The Easiest Tune Book Of Christmas Carols

Ah, Christmas! That wonderful time of year when we gather around the hearth, engage in festive cheer, and inevitably find ourselves grappling with a somewhat questionable collection of carols that even your tone-deaf Uncle Nigel attempts to sing. Enter "The Easiest Tune Book of Christmas Carols" by Eleanor Franklin Pike—an illustrious tome that promises to take you from “Jingle Bells” to “O Holy Night” without losing your marbles (or your friends). Published in the golden year of 1948 and re-emerging in the slightly more baffling 1998s, this book is a testament to the fact that simplicity sometimes has a way of becoming perplexingly complex.

Now, you may wonder, what exactly qualifies as the "easiest" tune? Is it the one that sounds entirely unrecognizable? Or the one that has your cat howling in protest? Pike’s curated selection is a mélange of melodies, ranging from the beloved to the utterly obscure—a perfect gift for the caroler who has everything, including a penchant for making their audience feel mildly uncomfortable. Whether you’re an accomplished musician or someone who once attempted to play the recorder in primary school and promptly gave up, this book promises to cater to all abilities, albeit with a few moments of bewilderment along the way.

With a cover that resembles something you might find tucked away in your great-grandmother’s attic—complete with festive illustrations that would perplex any modern graphic designer—this tome is every bit a relic of its time. You’ll find that flipping through its pages is akin to unearthing a treasure chest filled with musical oddities, where every turn brings you face-to-face with carols that sound familiar yet perplexingly foreign. Songs that evoke visions of pastoral scenes and crackling fires, but when played on the piano, may just result in your dog howling in protest. Ah, the joys of festive cheer!

This book also serves as a fascinating sociological study into the evolution of Christmas music. One might wonder how Christmas carols have transcended generations, evolving from the simple tunes of yore to the overly complicated showpieces of today. In Pike’s world, the phrase “easy” feels a bit like a well-meaning uncle attempting to explain the internet to your grandparents—charming, yet a little misguided. Who knew that “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” could be made into a tongue twister? Challenge accepted!

For those who relish in the art of holiday performance, this is your moment to shine (or potentially embarrass yourself). Pull out your tattered copy of “The Easiest Tune Book of Christmas Carols” at the office Christmas party, and you may just become the unexpected star of the evening—or the subject of “what on earth were you thinking?” conversations. Think of it as a delightful game of musical roulette, where every note you play could either bring joy or induce mild panic among your audience.

Condition: Used, and by “used,” we mean this book has traveled through time and space, possibly from a smoky pub sing-along to a cozy living room where it was lovingly (or begrudgingly) thumbed through by generations. Expect yellowed pages, delightful little stains—the kind that suggest someone was a bit too enthusiastic with their Christmas pudding during a particularly spirited rendition of “Deck the Halls.” The spine may be a tad cracked, but just like the holiday spirit, it still endures against all odds, ready for another round of “let’s see if I remember how to play this.”

So why not take a chance on this quirky volume? It might just become the highlight of your festive season—or at the very least, a conversation starter that leads to a cacophony of laughter and a couple of cringes. After all, any book that makes you reconsider your life choices while belting out “Silent Night” deserves a place on your shelf. Snag your copy today from Crappy Old Books, where every page turned may reveal a fond (or cringe) memory from Christmas past!

Keep browsing: See more Music books Other books by Eleanor Franklin Pike