Chestnut Roasting

For several years, at the arrival of each new season, Vancouver's Four Seasons Hotel sent whimsical gifts to media folk.  The first gift, at around this time of year, was a bag of chestnuts (probably the idea of clever Dunc Holmes) with instructions for roasting.  Not all the recipients read the instructions, or read them upside down after an evening of wassailing, with the result that two morning deejays and one gossip columnist were felled by exploding chestnuts, and had to be revived with lashings of rum-filled eggnog.  

But, as Wass would have said, that is not the item.  The item involves "The Christmas Song," which, as you all know (possibly know too well) begins "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire."

The song was written by Bob Wells (lyrics) and Mel Torme (music) in the middle of a blistering Los Angeles summer.  Torme had come to Wells's digs for a round of tennis, and while waiting for his friend to change into tennis whites, saw--well, let Mel tell it:  "I saw a spiral pad on his piano with four lines written in pencil:  'Chestnuts roasting...Jack Frost nipping...Yuletide carols...Folks dressed up like Eskimos.'  Bob didn't think he was writing a song lyric.  He said he thought if he could immerse himself in winter, he could cool off.  Forty minutes later that song was written."

"There's a song for you, Mel," said Wells.  "Naw," said Torme, "let's take it over to Nat."

That was 1944.  Torme didn't record the song himself for another ten years.  Since then, of course, it has been recorded by everyone from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to Alvin and the Chipmunks.

In 1944, the term "Eskimos" was acceptable (except to the people so designated).  No one has thought to alter the original lyrics, but try this:

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,

  All the Christmas candles lit.

    Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,

  Folks dressed up like Inuit."

You know where to send the royalties.