Christmastime is here...

As we were driving to the gym tonight, the Amy Grant version of "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" came on the radio, so Jessica and I were pretty excited... a) because we both have a childhood love of Amy Grant music and b) we both have a love of Christmas music and will listen to it throughout the entire year. Anyway, Jessica somehow figured out that Kim and I had misunderstood the words to it and she explained the song to us. Its meaning completely changed for me tonight, so now I'm going to attempt to explain what I'd thought it was saying during the past 29 years and then write the actual words. Here's the part that I had REALLY misunderstood...

JB version:
"In the meadow we can build a snowman, and pretend that he is parson brown." (I just thought that they wanted him to be the shade of parson brown, instead of white. Like when you say the trees are forest green or her shirt was royal blue).

AG version:
"In the meadow we can build a snowman, and pretend that he is Parson Brown." (Turns out a parson is some type of preacher).

JB version:
"He'll say, 'Are you merry?' We'll say, 'No, ma'am, but you can do the job while you're in town." (I thought they were talking to the snowman and were saying that they were going to be happy when they got to see the Christmas lights in town. Just like I always am when we walk around Balboa Island on Christmas Eve). I guess it doesn't make sense that they would say, "No, ma'am," to the snowMAN, but still, it sounded polite.

AG version:
"He'll say, 'Are you married?' We'll say, 'No, man, but you can do the job when you're in town." (Parson Brown is a preacher, so he can do the wedding ceremony when he gets to town). I looked this up and this song was written in 1934... who used the phrase, "No, man," in 1934? I didn't think that expression came along until the 60's or 70's.

Anyway, I never knew it was a love song. I just assumed it was about friends hanging out in a winter wonderland. Now that song has a completely different meaning for me and I don't know if I like it as much anymore... (ok, I'll totally sing along with Amy Grant when it comes on the radio, but it won't be the same).