Jewish Stereo Types

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," sung by a 13-year-old Brenda Lee: Video posted by Christmas Music "A Holly Jolly Christmas," sung by Lady Antebellum: Video posted by ChristmasEve12345 "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," sung by Ben Rector (in a slightly less familiar fashion than other covers): Video posted by Ben Rector Although he wrote 175 published songs , these three massive hits--and the over twenty other Christmas songs he wrote--led songwriter Johnny Marks to name his music publishing company "St. Nicholas Music." Despite this very public acknowledgment of the importance of Christmas to his career, Marks was Jewish . Here's a little from the man himself--Ian Whitcomb Interviews Johnny Marks: Video posted by adamgswanson I'm afraid that Mr. Marks was being just a wee bit disingenuous there about the inspiration for the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," since it came from a booklet writt...

Songwriter Johnny Marks made something of a speciality of Christmas songs--Wikipedia lists 26 Christmas and Christmas-show songs by Marks, and he named his music publishing company St. Nicholas Music . Here are some particularly well-known examples: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," by Johnny Marks, based on a poem by Robert L. May, as sung by Destiny's Child (you heard me): Video posted by DestinysChildVEVO "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," by Johnny Marks, sung by Cyndi Lauper: Video posted by Mr Subtitled Videos "A Holly Jolly Christmas," by Johnny Marks, sung by Sufjan Stevens: Sufjan Stevens - Holly Jolly Christmas from Asthmatic Kitty Records on Vimeo . *** His affinity for Christmas songs notwithstanding, Johnny Marks was indeed Jewish . In addition to producing a substantial catalogue of much-loved holiday (and some non-holiday!) songs, Marks had a distinguished military career, earning a Bronze Star and four Battle Sta...