Poetry Wednesday

By Judith

This time of year makes us turn again to song lyrics for our poetry fix and the two songs we'll look at today are associated, natch, with Frank Sinatra. They're also songs that aren't heard as often as Frosty and Rudolph, which makes them fun because they're familiar yet fresh.

The first is a tune called "Mistletoe and Holly." Written in 1957 by Doc Stanford, Hank Sanicola - and Mr. Sinatra - it was introduced on the album "A Jolly Christmas." It was also sung on Sinatra's television show, which aired December 20, 1957. It was a half hour of Sinatra singing and singing, along with his guest, Bing Crosby. The song is reminiscent of tunes such as "The Christmas Song" and "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays," portraying how Christmas should be celebrated. Were Christmases ever like this or do we wish they had been?

The second is "The Christmas Waltz" by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. Sinatra, being a friend of Cahn's, was one of the first people to record the song, and he recorded it at least twice with arrangements by Nelson Riddle and then by Gordon Jenkins.

These are both lovely lyrics, conjuring up warm feelings of Christmases past.

Mistletoe and Holly

Oh by gosh, by golly,
It's time for mistletoe and holly,
Tasty pheasants, Christmas presents,
Countryside's covered with snow.

Oh by gosh, by jingle,
It's time for carols and Kris Kringle.
Overeating, merry greetings
From relatives you don't know.

Then comes that big night,
Giving the tree a trim.
You'll hear voices by starlight
Singing a yuletide hymn.

Oh by gosh, by golly,
It's time for mistletoe and holly,
Fancy ties and Granny's pies
And folks stealing a kiss or two,
As they whisper Merry Christmas to you.

The Christmas Waltz

Frosted window panes
Candles gleaming inside
Painted candy canes on the tree.
Santa's on his way,
He's filled his sleigh
With things, things for you and for me.

It's that time of year
When the world falls in love.
Every song you hear
Seems to say: Merry Christmas
May your New Year dreams come true
And this song of mine
In three quarter time
Wishes you and yours
The same thing too.