Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
accessible at www.djnfoundation.org
62 | DECEMBER 22 • 2022
Holiday Tunes
T
he Christmas onslaught is fully under way.
Television and the internet are full of Christmas commercials. Each year, advertise-
ments for the holiday seem to be aired earlier and earlier. The Thanksgiving Day kickoff
is a thing of the past.
Many homes and businesses have colorful Christmas light displays,
but there are signs of progress. Menorahs can be seen in front of homes
and outside civic facilities. In Downtown Detroit, for the last 12 years,
“Menorah in the D” has been a celebration of Chanukah with the lighting
of a giant menorah.
And that Santa Claus guy is everywhere. Although highly commercial-
ized in the modern era, he does seem like a decent fellow at
heart.
Most of all, perhaps, are the abundance of Christmas
songs played on radio and TV
. Moreover, one will hear end-
less Christmas songs while shopping for holidays gifts and
clothes … or groceries … or hardware …
While it may be a tough season for American Jewish
communities to endure, it must be said that the Jewish con-
tribution to the seasonal barrage of Christmas music has
been substantial.
Consider the immensely popular selections and their Jewish songwrit-
ers: “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” by Mel Torme or “Santa Baby”
by Joan Javits and Phil Springer. Johnny Marks was a multiple offender.
He wrote “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Rockin’ Around the
Christmas Tree” and “
A Holly, Jolly Christmas.”
However, the most famous yuletide song of all is “White Christmas.” This was just one of
many major hits by — arguably — America’s most prolific songwriter, Russian Jewish immigrant
Irving Berlin.
“White Christmas” was introduced to America on Christmas Day 1941 by crooner Bing
Crosby. He sang it live on his popular national radio show, the Kraft Music Hall. It was sub-
sequently recorded in July 1942, during the early days of WWII, when the war was not going
well for the Allies. The song perfectly captured a longing for home that deeply touched U.S.
servicemen and women. No. 1 on the charts for 11 weeks in the fall of 1942, “White Christmas”
became the biggest selling hit of all time — some 50 million singles and on 50 million albums,
CDs, etc.
The song also inspired a movie starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Fred Astaire and
Danny Kaye. White Christmas was the top grossing film of 1954.
I found interesting references to “White Christmas” and its enduring legacy in the William
Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish History. First, Berlin appears on many pages, as well as in
stories about the importance of his song. See “
An American Song” in the Dec. 26, 2003, issue of
the JN. I also liked student Summer Krinsky’s essay about Berlin titled “Patriotic Music” (June
16, 2005).
Other articles refer to Jewish writers and performers who created so many Christmas tradi-
tions. For one example, see “Taking Credit,” a story about musical contributions to the holiday
from Jewish songwriters (Dec. 21, 2001). “Jewish Tam” reports on the Jewish talent that brought
a new version of White Christmas, a play, to the Fox Theatre (Nov. 9, 2006).
Describing “White Christmas,” Berlin claimed that “not only is it the best song I ever wrote,
it’s the best song anybody ever wrote.”
Sixty years later, it is still the tune for the holidays that some call a “secular American hymn.
”
Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair
servicemen and women. No. 1 on the charts for 11 weeks in the fall of 1942, “White Christmas”
stories about the importance of his song. See “
An American Song” in the Dec. 26, 2003, issue of
from Jewish songwriters (Dec. 21, 2001). “Jewish Tam” reports on the Jewish talent that brought
“Menorah in the D” has been a celebration of Chanukah with the lighting
And that Santa Claus guy is everywhere. Although highly commercial-
ized in the modern era, he does seem like a decent fellow at
songs played on radio and TV
. Moreover, one will hear end-
communities to endure, it must be said that the Jewish con-
Consider the immensely popular selections and their Jewish songwrit-
ers: “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” by Mel Torme or “Santa Baby”
However, the most famous yuletide song of all is “White Christmas.” This was just one of