I've listened to scores of Christmas carols over the past month. I've heard tons of pop, rock, folk, jazz, easy listening, international, R&B, Gospel, and Classical arrangements of almost every remotely well-known carol. Despite this range of diversions, however, one tongue-in-cheek Yuletide tune still infiltrates my mind at least once per day. Last December, on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," Colbert debuted his own composition, calling it "the worst Christmas song of all time." If you haven't heard it, find "Christmas Is Now" on YouTube and expect it to settle in your brain, possibly forever. To his credit, Colbert's simple, repetitive tune benefits from the breathy vocal gravity of Norah Jones and vocals and piano accompaniment from the show's bandleader, Jon Batiste. Last night, while taking an important message at work, I maintained my usual low-key, polite demeanor as I spoke to the caller. The entire time, however, "Christmas is now, Christmas is now, Christmas is Christmas, and now it is now," stayed on a persistent mental loop. It's still there now.
Admittedly, there are far worse fates.
