Christmas Songs

It’s a peculiar phenomenon.  No other holiday or time of year has received as much attention from the music industry in this part of the world.  That could be a direct result of Christmas being the most commercialized and most profitable holiday in the country, but as to the quality of the songs themselves, they don’t deserve any blanket generalizations.  Some are annoying, some are okay, and some are quite nice, although why they seem so heavily stuck in the mid-twentieth century is a question for someone else.

However, in seeking to stir up winter merriment, some of them become unintentionally laughable or unpleasant.  In no particular order, here are a few Christmas lyrics that are more troubling than uplifting, to put you in that good ol’ critical thinking and melancholy disillusionment kind of mood for the holidays.

The Truman Show (1998) – PG, Comedic Drama

Director:  Peter Weir

Writer:  Andrew Niccol

Starring:  Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, Laura Linney

Anyone can relate to the experience of questioning reality and the sincerity of others.  Pioneering the idea of reality television before such a thing existed, this speculative film tells the story of Truman Burbank, a man whose life is broadcast on live television twenty-four hours a day, all without his knowledge.

Galaxy Quest (1999) – PG, Sci-Fi Comedy

Director:  Dean Parisot

Writers:  David Howard, Robert Gordon

Starring:  Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman

What would happen if aliens sought the help of actors from a popular television show, thinking they were actual heroes?  It’s anyone’s guess, but let’s hope the events would unfold like they do in this brilliant affectionate parody.