Group Wants More "Christ" in Christmas Carols

A Christian group is warning that the sounds of Christmas have been hijacked by secular songs like "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." They're urging radio stations to boost their play of carols with explicitly Christian content and are even penning alternative lyrics to some traditional—and secular—favorites.

Effort strikes a sour note among some Santa fans

By Russell D'Arby
Arts correspondent

DENVER, CO—Perry Como's version of the classic Christmas carol "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" has just finished—and Pastor Dave Billingsley of Denver's Faith Bible Church is anything but soothed by the crooner's mellifluous sounds. In fact, he's downright steamed.

"This is another facet of the secularist war on Christmas," says Billingsley, whose church has been in the news repeatedly in recent months as Denver business and political leaders sought to ban religious participation in the town's holiday parade, and even removed the words "Merry Christmas" from Denver City Hall. "Without you and I even noticing it, they've taken over the Christmas carols. When is the last time you heard "Christmas Is Your Birthday Lord" or "When Joseph Went to Bethlehem?" asks Billingsley.

So Billingsley and other partisans in what's seen as an out-and-out war to 'put Christ back in Christmas,' are taking action. In recent weeks, they've besieged the disc jockeys of local radio stations that play Christmas music, urging them to replace such secular favorites as "Jingle Bells," the "Twelve Days of Christmas" and "Deck the Halls" with music that pays tribute to the holiday's religious origins. So far, though, concedes Billingsley, their efforts haven't met with much success.

"We're hearing from the radio stations that no one wants to hear what they call 'religious crap.' And they say that if they play songs their audiences don't like, then they risk losing advertising money," says Billingsley.

Out with Rudolph, in with the Savior
Now Billingsley and his fellow crusaders have settled on another idea: they're penning new lyrics, faithful to real reason for the season, and setting them to favorite holiday tunes. While a handful of parishioners have penned their own lyrics, the group is also talking to popular Christian songwriter Amy Grant to help with the effort.

By coming up with new faith-based lyrics—but keeping the undeniably catchy tunes of many secular Christmas carols—the group hopes to be able to make some beautiful music, says Billingsley. "I would be lying to you if I said that I don't sometimes find myself humming the tune of 'Jingle Bell Rock' or 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.' Our challenge is to match this great music to words that really pay tribute to Him."

Musically challenged
Not everyone is thrilled with the idea that Rudolph may be replaced by Jesus. A group of avowedly secular teenage carolers who gathered on Denver's west side earlier this week said that they'd likely refuse to sing the new versions of the songs. "Our carols are just fine the way they are," says Cammi Schlosser, a soprano in the Denver chapter of the Colorado Girls Choir. And if the new lyrics were really good? "Well I might reconsider. I'd have to see. But I doubt that they'll be any good," says Schlosser.

On the subject of whether the new enhanced Christian lyrics are, in fact, any good, the verdict is still out. The song "Jesus the Blond-Haired Savior," sung to the tune of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," and recorded by Denver Christian songwriter Chris Armstrong, met with a decidedly cool response from local DJ's. All but one station, KRKS, Denver's Christian radio station, declined to pick up the song.

Now Billingsley and his group are praying that Christmas 2005 will sound like music to their ears.

Jesus the Blond-Haired Savior
(Sing to the tune of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer")

Jesus the blond-haired savior
Was a very holy man
All those who witnessed Jesus
Marched along to scripture's plan

All of the nonbelievers
Refused to see he was the King
They called him an imposter
And they wouldn't kiss his ring

Then one dreadful Passover
The Romans came to say
Jesus you'd best come with us
Up on the cross, don't make a fuss

Then all the Christians loved him
As their savior rose again
Jesus the blond-haired savior
Son of God and King of men

Jesus the blond-haired savior
Had a very special glow
He was loved by all who saw him
Who came to watch the Jesus show

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Comments

[j]

the funniest thing about this whole site is the people who can't understand satire when they see it.... heh...

[Melee Stormbringer]

This is ajoke, right? If you read the Bible, it says he was dark complected with hair like wool. Are these people serious? Considering the holiday was hijacked from a roman pagan festival anyway, maybe some people need to lighten up....

[G.]

First of all, Jesus was middle-eastern, not from Western Europe. Hence he wasn't blonde. And these morons trying to say he was aryan? If so, then these people probably would've voted Hitler into office!

[Bertie]

Just a note- our Savior Jesus Christ was a Jew by birth- I doubt very seriouly he was blond.