White Christmas

Christmas Songs
White Christmas (1)  by lrving Berlin
From “A Song-book of Folk and Pop Music”
by Mario Papa & Giuliano Iantorno,
Zanichelli Editore, 1977

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know,

Where the tree-tops glisten (2)

And children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow.

 

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas

With ev’ry Christmas card I write.

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white

(1) This Christmas song is traditionally linked with the voice of Bing Crosby, the most famous American “crooner”’ after  Frank Sinatra. A “crooner” was a singer who used to sing gently in a low, soft voice.

(2) Glisten: shine brightly, sparkle like stars in a clear sky.

Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra

 

Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra rank among the most famous singers in the history of popular music. During the 1930s Bing Crosby started the “crooning” style of singing, famous throughout the world. Crooning was called the gentle way he used to sing sentimental songs in a narrow range of notes. He won an award in 1944 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science for his performance as a singing priest in the film “Going My Way”.

Frank Sinatra, nicknamed, “The Voice”, started out as one of Bing’s imitators and rivals and became well-known for both his  soulful ballad singing and his interpretation of rhythm songs. He also appeared in about 50 films, and won the Academic Award in 1953 as best male supporting actor for his work in “From Here to Eternity”.