Ever wonder, at this time of year, who wrote all of those great holiday standards you find yourself spontaneously humming? Well, we at SHOF did a little research to find out which of our esteemed Inductees wrote some of those classics that make us feel all warm and fuzzy, and help us get through what can otherwise be a stressful time of crowded department stores and mounting credit card bills.
From Sammy Cahn, who wrote “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” to John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” these chestnuts are heard every year, in every imaginable incarnation. They are featured in commercials, on soundtracks, in cartoons…..even elevator muzak carries the homogenized instrumentals for our listening pleasure. This holiday fare gets under your skin, representing all that is good about this time of year.
How many of the songs on the list below are on your personal holiday soundtrack? If you’d like to go to an Inductee’s pages on our site to see their catalogs in their entirety, we’ve included a link for each.
So, whether your choice is to cozy up with loved ones, or go spelunking off a mountain in Tibet, take with you our best wishes for a happy, healthy, and most of all musical holiday season!
SHOF HOLIDAY SONG LIST:
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
White Christmas, Happy Holidays, All By Myself and Count Your Blessings (songs from White Christmas) - Irving Berlin
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree and A Holly Jolly Christmas - Johnny Marks
Sleigh Ride - Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Christmas Festival – Leroy Anderson
Silver Bells - Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Meredith Willson
(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays - Bob Allen, Al Stillman
Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
Jingle Bells – JS Pierpont
A Christmas At Hampton Court– Sheldon Harnick, Richard Rodgers
Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol – Bob Merrill, Jule Styne
The Muppet Christmas Carol – Paul Williams
Christmas Carol and Drinkin’ Christmas Dinner– Mac Davis
Christmas Day (from Promises Promises) – Hal David, Burt Bacharach
A Christmas Carol and Christmas Children - Leslie Bricusse
Christmas Is The Season, A Christmas Love Song and Christmas Memories – Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon, Yoko Ono
It’s Christmas Everywhere – Paul Anka
Christmas Can’t Be Far Away and Christmas Morn – Boudleaux Bryant
Christmas Will Return – Jimmy Webb
Christmas Day and Christmas Time – Brian Wilson