Most of our holiday standards were written between 1942 and 1952, in a burst of activity inspired by the enormous success of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” and came into existence in various and surprising ways. Taken together, the stories behind these immortal songs paint a fascinating cultural picture of America itself during the era of and after World War Two. Note: Some portions of this presentation were pre-recorded.
Part I includes discussion of the songs White Christmas, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, The Christmas Song, Let It Snow, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, and Here Comes Santa Claus.