How Do I Know It's Christmastime?

Every year, sometimes even before Thanksgiving, Christmas carols blare from the loudspeakers in the stores.  You hear renditions of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" that would make Gene Autry cringe, and versions of "Frosty the Snowman" that have Jimmy Durante rolling in his grave.  I'm dreading the rap version of "Silent Night". 

There is one tune, however, that has yet to be changed.  It's been around for fifty-five Christmases, and the one time they fiddled with it,  people raised so much havoc, within a day, the original was back.  The revised version has never been heard from since, nor will it ever.

 So what is this tune?  It's an Oklahoma City jewelry store advertisement.  The B.C. Clark Jingle.  It begins running the day after Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas Eve.  We Okies know that Christmas is around the corner once we hear The Jingle.

Santa riding a sleigh to
the tune of the
B.C. Clark Jingle

The lyrics are simple:


Jewelry is the gift to give,                                                

'Cause it's the gift that'll live and live.
So give the gift you know can't fail
From B.C. Clark's Annivers'ry Sale!

Most sales are after Christmas,

But Clark's is just before.

'Most everything is marked way down-

Savings you can't ignore

             

At Oklahoma's oldest jeweler-

Since eighteen-ninety-two.

So give the gift you know can't fail-

From B.C. Clark's Annivers'ry Sale!

You would be amazed how many people all around the United States who have lived in Oklahoma at one time or another know the lyrics to this little tune.  Many people sing along to it when it airs on the radio or television.  In many ways, it has become the Oklahoma Anthem.  It is a commercial we look forward to seeing, as it reminds us of Christmas.  It's an annual tradition, like family get-togethers and caroling.  We love it, and they don't over-saturate us with it.  Just enough to please us.

B.C. Clark knows how popular The Jingle has become, and sells it on CD. Want to send it to someone in the military?  Then it's free.  They've set up a website for The Jingle where you can download it to your cell phone or print up the sheet music.  Clark's has an official Facebook page just for The Jingle.  It has been sung on 'The Tonight Show' by Megan Mullally.  There are countless versions of it on You Tube.  Silly?  Not at all.  It merely unifies people with a common like, in that we all love that little ditty.  You can talk about a particular song, and I'll go, "Huh?"  And you'll do the same on a song I'll bring up.  But ask anyone from Oklahoma about The Jingle, and they'll know immediately what you're talking about.

We know it's Christmastime here in Oklahoma, thanks to B.C. Clark.

http://www.facebook.com/thejingle          http://www.bcclarkjingle.com/history