Sleigh Ride

Choosing what song to play in class is always hard for me. I like to choose songs that are simple enough that my students will understand a few words. But a lot of children's songs are pretty awful and since they don't get the chance to listen to much music, I want what I play them to be good! Since it's December, I've been playing Christmas songs. But this makes choosing even harder since I generally like traditional Christmas music more than kitschy holiday music, but I don't want to play them anything too religious.

Last week I finally chose Sleigh Ride mostly because I've been enjoying the new Pentatonix Christmas album. I played them three versions: Bing Crosby, Pentatonix, and Leroy Anderson (who composed the original orchestral piece). I wasn't quite prepared for how much they'd like it. Many of them were dancing in their seats (or occasionally out of their seats,,.I had to stop the music several times to calm them down!).

The overwhelming majority chose the Pentatonix version as their favorite, but there were several hands for Bing Crosby, and a couple for Leroy Anderson. Here are some of the comments.

"I don't like the first one because it sounds like he was unhappy when he sang it. I like the second one because it is happy and crazy."

"I like the second one because I like female singers. Also it's lively and exciting."

Bing Crosby:
It's pretty, but I don't like it because it sounds strange.
Fun!

Starts well and gets better!

Feels a little cold, but still pretty.

Not pretty because it’s a male singer.

The sound is gruff.

Makes me want to dance.

I like this one because it has small animals in it.

Pentatonix:
Feels like dancing.
Feels like celebrating Christmas with my classmates.
Sounds like singing on a prairie.

Moving/touching.

Makes me want to play on a sleigh.

Sounds happy.

Too quick.

Fun.

Leroy Anderson:

I don’t like this one because it doesn’t have lyrics.

Interesting!

Makes me think of when I was small.

I like this one best because it has lots of small deer.

I think it's fascinating to see what my students think of when they think of Christmas, snow, and sleigh rides. I realized, first looking at their pictures, and then checking the definition, that the translation of sleigh can also mean a simple sled. They have vague ideas about Santa Claus and reindeer and presents and Christmas trees--presumably from TV--but no firm idea of what Christmas is or how it's actually celebrated.

I like the second one because it's "meimiao" (beautiful, splendid, wonderful).

I've gotten several questions about the 
"colored lights" in my windows.

"I like this song because they can play on the snow, this is just too great!"

"I like this song because sitting on sleighs/sleds is happy and a great time."

I particularly liked this reindeer...maybe because it seems so happy.

"In the middle of a big snow and stormy winds, people riding sleighs shows that they really like winter!"

"I've come to bring you presents, ride on the sleigh with me!"

This one looks like a dog sled?

Nutcracker? Or maybe just a random drawing...

There's now snow in this one, but then there's no snow here in winter either.

"Beautiful winter has come! Let's ride a sleigh together! We'll have a great time."
(Also, look at the eyelashes on that snowman!)