The True Story Behind Blue Christmas

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

Hi Everyone
This is Lorrie
There is an amazing story those of you would be suprised to learn.Listen in to Mike Gross
Christmas eve and hear the story that few if any knew.
www.swinginwest.com tune Mike in from 1pm to
4 pm Eastern time. I think this story will interest you.

Ironic that Blue Christmas will be aired a few weeks after my mom passed..Try to listen
please.

Merry Christmas

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

Seeing all the requests for my post.I will tell you the story behind one of the most popular Christmas songs ever.

Back about 1947 my grandpop and a fellow song writer were writing songs together. They had a couple that were recorded by Roy Rogers on RCA with a fantastic steel guitar solo which my dad told me was one of the best ever. Since I dont know the fellow who played the steel I think its Juchim something.

Anyhow, my grandpop and this fellow were writing songs and with not much luck because outside of my grandpop plugging their songs over WOR coast to coast they had no other source to get any interest in their songs.

Roy Rogers turned the song down,so did many others.

Finally one day my granpops partner in song writing came to my grandpop and explained that he had a real good offer that would probably have Gene Autry record the song. My grandpop said,wow thats great,the partner said yes,but there is one problem. The publisher doesnt want three names on the song and my grandpop said,well there are only two names,your's and mine.

The writing partner told me Grandpop that the
only way he could get a chance to get recognition was for my Grandpop to consider removing his name from the song.

My grandpop was a fine man and trustworthy and since his partner was an accountant by day his real desire was to be a song writer.

Fast Forward.............In 1948 this song was played over WOR direct from New Yorks Village Barn where my Grandpop had worked since 1932. My dad (Jody) was now playing steel guitar with my Granpop's western swing band. In spite of the fact that my grandpop agreed to have his name removed he still plugged the song over the air every Saturday Night.

My dad and Grandpop introduced the song for the very first time in 1948 direct from New York's Village Barn.

A few months later my Grandpop was told that the song he was plugging was starting to become popular.

The partner of my Grandpop made an agreement
that if this fellow could get someone famous to record this song he wanted his name on it and my Grandpops name off.

That song today is Blue Christmas and the original writers were Zeb Carver and Billy Hayes,but the gentleman who had the connections name was Jay Johnston so Mr Johnston and Billy Hayes names are as the writers. But it didnt happen that way.

So when you listen to Blue Christmas be it known that my Grandpop wrote the melody in conjuction with Billy Hayes.

My dad told me he asked my Grandpop if he was ever sorry he removed his name from the song and he told my dad...well sometimes but
I have much to be thankful for I am now 85 years old and I have lived a good life and if I had not taken my name off the song I could have been wealthy today and I would have gave you the royalties to make your life easier.

Thats where my dad gets his being what he is
a good trusting guy and regardless I am proud
of my dad and my grandpop as well.

My Grandpop passed away at age 85 on December
1st 1986. So if you listen to Mike Gross on his www.swinginwest.com on Christmas eve you
will hear the true story of how Blue Christmas came to be.

This will be a Blue Christmas for my dad and myself and family,but we are thankful for having a great grandpop and a great dad and the BEST mom in the whole world.

I hope you enjoyed this little piece of history..I have two others that were gigantic hits that came a few years later and the same thing happened.

Maybe when time allows I will tell that story
that will knock your socks off make sure your socks have no holes and are clean.

Merry Christmas from our house to your's

Lorrie Carver. Bless all of you and when you hear Blue Christmas think of the name ZEB CARVER. My Grandpop.

Thank You for your patience. Edited by Lorrie Carver on December 20 at 11:14 pm

TRUE STORY HONEST TO GOD I wouldnt say that if this were not true. Check out Google and you will see the names of the writers.My Grandpops name should have been there.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 20 December 2004 at 09:01 PM.]

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Jody, thanks for that touching revelation. I daresay that many "standards" still heard today were, in fact, created by someone other than the credited writer. They were either stolen outright, or "purchased" for some paltry sum, which was all the real writer ever received. (Only the "credited writer" ever made any big bucks.)

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

moved to Music

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 30 December 2004 at 03:32 PM.]

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Here is one you may not believe, but you can ask Don LYnch he will tell you the same thing.
Hank Williams did not write Move It In Over????
Smoky Metcalf wrote it. I verse says
I MET MY FUTURE WIFE TODAY AND HER NAME IOS CASSIE MAE.
I was there when Hank paid Smokey $25.00 for the song, because Smokey was always broke and needed money.

ernie

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

That kind of ripoff has been going on for hundreds of years - ever since printed music came into existence. "Classical" music publishers in the 1600s, 1700s, 1800s routinely erased the name of the real composer and substituted their own. Once it's done, it's all but impossible for the real writer to prove. So the crime goes undocumented.

But, it's not just a crime - it's a sin. A song, or any work of art is a piece of the Artist's soul. It's a sin to steal a piece of another's soul and claim it as one's own. To do this diminishes the soul of the thief, and though it may bring him false fame and undeserved wealth - the price he will ultimately pay is OBLIVION.

The Creator knows who writes the songs - after all, they are his gifts to the writer.
So the real writer will collect his royalties when the time comes.

I don't believe in religion, but I just know that this is true. And now I know who really wrote what I have always considered to be my favorite Christmas Song.

------------------

Rick Alexander
57 Fender Stringmaster T8, Rickenbacker BD6
Music Man & Peavey Amps

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

Thank you for your kind words. My grandpop never had any il feelings regarding his agreeing to remove his name of Blue Christmas

After it became a monstor of a hit,he still never held anything against anyone.

Royalties will never happen.I just thought that the least I could do was tell the story behind the song.

That is all I wanted. Thank all of you for your comments. Im sure my grandpop had no malice towards anyone. It was his being the good guy that this came about.

My dad is just like my grandpop. Only those few know that the first time ever Blue Christmas was played,my grandpop and dad played it over WOR mutual coast to coast from
New York City's Village barn located on West 8th street in the heart of Greenwich Village.
52 West 8th St,To be exact and only the memories remain. The Village Barn opened in 1929 and closed in 1957.

Happy New Year and the best of health to all of you on this Forum. My dad sends his best.

Lorrie Carver.

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