Christmas time is right around the corner and it’s safe to say that most of us are already listening to Christmas classics. I took it upon myself to research some of the most popular Christmas songs and noticed an intriguing pattern: The majority of them are written by Jewish people!
Many people have heard these songs, considering they’re huge Christmas staples and they’re playing at almost every department store you can think of. However, have you ever considered the faces behind these famous songs?
Most Famous Christmas Songs written by Jewish Composers
“Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” (1945) written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1958) written by Johnny Marks
“A Holly Jolly Christmas” (1964) written by Johnny Marks
“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (1963) written by Edward Pola and George Wyle
Who is Johnny Marks?
Johnny David Marks, professionally known as Johnny Marks was born on November 10th, 1909, was a huge contributor of the Christmas classics despite his Jewish background–he’s actually referred to as the “King of Christmas Hits”, which is an incredibly hefty title considering that a lot of people take this holiday extremely seriously.
Marks is responsible for remarkable Christmas hits such as “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”,“A Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”. His contribution and influence to the holiday is completely undeniable, and it’s evident that he’ll continue to bring the Christmas Spirit to many of us for quite some time.
Is It Really the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
Composed by Edward Pola and George Wyle, the Christmas Classic “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is yet another holiday hit written by Jewish songwriters.
Edward Pola, born June 23rd, 1907 and George Wyle, born March 22, 1916, were two Jewish composers responsible for the massive Christmas hit that continues to play throughout the entire month of December despite being released over 61 years ago.
Let it Snow!
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, festive classic “Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” adapted by famous Italian musician Dean Martin, is one of the most played songs during the Christmas season due to its catchy lyrics and melodic tune. The origin of this song is far different from the creation of all other Christmas staples, but it’s just as interesting as all of them.
Many people may not know this, but this song was a product of a California Heat Wave, hence the lyrics, “Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, And since we’ve got no place to go, Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let It Snow! So realistically, it’s not exactly a Christmas song.
So why write them?
As a way to assimilate, these songwriters composed these songs as a way to integrate themselves into foreign cultures. It’s also important to consider that most of these songwriters came from an immigrant background, and since Jewish people were restricted from a lot of jobs, they began to go into entertainment as a way to make money for themselves and their families. In order to not stray away from their culture, these songwriters opted by writing songs that highlighted the season and other themes that weren’t associated with religion, which allowed many people to find these songs relatable.
