History of Christmas Carols...

He thought singing a Christmas carol would damage his 'tough guy' image.

For 16 years the public listened to him on on his radio show on the CBS Radio Network. He was the first performer to sell out Madison Square Garden. His concert appearances throughout the United States and Europe are legendary and served as a model for other performers. He is the only entertainer to have all five stars on the Hollywood 'Walk of Fame,' one each for Radio, Recording, Motion Pictures, Television, and Live Theatre/performance.

So when presented with the opportunity to sing this cute Christmas carol, he had to be convinced by his wife, Ina to record what was to become his most popular recording.

Name the singer.
Name the Christmas carol.

History of Christmas Carols...

This ancient French carol title comes from the Latin word for 'birthday.' The words of the carol describe the Christmas story of the shepherds, the angels, the star and the kings arriving with the gifts. The elation of that blessed night described in the carol was so joyful that it struck severe Puritans in England and the New World colonies as a little too sinfully exuberant, and the carol was suppressed in the mid-17th century.
NAME THAT CHRISTMAS CAROL.

History of Christmas Carols...

The answer to yesterday's Carol Quiz is 'The Christmas Song' (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).

Robert Wells wrote the words and 21 year-old Mel Torme wrote the music and recorded it in 1946. But Nat "King" Cole's version that year was the big hit, and remained Nat's Top 10 personal repertoire thereafter.


History of Christmas Carols...

This Christmas Carol was published in 1954 by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. Styne and Cahn had written a string of hits for Frank Sinatra and Sinatra asked them to write a Christmas song to sing. They were a little reluctant to write one because Bing Crosby just had the mega hit: 'White Christmas.' What they came up with was a waltz.

NAME THAT CHRISTMAS CAROL.

History of Christmas Carols...

The answer to yesterday's Carol Quiz is 'The Christmas Song' (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).

Robert Wells wrote the words and 21 year-old Mel Torme wrote the music and recorded it in 1946. But Nat "King" Cole's version that year was the big hit, and remained Nat's Top 10 personal repertoire thereafter.

HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS...

This popular Christmas Carol was inspired on Robert Wells' birthday as he noticed vendors selling bags of warm chestnuts along the street just before Christmas. He took all his thoughts and memories of 'Christmas-time' and wrote the words to a poem he called: 'Thoughts of Christmas.'
He took the poem to his friend, Mel Torme, who wrote the music and recorded this classic Christmas Carol in 1946.
NAME THAT CHRISTMAS CAROL...

History of Toys...

What child's toy was invented by Johann Maelzel in 1820 and then became hugely successful by a state-of-the-art improvement by Thomas Edison in 1887?

The Pilgrims...

On the south side of the Rotunda in the United States Capitol Building is a painting titled The Embarkation of the Pilgrims.

The painting depicts the deck of the ship as it departs from Holland for the New World in 1620. Look, and you will see that the pilgrims are praying. A rainbow rises on the left side of the painting, symbolizing hope and divine protection.

Protestant pilgrims are shown on the deck of the ship Speedwell before their departure for the New World from Delft Haven, Holland, on July 22, 1620. William Brewster, holding the Bible, and pastor John Robinson lead Governor Carver, William Bradford, Miles Standish, and their families in prayer. The prominence of women and children suggests the importance of the family in the community. At the left side of the painting is a rainbow, which symbolizes hope and divine protection.
Weir (1803–1890) had studied art in Italy and taught art at the military academy at West Point.
The dimensions of this oil painting on canvas are 365.76 cm by 548.64 cm (144.00 in by 216.00 in).