Why do I associate Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree with great tragedy?
December 22, 2004 8:18 AM   Subscribe

Why do I associate Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree with great tragedy?
posted by cillit bang to Media & Arts (33 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
You expect us to know?
posted by xmutex at 8:21 AM on December 22, 2004


Perhaps because Brenda Lee sang both songs?

(although I do sort of know what you mean - it has a dark side)
posted by milovoo at 8:22 AM on December 22, 2004


Dark side? I never saw a dark side.
posted by Doohickie at 8:26 AM on December 22, 2004


Two thoughts come to mind: the song is playing in some pretty graphic scenes in several movies set around Christmas : the movies Die Hard and another one I can't remember where a woman is all coked/heroined up and gets up on the railing on her hotel room and plunges to her death...I think.
posted by piedrasyluz at 8:27 AM on December 22, 2004


Maybe you were listening to it when something tragic happened?

A really long shot: Maybe you're confusing it with Rock Around The Clock, which was sung by Bill Hayley and His Comets, who are from the same era as (and may be reminding you of) The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens, who all died in a plane crash?
posted by iconomy at 8:30 AM on December 22, 2004


Rockin' around the christmas tree is a great way to knock it over. That's pretty tragic.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 8:31 AM on December 22, 2004 [3 favorites]


I think that last movie (with the dive off the balcony) would be Lethal Weapon, although I believe the song is Jingle Bell Rock. Of course, there could be a couple movies out there with that general plot device.
posted by true at 8:34 AM on December 22, 2004


Response by poster: piedrasyluz is on the right track - I'm probably thinking of a film or TV show, but all I can think of is Home Alone and though that's creepy it isn't quite enough.
posted by cillit bang at 8:35 AM on December 22, 2004


In Austin there's the Beehive musical that uses the song in its ads around Christmas. The women with the beehive hairdos and that song make me cringe. And invariably, the song gets stuck in my head.
posted by birdherder at 8:38 AM on December 22, 2004


Because you're confusing Brenda Lee with Patsy Cline or Connie Francis?
posted by jennyb at 8:39 AM on December 22, 2004


Because it's an awful song and it makes you want to go on a three-state killing spree?

You're not alone-- I hate that song so much that I'll leave a store if it's playing.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:50 AM on December 22, 2004 [1 favorite]


piedrasyluz is thinking of Lethal Weapon. The first one.
posted by geekyguy at 8:51 AM on December 22, 2004


I'm with Mayor Curley. The song is a tragedy, case closed.
posted by squidlarkin at 9:30 AM on December 22, 2004


Because Home Alone makes you tear up.
posted by u.n. owen at 9:46 AM on December 22, 2004


I hate that song so much that I'll leave a store if it's playing.

Me too! Though Jingle Bell Rock is even worse in my book. Glad I'm not alone either!
posted by dnash at 10:04 AM on December 22, 2004


dnash, don't knock Jingle Bell Rock.

My grandmother helped write that song!

*walks off in a huff*
posted by u.n. owen at 10:15 AM on December 22, 2004


My grandmother helped write that song!

I like to sing Jingle Bell Rock, but using only the words "bell", "rock", and "jingle":

bell rock jingle rock
Bell jingle rock
Rock jingle rock
Bell jingle bell
Rock bell
Jingle
Rock rock bell
Jingle rock, jingle rock
Bell bell bell


Drives my wife nuts. I'd record an MP3 of me doing it if someone could find me a karaoke track.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 10:25 AM on December 22, 2004 [37 favorites]


Drives my wife nuts. I'd record an MP3 of me doing it if someone could find me a karaoke track.

See? Out of tragedy, great deeds are borne.
posted by whatnot at 11:13 AM on December 22, 2004


Here are the soundtracks containing rockin' around the christmas tree.

I haven't seen Miracle, but most of the others could definitely qualify as great tragedies.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:23 AM on December 22, 2004


the song was in Reindeer Games, the tragic Ben Affleck/Charlize Theron movie.

why do i associate Bruce Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town with great tragedy?
posted by Arch Stanton at 11:55 AM on December 22, 2004


"I'd record an MP3 of me doing it if someone could find me a karaoke track."
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 10:25 AM PST on December 22

Check your inbox.
posted by quasistoic at 3:06 PM on December 22, 2004 [3 favorites]


PinkStainlessTail: you better not bow outta this... I'll be checking back.
posted by ruelle at 12:54 AM on December 23, 2004


Best answer: May I present you with PinkStainlessTail's Jingle Rock Bell, backed by organist Lenny Dee. (My favorite part is when he says "Ringle Jock Bell." He knows how to keep you on your toes.)
posted by quasistoic at 11:33 AM on December 24, 2004 [128 favorites]


And PinkStainlessTail is still married? Unbelievable.
posted by Doohickie at 12:24 PM on December 24, 2004


I'm amazed she lets him live. ;-)
posted by konolia at 1:34 PM on December 24, 2004


You just totally made my day, PST! I'm going to keep this for any future holiday compilations I ever make. Thanks!
posted by matildaben at 3:06 PM on December 24, 2004


So I guess you could call the responses "mixed reviews", eh, PST? Merry Christmas.
posted by Doohickie at 9:34 PM on December 24, 2004


God almightly - I couldn't actually finish listening to it - it was painful as fuck - but I was chuckling. Happy Festivus!
posted by tristeza at 9:44 PM on December 24, 2004


Clearly, you are insane.

(Nice voice, though.)
posted by rushmc at 11:49 PM on December 24, 2004


brilliant!
posted by ruelle at 1:14 AM on December 25, 2004


Insanity has its points.

That being said, I second the brilliant!
posted by kamylyon at 3:21 AM on December 25, 2004


That's fucking awesome, PinkStainlessTail.

I suffer a similar affliction when it comes to "Jingle Bell Rock" - the lyrics have always seemed immaterial and extraneous next to the dumb glee of the melody. On the notorious and so-called "Christmas recordings" of the Arcade Fire, you can hear me struggling through these issues as Brendan and I goof to "Jingle Bell Rock". Of course it was never imagined for public consumption.
posted by Marquis at 3:23 PM on November 20, 2005


This is pretty much the best Christmas song ever.
posted by I Love Tacos at 3:01 PM on December 18, 2005 [1 favorite]


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