Holiday Music Old and New

My mother always played the Narada Christmas Collection and Peter, Paul and Mary's Holiday Celebration, so now whenever I hear either of those I have this instant, Pavlovian-type craving for ribbon candy and gingerbread. Every one of my siblings and cousins own both of those CDs, and they get played every year starting about 2 days before Thanksgiving.


My all-grown-up favorite is actually a South Park compilation of holiday songs, which shocked my mother speechless the first time we had Christmas at my house.

I love the Carpenters' Christmas album... although I can no longer listen to 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' without crying. Doesn't really matter who sings it, either.

And, yeah... I'm a kid when it comes to the Chipmunks - the original ones, not these newcomer pretenders to the Alvin/Simon/Theodore thrones.

I'm a fan of Gregorian Chants, too - even though they're not necessarily 'Christmas', they're beautiful, peaceful, calming, and I play them whenever the holiday stress levels rise to annoying levels.

I love listening to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. Ah, happy memories! Also albums done by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

And of course, all the silly songs that I can sing with my kids.

Medievalist said:

I know Narada, but that's a new album to me. I'll have to go look for it.

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Sorry - should have linked it. Too much percocet today. Here it is. It's beautiful. There's also a Windham Hill CD me mum loved that started playing when I was in my teens, after we'd already stopped with the huge family gatherings - Winter's Solstice V. There's one on there called Doo'iit'saa'da (Another Silent Night) that's just gorgeous.

Oh, and sorry, but it's not quite Christmas without Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and Burl Ives.

For me, it's all about two songs:

So This Is Christmas--John Lennon

Little Drummer Boymedley --Bing and Bowie.

All the rest becomes background noise for me.

Recent: Andreas Vollenweider: Midnight Clear

Timeless: The Ray Conniff Singers: We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Hilarious: The Klezmonauts: Oy to the World! A Klezmer Christmas

My all time favorite Christmas song.

No, no, no. This one.

Last year I mentioned to my wife that I thought the guy singing O Holy Night did it better than anyone else. I just asked her his name. I googled it and found him performing it on youtube. It's good, but not as good as on the radio. Hope y'all enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQWXfHzOKUU

I love Christmas music. From Bing to the Chipmunks to Luther Vandross, I love it. Especially the fun ones. And especially singers who CAN sing.

This is one of my favorites by Luther Vandross: The Mistletoe Jam

I've always like this one, the prog-rock music, the cynicism...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqOfXumI18A
Oh, look, an interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VGB-LRuwNU

Jewel released a CD of Christmas music a few years ago, and we love to listen to it every December. Although it's heavily orchestrated, I think it's Jewel's best work.

My favorites:

- Leon Redbone's Christmas Island. Leon's too often overlooked; his mint-julep crooning is wonderful.

- The Vince Guaraldi music for A Charlie Brown Christmas.

- Aussie Christmas with Bucko & Champs. Breezy and hilarious.

- Ella Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas: Ella Fitzgerald is always, always wonderful. Perfect, but warmly, happily so.

- Well, you've got to have Bing, don't you? Yes.

- Christmas Cocktails - the Ultra-Lounge Christmas CD (volume 1; haven't heard Volume 2). Ho ho ho, baby.

These albums go into heavy rotation around Christmas
Bing Crosby -- Merry Christmas
Leon Redbone's -- Christmas Island
Vince Guaraldi -- A Charlie Brown Christmas (although I lent these two to someone and can't remember who -- poet?)
The Frank Sintra Christmas Album
Dean Martin -- Season's Greetings
Norman Luboff Choir Christmas

and I have many others that I play, but those are the ones I really enjoy.

I love holiday music! My favorites:

Santa, baby (Ertha Kitt, not Madonna)--For some reason, I always listen to this one when I'm taking a bubble bath and I sing at the top of my lungs.

Anything the Mannheim Steamroller does

Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth (David Bowie and Bing Crosby)--Now, this has a funny story. My brother and I saw this on TV. The next morning, I asked him,"Did David Bowie really sing with Bing Crosby last night?" And he said, "I was just going to ask you the same thing!"

Happy Christmas/War is Over (John Lennon and Yoko Ono)

Wonderful Christmastime (Paul McCartney)

Do you hear what I hear (Bing Crosby)

Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives)

Feliz Navidad (Jose Feliciano)--This one ALWAYS makes me dance in a most embarrassing way. I try to contain it until no one else is home!

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Gene Autry)--My boys had a Gene Autry Christmas CD years ago, and all of those songs are favorites.

Zat you, Santa Claus? (Louis Armstrong)

I could go on. . .I really could. . .

My Morning Jacket's Christmas Time is Here (Bring Out the Joy).

I never get tired of it.

Did anyone else have the Firestone Christmas albums from the early '60's (maybe late '50's)? I think my parents bought them at the Firestone tire store (or possibly at a gas station). They looked like a wrapped package with a bow. We had 3 of them and I'm not even going to try to find them online to link. All of the old singers: Doris Day, Burl Ives, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, etc. Anyway, when you mentioned 'old' it was the first Christmas music I thought of.

Medievalist said:

I was talking with a friend last night about how much we both love Christmas and holiday music.

Both of us had an album we remembered and loved from childhood--but no longer have.

...Snipped...

What are your favorites from years past--and from this year?

I've been told I must hear the Jethro Tull album, and I am sorta horrified to note that The Pretenders have a new holiday EP . . .

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My favorite albums from years past were usually Bing Crosby or Statler Brothers albums that my mother played on her old BSR record changer. I don't remember the album it came from, but one of my favorite songs was Baby It's Cold Outside (the singer's name eludes me right at the moment). That song brings back some wonderful memories of my childhood.

Nowadays, I like a lot of the country musicians' works, such as Alan Jackson, who I think contributed to a various artists CD or two. Also, there's an album my mother has on CD called The Gift, by Kenny Rogers. Very nicely done, IMO.

MoonWriter said:

Last year I mentioned to my wife that I thought the guy singing O Holy Night did it better than anyone else. I just asked her his name. I googled it and found him performing it on youtube. It's good, but not as good as on the radio. Hope y'all enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQWXfHzOKUU

Click to expand...

Oh yes, Josh Groban singing O Holy Night. Love it!