Open Writing

Here is a story from Mark Evanier.

In Los Angeles, Farmer’s Market is a quaint collection of stalls where you can buy darn near anything edible. I arrived on a weekday not long before Christmas and noticed that Mel Tormé was seated at a table. I got a chicken sandwich and sat down nearby.

Then four Christmas carollers strolled by singing Let It Snow. They concluded to polite applause. I directed the leader’s attention to Mr Tormé.

“Do you know who he is?”

The singer was about 25 so it didn’t horrify me that he said, “No.”

I asked: “Do you know The Christmas Song, the one that starts, ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire’.”

“Oh, is that what it’s called? The Christmas Song?”

“That man wrote it. Mel Tormé.”

The group huddled then strolled towards Mel Tormé singing, ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire’.

A big smile formed on Mel’s face. He made a little gesture that meant, “Let me sing a chorus.” The carollers - unaware they were in the presence of one of the world’s great singers - looked uncomfortable thinking, “Oh, no. The little fat guy wants to sing.”

He did and out came this beautiful, perfectly-pitched voice.

At the end there was a burst of applause from the tables. The tune lasted only two minutes but I doubt anyone there will forget it.

Tormé thanked the harmonisers and said: “Bob Wells and I wrote that on the hottest day of the year in July. It was a way to cool down.”

The gent I’d briefed said, “You know, you’re not a bad singer.”

Mel chuckled. He realized that these four young folks had no idea who he was.

“Well,” he said. ”I’ve made a few records in my day.”

“Really?” the other man asked. ”How many?”

Tormé smiled and said, “Ninety.”

The song was first recorded in 1945 by Nat King Cole who blundered. During recording, in the middle eight, he sang:

And every mother’s child is gonna spy
To see if reindeers really know how to fly..

A few days later someone pointed out that the plural of reindeer is reindeer. Nat was mortified and called everyone back into the studio to record the whole thing again.

There are few songs more seasonal than The Christmas Song. Even the first line is a descending peal of church bells. Nor is there one that ends so unashamedly with this simple, everlasting message - one that I send to you my dear readers:

‘Although it’s been said, many times, many ways... Merry Christmas to you’.

The Christmas Song

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

And so I’m offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety two
Although it’s been said many times many ways
Merry Christmas to you