Music and Christmas 

1. For the first entry, although the song wasn’t written for Christmas, due to the very recognizable and clear sound of bells and how easy the song is to catch on to, it relates to Christmas. Christmas is about people coming together so songs that are catchy, that people can singalong to help bring them together. The lyrics and musical characteristics in this song are what help relate it to Christmas. The lyrics relate to the Christmas season and are easy to remember, while the jolly melody also gives it that Christmas feel. For the second entry, it also had a distinctive bell chimes that relate to Christmas time. It also had a singalong feel to it, going back to the idea that it brings people together. The upbeat tempo and catchy rhythm also help make the song relate to Christmas.
2. One song I would use for this topic would be “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” by Harry Reser which took place in 1934. This song was an instant hit due to how catchy it is and due to the upbeat tempo. The social context came from the television special that was being made at the time that this song was made for. Since then, many popular artists have recorded their own versions of it like The Jackson 5 and Frank Sinatra. The lyrics relate the song to Christmas because they are catchy and talk about aspects of the holiday. They are easy to singalong to, bringing people closer together. The musical characteristic of the upbeat tempo make it memorable and a fun song for everyone to sing along to. The second song I would have added to this playlist would be “Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer” by Elmo & Patsy. The social context of this song comes from 1979 when it was released for a film of the same name. The lyrics of this song are catchy and easy to singalong to, and the song itself has a lot of Christmas-y sounds within it. The rhythm of the song is catchy, which also aids people singing a lot to it. 

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