Our Review
Jewish? Weary of endless Christmas carol drivel in every public area beginning just after Halloween each year? Or perhaps just longing for a humorous new take on tired old themes?
The Silly Music Corporation (which specializes in fun parodies of Broadway musicals) takes traditional Christmas fare and surgically applies Jewish lyrics with very humorous results. The album cover says it all; the bagel nestled in a holiday wreath nicely illustrates the delicious dichotomy at work.
Kosher Christmas Carols is well executed from start to finish. The music is professionally presented, and the lyrics shine with intelligence, creativity, and loads of laughs. The underlying holiday tune is immediately apparent, and the rewritten verses will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat, just wondering what line is waiting around the corner.
Since I am an attorney and love the law (not to mention laughing at the law), We Will Sue Ya' (Hallelujah) is easily my favorite track. It is the longest cut (at 3:45), and the chorus is impressively true to form as the melody line explores the litigation at hand ("He found a bug inside his salad," "His doctor's license is invalid," etc.). Lovely. The earnest choruses of overlapping "We'll litigate forever and ever" so nicely mirror the original "Hallelujah Chorus" that I nearly rolled out of my chair.
Kosher Christmas Carols presents a dramatic and delightful diversion for those who crave a little Kosher in December. Yum!
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2006)
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From the liner notes:
KOSHER CHRISTMAS CAROLS: Songs about Mothers, Sons, Food and Litigation (not to mention a good bargain or two) with (in alphabetical order): Darice Cooper, Marc Ellis, Kathy Funston, Betsy, Peter Gorin, Michael Lange and Paul Simoff
Music Produced by Marc Ellis and Michael Lange
Lyrics by Peter Gorin and Michael Lange
Produced by Peter Gorin and Michael Lange
In the ancient tradition of caroling Jews, The Silly Music Corporation brings you Kosher Christmas Carols.
Various Artists
Kosher Christmas Carols
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Label: Silly Music
Length: 33 minutes
Genre: Novelty
Release: 2005
Track List
| Song Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Dizzy Spells (Jingle Bells) | Shmuel Clausberg |
| Eight Nights of Hannukah | The Kakamayme Karolers |
| Such a Loyal Son (Hark the Herald Angels Sing) | Sam Schpilkes and Mrs. Schpilkes (His Mother) |
| Greenstein (Greensleeves) | Sean O'Levy; joined by the Irish Rebbes; featuring Tiff Greenstein |
| Goys Rule the World (Joy to the World) | The Academy of St. Moishe in the Fields Chorus |
| Silent Bite (Silent Night) | Sam and Fern Schpilkes (His Wife) |
| We Will Sue Ya' (Hallelujah) | The Academy of St. Moishe in the Fields Chorus |
| Harvey Weisenberg (Good King Wenceslas) | The Kakamayme Karolers |
| The Merry Yentas (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) | Meshugeneh Mike and the Four Boychiks |
| Oy Yoy Yoy Yoy Yoy (Deck the Halls) | Plotzing Pete |
| I Wish You and Jerry Weisman (We Wish You a Merry Christmas) | The Kakamayme Karolers |
| Cinammon Bun (The Little Drummer Boy) | Plotzing Pete |
| Old Sam Stein (Old Lang Syne) | Sean O'Levy |