Radio
From 1923 until late 1932, "Waring's Pennsylvanians" were among Victor Records best-selling bands. In late 1932, he abruptly quit recording, although his band continued to perform on radio. In 1933, "You Gotta Be A Football Hero" was performed on radio to great acclaim, and some recordings of this still exist.
Adding a men's singing group to his ensemble, he recruited Robert Shaw, recently out of the Pomona College glee club, to train his singers. Shaw later founded the Robert Shaw Chorale, directed the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and became America’s preeminent conductor of serious choral music. The Waring glee club sound can be detected in some Robert Shaw Chorale recordings.
During World War II, Waring and his ensemble appeared at war bond rallies and entertained the troops at training camps. He also composed and/or performed dozens of patriotic songs, his most famous being "My America." Throughout the 1940s and early 1950s, Waring and His Pennsylvanians produced a string of hits, selling millions of records. A few of his many choral hits include "Sleep," "Battle Hymn of the Republic," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Button Up Your Overcoat," "White Christmas," "Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor" and "Dancing In The Dark."
Christmas
Fred Waring Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you!
The lyrics of "The Song of Christmas" by Fred Waring bring to life the imagery of a classic Christmas scene. The first stanza describes the picturesque setting of a fire crackling and roasting chestnuts, while outside, a nip in the air from Jack Frost can be felt. The second line conjures the image of a choir singing Yuletide carols. The line that follows, "And folks dressed up like Eskimos," adds to the festive atmosphere with people donning their warm winter clothing.
The second stanza of the song speaks to the joy and magic of Christmas, particularly for children. The mention of "a turkey and some mistletoe" and "tiny tots with their eyes all aglow" highlights the excitement that comes with the holiday season. The verse goes on to describe the anticipation of Santa Claus flying with his reindeer and delivering presents to homes across the world.
The final verse delivers the most significant message of the song - that the spirit of Christmas touches everyone, regardless of their age. The singer offers a simple phrase of "Merry Christmas to you" to encompass all those celebrating the holiday season, from children to the elderly. This line reminds listeners of the universal nature of Christmas - that it is a time to celebrate and spread joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
The scene is set with chestnuts on fire indicating it's a cozy, warm environment
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
The cold weather is worsening and reaching the extremities (nose) indicating a need for warmth
Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir
The community is celebrating Christmas, coming together to spread joy and create an environment of happiness
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.
To fight off the cold weather, people are embracing the opportunity to wear traditional Eskimo clothing
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
A festive dinner accompanied by decorations is a well-known Christmas tradition
Help to make the season bright
These objects symbolize hope and happiness during the holiday season making it enjoyable and memorable
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Children are thrilled and excited as they anxiously await the arrival of Santa Claus
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.
Due to excitement and anticipation, young children might struggle to sleep
They know that Santa's on his way
Children believe in Santa and often experience a sense of hope and excitement around his arrival
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
Santa carries with him a lot of gifts to spread joy and happiness, especially to children
And every mother's child is gonna spy
Every child, regardless of whether they celebrate Christmas, is excited to catch a glimpse of Santa and his reindeer in action
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.
Children are curious to understand if the magical experience of reindeers flying is indeed possible
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
The singer is offering this simple phrase as a gesture of goodwill and wishes a happy holiday season to all children
To kids from one to ninety-two
This phrase is applicable to all people, be it young or old
Although it's been said many times, many ways
This phrase has been shared frequently during Christmas, but it still holds meaning and value
Merry Christmas to you!
The singer is wishing the listener a delightful and joyful experience this Christmas
Lyrics © Ceylon Records, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mel Torme, Robert Wells
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin Meyer
One of the best Christmas albums of all time.
Marilyn King
Kevin Meyer My brother ordered this album for me one Christmas. We had it as children. Memories!
Yaelra R.
This is incredible!!! I grew up on this album. We used to dance in our living room to this album. Thank you for this! A great Christmas present to the world!
acer3573
My Dad had this album from when he was in college in '55. I played it to death in the early 80's.
MISTA VISTA
Side 1 is without a doubt the greatest xmas music ever recorded by anyone (imho).
Hear that jingle.
Makes me tingle.
Brian Savage
I too was raised with this album. We played the first side till it wore out. Still can't recall the song Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer with out thinking of this version.
Dark Star
I grew up with this album. Thanks for sharing!
mary
SAME!!!
hisroyalness2
I ALSO GREW UP WITH THIS ALBUM.... what an era it was.
Judy Cyg
We also grew up with this album. As kids, we loved all the silly versions, especially Rudolph, but the others are beautiful. Thank you, thank you for sharing!