We all know "White Christmas," but did you know that Irving Berlin wrote another Christmas-specific song? "Santa Claus: A Syncopated Christmas Song" predates "White Christmas" by 26 years and today is its 100th anniversary.
On the newest episode of The Richard Rockage Show, Amanda Rose ("Oklahoma", "Wicked"), Samantha Sturm ("On The Town", "Matilda, the Musical", "Nice Work if You Can Get It") and Paige Williams ("Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella", "Mary Poppins"), perform this rare tuner.
"Santa Claus: A Syncopated Christmas Song" was written exclusively for the "The World" magazine on Christmas Eve in 1916. When the magazine company closed its doors in 1931, the song remained forgotten in the archives until Benjamin Sears and Bradford Conner rediscovered the song 80 years after its debut in 1996.
The band consists of Ben Lively ("The Robber Bridegroom", "Spring Awakening") on violin, Ray Cetta ("Chicago") on upright bass, and Conor Keelan ("A Bronx Tale") on acoustic guitar who accompany on this Richard Rockage (Carol's For A Cure - several editions, Carnegie Hall's Holiday Pops, "A Bronx Tale", "Hunchback of Notre Dame") arrangement.
