To the list (in no specific order):
1. "Feliz Navidad" by Jose' Feliciano
An extremely catchy tune; loved it the first time I heard it. And it holds fond memories from Spanish class back in Junior High School. Love the instrumentation; just sounds like the party you wish you were at.
2. "Skating" by Vince Guaraldi Trio
If I was choosing a favorite holiday album, this would win hands down. Absolutely perfect music from a perfect Christmas special. Most folks might think immediately of "Linus and Lucy", which is
fantastic. But Guaraldi's composition "Skating" really evokes snowflakes and wintry recreation on a pair of blades. Light, airy and beautiful; a part of why that Christmas special is so widely beloved.
3. "Winter Wonderland" by Darlene Love
Perhaps my second choice for favorite Christmas album would be Phil Spector's classic Christmas LP. Featuring the Ronettes, Darlene Love, and the Crystals; this album showcased Spector's genius as a producer. In the process, they all provided us with some of the finest pop carols you'll hear anywhere. Darlene Love just knocks this snowball out of the park. I get chills listening to her, and not from the temperature...
4. "It Must Have Been Old Santa Claus" by Harry Connick, Jr.
A great tune of somewhat more recent vintage. It has a great bluesy feel. It's a story song (always a good thing). And it was my first introduction to Mr. Connick, as in "hey, that song was cool; who was that anyway?".
5. "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives
Possibly the most frequently heard song among my five. It really needs little explanation; a highlight song from a holiday classic by a wonderful folk tunesmith. Much as I love Frosty, Sam is the snowman for me...
And now you know what will be playing on the car stereo as I'm tackling some last-minute shopping. What tunes light up your display?
19 comments:
Well, here are some of my favorite tunes, off the beaten path:
Donde Esta Santa Claus? - Augie Rios
Santa Looked a lot like daddy - Buck Owens
Christmas , Baby please come home - Darlene Love
Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters
Fairytale of NY - The Pogues
It's very difficult choosing just five but here are my top five in no particular order:
1) Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord by Boney M. I equally love Harry Belafonte's 1957 original but Boney M's 1978 version is more uptempo and includes Oh My Lord in the medley. There's also an excellent version of Mary's Boy Child from 2010 by opera singer Bryn Terfel which has a very Caribbean feel.
2) I Believe In Father Christmas by Greg Lake. A more cynical look at Christmas but a fantastic song which includes part of the Troika from Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije. Sadly Greg Lake died just a couple of weeks ago.
3) Ring Out Solstice Bells by Jethro Tull. This song sounds wonderfully olde worlde and Medieval.
4) Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon.
5) White Is In The Winter Night by Enya which is my most recent choice, it came out in 2008. It's really catchy and festive and I loved it straight away.
Honourable mentions go to Paul McCartney (Wonderful Christmastime), Slade (Merry Xmas Everybody), Mike Oldfield (the uptempo instrumental of In Dulci Jubilo), The Waitresses (Christmas Wrapping), Doris Day (Winter Wonderland). I also like most Carols, my favorite is probably Good King Wenceslas. And I also like Christmas music from centuries ago such as Gaudete, Es Ist Ein Ros Ensprungen and Handel's Messiah (which is on BBC radio tonight so I'll be listening to that).
Oops, I forgot to add White Christmas by, of course, Bing Crosby in my honorable mentions.
And ALL the songs from Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer.
Generally I go for the mid-century sound, "Zat You, Santa Claus?," "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus," both Charles Brown and Charlie Brown Christmas LPs, etc. But when the Waitresses "Christmas Wrapping" comes on the radio, it gets turned up LOUD!
Busy at work today..., there's a few I cannot name the artist, but will always mention my fav, Wonderful Christmastime. I like the popularity it got last year, a few acapella groups released their versions. I know it annoys most folks, but hey, it's catchy. I prefer it greatly to Lennon's Happy Xmas.
Will always go with Bing's White Christmas, Mitch Miller's 'Sing Along' and the Charlie Brown Christmas'. I still think Judy Garland's 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' is THE saddest Christmas song I've ever heard.
Some intriguing choices, guys!
Luther- "Donde" is great- heard it recently for the first time. And "Christmas in Killarney " is another fine choice. Crosby and the Andrews Sisters made some very memorable tunes together.
Colin Jones- Great call on Boney M.; love that arrangement. Also applaud your pick of "Father Christmas "; was just listening to some ELP the other night. A shame about Greg Lake- what a rough year this has been for music.
And thanks for the tip on Enya and Mike Oldfield- will definitely hunt down those songs.
Ward Hill Terry- the Waitresses juuuuuust missed my top 5. That EP the song was released on was a jewel; it also featured their theme from the tv show "Square Pegs".
I also want to put in a plug for my band! We debuted our Christmas song last week after writing it only the week before. It's called "Santa, Baby, Santa, Buy Me A Beer!"
Hi All!
Fav Christmas tune is "O Holy Night" which is the first Christmas tune written in the USA though by a French immigrant about 120 years ago.
Fav holiday tune... Probably White Christmas.
Anyone remember watching Jose Feliciano in Longstreet???
Anything from Nat King Cole's Christmas Album works for me
Though in recent years I have really taken a liking to Kate Smith's "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". Something very stout yet comforting about the First Lady of Radio singing a Civil War-penned tune during the height of the VietNam war.
Yoyo
All great suggestions. Really gets me in the spirit of the season - especially since I've been busy and it just clicked with me that Christmas is this coming weekend!
I really like all the classics best Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Burl Ives as already mentioned. It doesn't matter if it is 50 or 60 years old - it is just great when it comes from the highest era of Christmas music recordings. "The Little Drummer Boy" by Crosby and Bowie brings back memories. And any of the Vince Guiraldi Trio Peanuts/Christmas tunes make me happy.
But I also really like the Barenaked Ladies' version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - it really has become one of my favorites. And I also like "Boots" by the Killers - modern sure - but I like it.
Ward Hill Terry- it's very cool to hear about your band! Your song sounds like a winner to me...
Charlie Horse 47- "Oh Holy Night" is one of the most beautiful Christmas hymns. Hearing it brings thoughts of the "Christmas Eve Truce" of WW1 ; one of the most poignant Christmas stories ever.
Marti- that Barenaked Ladies song is very good indeed. I need to download that.
Now excuse me, it's back to watching "Rudolph " and Yukon Cornelius!
Hey, Happy Holidays, Time-Travelin' Bronze-Age Teammates--!
Although still keeping a watchful eye ahead, and a steady hand on the ol' tiller, I do find myself able to actively re-join the conversational here once again. The laser-like focus on life itself is able to relax a bit-- and just in time for a MUCH-favored topic-- nice!
To be fair, I would be hard-pressed to narrow down five choices for Christmas albums, let alone individual songs--- but I'm-a gonna give the old Yuletide try, yup! And heck, I'll even declare them in (reverse) order. . . since the list could change wildly over the course of a couple of days, and what I might be in the mood for, y'know?
5) CAROL OF THE BELLS-- Manheim Steamroller's arrangement. I will say straight up that I am a complete sucker for minor-key Christmas songs-- the spooky, supernatural, haunting-yet-sentimental aura they create has sucked me in since I was a wee tyke. Chip Davis has (well, perhaps had) an incredible facility for capturing this in several of his arrangements. This is one of the best.
4) PAT A PAN-- Manheim Steamroller again- I really like them an awful lot, I do. Although recent efforts have been sadly pedestrian, I think. But this arrangement is one that I started hitting repeat on multiple times in the last couple of years. There is an extended penny whistle (or ocarina?) lead line & solo throughout that breathes new life into this still-enjoyable little march-carol. It's an atmospheric delight.
3) GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN/WE THREE KINGS-- Barenaked Ladies w/ Sarah McLoughlin- Okay, GdRstYeMryGnmn is just my favorite Christmas carol already. Pretty much always has been. Again, the spooky, minor-key thing-- and some neat associations from childhood. I love the swing-y, upbeat tempo and rhythm of this recording AND I ESPECIALLY love the counterpoint of the two tunes blending so well when sung atop each other. I rarely listen to this one less than three times in a row when I hear it the first time of the season.
2) LITTLE DRUMMER BOY/PEACE ON EARTH-- Bing & Bowie. Geeze, does anyone ever need to try to explain the astonishing awesomeness of this (once practically-lost) recording? Bing at the end of his career (and life) showing a completely unexpected openness to an icon of the rock era; and Bowie giving us a glimpse of the regular, human guy underneath those layers of artistic persona.
1) GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN-- arrangement by the Hollywood Trombones. I bet no one's familiar with this one besides me. I love it. I love it, love it, love it. It's actually a muse-recording for me. I have written an entire movie trailer (for an unwritten, un-made movie) scored with it in my head. . .
Honorable Mentions:
HEY SANTA- Carnie & Wendy Wilson-- my favorite "pop" Christmas tune. This one simply disappeared from radio play for, like, the last 5 years, and suddenly this year it's been in heavy rotation. HBGirl & I think of this as "our" Christmas pop tune, 'cause she used to think that it was Betty & Veronica singing it.
CHRISTMAS CANON-- Trans-siberian Orchestra. Sentimental favorite w/ HBGirl again. When she was very little, she would improvise a little ballet adagio in the kitchen to it for me. Ah, golly-- I'm-a gettin' old--!
HB
Well heck-- HBGirl says to go ahead and forward her choices too (she very much shares my passion for the holiday season--- ha!)
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU-- the older, different song by Vince Vance & the Valiants.
CHRISTMAS (BABY PLEASE COME HOME)-- Darlene Love. From that same Phil Spector album, isn't it?
MARY'S BOYCHILD-- Bony M version.
CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE-- Straight No Chaser version-!
IN THE BLEAK MID-WINTER-- Blind Boys of Alabama, w/ Chrissie Hynde. Boy, there's one to track down! (Very cool album by the BBoA--)
HB again--
Welcome back, HB! Great detailed list there, and thrilled to get HBGirl's input too!
Mannheim Steamroller and Trans Siberian Orchestra are sources for some excellent listening. Played TSO just the other evening (our new puppy seems to like music at bedtime).
Not familiar with Hollywood Trombones, but I'll soon be checking YouTube.
Oh, and tell HBGirl she has pristine taste in music. And another vote for Darlene Love; and justifiably so. That whole album is a Christmas gift for the ears...
Awright, here's my top 5 Xmas songs in no particular order -
1) It's the most wonderful time of the year by Andy Williams - just love it when this comes on the radio 'cause that's exactly how I feel when this time of the year comes around!
2) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry - loved this movie as a kid and I've never gotten tired of hearing Gene Autry's song about a misunderstood reindeer (hmm Rudolph was the X-man of the Reindeer world!).
3) Silent Night by Stevie Nicks - gotta love Stevie's version, a rock chick belting out a Christmas classic is a sure winner.
4) Do you hear what I hear by Martina McBride - the voice of an angel delivering a beautiful song. Simply magical.
5) Deck the Halls by assorted artists - no matter who's singing this song, this is one of my favourite uptempo Christmas tunes. This definitely gets me into the Christmas spirit!
I once heard someone (Casey Kasem?) mention that Bing Crosby's White Christmas is not only the most popular Christmas song but the best selling single of all time. Somehow, though, I didn't include it in my faves because I find it's too slow, for lack of a better word. To each his own, I guess. Oh, by the way, yes, I live in the tropics, so some people might question my liking songs which include snow and other things found in colder countries. Well, what can I say, it's Christmas time baby!
- Mike 'jingle bells all the way' from Trinidad & Tobago.
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" sung by Thurl Ravenscroft.
Also, the Heat-Miser and Cold-Miser themes.
I like a good horn section.
M.P. (walkin' round in women's underwear, I mean, winter wonderland)
Way busy day yesterday (busier than usual) so I couldn't scrounge any time to participate. First, I have to agree with Martinex about the Vince Guiraldi Trio Peanuts tunes - and not just the Christmas stuff. Also, as far as I'm concerned, HB wins the thread for bringing up Mannheim Steamroller - I'm generally not a fan of that New Agey music, but I love those guys, esp. the Fresh Aire albums (and III in particular, which is one of my favorite albums of all time in any genre).
Otherwise, though, I'm not too much into holiday songs. And for the record, I also like McCartney's much-maligned Wonderful Christmastime just fine. Anyway, here's a list of a few of my favorites, which I sometimes find myself playing on YouTube or popping into the CD or mp3 player this time of year, all of which are a bit on the non-sentimental, irreverent side:
5. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer - Elmo & Patsy
4. Heat Miser/Cold Miser themes (you're a man of impeccable taste, M.P.)
3. Twelve Days of Christmas - Bob & Doug McKenzie
2. Father Christmas - The Kinks
1. Fairy Tale of New York - The Pogues
I seem to be late to the discussion but I won't let that stop me. It's a tough choice but I shall go for:
5. Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin' Stevens.
4. Fairy Tale of New York by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.
3. Israel by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
2. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day by Wizzard.
1. Merry Xmas Everyone by Slade.
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