Alvin. Alvin? ALVIN!

     Like this post,  this originated as a journal entry for my Communications class. We were asked to choose and defend our absolute favorite Christmas song. This is what I came up with.

It was about two in the morning when I wrote this. Don't judge.

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     Music has been throughout the ages an outpouring of joy, a wellspring of happiness, a way to express the inexpressible. It comes as no surprise, then, that the most joyful holiday of all has garnered an entire genre of music for itself, leaving the paltry offerings of Halloween and even Thanksgiving behind. Given this incredible range of carols, I am now faced with a Herculean feat: choosing the best Christmas song of all time. Should we rate based on music or lyrics? Poignancy, or entertainment factor? However impossible the task may seem, I aim to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that “Christmas Song,” made famous by Alvin and the Chipmunks, richly deserves this coveted title.

 First, “Christmas Song,” otherwise known as “Christmas Don’t Be Late,” has proved to be wildly popular. Debuting in 1958, the single won no less than three Grammies. Merely garnering such prestigious awards deserves respect; the feat becomes even more impressive when you consider that every other artist gunning for these awards was beaten out by a boy band of anthropomorphic chipmunks. (Talk about a bummer). Furthermore, the song has maintained absurd popularity in the last half-century as a seasonal favorite on radio stations across the country. 

 Furthermore, the Chipmunks in this single perfectly convey the childlike innocence typified by the Christmas season. The song naively personifies Christmas; the mellifluent rodents beg, “Please, Christmas, don’t be late,” as though time could somehow actually stop a few days before the holiday. Unlike most Christmas songs, it is also honest in its portrayal of the shallowness of children. All three Chipmunks affirm, “We’ve been good, but we can’t last,” confirming the fact that they are only being good in expectations of presents. And who could forget Theodore’s undying longing for that hula hoop? Somehow, Alvin and his bushy-tailed brethren manage to sweetly charm their audience with the childlike innocence and make them overlook their deviousness, an impressive accomplishment. 

 I am an artist at heart, and I can appreciate Bing Crosby’s dulcet tones or the jingling of bells just as much as the next girl. However, when I think Christmas, I always return to Dave Seville’s firm admonishments of Alvin and the squeaky wistfulness of Simon’s wish for a toy airplane. Whether you value the affirmation of the masses or the wide-eyed, greedy child within yourself, you cannot deny the Chipmunks their collective throne as the kings of Christmas music.