Poor "Carol of the Bells"

By Ted Potrikus

It’s a lovely melody, to be sure, one that indeed invokes the pleasures of the winter season. It’s easy pickings for advertisers, though, because it’s in the public domain. No one has to pay royalties for its use, so it’s fair game. And every year, there’s some honcho at an ad agency thinking he or she is the first one ever to shout out during a brainstorming session, “Hey! Let’s use ‘Carol of the Bells! That’ll grab ‘em!” Selling a car? “Carol of the Bells.” Selling jewelry? “Carol of the Bells.” Selling, oh, I don’t know, appetizers at your chain restaurant? “Carol of the Bells.”

That’s the problem with Christmas music, or, in many cases, just sort of generic wintery music like “Sleigh Ride” or “Winter Wonderland” or, please stop playing it, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” By the time we get to early December, we’ve heard a lot of holiday music.