Snoopy's Christmas
Encyclopedia
"Snoopy's Christmas" is a song performed by The Royal Guardsmen
in 1967
. It continues to be played as a holiday favorite on most "oldie" radio stations, however is also often played on radio stations playing a Hit Music
format as well as Adult Contemporary format stations. While these stations wouldn't normally play music from this era radio stations will make exceptions to mix certain Christmas songs with the usual playlist during the Holiday period. Due to a chart department policy instituted by Billboard
magazine, the "Snoopy's Christmas" single never appeared in the Hot 100
. It was, however, shown at #1 on a specialty list called "Best Bets For Christmas". Cash Box magazine peaked the song at #10.
The song subsequently appeared on the album Snoopy and His Friends
.
," the song is about how Snoopy
had to go out and fight the Red Baron on Christmas Eve
and the two enemies set aside their differences for that night (the Baron has Snoopy at his mercy after a long dogfight but doesn't fire possibly due to his respect for Snoopy's prowess at flying). At the end, they share a holiday toast and then Snoopy and the Red Baron fly their separate ways, "each knowing they'd meet on some other day".
The release begins with a male chorus singing the German yuletide classic "O Tannenbaum" (O Christmas Tree"), and the middle of the song is bridged by chimes ringing out a phrase from "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." The chimes can also can be heard during the fade out at the end of the song.
Although the song is obviously fictitious, it echoes a historical event. During World War I, in 1914, "The Christmas Truce
" was initiated not by German and British commanders, but by the soldiers themselves. The amount of time varied according to the area and has been reported as being anything from Christmas Day to Christmas Day through New Year's Day. Trench-bound combatants exchanged small gifts across the lines, with Germans giving beer to the British, who sent tobacco and tinned meat to the Germans. "No Man's Land" was cleared of dead bodies, trenches were fixed and drained, and troops from both sides shared pictures of their families and, in some places, used "No Man's Land" for friendly games of football. The song even has the initiator correct as it was generally the German soldiers who called over to the British and initiated the truce. In the song, it is the Red Baron (a German WWI hero) who extends the hand of Christmas friendship to Snoopy.
pop charts in 1967, and remains a popular Christmas song in that country.
The Royal Guardsmen
The Royal Guardsmen are an American rock band, best known for their 1966 hit single "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron".-Snoopy vs. the Red Baron:...
in 1967
1967 in music
The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The...
. It continues to be played as a holiday favorite on most "oldie" radio stations, however is also often played on radio stations playing a Hit Music
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format as well as Adult Contemporary format stations. While these stations wouldn't normally play music from this era radio stations will make exceptions to mix certain Christmas songs with the usual playlist during the Holiday period. Due to a chart department policy instituted by Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine, the "Snoopy's Christmas" single never appeared in the Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It was, however, shown at #1 on a specialty list called "Best Bets For Christmas". Cash Box magazine peaked the song at #10.
The song subsequently appeared on the album Snoopy and His Friends
Snoopy And His Friends
Snoopy and His Friends is the 3rd album by the Ocala, Florida group The Royal Guardsmen.The group is best known for their hit recording of "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron", which was first released in 1966 as a 45rpm record single...
.
Overview
A followup to their earlier "Snoopy Vs. The Red BaronSnoopy Vs. The Red Baron
"Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron" is a novelty song written by Phil Gernhard and Dick Holler and recorded in 1966 by the Florida based rock band, The Royal Guardsmen. The song was recorded at the Charles Fuller Productions studio in Tampa, Florida, and was released as a single on Laurie Records...
," the song is about how Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
had to go out and fight the Red Baron on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
and the two enemies set aside their differences for that night (the Baron has Snoopy at his mercy after a long dogfight but doesn't fire possibly due to his respect for Snoopy's prowess at flying). At the end, they share a holiday toast and then Snoopy and the Red Baron fly their separate ways, "each knowing they'd meet on some other day".
The release begins with a male chorus singing the German yuletide classic "O Tannenbaum" (O Christmas Tree"), and the middle of the song is bridged by chimes ringing out a phrase from "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." The chimes can also can be heard during the fade out at the end of the song.
Although the song is obviously fictitious, it echoes a historical event. During World War I, in 1914, "The Christmas Truce
Christmas truce
Christmas truce was a series of widespread unofficial ceasefires that took place along the Western Front around Christmas of 1914, during the First World War...
" was initiated not by German and British commanders, but by the soldiers themselves. The amount of time varied according to the area and has been reported as being anything from Christmas Day to Christmas Day through New Year's Day. Trench-bound combatants exchanged small gifts across the lines, with Germans giving beer to the British, who sent tobacco and tinned meat to the Germans. "No Man's Land" was cleared of dead bodies, trenches were fixed and drained, and troops from both sides shared pictures of their families and, in some places, used "No Man's Land" for friendly games of football. The song even has the initiator correct as it was generally the German soldiers who called over to the British and initiated the truce. In the song, it is the Red Baron (a German WWI hero) who extends the hand of Christmas friendship to Snoopy.
Popularity in New Zealand
"Snoopy's Christmas" reached the #1 position in the New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
pop charts in 1967, and remains a popular Christmas song in that country.