Christmas Songs Cheesey Rhythmic figure - does it have a name?

[Sean]

You’re getting sick of it again as it’s being blasted at us all day at the moment. We all know it but what’s it called?

So many Christmas songs have that same rhythmic figure in them, the BA-BOOM, BA-BOOM, BA-BOOM that seques into the next section or chorus.

it usually has sleigh bells over it.

The most sickening example is at 1:40 on Mariah Carey’s All I Want...

It’s not just Christmas songs, Abba’s Waterloo also has it (0:39) and so many others.

Does it have a name?

Edited December 23, 2017 by Sean

[Acebassmusic]

It's a 6/8 rhythm that's used in a lot of different styles but I've mainly heard it called a "blues shuffle". Other examples - Stevie Ray Vaughn - Pride And Joy, Quo - Whatever You Want,

[ChrisDev]

That's not a 6/8, but a swing or shuffle feel. That's not the same thing.
The pattern you hear in both songs is
1/8 rest followed by 7 8th notes, in swing feel

[ambient]

On 23/12/2017 at 15:15, Acebassmusic said:

It's a 6/8 rhythm that's used in a lot of different styles but I've mainly heard it called a "blues shuffle". Other examples - Stevie Ray Vaughn - Pride And Joy, Quo - Whatever You Want,

The two songs you mention are both in 4/4 time. An example off the top of my head of 6/8 is Miles Davis’s all blues. Waterloo by ABBA is a classic disco song, definitely in 4/4 time. 

Edited December 24, 2017 by ambient

[Sean]

All good answers so far but does it have a name?

[ambient]

It's not to my knowledge called anything. it's a shuffle rhythm.

Here's a screenshot of the bass line to the ABBA song.