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Holiday music: with or without ChristmasI'm a sucker for Christmas music.
I say "Christmas" unabashedly, because that's what my Southern Baptist family celebrated. I think I was in high school before I realized that the only reason my Jewish classmates were happy about the holidays was, well, the holidays. (Soon after, I noticed that they got extra holidays, and I contemplated a conversion. At least until my parents found out.) Around the same time, I learned that rather than be offended by Christmas, the Jewish community found it to be a great source of humor.
One of my favorite parts of the season was going with my Daddy to the Firestone store for the latest Firestone Christmas album. (We got the Goodyear albums, too, but Firestone had lyrics on the back. Firestone also had Julie Andrews.)
Apparently I'm not alone — at least one person makes a living from selling the albums and transferring them to CD. One thing that can't be duplicated is the smell of a freshly opened album. Sorry, Generations X, Y & Z. Happily, several sites are devoted to reliving those high-fidelity holiday moments. On a few, albums from the voices of Christmas past "have been lovingly recorded, declicked, decrackled and dehissed," as Hi-Fi Holiday puts it, and are available for online streaming or download, depending on the site. One of my favorites, FaLaLaLaLa.com, includes liner notes for many of the LPs. Ernie (Not Bert) is not exclusively a holiday music site, but it devotes most of December to sharing favorite tracks. This site is about all things Christmas and features music posts based on its own unique criteria.
I even have some background music to accompany your search for your favorites — a custom-made Christmas mix. I made this without regard to political correctness, so if you're not a Christmas person, skip ahead. I didn't forget you.  For music lovers who prefer less Christmas in their holidays, the pickings are a bit slim. You can find general winter and holiday songs at the Christmas music sites, but you have to work at it. AccuRadio offers a few channels with non-traditional holiday music, but Christmas songs do pop up. Of course, if your goal is to drive the person in the next cube insane, AccuRadio is perfect. Select "The Jingle Channel," turn it up and go to lunch. You didn't hear that from me.
The one source we always can count on to present alternatives is NPR. And the network's music site does not disappoint. You can stream Paul Winter's 28th annual Winter Solstice Celebration — two hours' worth — here. Each year, Winter assembles an incredible group of musicians from around the world at New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine for this concert. Yes, you'll hear some religious melodies, but if you'll just let the music flow over you, I doubt you'll mind.
In light of the dearth of non-Christmas holiday music available for free download, plus the fact that Spot DJ seems to be having server overload issues, making a Seasonal mix was something of a challenge. I ended up with a sort of winter-holiday, feel-good, peace-on-earth mix. Let me know what you think. What are your favorite holiday classics? Do you secretly look forward to the Handel's Messiah sing-along? Do you fill your iPod with Christmas tunes this time of year? Or are you tired of hearing the sad tale of Frosty's watery demise? What's on your holiday mix tape? If you make one, be sure to post the link. Submitted by on December 14, 2007 - 2:40pm. |
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Very Nice!!!
Here's my Christmas playlist:
Mele Kalikimaka - Bing Crosby w/ the Andrews Sisters
Hooray for Santa Claus (Theme from Santa Claus Conquers the Martians) - Milton Delugg
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Happy Xmas (War is Over) (So This is Christmas) - John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Christmas Vacation - Mavis Staples
O Holy Night - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Dreidel Song - South Park
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) - David Seville & the Chipmunks
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - The Crystals
Snoopy's Christmas - The Royal Guardsmen
The Children's Christmas Song - The Supremes
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Wizards in Winter - Trans Siberian Orchestra
Christmastime is Here (A Charlie Brown Christmas) - The Vince Guraldi Trio
Christmas at Ground Zero - Weird Al Yankovic
Christmas music
LOVED the christmas mix tape. I would add to it Mariah (i dont even need to give you the name of the song), The Pogues 'Fairytale of New York', and the Band Aid song 'Do they know its Christmas?'
p.s, i listen to THE mariah song throughout the year, it actually has healing properties......and is clinically proven to cure hangovers and depression FACT NOT FICTION
Holiday music
I just filled up the ol ipod yesterday, my picks for this year: Nancy Wilson (THE Nancy Wilson, not the chick from "Heart") "Carol of the Bells" - the swingingest version ever, Eddie Campbell's "Santa's Messing with the Kid" - another "Santa's been sneaking around with my lady" song with a really tasty r&b beat, and Koko Taylor's "Merry, Merry Christmas" - cause she's Koko Taylor!
Happy Hols, y'all!
Don't forget to add
The Lonely Jew On Christmas - South Park
Father Christmas - The Kinks
The Nutcracker Suite - The Brian Setzer Orchestra
Move over, Rover ...
And let Bruce take over .... I'm not much of a traditionalist (in case anyone couldn't tell) ... so here you go:
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick (this was played a lot as a child...)
Here Be Dragons - Sosban Fach (Welsh Rugby songs just speak Christmas to me)Aimee Mann - God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
The Kinks - Father Christmas
Sufjan Stevens - Joy to the World
The Irish Tenors - Christmas Medley (a touch of cheese is always good, so long as it's followed by...)
Adam Sandler - Chanukah Song pt. 1
Adam Sandler - Chanukah Song pt. 2
Anonymous 4 - The Holy and the Ivy
Coldplay - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Sufjan Stevens - I Saw Three Ships
Dandy Warhols – Little Drummer Boy
Dave Matthews Band - Christmas Song
Tori Amos - Christmas in Space
Grandaddy – Alan Parsons In A Winter Wonderland
Jack Johnson - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
John Cougar Mellencamp - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Paul McCartney - (Simply Having a) Wonderful Christmas Time
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Merry Christmas Baby
Reel Big Fish - Mele Kalikimaka
Sarah Silverman - Give The Jew Girl Toys
The Arcade Fire - Jinglebell Rock
The Vandals - Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies
I smile, I grin, when the gal with a touch of sin walks in
I hope, and I pray, for a Hester to win just one more "A"
New Favorite
I just found Joan Osborne's Christmas
albumCD from 2005. Christmas Means Love is the title.Wow! It is a great mix of stripped down, traditional carols like Cherry Tree Carol, Away in the Manger, Angels We Have Heard on High, and Silent Night, and more bluesy/gospel songs like Christmas in New Orleans, Great Day in December, and my particular favorite, What Do Bad Girls Get? She even puts on an Andrews Sisters style on the song Santa Claus Baby. I definitely recommend a listen.
Sixties Christmas Songs
I'm stuck in the sixties and seventies in regards to music and that goes for Christmas songs as well. I like Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bell Rock, The Ronettes Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer, Nat King Cole The Christmas Song.
I do like Sarah McLaughlin's version of Silent Night and Jack Johnson's Rudolph.
great christmas mix!!
thanks for the great christmas mix, that was exactly what I was looking for - all my christmas cd's are at home and I'm in the town where I study :(
I have to say that mariah always does it for me, when I hear that song the first time then I'm in the mood for christmas. and I really also love chris reah ~ driving home for christmas. melissa has a christmas song too, it's good, but it doesn't really give me that christmasy feeling, I can listen that all year long.
"Normal is not something to aspire to, it's something to get away from." ~ Jodie Foster
The "very Ally Christmas" CD
years ago, I got a CD with a collection of all the Ally McBeal songs from the various Christmas eps (well, all five of them).
My favourite: Calista Flockhart herself singing "Santa Baby".
A Very Ally Xmas
i'm a big Vonda Shepard fan and a big Ally McBeal fan too and this xmas album is the only one i can listen to during the holidays. i'm not a christian so i'm not big on xmas but those songs are just great I don't even have to believe in christmas to enjoy them.
great songs to feel the warmth during the holidays. my favorite's Robert Downey Jr.'s renditon of "River".
-MJ
smile. i just slept with your girlfriend :)
http://mgayness.livejournal.com
http://myspace.com/mgayness
Always...
...find myself listening to River by Sarah McLachlan this time of year.
So This is Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon will always be my favorite Christmas song until...well....war is over, forever.
The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
Fairytale of New York is required listening. Add Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses.
Two great female singers, each gone too soon.
Now I"m dating myself...
OK...my list definitely includes a lot of oldies, but they were my 'present day' once.
Brenda Lee 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree'
Judy Garland "Have yourself a merry little Christmas'
Bing Crosby 'Do you Hear what I Hear'
Bing, Rosie Clooney and company from movie 'Snow'
Roches 'Star of Wonder'
Vanessa Williams anything off her Christmas album
The Messiah
Music from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol with 'Razzleberry Dressing'
Music from 'A Charlie Brown's Christmas'
Karen Carpenter "Merry Christmas Darling'
TransSiberianOrch "Wizards in Winter'
Mannheim Steamroller any of their songs
Emerson Lake and Palmer "Father Christmas'
Robert Shaw Chorale Anything off their Christmas album
I'm sure there's more but that's all that comes to mind at the moment.
My holiday mix...
Last year, I was very poor, so instead of buying presents for people, I made a bunch of copies of a holiday CD and just gave them to everyone I could think of. Cheesy, yes, but I couldn't afford to buy things!
I had to give myself props, though, because I listen to it all the time...
1. Seasons of Love – from “Rent”
2. The Christians and the Pagans – Dar Williams
3. All I Want For Christmas Is You – Olivia Olson (from “Love Actually”)
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan
5. Please Come Home for Christmas – Jon Bon Jovi
6. White Christmas – Otis Redding (from “Love Actually”)
7. Hanukkah Blessings – Barenaked Ladies
8. How Do You Spell Channukkahh? – The Leevees
9. Goyim Friends – The Leevees
10. Light One Candle – Peter, Paul and Mary
11. Al Hanisim – Yom Hadash
12. Feast of Lights – They Might Be Giants
13. I Have A Little Dreidel – Barenaked Ladies
14. The Chanukah Song, Part 2 – Adam Sandler
15. The Thanksgiving Song – Adam Sandler
16. Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas) – John Denver
17. Snowman – Barenaked Ladies
18. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – The Brian Setzer Orchestra
19. One More Sleep ‘Til Christmas – The Muppets
20. Song For A Winter’s Night – Sarah McLachlan
21. River – Indigo Girls
22. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Sixpence None the Richer
23. O Holy Night – Tracy Chapman
24. Auld Lang Syne – Billy JoelBurl Ives? And, another mix
Linster, are you sure that's Burl Ives singing? It doesn't sound like him, or at least the him that I saw on my set as a kid -- yes I'm old enough to have seen him and heard him sing; he was on tv regularly. That rendition sounds more like a Perry Como crooner type of singer. Unless that's Burl as a young man?
I made a mix last year, and even with my childhood LPs that my wife digitized (thank you!) and that I love hearing, this mix is turning out to be a favorite:
Christmas Song ... Nat King Cole
Let It Snow! ... Ella Fitzgerald
Sleigh Ride ... The Ronettes
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm ... Bette Midler
Santa Baby ... Eartha Kitt
Green Christmas ... Barenaked Ladies
Here Comes Santa Claus ... Bing Crosby & Andrews Sisters
Winter Wonderland ... James Taylor
I Saw Three Ships ... Barenaked Ladies
I Pray on Christmas ... Harry Connick, Jr.
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree ... Brenda Lee
I'd Like to Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus ... Andrews Sisters
All That I Want ... The Weepies
Silver Bells ... Bing Crosby & Ella Fitzgerald (live radio broadcast)
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? ... Ella Fitzgerald
BTW -- the Andrews Sisters' I'd Like to Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus - I had never heard this song before and I swear this is about a gay boy. It's such a sweet, adorable song and the harmonies are exquisite. A young boy who the other boys won't play with says that he'd like to hitch a ride with the big guy and help him ("watch out for weather vanes" among other things). And when the other kids see him on Christmas morning, "What'll they say with a look of delight? There goes the boy that rode with Santa Claus last night." Gay.
And the final cut, the Ella version of What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?, is stunningly beautiful. It's Ella. Makes me cry each time I hear it.
well...
The Frosty track was credited to Burl Ives on SpotDJ. That doesn't mean it actually is him, of course. I tried to find the track on one of his Christmas albums on Amazon.com without luck, so you may be right.
...and the jews write the christmas music
I personally don't care much for Christmas (but I am Jewish, so I have an excuse). I do like some Christian music (like Gregorian chanting and some traditional and/or older songs like On This Day Earth Shall Ring, Carol of the Bells and His Eye is on the Sparrow. I even like some contemporary stuff. ::shrug::)
Still Jewish folk have found a way to be involved in the holiday season. Many Christmas song classics have been written by Jews, ironically enough. And they're all really good songs. "The Christmas Song" by Mel Torme (you know, the one with chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Yeah, that one) is a great example. Even "Silver Bells" and "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer", "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" and "Holly Jolly Christmas" are good examples. And Irving Berlin wrote "White Christmas".
Somehow, knowing this makes me very happy. LoL. Happy holidays! (I'll be over here with my minor Jewish holiday and my dreidel. ::spin!::)
Here are a few more songs: http://www.interfaithfamily.com/arts_and_entertainment/movies_theater_tv_and_music/The_Jews_Who_Wrote_Christmas_Songs.shtml?rd=1
(p.s. i love "give the jew girl toys," too! and the trans-siberian version of "carol of the bells" featuring metallica rocks!!!)
Awww how about Eric Idle's
Awww how about Eric Idle's Christmas song? ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5CXYrSiCUk&feature=related
Sorry, I'm a Bah Humbug chick.