Religions > Atheism > Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"satyr" |
| Date: |
02 Dec 2003 11:48:36 PM |
| Object: |
Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
--
satyr #1953
Chairman, EAC Church Taxation Subcommittee
Director, Gideon Bible Alternative Fuel Project
Supervisor, EAC Fossil Casting Lab
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| User: "Doc Smartass" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 01:16:04 AM |
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(satyr) wrote in
news:1msqsv4loe6omjgsrvfrpckhk6qelk0gae@4ax.com:
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
I feel your pain.
I did an inventory job this morning at a local Albertson's grocery store.
They normally play the "please-everyone" playlist (a rancid mix of pop,
disco, 80s, r&b, country, oldies, etc). Well now they're playing xmas songs
from those genres.
In just under 6 hours, I heard 6 different versions of "White Christmas"
including one by Louis Armstrong and one in R&B duet form by some Whitney
Houston wannabe; 6 different versions of "Let it Snow" including one in
some whacked-out light-jazz arrangement of trumpet and sax; a disco/jazz
arrangement of "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" featuring lead trombone,
flowing disco string section, flutes, and a wakka-wakka guitar thing that
reminded me of the disco version of the "Close Encounters" theme being
involved in a three-way wreck with the "Dallas" theme and "YMCA".
Then there was the jazz-conga version of "Silver Bells," the horrid nasal-
twang country version of "Rudolph" (right down to the lap steel guitar and
Alan Jackson-sounding vocals), and a country instrumental of "White
Christmas."
Let's not forget the Twelve Steps ... er, "Twelve Days of Christmas" in
disco/jazz, sounding like a 1970's TV show theme.
Then...then there was the boy band song with the lyrics "We don't need to
get away / Our love is like a holiday."
The humanity, the humanity...
--
Dr. Smartass
BAAWA Knight of Heckling -- a.a. #1939
"When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it!" -- Sam Spade
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| User: "Mark W" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 12:51:31 PM |
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"Doc Smartass" <gekiskivviesdo@astroboyskivviesmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9446D5EBFEE0askifyouwantit@216.77.188.18...
RsEaMtOyVrE@infidels.org (satyr) wrote in
news:1msqsv4loe6omjgsrvfrpckhk6qelk0gae@4ax.com:
Let's not forget the Twelve Steps ... er, "Twelve Days of Christmas" in
disco/jazz, sounding like a 1970's TV show theme.
Then...then there was the boy band song with the lyrics "We don't need to
get away / Our love is like a holiday."
The humanity, the humanity...
Just sing Weird Al's "The twelve pains of Christmas" to yourself.
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| User: "John Iser" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 06:54:00 AM |
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Doc Smartass <gekiskivviesdo@astroboyskivviesmail.com> wrote in
message <Xns9446D5EBFEE0askifyouwantit@216.77.188.18>:
[snip]
Then there was the jazz-conga version of "Silver Bells," the horrid nasal-
twang country version of "Rudolph" (right down to the lap steel guitar and
Alan Jackson-sounding vocals), and a country instrumental of "White
Christmas."
Let's not forget the Twelve Steps ... er, "Twelve Days of Christmas" in
disco/jazz, sounding like a 1970's TV show theme.
Combining those last two - have you heard The Redneck Twelve Days Of
Christmas? (By Jeff Foxworthy, of course.)
"Twelve-pack of Bud
Eleven rasslin' tickets
'Ten' (tin) of 'Copenhagen'
Nine years probation
Eight table dancers
Seven packs of 'Red Man'
Six cans of Spam..
Five flannel shirts...
Four Piedmont tires
Three shotgun shells
Two huntin' dogs
And some parts to a Mustang GT"
http://www.geocities.com/LyricsNut/12RedneckXmas.html
--
John Iser a.a #379
"Man running thru the grass outside, says he wants to take up serpents
Says he will drink the deadly thing, and it will not hurt him"
- Lucinda Williams, 2 Kool 2 Be 4-gotten (Mark 16:18)
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| User: "Hamish McNugget" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 11:15:30 AM |
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Doc Smartass recently shared the following:
RsEaMtOyVrE@infidels.org (satyr) wrote in
news:1msqsv4loe6omjgsrvfrpckhk6qelk0gae@4ax.com:
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
I feel your pain.
I did an inventory job this morning at a local Albertson's grocery store.
They normally play the "please-everyone" playlist (a rancid mix of pop,
disco, 80s, r&b, country, oldies, etc). Well now they're playing xmas songs
from those genres.
In just under 6 hours, I heard 6 different versions of "White Christmas"
including one by Louis Armstrong and one in R&B duet form by some Whitney
Houston wannabe; 6 different versions of "Let it Snow" including one in
some whacked-out light-jazz arrangement of trumpet and sax; a disco/jazz
arrangement of "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" featuring lead trombone,
flowing disco string section, flutes, and a wakka-wakka guitar thing that
reminded me of the disco version of the "Close Encounters" theme being
involved in a three-way wreck with the "Dallas" theme and "YMCA".
Then there was the jazz-conga version of "Silver Bells," the horrid nasal-
twang country version of "Rudolph" (right down to the lap steel guitar and
Alan Jackson-sounding vocals), and a country instrumental of "White
Christmas."
Let's not forget the Twelve Steps ... er, "Twelve Days of Christmas" in
disco/jazz, sounding like a 1970's TV show theme.
Then...then there was the boy band song with the lyrics "We don't need to
get away / Our love is like a holiday."
The humanity, the humanity...
Sounds like the same music that Kohl's pipes into its stores. I have
been working the graveyard shift and they started playing the christmyth
music two weeks before Thankgiving. After the first full night I sent an
email to human resources complaining about the music. I wasn't
complaining about the type of music (they were pushing a secular format
so I assume they were trying to avoid issues with non-xians), but the
quality of the music. It was like being trapped in an elevator with a one
our loop of music. It seems I wasn't the only one complaining. An email
came out from the corporate office just a couple of days later stating
they were going to change the music for the night shift to a more
'upbeat' format due to the complaints they were receiving. They are still
playing some christmyth music (about every 4th song), but what they are
playing is at least more rock than elevator music.
I have done my duty for the people at Kohl's. I start a new job on
Monday.
--
Cluelessness is a self imposed disability
Tom
aa# 2134 a-vet# 20
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| User: "Gregory Gadow" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 08:34:53 AM |
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Doc Smartass wrote:
Let's not forget the Twelve Steps ... er, "Twelve Days of Christmas"
Oh, my. That gives me an idea.
--
Gregory Gadow
techbear@serv.net
http://www.serv.net/~techbear
"If you make yourself a sheep, the wolves will eat you."
-- Benjamin Franklin
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| User: "Robert Matthews" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 04:52:01 AM |
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In article <1msqsv4loe6omjgsrvfrpckhk6qelk0gae@4ax.com>,
(satyr) wrote:
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
The more rancid Xians are capable of anti-Santa sentiment. In
Moncton, some enterprising soul has plastered a great many downtown
street signs with neon-orange stickers that read, approximately,
SANTA
N...
SA TA
SATAN
Renounce Pagan Ways!
and then some presumably apposite Bible verse. It's so very tempting to
make stickers that have GOD and DOG switching their letters in a similar
way....
Robert Matthews
a.a. #1801
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| User: "Mark W" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 12:54:05 PM |
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"Robert Matthews" <pyramus@ns.deleteme.sympatico.nospam.ca> wrote in message
news:pyramus-F2F4D5.06520103122003@news21.bellnet.ca...
In article <1msqsv4loe6omjgsrvfrpckhk6qelk0gae@4ax.com>,
RsEaMtOyVrE@infidels.org (satyr) wrote:
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
The more rancid Xians are capable of anti-Santa sentiment. In
Moncton, some enterprising soul has plastered a great many downtown
street signs with neon-orange stickers that read, approximately,
SANTA
N...
SA TA
SATAN
Renounce Pagan Ways!
and then some presumably apposite Bible verse. It's so very tempting to
make stickers that have GOD and DOG switching their letters in a similar
way....
Pray to the pooch.
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| User: ".sSweetMarie" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
05 Dec 2003 03:07:43 AM |
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On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 06:52:01 -0400, Robert Matthews wrote:
In article <1msqsv4loe6omjgsrvfrpckhk6qelk0gae@4ax.com>,
RsEaMtOyVrE@infidels.org (satyr) wrote:
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
The more rancid Xians are capable of anti-Santa sentiment. In
Moncton, some enterprising soul has plastered a great many downtown
street signs with neon-orange stickers that read, approximately,
SANTA
N...
SA TA
SATAN
Renounce Pagan Ways!
and then some presumably apposite Bible verse. It's so very tempting to
make stickers that have GOD and DOG switching their letters in a similar
way....
Robert Matthews
a.a. #1801
That's so surprising. Don't Christians realize that Santa is the only one
who fits the description of the God of Jesus?
-- He who overcomes, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater
works beside these.
-- I shall write my new name and the name of my God upon he who overcomes
Satan is the better name anyway.
..sSweetMarie
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| User: "Levy Oates" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
03 Dec 2003 12:37:54 AM |
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On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 05:48:36 GMT, (satyr) wrote:
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
I used to try and post parodies to xian newsgroups for a bit of a laugh but I
got bored with it. They hardly ever realised that I was poking fun and started
having serious discussions about whatever I said. I had to conclude that they
already live in such a fantasy world that they could no longer distinguish
between parody and the real thing.
---------
Archdeacom Levy Oates
On behalf of the Prophet Eric Peabody (pbuh)
Basingstoke, England
http://www.angelfire.com/alt/bumblism/
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| User: "Tink" |
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| Title: Re: Here Comes Santa Claus or why it is so hard to parody religion |
04 Dec 2003 04:17:00 PM |
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satyr wrote:
My work place plays the radio over the PA system and at least one of
the stations went to an all Christmas music format about a week before
Thanksgiving. They seem to stick to the more secular music for the
most part, but one song has a bizarre mixture of gooey religion and
secular frivolity which unintentionally(?) lampoons Christianity.
This is the song that goes, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa
Claus right down Santa Claus Lane." Mixed with the imagery of the old
man with toys in his sleigh (the very description persons that kids
are warned to avoid, BTW) it makes a couple of somewhat vague
references to Christianity - "follow the light" and such. Then it
wraps up with the zinger, "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause
Santa Claus is coming tonight."
I could almost believe that the songwriter was an atheist taking a
shot at religion. Then I remember some of the TQOTM winners from the
past and I realize that this is well within the capabilities of a
God-soaked Christbot. The mere fact that Christians aren't
threatening a boycott over this song is clear evidence that they are
oblivious to irony.
--
satyr #1953
Chairman, EAC Church Taxation Subcommittee
Director, Gideon Bible Alternative Fuel Project
Supervisor, EAC Fossil Casting Lab
They're oblivious until they get it, then they howl about being persecuted.
--
It seems odd that those who scoff at sun worshippers are apt to worship
a vacuum.
The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS# 8808
EAC Chairman, Division of Skydiving and Sushi consumption.
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