Worst Christmas Song Ever....

I'll have to do a Thanksgiving wrap-up tomorrow, this post cannot wait.... In a previous life, when I worked at a radio station, I used to be inundated with Christmas music during the holidays. The first week was fine, but by the end of the holiday season it felt like I was listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. Time has helped to heal this wound but it's taken me nearly a decade to look forward to Christmas music again, especially the new releases by contemporary artists.

This song must have been released while I was on hiatus; I think it's been out for seven years now. Have you heard this one? It's called "The Christmas Shoes". I just heard it for the first time the other day. It's about a little, grubby boy who is trying to buy some shoes for his mom because she is dying and he wants her to look good as she meets her maker. She's been sick for a while, she always made Christmas really nice in her home, and the shoes are just her size, so he wants them. Problem is that he is short money and cannot afford the shoes. He looks to the man behind him who is narrating the song and asks what he should do. The man forks out the money for the shoes and feels grateful that the boy has reminded him of what Christmas is all about.

Ok, the first issue I have is the sappy style of the song. You know it was written with one purpose in mind: to make us cry. I think it was authored by the same people who wrote those Hallmark commercials in the 1980's. It bothers me when people purposely try to tap into the cry emotion to make a buck. I have a hunch that this is probably the only hit this artist will ever have. They were probably aware of that too, so they had to make it count.

Next, the song was definitely written by a man. If I'm on my deathbed, I don't want a red pair of sling back pumps. I want my family around me, I want chocolate, I want a massage. Every woman knows that.

Lastly, I'm offended that the only reason the narrator would help the boy is because the woman is on her deathbed. If she was only kind-of sick, or not sick at all, would he tell the boy to "scram"? How about if he was just hungry? Would that merit his help? Why does the situation have to be so extreme in order to get this man to act? Yea guy, you're a real hero. That's what Christmas is all about... helping little kids buy inappropriate, uncomfortable, shoes so they can jam them on their mom's swollen feet before she dies. Kudos to the songwriter.

I know I sound like a real Scrooge about the song and some people are going to comment that they like the song. Do as you may, but I feel the songwriter took it too far, and sent me over the edge.

Bah Humbug.