Episode 114: Teruaki Kawamura's "Merry Christmas Everyone"

Welcome to episode 114 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the 1963 album, “Merry Christmas Everyone – Folk Dance Party,” produced by Teruaki Kawamura and the Japan Recreation Association.

I hope you enjoyed “Merry Christmas Everyone.” Despite the objections to it and the song’s problematic history, I’ve always been fascinated with Japan’s relationship to “Turkey In The Straw.” I’ve had a few people tell me I should avoid it altogether, but as I stated in the episode, it’s something you really can’t avoid if you’re collecting Japanese Christmas music. It was on one of the very first Japanese Christmas albums I bought, so I’ve known about its history for almost as long as I’ve been collecting. I knew I’d be covering it eventually, and considering how the Japan Recreation Association, Winfield Niblo, square dancing, and “Turkey In The Straw” are all tied to one another, I figured this was the best episode for broaching the topic. Racism and discrimination are always wrong, but history is never cut and dried, and the fact that the song helped bring about positive cultural and social changes in Japan is an important, or at least interesting footnote in any discussion about it.

Join me back here next time for the 1962 compilation, “Young Christmas.” It’s one of the more difficult albums to find. It features some of the most popular young artists of the time, and it’s a real treat you’re sure to enjoy.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!