michiganguy
Member
Hi everyone! Love the Carpenters (I was born the year Karen died). I love most Christmas music, but hands down the best album ever is Christmas Portrait and the best song is Merry Christmas Darling. Now I first fell in love with the song, oh 10 years ago or so, then I fell in love with the Carpenters and of course discovered and love all their other stuff too (but its no secret that at Christmas you are likely to hear a Carpenters track every couple hours, but for some reason the rest of the year you rarely hear them, even on the oldies stations). It wasnt til several years later I realized the version I always heard on the radio ('78) wasnt the original, and I found on youtube a "rare" clip of the original. At first I thought '78 was way better, but the more I heard it, I love them both. A few years back, I then started to hear the 1970 version on the radio, and now, both Detroit stations that are all Christmas play only the 1970 version! These are Detroits two AC stations, and when Detroits oldies station starts playing christmas songs in December, they too will play the 1970 version (if last couple years are any indication). So now, you can Merry Christmas Darling some 5-10 times a day on Detroit radio, but its always the 1970 version (have to listen to my cd for the '78 version), which seems to be a complete reversal of years past. Im wondering if this is a trend at stations elsewhere or just here in Detroit. Im very glad that Detroit stations didnt fall into the glee trap (they played Glees version of MCD a few times last year, but thats it, heard it not once this year), because this is a Carpenters classic, PERIOD!
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/135851928.html#comments
This link from last year shows that through early December, the top 100 airplay for Christmas songs nationwide had several Carpenters tracks
#23 - Merry Christmas Darling
#43 - Home For the Holidays
#66 - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
#75 - Sleigh Ride
Its nice to know that after all these years, the MCD remains an annual holiday hit (Im sure Richard is proud). But this doesnt specify 1970 or 1978, so it all depends on the stations choice. Is it just a thing locally, or have others noticed the 1970 version getting a lot more airplay recently?
So far early in the Christmas season, looking at playlists here, the two stations in Detroit:
WMGC has been playing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" 8-9 times a day, "Merry Christmas Darling" 2-3 times a day, and various others sprinkled in (mainly "Sleigh Ride" and "Home For The Holidays").
WNIC has been playing "Merry Christmas Darling" 3-5 times a day, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Home For The Holidays" 2-3 times a day, and various others sprinkled in (including "Carol of the Bells" and Ive even heard "Christmas Waltz").
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/135851928.html#comments
This link from last year shows that through early December, the top 100 airplay for Christmas songs nationwide had several Carpenters tracks
#23 - Merry Christmas Darling
#43 - Home For the Holidays
#66 - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
#75 - Sleigh Ride
Its nice to know that after all these years, the MCD remains an annual holiday hit (Im sure Richard is proud). But this doesnt specify 1970 or 1978, so it all depends on the stations choice. Is it just a thing locally, or have others noticed the 1970 version getting a lot more airplay recently?
So far early in the Christmas season, looking at playlists here, the two stations in Detroit:
WMGC has been playing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" 8-9 times a day, "Merry Christmas Darling" 2-3 times a day, and various others sprinkled in (mainly "Sleigh Ride" and "Home For The Holidays").
WNIC has been playing "Merry Christmas Darling" 3-5 times a day, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Home For The Holidays" 2-3 times a day, and various others sprinkled in (including "Carol of the Bells" and Ive even heard "Christmas Waltz").