruth before then. Have a Blessed New Year.
Gary
A Blessed Christmas to All!
Nothing rings in the
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 21:47 ET by JerryNothing rings in the Christmas season like a good anti-war melody sung by Malignant Etheridge decked out in festive Obama colors.
Thankfully, we can always count on Faith to keep the faith.
Hmmm... Faith.... Melissa.... Beauty and the Beast comes to mind.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vfote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
The Movie 'The Polar Express' . . .
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 21:59 ET by DoktorFranken. . . had many songs about Christmas and not one about Christ. Not one mention of the true meaning of Christmas even though they tried to explain the meaning of Christmas. That's walking a fine line.
Here's an idea...Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 22:11 ET by The7SticksI don't have time for this because I'm trying to have Christmas dinner with my family, so I'll just cut to the chase: If you want Christmas music, go listen to South Park Presents: Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics, which will prove to be as offensive as they are entertaining (which is a good thing.) With such standards as:
The all-time South Park Christmas classic "Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo."
Or if that's too nutty for you, how about "Hark hear the bells, swing silver bells, all seem to say Ding-Dong-Mm-kay."
And then, there's my personal favorite, a duet between Jesus and Santa singing to the classic Duran Duran tune "Rio."
Just don't ask me to recommend the Charles Manson Christmas song that he sang at the end of the South Park "Charles Manson Christmas special" because it's offensive. You know why? Because he repeatedly sings, wait for it... "Happy Holidays!"
Merry Christmas Everyone.
If that idiot wants peace,
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 22:17 ET by rbosqueIf that idiot wants peace, then she needs to find the guts to fly into Afghanistan, find the Taliban and sing to them her drivel.
We're at war because THEY insist upon it. Who knows, maybe they'll like her so much they'll decide to keep her.
Liberals are all about peace
Fri, 12/26/2008 - 08:19 ET by misterbee241Liberals are all about peace at any price. But they never stopped to consider that Adam and Eve didnt have peace in their family - one brother killed another. It is human nature to kill and destroy because human have an inherited sin nature. We fight that nature every day - we have to work at being good while evil comes naturally. There will never be true peace on earth until the Prince of Peace returns.
So put that in your bong and smoke it, Melissa.
Christmas songs
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 22:40 ET by Peggy CostionPeggy Costion Thinking all we want is "new" they ply us with wierd songs at Christmas, like Grandma Gettiing Run Over By a Reindeer. It started with Rudolf, but has become progessively meaner so that Christmas is no longer a child's holiday but a political dirge. There ARE times when nostalgia is appropriate, and Christmas is one of them. It's a vacation, not an election. We LIKE to remember childhood Christmas past. That's why The Christmas Story ( RedRyderBB Gun) ran for 24 hours this Christmas. We escaped ! The result is people are shutting out media and newspapers more and more, to escape strife,sarcasm, and bias. ENOUGH ALREADY ! I have a pile of newspapers two weeks deep in a bag by my front door that I refuse to read, because I don't want my Christmas spirit disturbed by garbage. WHY are so many news outlets facing bankruptcy, because they opted out of their purpose, objectivity and factual reporting. We can't count on that anymore, so why spend the time and money to read. And advertisers are obvoiously noticing reader decline too.
Gene Autry
Fri, 12/26/2008 - 08:22 ET by misterbee241I remember as a kid in the 50's at Christmas time the one radio station would play Gene Autry singing Rudolph, Here come Santa Claus, etc, etc. And yes, Peggy, novelty Christmas songs have gotten meaner with time. GGROBAR makes my hair hurt. If I never hear it again until the Second Coming it will be too soon. What a rotten song.
Boy, do I miss Gene and Roy.
Seeing or listening to an
Fri, 12/26/2008 - 04:48 ET by Andrew H.Seeing or listening to an Ethridge at Christmas for our family is not something we're even remotely interested in doing. Why bring down a day of recognition of the world's most blessed event with anything from her?
May as well go to a dentist.
Liberalism is a convenient lie.
Dentist...
Fri, 12/26/2008 - 08:24 ET by misterbee241I had a wisdom tooth extracted last week. That was easier on me than listening to Melissa and her drivel.
Seeing or listening to an
Fri, 12/26/2008 - 04:48 ET by Andrew H.Seeing or listening to an Ethridge at Christmas for our family is not something we're even remotely interested in doing. Why bring down a day of recognition of the world's most blessed event with anything from her?
May as well go to a dentist.
Liberalism is a convenient lie.
It's MISS Faith Hill, thank
Fri, 12/26/2008 - 08:12 ET by misterbee241It's MISS Faith Hill, thank you very much. A spirited rendition of Joy to the World, huh? Is that the one about the bullfrong named Jeremiah?
Do the right thing, turn
Fri, 12/26/2008 - 20:17 ET by SlicksterDo the right thing, turn off the TV, cancel the newspaper and use the internet and the local library. I dumped the TV years ago bought a computer and a AM radio, much happier, much better informed.