A Christmas music trivia test for roasting on an open fire

   Christmas music has been jingle-belling across the airwaves since early November. Many of us complain it airs too soon, and by December 26, we claim to be sick of it. Yet we still listen.

    I have two holiday stations on my truck radio pre-sets. When John Tesh breaks in with his psychobabble, I flip to my backup station, but when Delilah begins to air her sappy, saccharine song dedications and requests from listeners, I flip again.

    I also draw a line in the snow for dumb songs like “Dominick the Donkey’’ or “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.’’

   Regardless, the constant drumbeat – pa rum pa pum pum – of Christmas music inspired me to challenge your knowledge. Try this trivia test. Warning: Rudolph won’t bail you out on a foggy Christmas Eve, but you could cheat and check your phone or computer.

  THE ARTISTS
     1. In recent years, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You’’ supplanted Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas’’ as the No. 1 holiday song. Who wrote “White Christmas’’ during World War II?

    2. What did Bruce Springsteen imply that Santa would give Clarence Clemons if “you been rehearsing real hard?’’

     3. Taylor Swift, Madonna and Ariana Grande have each recorded “Santa Baby.’’ Who was the first?

THE MOVIES
   1. Which was not part of the soundtrack from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?

A. “Mele Kalikimaka’’ performed by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

B. Francis Scott Key’s “The Star-Spangled Banner’’

C. “God Bless America’’ performed by Kate Smith

D. “Christmas Vacation’’ performed by Mavis Staples

 2. Judy Garland popularized a Christmas song in the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis to cheer up her kid sister. What was the title?

  3. In the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol, what song was being performed in the parlor when Ebeneezer Scrooge arrived to reconcile with his nephew Fred?

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

1. Who recorded the classic “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree?’’
   A. Patsy Cline
   B. Brenda Lee 
   C. Tanya Tucker
   D. Loretta Lynn
2. Written and released in 1984, this song was popularized by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd in 1996, and Kathy Mattea the next year. What is the title?
3.  Chuck Berry gave us “Run Run Rudolph’’ in 1958. Who re-recorded it in 2008?

GENERAL REINDEER DROPPINGS

1. In Miracle on 34^th Street, Kris Kringle sends shoppers to Macy’s chief rival. Which NYC department store?
2. This dome-shaped cake is laced with alcohol, raisins, currants, oranges, cherries, cranberries, citrus zest and hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and allspice. It’s the British version of a fruitcake. Name it?
3. When Jimmy Stewart made It’s A Wonderful Life, the dramatic scenes – contemplating suicide on the bridge, sweating over a drink at the bar, wanting to fight to fight Bert the cop – seemed to come easily to him. Why?

NORTH COUNTRY BONUS

  Songwriter J. Kimball “Kim’’ Gannon, a 1924 graduate of St. Lawrence University, willed 30 percent of the proceeds of his classic Christmas song to the Canton school. Name the tune. (5 points).

  SCORING AND ANSWERS

 Give yourself 1 point for question #1, 2 for #2 and 3 for #3:

  THE ARTISTS
  1. Irving Berlin. 2. A new saxophone; 3. Eartha Kitt in 1953

THE MOVIES

1. “God Bless America.’’ 2. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’’ 3. “Barbara Allen’’ was based on a Scottish poem from 1666.

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

1. Brenda Lee was 13 years old when she recorded the hit in 1958. 2. “Mary, Did You Know?’’ 3. Luke Bryan.

GENERAL REINDEER DROPPINGS

1. Gimbels. 2. Figgy pudding. 3. The beloved actor and World War II bomber pilot was suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). 

NORTH COUNTRY BONUS

   Gannon wrote the school’s alma mater, then moved to Hollywood where he wrote more than 200 songs. The most popular was “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.’’

RALPHIE ISSUES A CHRISTMAS STORY SCORE
12 points or lower — You shot yourself in the eye.

13-16 – Your tongue is stuck to a flagpole.

17-20 – You win the leg lamp.

21-24 – Dinner at the Chop Suey Palace. Chop the head off the duck.

Higher than 24 – The Red Ryder BB gun is under your tree.

   Morristown native Jim Holleran is a retired teacher and sports editor from Rochester. Reach him at jimholleran29@gmail.com or view past columns under “Reflections of River Rat’’ at https://hollerangetsitwrite.com/blog/