Christmas Spirit

When I was a little kid, the Christmas season had officially arrived when the Captain Kangaroo album was pulled out of the record cabinet. I loved this album. I would play this record in the darkened living room, lit only by the lights from the Christmas tree - and I would lay on the living room floor, staring up at the ceiling, watching the shadows and kaleidoscope colors cast from the tree as the music played.

Sometimes, as I lay there, I would pretend I was riding in the back of a horse-drawn sleigh with the Captain and his side-kick, Mr. Green Jeans, sitting up front. I would tag along as they steered the sleigh under nighttime skies, through forests and snow covered fields - laying back while drinking in their sweet, sweet holiday tunes. Ahhh… the life.

Many years and many non-Captain Kangaroo Christmases went by before I eventually heard the album again. I remember that night well. It was an evening when I was visiting my sister, Sandy. We were sitting in her then nearby apartment, making small talk when, at one point, she pulled out this album and said, “Look what I have!”. I was thrilled. It must have been about twenty-five years since I had last sipped the sweet nectar from this treasured memory.

Then, she played the record.

In hindsight, I should have known something was up. As Sandy put the record on the record player, she kept glancing over at me. Then she sat down across from me - and kept watching me as the record began to play. It took a few seconds, and then… What was this I was hearing? Could this be the same record album I treasured as a little kid? 

I sat there, bewildered, struggling to let this sink in. I looked over at Sandy. She had a sour, sad expression on her face - the kind of expression someone makes when they watch you swallow something they know is unpleasant.

Yikes. This "music" was not as "polished" as I remembered.

What happened to the festive, high-quality, dynamic vocals from the front of the sleigh? This sounded as if the Captain and his friend were struggling to find and hang onto the melody. Their voices oscillated around the general vicinity of the tune and occasionally they even landed on it. But...wow. 

As I listened, I no longer felt as if I were riding in that sleigh from long ago. Rather, it felt more like we were all being dragged along by it.

Ahhh... Oh well. At least whatever the Captain and Mr. Green Jeans lacked in quality, they more than made up for in enthusiasm. 

Despite this traumatic experience, to this day, this record still holds fond memories for me. Admittedly, I don't listen to the music very much - but I sure enjoy looking at that cover.

To share this joy experience, every year I post one of these clips. This year, I present not one, but two THREE(!) clips for your listening pleasure. 

(Tip: It might enhance your listening experience if, while playing these clips, you lay on the living room floor and stare at the ceiling. Christmas tree lights are not required.)