2024 Round 1 Results

 The First Round is now closed!  Results and commentary are below.  

But first, my yearly disclaimer:  I am an unabashed music snob.  I may trash-talk one of your favorites.  But this is all in good fun, so please fire back at me.  There's no banter like music geek banter.  

Round 2 matchups will be posted soon!  Vote and share!

    

One participant commented: "This one is tough, this vote depends on which day I answer it. And if I'm having tamales!"  And I agree.  Troika is wonderful, but it feels right to advance Feliz Navidad on cuisine alone. 

 

Our first of two ties in the opening round.  By rule, ties are broken by a cancer survivor. Steph says "Holly and Ivy" moves on.  You can't argue with a survivor.

This one kind of surprised me.  And one participant said they didn't realize "Linus and Lucy" was a Christmas song.  Which, I guess there is a discussion to be had.  But it's on the Charlie Brown Christmas album so at the very least it's Christmas by Association.

Another minor upset.  And by the way, send me an email for our wassail recipe - a Specter Family Christmas tradition. 

"I Wonder" finally advances out of the first round.  Cryptic comment from one participant: "Hate hate santa."  And another quoted Calvin and Hobbes: "Santa Claus: Jolly old elf, or FBI operative?"  Guys...have we cancelled Santa Claus?

The Vince Guaraldi version is the only really notable "O Christmas Tree."  This feels right.

Completely at random, these two met in the first round last year as well.  "Three Ships" wins the revenge match.  I will take credit after recommending the David Arkenstone version in my commentary.

"God Rest Ye" lost in the first round last year, good to see it advance.  Not sure why I like it - the melody and the words are a rambling mess.  Somehow it just works.

One participant said "80s Christmas sounds like WHAM" which I think would make a good bumper sticker.

Joy to the World has underperformed in past brackets.  Strong start again this year, but a tough road ahead.

One participant (and I think I know who it was) summed it up quite succinctly:
"CAROL OF THE BELLS THE GOAT"

Thank you participant who shared this gem - this is the content I came here for:

Go "Patapan!" Someone I once dated said that when she heard this song each year it ruined Christmas for her. She threw me over, and now it's one of my favorites. She lives in Salt Lake City now, if anyone wants to look up the request line for the radio stations there...

Unfortunately St. Nick threw this one right off the roof.

Brandon is very happy this morning.  His school concert is done, and Handel crashed and burned.  "It's not a Christmas song" he says.  Not in this bracket, anyway.

https://youtu.be/aaLRUVfkizw?si=YBzFgdKg52DzdVZ9&t=6

Time for my yearly screed:

It's got a trumpet solo.  It has kids spelling out "Santa Claus" even though they're pronouncing it "Santy Claus." It has kids shout-singing because it's way above their range.  And it's from "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians."  It's the epitome of "so bad, it's good."

Give it a chance, people.

Advent defeats Adverts.  You love to see it.

First round always has a few snoozers.  Not much to say here.

Another tie!  Cancer survivor vote goes to "Bring a Torch" in this 6/8 battle.  

I Gotta Feeling (woo-hoo) that tonight's gonna be a Silent Night... 

Little Drummer Boy totally ruining the serene winter vibes.  

Is it me or is "O Come All Ye Faithful" somehow the most likely carol to both begin and end a Christmas medley?

Previous brackets have shown that "Do You Hear" is extremely popular.  Interesting matchup next round.

One participant commented "Especially when sung by very low voices" and I am just assuming this was not referring to Waltz of the Flowers...

All I Want for Christmas is for this song to lose in the first round every year.  

It's official, Deck the Halls is not as big a deal as I thought.  It loses early year after year.  

I dunno people, the title on this one has always sounded a little passive-aggressive.  

Random seeding led to an all-Nutcracker first round matchup.  And thus, this is the only Nutcracker piece to advance to the second round.

Someone explain to me why I had Coventry Carol in my head on my 4am run this morning. Really.

As one participant put it: "Twelve Days of Christmas - ew."  

Hot take from one participant: "Tough choice...two terrible songs (or one bad one and one that attracts bad performances)"

A pretty big first round matchup.  I am very surprised it wasn't closer.  

"Let it Snow" finished our first round matchups with a solid win.  

That's all for Round 1 - Second round coming soon!