December 10, 2024 • 20 mins
Reggae Carols, Christmas Hymns: Caribbean Christmas Vibes!
In this debut of the Sounds and Color series, I dive into the music that shaped my holidays in Jamaica—from classic hymns and American Christmas staples to Reggae-infused carols and Dancehall riddims. I revisit the music that bring the season alive.
Chat to Mi!
- What's your favorite Christmas hymn from their childhood?
- What's your favorite Reggae Christmas song?
- What was Christmas like "back home" or at home?
Share in the comments!
Check the playlist of songs mentioned in this episode.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello everyone, welcome back to Carry On Friends
, the place where we celebratethe stories, voices and vibrant
culture of the Caribbeandiaspora.
Today I am excited to introducea new and special series within
the show called Sounds andColor.
I love music.
It's a huge part of my life,personality and the way I
(00:25):
experience culture.
The Sounds and Color series isan exploration of music,
storytelling and personalreflections, diving into the
music that moves me and us andof course, there'll be
commentary from me and gueststhat adds color to our
experiences.
I will go through songs, genres, unpack the roots and
(00:49):
influences of the music I loveand we love, and share how it
shapes our experiences andidentity.
I couldn't think of a better wayto kick off the series than
with the sounds of Christmas.
Time and time again, peoplewill say that there's no place
like Jamaica during Christmas.
(01:11):
Of course these people are inmy family or my circle of
friends.
Maybe it's the same for youback home.
Wherever back home is,christmas time is the time when
you have the smell of expensiveplane fare in the air and the
cool Christmas breeze.
But in this episode I want toshare the role music played in
(01:34):
the Christmas spirit growing upin Jamaica and the role it
played in the season generally.
I'm going to be talking abouttraditional hymns to Reggae,
christmas Carol, jackson 5, andeven dancehall rhythms All right
, so let's dive right in.
So some of my favoritetraditional hymns that were
(01:56):
central to the season includedSilent Night Away in a Manger.
O Come All Ye Faith faithful,hark all the arrow angels sing.
Once in royal David's city, olittle town of Bethlehem, while
shepherds watched, and O holynight.
So for me, these songs weresung during the morning
(02:16):
devotions when I was in primaryschool or high school.
Of course, they'll be sung atchurch and you'll also hear them
on the radio.
Church was a big part of mychildhood, and so Christmas
hymns were really the signalthat the season has arrived.
Hymns are not just about music,but it was part of the
(02:38):
community and the communalspirit of the season.
So whether you went to churchor not, whether it's the man who
always drink the rum, therummed, they are aware of these
songs.
And so my question for you iswhat is your favorite Christmas
hymn from childhood?
Drop that in the comments below, all right.
(03:02):
So next up is American Christmasclassics like Nat King Cole's
the Christmas Song, bingCrosby's White Christmas I think
they were part of the seasonbecause of the movies that we'd
watch on TV.
So, like growing up, Iremembered Home Alone, so you'd
(03:22):
hear them and that's how youbecome familiar with them.
And despite the warm, tropicalJamaican climate, we heard this
and I'll discuss a little laterthe reggae versions of some of
these songs.
That might switch a word or two.
Now it's interesting growing uphearing these American classics
, I'm Dreaming of a WhiteChristmas right, and that is
(03:45):
part of the allure that as alittle kid growing up in Jamaica
you're like I want to see snow,I want to experience snow.
Now I've lived in this countryand I've experienced a bunch of
snow.
I'm good, it's fine, it'spretty when it's a fall, once it
don't fall, all sorts ofmoderation.
But one of my favorite Christmasclassics is the Harry Simeone
(04:08):
1965 version of the LittleDrummer Boy.
It is such a classic, the choir, it just feels really comfy and
it really feels like anexcitement of Christmas
Generally.
One of my favorite Christmassongs is the Little Drummer Boy.
Maybe it's the Ruppo Pompom, Idon't know, but I just love that
(04:31):
song.
So what is your favoriteclassic Christmas song that it's
not a hymn?
And here's some trivia.
Take a guess what's thebest-selling Christmas song of
all time?
The answer is White Christmasby Bing Crosby.
(04:53):
All right, so now we're goingto get into the reggae-infused
Christmas carol them and theChristmas music.
All right, so of course,growing up we're going to hear
reggae versions of carols, right?
So Carleen Davis has herversion of White Christmas, but
(05:17):
instead of saying I'm dreamingof a white Christmas, she says I
am dreaming of a brightChristmas.
And I love Carleen Davis'sChristmas songs.
They really really just feellike yeah, they feel like home.
One of my other favoriteCarleen Davis Christmas song is
Santa Claus.
(05:37):
I want to break out and sing itright now, but I don't want no
copyright problem.
But, santa Claus, do you evercome to the ghetto?
Wonderful, love the song.
Also, jacob Miller's SilverBell.
Jacob Miller has just such adistinctive voice and children,
children, I'm not going to eventry.
(05:58):
So yes, I'll make sure I'll putthose in a playlist so you can
check them out.
One of my other favoriteJamaican or reggae flavored
Christmas song is from a albumby Joe Gibbs, and other artists
are on that.
It's called Let the Xmas Catchyou in a Good Mood.
Let the Xmas catch you in agood mood.
(06:22):
I know I'm out of tune butanyway I love that song.
It is the first song that I'mgoing to kick off when I want to
put myself back in a place oflike.
I want to feel like whenDemsadarty said there's no place
like home, there's no placelike feeling like you're there
at Jamaica upon Christmas, andthis song helps me get there.
(06:44):
Now, on this Joe Gibbs reggaeChristmas album, joy to the
World, we Wish you a MerryChristmas.
Medley is another one that is aclassic, and Berris the Berris
Ford Hammond's Winter Wonderlandis also on there, which I think
is a nice touch.
But on the comical end, my good,good childhood friend and
(07:08):
friend today, denise, we love tosing Santa Catch Up in a Mango
Tree.
It is the most hilarious andcomical Christmas song ever.
It is the most hilarious andcomical Christmas song ever.
But I mean it makes sense right?
Santa would not be in aChristmas tree.
There's a mango tree, there'sprobably a plum tree, a
breadfruit tree, an ackee tree.
(07:28):
So it is the song we lovebecause it's just such a
ridiculous song.
But I think it just.
It brings forth that element ofculture that we take things and
make it funny.
So these are some of myfavorite reggae Christmas songs
(07:49):
and in 2021, I had a virtualBreadfruit Media Christmas
gathering and a lot of thesesongs were on the playlist and
people absolutely loved it.
Now it's your turn.
What is your favorite reggaeChristmas song?
If you haven't heard of thesong, santa Ketchup in a Mango
Tree, it is popularized.
By which singer Do you know?
(08:09):
Her name is Faith Diagilar.
All right, so this nextcategory.
I'm telling you.
For years, I tried to find thesesongs that I knew I heard every
Christmas in Jamaica.
I tried to sing the song to myfamily to see if it would bring
up some level of familiarity.
(08:30):
It did not, and I can't blamethem, because what I was really
trying to sing was a sped upversion of the Rapapumpumpums in
the Little Drummer Boy.
As I mentioned before, theLittle Drummer Boy is one of my
favorite Christmas songs,regardless of genre.
If you want to reggae it, youwant R&B it, hip hop it or make
(08:50):
it be a classic.
It's really one of my favoritesongs.
So thanks to someone fromchurch who sent it to me in one
of their daily WhatsApp messageblasts those WhatsApp message
blasts, they do have a purpose.
Last Christmas, I found the songand the entire album that
really, really for me,quintessentially made me feel
(09:12):
like Christmas of my childhoodand I have a feeling that it
might be familiar for some ofyou because the person who sent
it to me from church they'refrom Trinidad and so if they
knew this song, minnose, youknow Jamaicans and other people
in the Caribbean are aware ofthis song and when I heard it it
felt like after 30 odd years,all these memories to just rush
(09:35):
right in, putting me back in aplace of feeling excited and
lively about Christmas, not somuch about gifts, because
growing up Christmas wasn'tabout the gifts.
Maybe I should do anotherepisode, because I know my
family and I talk aboutChristmas was not about gifts,
it was about, okay, the wholeplace is cleaning from top to
(09:55):
bottom.
We're going to church Christmasmorning cleaning from top to
bottom.
We're going to church Christmasmorning, the roast beef I make.
You know my uncle set up forbake the hummus black cake for
all and sundry.
And you know growing up myfriend, her mom, would make
guisadas from scratch and youknow I was able to participate
(10:16):
in that.
So it was about the aspectabout community around food.
And you know even the song Ithink of class parties.
Right, anybody know what classparties are.
Remember what class parties are.
So, growing up in Jamaica,particularly in primary school,
I didn't really have this asmuch in high school, but in
primary school we had classparties and grab bags and all of
(10:37):
these little holiday Christmasgatherings and these songs
really really just kind of mademe feel like home.
So, all right, I'm not going toleave it in a suspense anymore.
What is the song?
Well, it's actually more theartist or the performer that's
important, because they didversions of, of course, the
(10:57):
Little Drummer Boy ChristmasMedley and the New Year's Medley
.
And I discovered that thesesongs that are so nostalgic for
me were sung by the Sal SolOrchestra, and the Sal Sol
Orchestra is really adisco-esque.
They categorize them as a discoChristmas album and it's Sal
(11:21):
Sol because there's elements ofLatin and salsa.
But you're probably going to belike Carrie-Anne what kind of
mix up is that?
But when you hear it, I thinkfor some of you, instantly you
will be like I've heard thisbefore Because I know when I
shared it with my friendsthey're like oh yeah, I did
remember hearing this.
And, fun fact, south SoulOrchestra was the first disco
(11:44):
Christmas album.
So does anyone remember hearingthese particular songs that I'm
going to put in a playlist soyou could listen, because I
can't play them in this episode?
All right, I think this is oneof my favorite parts of this
episode because this story isjust so near and dear to me.
So, growing up in Jamaica, mygrandmother I said church is a
(12:07):
huge thing.
My grandmother is a big part ofmy life.
We went to church a lot, and sowhen we were about eight or
nine years old in Jamaica, mygrandmother knew her
grandchildren love MichaelJackson and so she brought home
the Jackson Christmas album, alittle cassette.
(12:29):
And when Metellus say I rinsethat cassette so much and the
cassette would reel out and Iwould use pen to wheel it back
in right Because I played it somuch and I it was listening to
(12:49):
the Jackson 5's version of I SawMommy Kissing Santa Claus, that
I realized that there was noSanta Claus and Santa Claus is
really somebody dressed up likeSanta Claus.
Yes, yes, it was the wholedialogue and skit that they had
within the song.
That was just like wait aminute.
When little Michael Jacksonsays I saw mommy kissing Santa
(13:10):
Claus and I'm going to tell mydad and I was like wait a minute
.
When little Michael Jacksonsays I saw mommy kissing Santa
Claus and I'm going to tell mydad and I was like wait a minute
.
That's how I realized.
But that entire album was justsuch a good album I listened to
it to this day every Christmas.
It's part of that.
My grandmother has passed awaybut I thank her for the gift of
that music and that album andallowing us.
(13:33):
Yes, she was a church-goingperson and I know of many people
who grew up in church familiesthat they couldn't play secular
music.
But my grandmother allowed usto play secular music and this
Jackson 5 album that's becomesuch a big part of my life and
my kids listen to it.
So I really cherish this album.
(13:55):
Have you heard of the Jackson 5Christmas album?
Is there an album that youcherish the way I cherish this
Jackson 5 album?
And let me know what's yourfavorite song off the Jackson 5
Christmas album?
I'm pretty sure that you'llknow which song is mine.
It is, of course, the littledrummer boy, little Michael, on.
(14:17):
That was really good, but I SawMommy Kissing Santa Claus is
the classic from that Jackson 5Christmas album.
All right, so this is a segmentwhere I have some miscellaneous
things I wanted to cover.
So this episode is about themusic that I heard growing up in
(14:37):
Jamaica that made me feel likeChristmas and I felt the
Christmas spirit.
I don't remember hearing DonnyHathaway's this Christmas until
I moved to the US, and it's notto say that it wasn't played.
I just don't remember it aswell as I remember the other
songs before moving to New York.
(14:58):
But when I moved to New York,this Christmas was just such a
classic that still holds a lotof meaning, because when we
think of Christmas it's a lot ofthe same things, the same
carols all over.
There are not many Christmasoriginals that become classic.
Donny Hathaway's, thisChristmas is just one of those
(15:20):
timeless classics, of course,along with the Mariah one that I
remembered as well.
And so for you, which modernChristmas song do you think
stands the test of time?
We know that Mariah Carey'ssong does damage every year, but
which other song do you thinkstands the test of time?
(15:42):
I also mentioned Dance AllRhythms at the beginning of the
episode.
This is another thing that Idon't remember paying attention
to until I moved to New York.
So back in the days and I sayback in the days, because I
don't know if they do it as muchtoday, but back in the days
dancehall songs had like aChristmas rhythm, like they
really need to bring back rhythmculture in a dancehall period.
(16:04):
But that's another episode.
But because then we were such arhythm driven genre, like you
know the rhythms as much as youknew the song and the artist.
So there's usually a Christmasrhythm and the Christmas rhythm
didn't necessarily mean thatthere was a Christmas song, it
was just the rhythm that cameout for the Christmas season.
(16:26):
For example, miss Ivy Last Sonis a Christmas rhythm.
Example, miss Ivy Last Son is aChristmas rhythm.
So the song of the same name,miss Ivy Last Son, by Bounty
Killer is a song on that rhythm,which makes sense, right,
there's a lot of times there's arhythm and a title track off
that rhythm, which is usuallysometimes there's still the same
(16:47):
name.
So Miss Ivy Last Son is therhythm, and the song of the same
title by Bounty Killer.
Miss Ivy Last Son came out forthe Christmas season.
I want to say back in our, Iwant to say back in 94, 5 maybe.
But if you listen to the rhythmof Miss Ivy Last Son, it is
(17:10):
done to the tune of we Wish youa Merry Christmas.
Go back and listen to it.
You will hear ding, ding, ding,ding, ding ding.
So that's the rhythm andgenerally we were just kind of
looking forward to what's theChristmas rhythm that will come
out not dance, all that wasgoing to be a hot rhythm, so I
wanted to share those.
There's some other songs thatwere a huge part of Christmas
(17:32):
the Virgin Mary, little Donkey,christmas Tree, we Three Kings.
Those were other songs that Iremember as being a huge part of
my Christmas and the Christmasspirit and music for me is like
a warm, comfortable blanket thatjust wraps me and envelops me
in warmth.
(17:53):
And I wanted to do this episodebecause for me it was important
to get back that feeling ofChristmas.
Yes, we know the reason for theseason, but music for me plays
a huge part in that, and it wasnot so much about the gifts.
There's a part of me thatwanted to go back to a place in
(18:14):
time and try to experience thatagain, or try to recreate that
as an adult, and music is a wayfor me to do that.
So I wanted to do this episodeabout the sounds of Christmas.
Now it's your turn.
Share what your Christmas waslike growing up, whether that
was back in the Caribbean or itwas here.
What was Christmas like in yourhousehold and how did it shape
(18:38):
your experience of Christmas?
So, as we wrap up this episode,as I mentioned before, music
holds memory for me a place, adate, an event, in this case,
the season right and Christmasmusic is such a powerful genre
in holding memories and shapingthe holiday spirit.
(19:02):
I took you on a little nostalgictrip and I would like for you
to share your own stories aswell.
So let me know how Christmasmusic shaped your experience and
I look forward to futureepisodes of Sounds and Color
where we talk about music.
On a side note, I really wishthat me could just insert music
(19:24):
wherever this is playing, but me, no one gets in no trouble, but
really and truly it would justadd some color to my experience.
Not true, gets in a littletrouble, but really and truly it
would just add some color to myexperience, not true.
But I will add a playlist soyou can hear the songs if you're
not familiar, and add that tothe description and check it out
.
I can't wait to hear from youabout your Christmas music
(19:45):
experience and, as I love to sayat the end of every episode
walk good.
Hello everyone, welcome back to Carry On Friends
, the place where we celebratethe stories, voices and vibrant
culture of the Caribbeandiaspora.
Today I am excited to introducea new and special series within
the show called Sounds andColor.
I love music.
It's a huge part of my life,personality and the way I
(00:25):
experience culture.
The Sounds and Color series isan exploration of music,
storytelling and personalreflections, diving into the
music that moves me and us andof course, there'll be
commentary from me and gueststhat adds color to our
experiences.
I will go through songs, genres, unpack the roots and
(00:49):
influences of the music I loveand we love, and share how it
shapes our experiences andidentity.
I couldn't think of a better wayto kick off the series than
with the sounds of Christmas.
Time and time again, peoplewill say that there's no place
like Jamaica during Christmas.
(01:11):
Of course these people are inmy family or my circle of
friends.
Maybe it's the same for youback home.
Wherever back home is,christmas time is the time when
you have the smell of expensiveplane fare in the air and the
cool Christmas breeze.
But in this episode I want toshare the role music played in
(01:34):
the Christmas spirit growing upin Jamaica and the role it
played in the season generally.
I'm going to be talking abouttraditional hymns to Reggae,
christmas Carol, jackson 5, andeven dancehall rhythms All right
, so let's dive right in.
So some of my favoritetraditional hymns that were
(01:56):
central to the season includedSilent Night Away in a Manger.
O Come All Ye Faith faithful,hark all the arrow angels sing.
Once in royal David's city, olittle town of Bethlehem, while
shepherds watched, and O holynight.
So for me, these songs weresung during the morning
(02:16):
devotions when I was in primaryschool or high school.
Of course, they'll be sung atchurch and you'll also hear them
on the radio.
Church was a big part of mychildhood, and so Christmas
hymns were really the signalthat the season has arrived.
Hymns are not just about music,but it was part of the
(02:38):
community and the communalspirit of the season.
So whether you went to churchor not, whether it's the man who
always drink the rum, therummed, they are aware of these
songs.
And so my question for you iswhat is your favorite Christmas
hymn from childhood?
Drop that in the comments below, all right.
(03:02):
So next up is American Christmasclassics like Nat King Cole's
the Christmas Song, bingCrosby's White Christmas I think
they were part of the seasonbecause of the movies that we'd
watch on TV.
So, like growing up, Iremembered Home Alone, so you'd
(03:22):
hear them and that's how youbecome familiar with them.
And despite the warm, tropicalJamaican climate, we heard this
and I'll discuss a little laterthe reggae versions of some of
these songs.
That might switch a word or two.
Now it's interesting growing uphearing these American classics
, I'm Dreaming of a WhiteChristmas right, and that is
(03:45):
part of the allure that as alittle kid growing up in Jamaica
you're like I want to see snow,I want to experience snow.
Now I've lived in this countryand I've experienced a bunch of
snow.
I'm good, it's fine, it'spretty when it's a fall, once it
don't fall, all sorts ofmoderation.
But one of my favorite Christmasclassics is the Harry Simeone
(04:08):
1965 version of the LittleDrummer Boy.
It is such a classic, the choir, it just feels really comfy and
it really feels like anexcitement of Christmas
Generally.
One of my favorite Christmassongs is the Little Drummer Boy.
Maybe it's the Ruppo Pompom, Idon't know, but I just love that
(04:31):
song.
So what is your favoriteclassic Christmas song that it's
not a hymn?
And here's some trivia.
Take a guess what's thebest-selling Christmas song of
all time?
The answer is White Christmasby Bing Crosby.
(04:53):
All right, so now we're goingto get into the reggae-infused
Christmas carol them and theChristmas music.
All right, so of course,growing up we're going to hear
reggae versions of carols, right?
So Carleen Davis has herversion of White Christmas, but
(05:17):
instead of saying I'm dreamingof a white Christmas, she says I
am dreaming of a brightChristmas.
And I love Carleen Davis'sChristmas songs.
They really really just feellike yeah, they feel like home.
One of my other favoriteCarleen Davis Christmas song is
Santa Claus.
(05:37):
I want to break out and sing itright now, but I don't want no
copyright problem.
But, santa Claus, do you evercome to the ghetto?
Wonderful, love the song.
Also, jacob Miller's SilverBell.
Jacob Miller has just such adistinctive voice and children,
children, I'm not going to eventry.
(05:58):
So yes, I'll make sure I'll putthose in a playlist so you can
check them out.
One of my other favoriteJamaican or reggae flavored
Christmas song is from a albumby Joe Gibbs, and other artists
are on that.
It's called Let the Xmas Catchyou in a Good Mood.
Let the Xmas catch you in agood mood.
(06:22):
I know I'm out of tune butanyway I love that song.
It is the first song that I'mgoing to kick off when I want to
put myself back in a place oflike.
I want to feel like whenDemsadarty said there's no place
like home, there's no placelike feeling like you're there
at Jamaica upon Christmas, andthis song helps me get there.
(06:44):
Now, on this Joe Gibbs reggaeChristmas album, joy to the
World, we Wish you a MerryChristmas.
Medley is another one that is aclassic, and Berris the Berris
Ford Hammond's Winter Wonderlandis also on there, which I think
is a nice touch.
But on the comical end, my good,good childhood friend and
(07:08):
friend today, denise, we love tosing Santa Catch Up in a Mango
Tree.
It is the most hilarious andcomical Christmas song ever.
It is the most hilarious andcomical Christmas song ever.
But I mean it makes sense right?
Santa would not be in aChristmas tree.
There's a mango tree, there'sprobably a plum tree, a
breadfruit tree, an ackee tree.
(07:28):
So it is the song we lovebecause it's just such a
ridiculous song.
But I think it just.
It brings forth that element ofculture that we take things and
make it funny.
So these are some of myfavorite reggae Christmas songs
(07:49):
and in 2021, I had a virtualBreadfruit Media Christmas
gathering and a lot of thesesongs were on the playlist and
people absolutely loved it.
Now it's your turn.
What is your favorite reggaeChristmas song?
If you haven't heard of thesong, santa Ketchup in a Mango
Tree, it is popularized.
By which singer Do you know?
(08:09):
Her name is Faith Diagilar.
All right, so this nextcategory.
I'm telling you.
For years, I tried to find thesesongs that I knew I heard every
Christmas in Jamaica.
I tried to sing the song to myfamily to see if it would bring
up some level of familiarity.
(08:30):
It did not, and I can't blamethem, because what I was really
trying to sing was a sped upversion of the Rapapumpumpums in
the Little Drummer Boy.
As I mentioned before, theLittle Drummer Boy is one of my
favorite Christmas songs,regardless of genre.
If you want to reggae it, youwant R&B it, hip hop it or make
(08:50):
it be a classic.
It's really one of my favoritesongs.
So thanks to someone fromchurch who sent it to me in one
of their daily WhatsApp messageblasts those WhatsApp message
blasts, they do have a purpose.
Last Christmas, I found the songand the entire album that
really, really for me,quintessentially made me feel
(09:12):
like Christmas of my childhoodand I have a feeling that it
might be familiar for some ofyou because the person who sent
it to me from church they'refrom Trinidad and so if they
knew this song, minnose, youknow Jamaicans and other people
in the Caribbean are aware ofthis song and when I heard it it
felt like after 30 odd years,all these memories to just rush
(09:35):
right in, putting me back in aplace of feeling excited and
lively about Christmas, not somuch about gifts, because
growing up Christmas wasn'tabout the gifts.
Maybe I should do anotherepisode, because I know my
family and I talk aboutChristmas was not about gifts,
it was about, okay, the wholeplace is cleaning from top to
(09:55):
bottom.
We're going to church Christmasmorning cleaning from top to
bottom.
We're going to church Christmasmorning, the roast beef I make.
You know my uncle set up forbake the hummus black cake for
all and sundry.
And you know growing up myfriend, her mom, would make
guisadas from scratch and youknow I was able to participate
(10:16):
in that.
So it was about the aspectabout community around food.
And you know even the song Ithink of class parties.
Right, anybody know what classparties are.
Remember what class parties are.
So, growing up in Jamaica,particularly in primary school,
I didn't really have this asmuch in high school, but in
primary school we had classparties and grab bags and all of
(10:37):
these little holiday Christmasgatherings and these songs
really really just kind of mademe feel like home.
So, all right, I'm not going toleave it in a suspense anymore.
What is the song?
Well, it's actually more theartist or the performer that's
important, because they didversions of, of course, the
(10:57):
Little Drummer Boy ChristmasMedley and the New Year's Medley
.
And I discovered that thesesongs that are so nostalgic for
me were sung by the Sal SolOrchestra, and the Sal Sol
Orchestra is really adisco-esque.
They categorize them as a discoChristmas album and it's Sal
(11:21):
Sol because there's elements ofLatin and salsa.
But you're probably going to belike Carrie-Anne what kind of
mix up is that?
But when you hear it, I thinkfor some of you, instantly you
will be like I've heard thisbefore Because I know when I
shared it with my friendsthey're like oh yeah, I did
remember hearing this.
And, fun fact, south SoulOrchestra was the first disco
(11:44):
Christmas album.
So does anyone remember hearingthese particular songs that I'm
going to put in a playlist soyou could listen, because I
can't play them in this episode?
All right, I think this is oneof my favorite parts of this
episode because this story isjust so near and dear to me.
So, growing up in Jamaica, mygrandmother I said church is a
(12:07):
huge thing.
My grandmother is a big part ofmy life.
We went to church a lot, and sowhen we were about eight or
nine years old in Jamaica, mygrandmother knew her
grandchildren love MichaelJackson and so she brought home
the Jackson Christmas album, alittle cassette.
(12:29):
And when Metellus say I rinsethat cassette so much and the
cassette would reel out and Iwould use pen to wheel it back
in right Because I played it somuch and I it was listening to
(12:49):
the Jackson 5's version of I SawMommy Kissing Santa Claus, that
I realized that there was noSanta Claus and Santa Claus is
really somebody dressed up likeSanta Claus.
Yes, yes, it was the wholedialogue and skit that they had
within the song.
That was just like wait aminute.
When little Michael Jacksonsays I saw mommy kissing Santa
(13:10):
Claus and I'm going to tell mydad and I was like wait a minute
.
When little Michael Jacksonsays I saw mommy kissing Santa
Claus and I'm going to tell mydad and I was like wait a minute
.
That's how I realized.
But that entire album was justsuch a good album I listened to
it to this day every Christmas.
It's part of that.
My grandmother has passed awaybut I thank her for the gift of
that music and that album andallowing us.
(13:33):
Yes, she was a church-goingperson and I know of many people
who grew up in church familiesthat they couldn't play secular
music.
But my grandmother allowed usto play secular music and this
Jackson 5 album that's becomesuch a big part of my life and
my kids listen to it.
So I really cherish this album.
(13:55):
Have you heard of the Jackson 5Christmas album?
Is there an album that youcherish the way I cherish this
Jackson 5 album?
And let me know what's yourfavorite song off the Jackson 5
Christmas album?
I'm pretty sure that you'llknow which song is mine.
It is, of course, the littledrummer boy, little Michael, on.
(14:17):
That was really good, but I SawMommy Kissing Santa Claus is
the classic from that Jackson 5Christmas album.
All right, so this is a segmentwhere I have some miscellaneous
things I wanted to cover.
So this episode is about themusic that I heard growing up in
(14:37):
Jamaica that made me feel likeChristmas and I felt the
Christmas spirit.
I don't remember hearing DonnyHathaway's this Christmas until
I moved to the US, and it's notto say that it wasn't played.
I just don't remember it aswell as I remember the other
songs before moving to New York.
(14:58):
But when I moved to New York,this Christmas was just such a
classic that still holds a lotof meaning, because when we
think of Christmas it's a lot ofthe same things, the same
carols all over.
There are not many Christmasoriginals that become classic.
Donny Hathaway's, thisChristmas is just one of those
(15:20):
timeless classics, of course,along with the Mariah one that I
remembered as well.
And so for you, which modernChristmas song do you think
stands the test of time?
We know that Mariah Carey'ssong does damage every year, but
which other song do you thinkstands the test of time?
(15:42):
I also mentioned Dance AllRhythms at the beginning of the
episode.
This is another thing that Idon't remember paying attention
to until I moved to New York.
So back in the days and I sayback in the days, because I
don't know if they do it as muchtoday, but back in the days
dancehall songs had like aChristmas rhythm, like they
really need to bring back rhythmculture in a dancehall period.
(16:04):
But that's another episode.
But because then we were such arhythm driven genre, like you
know the rhythms as much as youknew the song and the artist.
So there's usually a Christmasrhythm and the Christmas rhythm
didn't necessarily mean thatthere was a Christmas song, it
was just the rhythm that cameout for the Christmas season.
(16:26):
For example, miss Ivy Last Sonis a Christmas rhythm.
Example, miss Ivy Last Son is aChristmas rhythm.
So the song of the same name,miss Ivy Last Son, by Bounty
Killer is a song on that rhythm,which makes sense, right,
there's a lot of times there's arhythm and a title track off
that rhythm, which is usuallysometimes there's still the same
(16:47):
name.
So Miss Ivy Last Son is therhythm, and the song of the same
title by Bounty Killer.
Miss Ivy Last Son came out forthe Christmas season.
I want to say back in our, Iwant to say back in 94, 5 maybe.
But if you listen to the rhythmof Miss Ivy Last Son, it is
(17:10):
done to the tune of we Wish youa Merry Christmas.
Go back and listen to it.
You will hear ding, ding, ding,ding, ding ding.
So that's the rhythm andgenerally we were just kind of
looking forward to what's theChristmas rhythm that will come
out not dance, all that wasgoing to be a hot rhythm, so I
wanted to share those.
There's some other songs thatwere a huge part of Christmas
(17:32):
the Virgin Mary, little Donkey,christmas Tree, we Three Kings.
Those were other songs that Iremember as being a huge part of
my Christmas and the Christmasspirit and music for me is like
a warm, comfortable blanket thatjust wraps me and envelops me
in warmth.
(17:53):
And I wanted to do this episodebecause for me it was important
to get back that feeling ofChristmas.
Yes, we know the reason for theseason, but music for me plays
a huge part in that, and it wasnot so much about the gifts.
There's a part of me thatwanted to go back to a place in
(18:14):
time and try to experience thatagain, or try to recreate that
as an adult, and music is a wayfor me to do that.
So I wanted to do this episodeabout the sounds of Christmas.
Now it's your turn.
Share what your Christmas waslike growing up, whether that
was back in the Caribbean or itwas here.
What was Christmas like in yourhousehold and how did it shape
(18:38):
your experience of Christmas?
So, as we wrap up this episode,as I mentioned before, music
holds memory for me a place, adate, an event, in this case,
the season right and Christmasmusic is such a powerful genre
in holding memories and shapingthe holiday spirit.
(19:02):
I took you on a little nostalgictrip and I would like for you
to share your own stories aswell.
So let me know how Christmasmusic shaped your experience and
I look forward to futureepisodes of Sounds and Color
where we talk about music.
On a side note, I really wishthat me could just insert music
(19:24):
wherever this is playing, but me, no one gets in no trouble, but
really and truly it would justadd some color to my experience.
Not true, gets in a littletrouble, but really and truly it
would just add some color to myexperience, not true.
But I will add a playlist soyou can hear the songs if you're
not familiar, and add that tothe description and check it out
.
I can't wait to hear from youabout your Christmas music
(19:45):
experience and, as I love to sayat the end of every episode
walk good.
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