There's old Christmas music. When I was sick as a child, my mother would rub my back and hum "Silent Night," regardless of the season. I imagine that's why it remains my favorite Christmas music.

It was so peaceful. I did not learn until many years later that was its intent. It was first performed Christmas Eve 1818 in St. Nicholas Church in the Austrian village of Oberndorf. 

Those were the early days after the massive Napoleonic Wars when so many died. In June of 1815, some 50,000 men and boys plus 7,000 horses died just in the one-day Battle of Waterloo.

The next year, Joseph Mohr, a young Catholic priest, wrote the soothing poem that became Silent Night lyrics for the music written by Franz Xaver Gruber, the church choir director.

There's Christmas music for children of all ages. In my youth, immediately after World War II, one of my movie heroes was Gene Autry, the Singing Cowboy. He was at first an Army Air Corp Sergeant flying supplies from India into China by the perilous route over the Himalayan Mountains in tiny C-47s. 

Later, a cowboy actor, singer, and owner of radio, TV stations, and the California Angels in Major League Baseball. This may be hard to believe, but I actually saw Gene Autry's touring show in the Cleveland Arena, where his famous horse, Champion, showed he could count. Hold your applause.

Anyway, Gene Autry wrote music, too, and this Christmas song of his will live on forever.

You may know the music of "Amazing Grace." Technically, it's not just a Christmas song. Its soulful notes have become moving all-purpose music, especially in North America, at the holidays, funerals, military exhibitions, especially if played on bagpipes.

But do you know the story behind it?  It, too, began as a poem written in 1772 by John Newton, a retired ship captain who transported thousands of Africans to the New World as slaves. Now, its words mean a whole lot more, don't they?

This is by far my favorite Christmas music video. A flash mob near Chicago. The energy. Just look at the spectator's faces and reactions. Impossible not to feel good.

There's pop Christmas music — this one from a 1954 musical. I guess many folks make fun of pop Christmas music like this. I like it for the energy and the rhythm. It's the drums again. (But now that I listened to it a few times, I can't get it out of my head.)

And then there's "Ellen's Third Chant," otherwise known as the beautiful "Ave Maria," written by Franz Schubert near the end of his life in 1825.

All kinds of Christmas music. Except for one piece that I've managed to escape hearing now for going on three years. That makes me happy in the true spirit of the holidays.

That's what this week's audio commentary is all about: the worst song in the history of songs after "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall."

This week's column went through the unusual but intriguing Red State-Blue State debate between Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis and California's Gov. Gavin Newsom. It was actually more than expected and revealed the strengths of DeSantis, who came ready.

Newsom was in a tough spot. He was supposed to defend Joe Biden, since Joe Biden sure can't. 

I may have had too much fun writing about the time I went on Henry Kissinger's honeymoon. It drew a large number of Comments. The post is here.

The most recent audio commentary looked at the immense illegal immigration crisis that Joe Biden created and has continued to enable. More than 8.2 million illegals have now crossed the open southern border just since Biden took office. More come every day.

Donald Trump has promised a massive deportation effort if reelected next year. So, what will Democrats say to oppose the repairs? That's here.

Continuing the holiday theme, this is the most recent Memory in my ongoing series. Right about this time of year, my grandmother would arrive on the train. She had a major impact on my life right up until hers ended. I was there.

Links to the preceding 11 Memories are listed at the bottom of that post.