 Even in years when instruments were too cold to produce music, the bands became choirs, using their voices to entertain the crowd.Recorded by Merv Griffin in 1962, the "Christmas City" song is the parade's signature sound.According to Rich's grandson, the song was written by a local resident and his grandfather asked his friend Griffin, at that time not the well-known TV personality he later became, if he would sing the song and put it to music.