The internet is getting worse in many ways but on the positive side it helped me identify a song from a toy keyboard I used to have, a mystery that had eluded me since childhood. It’s “Spanish Coffee” by Frank Mills:
It turns out I’m not alone, a lot of people had been wondering about this song. I guess it always stood out in our minds because it had a dramatic opening and a moody, wistful melody that felt incongrous with Jingle Bells and whatever else was on that keyboard. It’s still unclear to me why this particular song was used – I’m assuming it’s public domain but couldn’t find verification – but it’s very satisfying to close the file on this mystery.