“‘Zat You, Santa Claus?” by Louis Armstrong (year unknown) (Editor’s note: 1952).
Elizabeth Czyzewski is guest posting for Dan Samiljan because he’s spending the day working in the desert.
The first time I heard this song I was working at Express. We had one of those holiday mix CDs of old Christmas songs with club beats set down behind them. When this one came on (sans club beat, thank god), I was like, “Is this a Halloween song?” Obviously it wasn’t, since a) that wouldn’t make sense and b) there aren’t any Halloween songs (Ed.’s note: “Monster Mash”). I quickly figured out that it was indeed a Christmas song sung by none other than Louis Armstrong. I liked it so much that 2 or 3 years later I bought it from iTunes and have listened to it every Christmas since.
That’s the thing — I love, love, love Christmas songs and Christmas things (body wash, lip balm, etc.) but I will only use these things or whatever when it’s Christmas. I’ll be a little more specific - I will only use these things from the time after Thanksgiving up until I leave NJ to return to LA. This is why I’ve been using the same Christmas lip balm since high school and my Christmas body washes last me years and years.
Another one of my favorite Christmas things? The Bing Crosby Christmas album I have that used to be my Grandma’s. Why have you never seen it before, you ask? Well, maybe you haven’t been to my house. You have? Oh, no, no. Not this one — the one in NJ. Why is it there? It’s there because… I have a record player here? I know that, I know… You thought I asked my parents to bring me all my favorite records from NJ? I did, I did! And for heaven’s sake, stop interrupting me and let me explain! I haven’t brought that record over because it’s not Christmas yet! Why would I bring over one of my favorite records only to have it sit around for me to look at 11 months out of the year?! This has nothing to do with Louis Armstrong? Oh, but it does, impatient friend. Just hold your horses for one second. I want to tell you my favorite line of the song I’m posting. It is this: “but I pause because.” When you hear it you’ll understand. It’s not my favorite because of the content, it’s how Satch delivers the line. On that note: today is the one year anniversary of my blog (Ed.’s note: And happy birthday tomorrow!)!
(Pictured: Bing, Satch and Mystery Instrument.)
(Ed.’s note: And that completes Louis Armstrong Week! Also, I’ve changed my name to Ed.)
