Although the holiday season is a time where families can come together, it is sometimes more trying for those in the armed services.
Families with loved ones in the armed services may be missing them during the season; similarly, those who are serving may wish they were at home. Still, we often forget that those who are serving in the military also celebrate Christmas in their own way. For instance: did you know that the United States Navy had its own band?
For those who didn’t, this video will change that.
The United States Navy Band is the official musical branch of the US Navy.
That organization has existed since 1925 and of course comes with rotating members. The band performs at all kinds of different events including state funerals, presidential inaugurations, official arrival ceremonies and more. The group also performs for both civilians and service people alike. Most recently, a video of the band performing a popular Christmas carol was swept the internet.
In the clip, the group performs the old holiday classic “White Christmas” while putting their own spin on it.
As the song begins, the group gives a spoken introduction full of tongue-in-cheekiness:
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s been said that we don’t do enough of the ‘old’ stuff, or the ‘standards,’ so this next one is for all you original hipsters out there.”
After that, all singers put on black sunglasses and begin their performance. The version the band performs has its own swing and bounce and is performed in the manner of a barbershop quartet. Although all of the singers do a great job all their own, the background musicians are also as crisp as can be.
At the end of the performance, the band does a few bars of “Jingle Bells” as well before the grand finale.
The audience erupts in applause and after seeing the humorous performance, it’s not hard to see why. The performance has been viewed some 150,000 times so far on YouTube and is likely only to grow as the season continues. Still, the United States Navy Band has plenty of other song videos on their channel which are equally worthy of mention. In all, the video is a reminder of all Americans serving in the armed forces over the holidays—as well as a gentler reminder to get in the Christmas spirit.
Thanks for the performance and a special salute to those in the armed forces!
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