Christmas may have originated from the pagan Roman festival of Saturnalia, a time of feasting, goodwill and gift-giving. But it’s more likely that the Christian calendar of Polemius Silvus and the cult of Sol Invicta, which had its own similarities to Saturnalia, are the true forerunners of Christmas. It’s possible that Emperor Constantine used Christmas to replace the latter, but the exact origin of Christmas is still open to debate. For instance, it may have come from Jewish concepts linking the time of the deaths of prophets to their conception or birth. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here
Merv
March 29, 2023
