Charlie Brown Music; Asshat Santa
I was going to link to the swell NPR story on Vince Guaraldi’s musical contributions to A Charlie Brown Christmas, but Christopher has beat me to it. Rats! Instead, we have to make due with a YouTube user’s demonstration of Santa Claus’ jerkiness in the Rankin-Bass holiday classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer:
November 29th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Blame My Parents or Blame My Therapist, but I cannot watch that video without sobbing like a toddler.
Some folks break down during “Bambi”, others lose it during “Charlie Brown”.
But I always identified with ol’ Rudy, chastised, ostracised, demonized and marginalized by The Powers That Be.
The Reindeer Coach?
Spittin’ image of Soccer Asses from my Middle School.
Santa?
Witholding Daddy, making art in his studio but absent from my Daily Life.
The Dentist-Guy?
Me. Writ Big in Metaphor.
I’ve made peace with my own private Island of Misfit Toys, but it took lotsa years and love from my spouse to even utter the words “Rankin-Bass” without shuddering.
I am not being flip.
Christmas is a country rife with minefields.
I’m happier passing those meadows by.
November 30th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
Yeah, Brad. I could relate to Rudolph’s schoolyard taunts and Hermie the elf because he seemed kinda gay (I mean, look at that hair!).