Do You Hear What I Hear?
I was a couple months short of my 16th birthday at the time of the Cuban missile crisis. Unlike now, I was more or less oblivious to great events playing out on the world stage. But even I realized that something horribly dangerous was happening. In the end, the Russians backed down; but I think it was because President Kennedy, in his wisdom, gave them a face-saving out. If someone of a more war-like mind set (I won’t name anyone in particular) chanting “Bomb, Bomb Cuba” had been at the helm, civilization might have been destroyed. We were, as Maxwell Smart might have said*, “that close.”
Against this backdrop, the gentle little Christmas hymn, and plea for universal peace, “Do You Hear What I Here” was born. Reading about this surprised me - from decades remove, it seemed to me as if the song had always been there. Even more surprising is it’s connection - however tenuous - to “The Little Drummer Boy,” the most terrible, horrible, puckifyingly ghastly musical abomination ever conceived.
http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/1559/28
In other Christmassy musical news, Eartha Kitt, the original “Santa Baby” singer, passed away at age 81. RIP, baby. Your voice will be missed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOMmSbxB_Sg
Peace to all, and Happy Boxing Day,
* but didn’t
