• News
    • Funny
    • Weird
    • Global
  • Entertainment
  • Celebrities
  • Sins
  • Interesting As Fuck
  • WTF

Which Christmas Song Was Banned By Many American Radio Stations Last Year?

2.4KShares
82.2KViews

Christmas is a holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus, despite the lack of evidence that he was born on December 25. This celebration is marked by giving and receiving gifts and singing a Christmas carol with your family. But which Christmas song was banned by many American radio stations last year?

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" was thought to be a harmless song in the middle of the 20th century. But some radio show hosts have stopped playing it completely. They brought up the lyrics, which many people today would recognize as clear cases of sexual harassment.

This is just one example of a controversy surrounding a Christmas song that dates back hundreds of years. The following are some examples of traditional Christmas music that has found its way onto a list of songs that should not be played during the holiday season.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

A man kissing a woman, with a Christmas tree in the background
A man kissing a woman, with a Christmas tree in the background

COPYRIGHT_HOOK: Published on https://thehooksite.com/which-christmas-song-was-banned-by-many-american-radio-stations-last-year/ by Kane Perkins on 2022-09-07T04:19:14.354Z

Written by British songwriter Tommie Connor and originally recorded by Jimmy Boyd in 1952, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" is a classic Christmas tune. Several artists have since recorded their own versions of the song, with The Ronettes' 1963 rendition ranking among the most well-known.

Recorded on July 15, 1952, when he was just 13 years old, Jimmy Boyd's original version topped the Billboard pop singles chart in December of that year.

The song tells the story of a child who comes downstairs on Christmas Eve from his room and sees his mother kissing "Santa Claus" under the mistletoe. At the end of the lyrics, the child wonders how his father will react when he finds out about the kiss.

He has no idea that Santa Claus could be his father in costume. When Boyd's record came out, the Roman Catholic Church in Boston condemned it because they thought it was about an affair or adulterous behavior.

Specifically, the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston criticized the song, and a radio company in West Virginia told its stations not to play it. One company official even called it "an insult to Santa Claus." People in West Virginia were so angry about the radio ban that it was overturned in less than two weeks.

The Archdiocese is also said to have changed its mind after Boyd met with church leaders in Boston. A freckly 13-year-old Boyd explained that Mommy and Santa were actually husband and wife.

Meanwhile, Peter Marsh, a counselor at elevensix counseling, was surprised to find out what this song was really about. He said

I had interpreted the meaning of the song through the false conclusions from my childhood. I never saw my parents show affection or even kiss. So when I heard the song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" it was filtered through the dysfunction of my childhood and I concluded it was about being unfaithful. I was dumbfounded when I realized the true meaning of the song that daddy was Santa Claus.

Marsch understood what the song was really about when he was having fun with his large family. His nephew, who is 22 years old, told him what this song is really about. He was shocked to find out that he had been wrong about this song for more than 50 years.

Lyrics Of The Song

Jimmy Boyd - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Columbia Records 1952)

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus

Underneath the mistletoe last night.

She didn't see me creep

Down the stairs to have a peep;

She thought that I was tucked

Up in my bedroom fast asleep.

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus

Underneath his beard so snowy white;

Oh, what a laugh it would have been

If Daddy had only seen

Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night. (Repeat twice)

A French Carol "Minuit, Chrétiens" (O Holy Night)

André Rieu and His Johann Strauss Orchestra perform "Minuit Chrétiens." Below is an excerpt from the DVD Home for the Holidays.

Minuit Chrétien (O Holy Night) - André Rieu

Before it became a Christmas song in English, "O Holy Night" was a French song called "Minuit, Chrétiens," which means "Midnight, Christians." In the 1840s, a clergyman in the town of Roquemaure asked a local poet named Placide Cappeau (spellings vary) to write a new Christmas hymn. The words were set to music by Adolphe Adam.

At a midnight mass on Christmas Eve in 1847, the first performance of "Minuit, Chrétiens" took place. Throughout the next few years of Advent celebrations in southern France, the song was a smash hit, but eventually, its authorship and composer were questioned. Placide Cappeau was known as a poet, but he was also known as a drunk and a political radical, which the authorities found out.

Meanwhile, the local parish priest mistook Adams for a Jew but discovered that he was an atheist. They are mad that a popular Christmas song was written by someone who didn't even celebrate Jesus' birth.

The top leaders of the Catholic Church said that "Minuit, Chrétiens" was not good enough to be sung in church, so it was banned. If not for a music-loving Unitarian minister who heard it for the first time in 1855, the hymn might have been forgotten.

John Sullivan Dwight was a passionate anti-slavery activist. A part of Cappeau's third stanza moved him. When it was translated into English, it said, "He shall break the chains, for the slave is our brother." This indicates that he was opposed to slavery and social inequality.

"O Holy Night" Lyrics

The lyrics were turned into English almost a decade after the song was first written. In 1855, Minister John Sullivan Dwight turned the original French lyrics into the ones we sing today. The lyrics of this famous Christmas song is shown below:

[Verse 1]

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth;

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

'Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Chorus

Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!

O night divine!

O night when Christ was born.

O night, O holy night, O night divine.

[Verse 2]

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming;

With glowing hearts by his cradle we stand:

So, led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here come the wise men from Orient land,

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger,

In all our trials born to be our friend;

Chorus

He knows our need,

To our weakness no stranger!

Behold your King!

Before Him lowly bend!

Behold your King! your King! before him bend!

[Verse 3]

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is Love and His gospel is Peace;

Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother,

And in his name all oppression shall cease,

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we;

Let all within us praise his Holy name!

Chorus

Christ is the Lord, then ever! ever praise we!

His pow'r and glory, evermore proclaim!

His pow'r and glory, evermore proclaim!

A 1986 Single "Christmas At Ground Zero"

Christmas at Ground Zero

Al Yankovic's 1986 song "Christmas at Ground Zero," with lyrics like "We can dodge debris while we trim the tree/Under the mushroom cloud," made fun of the nation's Cold War fears, and radio stations quickly stopped playing it.Yankovic told a joke to the San Antonio Current in 2013:

"For some reason, [radio stations] didn’t think it was appropriate to have a song about nuclear destruction during the holidays."

People started saying "Ground Zero" to talk about where the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center happened, so he stopped doing it in his live shows. Even though Yankovic's parody of a Christmas song isn't a classic, it did stop his record label from bugging him to make a full holiday album. In a 2022 interview with Songfacts, Lily Hirsch, the author of Weird Al: Seriously, said:

When Al wrote that song in 1986, it was a reference to the center of a nuclear blast. But, after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the term 'ground zero' changed in meaning. And now that song just doesn't really work because most people assume it has something to do with 9/11.

"Christmas At Ground Zero" Lyrics

[Verse 1]

It's Christmas at ground zero

There's music in the air

The sleigh bells are ringing, and the carolers are singing

While the air-raid sirens blare

[Verse 2]

It's Christmas at ground zero

The button has been pressed

The radio just let us know

That this is not a test

[Verse 2]

It's Christmas at ground zero

The button has been pressed

The radio just let us know

That this is not a test

[Verse 3]

'Cause it's Christmas at ground zero

There's panic in the crowd

We can dodge debris while we trim the tree

Underneath the mushroom cloud

[Chorus 2]

You might hear some reindeer on your rooftop

Or Jack Frost on your windowsill

But if someone's climbing down your chimney

You better load your gun and shoot to kill

[Verse 4]

Oh, it's Christmas at ground zero

And if the radiation level's okay

I'll go out with you and see all the new

Mutations on New Year's Day

[Verse 5]

It's Christmas at ground zero

Just seconds left to go

I'll duck and cover with my Yuletide lover

Underneath the mistletoe

[Verse 6]

It's Christmas at ground zero

Now the missiles are on their way

What a crazy fluke, we're gonna get nuked

On this jolly holiday

What a crazy fluke, we're gonna get nuked

On this jolly holiday

Controversial Lyrics Of "Fairytale Of New York"

The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York (Official Video)

The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York," a folksy duet by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, became a UK holiday classic as soon as it came out in 1987. In the second half of this terrible fairy tale, the singers insult each other with harsh words. It includes a gay slur that comes before a line that ends with "maggot."

Since the word is now used as a homophobic slur, people have argued for years about whether or not the song, which Kirsty MacColl sings in a duet with Shane MacGowan of The Pogues, is offensive. Others say that the word should be taken as traditional Irish slang for "lazy person" because of how it is used in the song.

This Christmas, BBC Radio 1 won't play the original version of Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl because some of the lyrics could be offensive to its listeners. The station said that young people were especially sensitive to words that were hurtful about gender and sexuality. Instead, it will play a version that has been changed so that MacColl sings different lyrics.

Baby It's Cold Outside Lyrics

Dean Martin - Baby, It's Cold Outside (Lyric Video)

Famous Christmas Songs

You can get into the holiday spirit by listening to popular and traditional holiday music. We've made the ultimate Christmas playlist with all of your favorite happy songs. Here are some of them:

I'll Be Home For Christmas (1943)

We just couldn't limit ourselves to one Crosby song; his poignant Christmas tune is a beautiful ode to the soldiers fighting in WWII.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (1944)

This gentle Christmas song was originally recorded by Judy Garland for the musical Meet Me in St. Louis, which follows the lives of four sisters as they come of age and prepare to relocate to New York.

Frosty the Snowman (1947)

This is a familiar voice from your childhood because Gene Autry sang it, along with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (1948)

Frank Sinatra's jazzy holiday tune is about the season we all love to hate: cold, wintry weather. It wasn't included on his first Christmas album, but it was included on the revised version.

Santa Baby (1953), Jingle Bells (1960), It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (1963), Winter Wonderland (1966) and Feliz Navidad (1970) are songs that you should listen to.

Christmas Carols Songs

25 Popular Christmas Songs and Christmas Carols 🔥 Fireplace Christmas Music Playlist

People Also Ask

Why Did Baby It's Cold Get Banned?

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" was a popular Christmas song, but some people thought it was inappropriate. According to a June 27, 1949, TIME article, "Queasy NBC first banned the lyrics as too racy, then decided they contained nothing provably prurient, and put the tune on the air. Baby hit the hit parade and began climbing."

What Christmas Songs Are Controversial?

  • The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, 'Fairytale of New York' (1988)
  • Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters, 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas' (1951)
  • Jimmy Boyd, 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus' (1950)
  • Elvis Presley, 'White Christmas' (1957)

Do Radio Stations Still Play Baby It's Cold Outside?

This holiday season, the song got a lot of attention when Cleveland radio station WDOK said it would stop playing it because some listeners said the song's lyrics didn't fit with the #MeToo movement. Now, radio stations all over the United States are starting to do the same thing, and listeners have mixed feelings about it.

Conclusion

You have reached the end of this article! You already know which Christmas song many American radio stations banned last year. It serves as a good reminder that when writing a song, we should be sensitive to the feelings of the various listeners.

Share: Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin

About The Authors

Kane Perkins

Kane Perkins - ✅ Memes, ✅ Crazy Stories, ✅ WTF??? 🎃🎃🎃 Yeah - That's me, Kane! 👀 The source of all unusual and WTF news. 🤪🤪🤪 Bookmark The HOOK now and you won't "ragret" it. 🔥💀👀

Recent Articles

  • What Do They Earn On The Internet

    Entertainment

    What Do They Earn On The Internet

    In 2023, is it possible to turn your website into money with the help of a casino partner and earn a good income? Do you want to make money online but do not know where to start? In this material, we are going to tell you all.

  • Can Valorant Compete With CS GO In ESports?

    Games

    Can Valorant Compete With CS GO In ESports?

    A few years ago, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was the undisputed leader among tactical team-based shooters and had no competitors, but two years ago, Valorant appeared.

  • Mackenzie Davis Nude - A Rising Star In Hollywood's Science Fiction Scene

    Celebrities

    Mackenzie Davis Nude - A Rising Star In Hollywood's Science Fiction Scene

    Mackenzie Davis nude is a Canadian actress born on April 1, 1987, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She started her career in acting in 2012 with a guest role in the TV series "I Just Want My Pants Back." Since then, she has appeared in several notable TV shows and films.

  • Movies About Overcoming Adversity - 10 Inspiring Movies You Must Watch

    Movies & TV Shows

    Movies About Overcoming Adversity - 10 Inspiring Movies You Must Watch

    Movies about overcoming adversity have always been popular because they inspire and motivate us to overcome our own challenges. These films showcase the resilience and determination of individuals who face seemingly insurmountable obstacles and triumph over them.

  • Pikachu's Merchandise Collaborations With Other Brands - When Pikachu Meets Fashion

    Pikachu

    Pikachu's Merchandise Collaborations With Other Brands - When Pikachu Meets Fashion

    Pikachu, the iconic electric-type Pokémon, has been a beloved character since its introduction in the first generation of the Pokémon franchise. Over the years, Pikachu has become not just a popular figure in the gaming world, but also in fashion and pop culture. One way Pikachu has expanded beyond gaming is through Pikachu's merchandise collaborations with other brands.

  • Memes That Accurately Reflect Current Events And Trends - Laughing Through The Chaos

    Memes

    Memes That Accurately Reflect Current Events And Trends - Laughing Through The Chaos

    Memes have become a popular way of communicating and reflecting on current events and trends. They are a fun and engaging way to express opinions and ideas, and often go viral on social media platforms, providing a shared cultural experience among internet users. Here are 10 examples of memes that accurately reflect current events and trends.

  • Games That Are Compatible With Virtual Reality (VR) - Virtual Reality Is Revolutionizing The Gaming Industry

    Games

    Games That Are Compatible With Virtual Reality (VR) - Virtual Reality Is Revolutionizing The Gaming Industry

    The immersive experience of VR gaming can transport players into another world, and they can interact with the game environment in a way that was never possible before. In this article, we will explore some of the games that are compatible with Virtual Reality (VR) and provide a brief overview of each.

  • Snake Found Hiding In A Bag Of Lettuce At Grocery Store

    Funny

    Snake Found Hiding In A Bag Of Lettuce At Grocery Store

    In April 2021, a snake found hiding in a bag of lettuce at grocery store in Sydney, Australia, shocking both the shoppers and the employees. The snake was identified as a venomous pale-headed snake and was believed to have traveled all the way from Queensland, over 1,000 kilometers away.

  • Why Do I Keep Having Sexual Dreams - Understanding Why They Keep Happening

    Sex Stories

    Why Do I Keep Having Sexual Dreams - Understanding Why They Keep Happening

    Why do I keep having sexual dreams a common occurrence that can happen to anyone, regardless of age or gender. While some may consider these dreams to be pleasant experiences, others may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about them.

  • Shocking And Unbelievable Occurrences That Will Make You Gasp - The Unpredictability Of Reality

  • Astonishing Cultural Artifacts From Ancient Civilizations - Unlocking The Secrets Of The Past

  • Is Your Favorite Delivery Food Coming From A Ghost Kitchen?

  • Fan Tries To Sell Used Contacts That Have 'Seen Taylor Swift's Eras Tour' For $10,000

  • Adopted Orphan Revealed As 22 Year Old Finds New Family And A Fresh Start