Elvis's "Blue Christmas"

This December, I am going to review my favorite Christmas tunes, starting with Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas.

(hat tip to Wikipedia for the pic)

Although the song itself is kind of simple and cheesy, it is a good example of what made Elvis unique among singers. Nobody can do this song in his style without sounding silly. But Elvis's unique sincerity shines through, allowing him to do songs everyone else should avoid.

A good example of the kind of failure lesser singers risk was shown by none other than Porky Pig in this silly cover:

Kudos to Martina McBride for figuring out the secret to Blue Christmas. It needs Elvis to make it work. Her 2008 virtual duet with him on it was as endearing as the original:

The Blue Christmas lyrics are amazingly simple:

I'll have a Blue Christmas without you
I'll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me 

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That's when those blue memories start calling
You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas 

You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas

The beauty of the lyrics lie in their clever use of colors to contrast different aspects. We have the "Blue Christmas" contrasting with the "Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree", as well as "blue snowflakes" and "blue memories" contrasting with the other person's "Christmas of white". In other words, one person sees blue in the snow while the other sees white.

Some people claim this song is about unrequited love, but I disagree. The line about "blue memories" indicates remembrances of a past Christmas (or many Christmases) with the person who is the object of affection.

Regardless of the song's intent, it is definitely not a song for people who get depressed during the holidays. Otherwise, it shares a virtue of most songs of the blues genre: We get contrarian joy from the sadness of others, by recognizing how good we have it compared to others. That may sound cruel, but isn't that also the basis for why people give prayers of thanks?