I like Hawaiian holiday music. It's Christmas with a "K"...actually seven Ks, twelve As, and nine Es. Whodaguy Hawaii Radio will transport you to the land where dolphins replace reindeer and Santa Claus arrives on jet skies. Hear it here.
Personally, I get a warm feeling when I hear Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song”, which was written by Mel Torme. One Christmas night I saw him eating alone at Delores coffee shop. It was ironic but sad.
The Phil Spector Christmas album is still my favorite. Putting aside that he killed someone, we thank Phil for a real musical gift.
And Darlene Love's , "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" which is a recent parody of her own work on the album is maybe the funniest Christmas song ever.
I fancy the oldies. Brenda Lee’s “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree”, Bobby Helm’s “Jingle Bell Rock”, and the Beach Boys’ “Little St. Nick”.
The Boss’s Xmas ditty is pretty catchy as are the King’s.
Re: “White Christmas”, give me the Drifters over Bing. (Interesting that so many classic Christmas songs were written by Jews.)
Some obscure holiday songs I recommend: “Run Run Rudolph” by Chuck Berry, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by the Four Seasons, “Monster Holiday” by Bobby Boris Pickett (that one always tears me up), and “Santa Claus is Watching You” by Ray Stevens. Super obscure but worth finding is “Lost Winter Dreams” by Lisa Mychols. And for the motherlode of bad taste fun, try to find Claudine Longet singing “Winter Wonderland”. Before she shot skier Spider Sabich in cold blood she and husband, Andy Williams, were the first couple of the season. Their annual family Christmas special was a must-see. They even have a kid named Noel.
Songs I can’t stand: “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano, “Having a Wonderful Christmas Time” by Paul McCartney, and “the Little Drummer Boy” by anybody. Whey do stations overplay TO DEATH the songs that are the most repetitious? I seem to recall Paul Anka singing Christmas in Japan, which was like a drill to the head. Also, anything sung by kids usually makes me cringe.I’m only sorry Kurt Cobain left us before he could give the world his Christmas album.
For a more vocal pop sound, you can’t beat Linda Eder’s holiday album. Her versio
n of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” would bring a tear to a glass eye. Listen for it the next time you’re in an elevator. Streisand is great but there’s more ornamentation than on the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. Johnny Mathis is a little too sugar plum fairy for my tastes, and you can always count on “Mr. Peace and Goodwill to All Men”, Sinatra. The Carpenters have their fans too. And The Manhattan Transfer's acapella album is gorgeous.But if I had to pick my all-time favorite Christmas song, the one that most expresses my feelings about the holiday season, it would have to be “The Christmas Song” by the Chipmunks. Sometimes the right song and the right performers just combine for sheer perfection.
Hopefully I can get the strolling Hawaiian minstrels to sing it tonight at the bar.
71 comments :
Mel Torme's daughter is a friend of mine, and it still freaks me out that I have one degree of separation from the man who composed that classic tune.
My fave Xmas LPs as a kid were The Chipmunks and The Four Seasons. The latter had a funny song called "Jungle Bells" - "the animals' Santa Clause is coming on his elephant sleigh."
Ditto the love for the Drifters' take on "White Christmas" - Clyde McPhatter ruled. But I disagree about "Little Drummer Boy." I'm still a sucker for that original version by the what's-his-face Chorale. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is almost foolproof, as is "I'll Be Home for Christmas." I was even moved by an a cappela version on "The Facts of Life," sung by Lisa "Blair" Whelchel!
It's easy to take for granted how great some Christmas carols are from a musical composition standpoint; "O Holy Night," "The First Noel," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," et al.
And I love every song in the Rudolph TV special. Where'd they find all those talented birds and bunnies to sing back-up on "There's Always Tomorrow?"
Personally, I get a holiday boost from the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. And more recently I've enjoyed Mannheim Steamroller's versions of all the classic Christmas songs. And you've gotta love Mel Blanc's "The Hat I Got for Christmas is Too Beeg."
You mean you do't get Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody' over there? Now that's a Christmas song written by a heathen.
Wrong side of the world, but there's Jimmy Buffett's "Christmas in the Caribbean".
Couple of beach songs: the Beach Boys "Little St. Nick", and the Trashmen's "Dancing with Santa" (they know that the bird is the word).
Can't forget Cheech & Chong's "Santa Claus and His Old Lady", the Kinks' "Father Christmas", Bob Seger's "Sock It to Me Santa", and of course, South Park's Kyle Broflowski's "A Lonely Jew on Christmas".
What about Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis"?
Has anyone noticed that most of the classic Christmas specials (Charlie Brown, Rudolph, Bob Hope) all involve people treating the main character like crap?
Since this blog is a sitcom blog, can I say that my favorite guilty pleasure Christmas Album is a Partridge Family Christmas, complete with a forlorn take on Frosty the Snowman and all the 70s instrumentation you can take. Say what you will about John Entwistle, but Danny Partridge played a mean bass.
I also love the Drifters White Christmas, which seemed unholy to me years ago.
Charlie Brown Christmas remains my favorite, if only because I can hear it year round without gagging.
My wife did manage to ruin Little Saint Nick for me by pointing out the stupid lyric, "christmas comes this time each year". Her response.... "Shit, really????"
You need to get Leon Redbone's "Christmas Island." It's wonderful. Every soing is good. But he does a great version of "No Place Like Home for the Holidays."
This is my favorite Christmas special:
http://www.bentimagelab.com/video/snl.htm
As the co-author of that brilliant tome on celebrity records, "Hollywood Hi-Fi," I have to agree with you about children's choruses. We identified those as one of the most common elements of a horrendous celebrity album, along with covering the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction."
Ditto on the above poster's love for Leon Redbone's "Christmas Island," my favorite holiday LP, as well. Squirrel Nut Zippers did a fun one, and Michael Murphy's acoustic cowboy Christmas album is a good one if you like country music but hate slick country-pop covers of the same dozen songs.
And if you like Linda Eder's album, check out the Christmas album by the late, great Nancy LaMott. Gorgeous vocals, brilliant arrangements, and a hilarious acapella group version of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" that's worth the price alone.
In what world is "Rockin'Around the Christmas Tree" an oldie?
I thought the Christmas oldies were "Oh Tannenbaum," "Silent Night" or "Good King Wenseslaus."
Or was that an extraordinarily subtle joke?
Of the top 25 most played Christmas songs, 11 of them were written or co-written by someone who celebrates Hanukkah. Johnny Marks is the undisputed King of Christmas songs...
1. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) - Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
3. White Christmas - Irving Berlin
4. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
5. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Johnny Marks
6. (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays - Bob Allen, Al Stillman
7. O Holy Night – Adolphe Adam and Placide Cappeau
8. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Johnny Marks
9. Sleigh Ride – Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish
10. Silver Bells - Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
11. A Holly Jolly Christmas - Johnny Marks
I've already heard enough of "Feliz (Freakin') Navidad" this year.... I'm starting to get the urge to go out and give everyone lettuce picked by illegal immigrants for Christmas...
Always loved James Brown's song "Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto." And for a great Christmas CD that most people haven't even heard of, Holly Cole's "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
It's a goodie.
My favorites are "Sleigh Ride" and Ella Fitzgerald's version of "Let It Snow."
Also, I love Jack Johnson's version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." That song always bothered me as a kid, but Jack Johnson fixed it by adding a verse at the end after all the reindeers cheer and invite him to play with them:
But Rudolph, he didn't go for that,
He said, I see through your silly games
How can you look me in the face when only yesterday you called me names?
All of the other reindeer, man, they sure did feel ashamed,
"Rudolph, you know, we're sorry,
We're truly gonna try to change."
If you don't like The Little Drummer Boy, maybe it is because you haven't heard Joan Jett's version found on her "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" CD.
As for my favorite Christmas songs, there is a wonderful Judy Garland song called "Merry Christmas."
Then there are songs that evoke the season, though they are not strictly Christmas songs. Among these my favorite is Gordon Lightfoot's Song for a Winter's Night.
I have to agree that the "Charlie Brown Chrostmas" soundtrack is my favorite christmas album.
As far as songs go, 2 stand out for me right now. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Vince Vance and the Valiants, and "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses.
Damn..got beat to Leon Redbone by TWO posters....
As Voltaire once said, "that which is to stupid to be said, is sung"
I think there is ample proof for this observation. And one more things, no two...excellent you're in Hawaii for which I am jealous and why is it anyone who has ever glanced toward a recording studio think they need to put out a Christmas collection?
Ken Levine said
[re: Claudine Longet] Before she shot skier Spider Sabich in cold blood she and husband, Andy Williams, were the first couple of the season.
Hey, for me, it just made her that much hotter. And it wasn't as if Claudine hadn't warned the dude. As quoted by Audrey Tautou in The Da Vinci Code:
“ You are in gwave danger.”
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song that always sounds great, no matter who is singing it. I have 10 different versions on my iPod, and I can listen to one after another.
For an album, nothing beats Rosemary Clooney's "White Christmas", a full Christmas album she recorded in 1996. Even the classics sound fresh with this album's arrangements, and her fantastic, mature voice. And there are a few songs I'd never heard before. Take it from this Jew, who has dozens of albums of Christmas music in his iTunes collection: this is the one I'd have if I could only have one.
Another TV special with great songs is Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carols. The songs, written by Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics), are surprisingly catchy and moving. Does anybody else remember "razzleberry dressing?"
Sadly, this will be Hawaii’s first Christmas without Don Ho Ho Ho.
Some holiday faves...
Mariah Carey's tribute to Phil Spector style holiday songs-"All I want for Christmas is you".
Allan Sherman's and The McKenzie Brothers "12 Days of Christmas"
The last two are local, and obscure, but Barenaked Ladies and Sarah MacLachlan's God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is great.
And a really cool doo-wop Christmas CD from Chicago: Street Carols, which has Ronnie Spector, The Chi-Lites, and the Iceman, Jerry Butler on it. Butler's Little Red Shoes is now my favorite Christmas song ever.
Let's not forget "Christmas Wrapping," by The Waitresses (who also did the theme song for the short-lived sitcom "Square Pegs").
One would be remiss not to include this soon to be Christmas classic:
Bill O’Reilly’s sexual harassment phone call to producer Andrea Makris, sung like Handel’s Messiah. As performed by Charles Roberts Stevens and the 28 piece/26 voice Belltown Chamber Symphony and Chorus at the University of Washington’s Meany Hall one year ago. Video:
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/70910/
And lest it go unsaid, although I do not bear the man the same holiday animosity, would it not be in the Christmas spirit to wish Jose Felciano had also been born deaf? But then Old Turkey Buzzard would never have gone MacKenna platinum.
I love Oh, "Holy Night." Even Eric Cartman couldn't ruin it for me.
It's Christmas tradition at my house to listen to the Muppets Christmas album while we cook the big meal.
The song I really hate above all others is "Sleigh Ride." There are like eight million versions of it and they used to all pipe in all day long from October to December when I worked at Boston Market in high school. That and "Winter Wonderland." Why does everyone have to cover the same two stupid songs?
Crap. Now I actually have "Sleigh Ride" in my head. Damn you.
My favorite is "Grandpa's Last Christmas" by The Vandals. Very funny stuff.
>>As Voltaire once said, "that which is to stupid to be said, is sung"<<
Well that explains "Cop Rock".
As far as my favorite Xmas song, it has to be Snoopy vs the Red Barron.
Have fun in the sun, Ken.
I'm not a fan of rock Christmas music. There are some I love, such as "Jingle Bell Rock," "Rocking Around The Xmas Tree" and let's not forget The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping." But I simply despise Spingsteen's version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town", U2, Mariah Carey, and most rock Xmas songs.
I'm a fan of the classics: Dean Martin, Perry Como, Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Julie London, Nat King Cole, the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack, etc, and instrumental music. That's the really good stuff.
"Do they Know it's Christmas" by Band Aid always puts me in the proper holiday mood. After 20-years it still makes me reflect on the right things.
Chris Isaak and Bare Naked Ladies both have terrific albums. Isaak's remake of Pretty Paper is worth the purchase.
I reccommend "Santa Claus: The Original Hippie," written and performed by Homer & Jethro from an LP they put out - well, you can probably guess the time period.
Dar Williams has a lovely little song titled "The Christians and the Pagans," that's a funny and touching song about coming home for the holidays.
I can't believe that I have gone through all these posts without seeing one mention of "Jingle Bells" by the Singing Dogs....is that a classic or what?
One of the worst Christmas songs of all time is easily "Please, Daddy, (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)", sung (but NOT written) by John Denver....and I'm a Denver fan!
My favorite album has always been one by Roger Whitaker. The dongs are mostly old folk songs, like Darcy the Dragon and Country Christmas, but The Governor's Dream is my favorite. Second favorite album is David Lanz Christmas album. His Silent Night is hauntingly beautiful and his Hark the Herald Angels rocks the house. All piano - but expertly played. And since I live in the Pacific Northwest - all of the Christmas in the Northwest albums are great fun. All done by very disparate singers and all the money goes to Children's Hospital. The first three are worth looking for.
My favorite Christmas carol is "The Holly and the Ivy." It's druidic. It's obscure. That's what I call a twofer.
Two additions:
MARY'S BOY CHILD, originally by Harry Belafonte, covered by Boney M in the 70s. A great, vaguely Caribbean song no matter who sings it. It deserves a place in the Christmas song canon.
Anything by Dean Martin on his Christmas album. Happy, enjoyable, singing and drinking and having a fine time, it's a great album
Actually Dad, Kurt did have time...
http://near-deathexperience.imeem.com/video/YxA5nfSZ/nirvana_christmas_comedy_video/
A song that has become identified with the holidays, but actually isn't..."Same Old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg. While the opening line sets the story on Christmas Eve, it's not about the season itself, but rather a bittersweet reunion between two former lovers. And it peaked on the charts in February (1981).
But now it does have additional poignancy, due to Fogelberg's recent passing from prostate cancer.
Hey, that's great. Thanks for suggesting these. I've already bought a couple or have reserved the CDs from the library. I've posted some of my own favorites of Christmas entertainment at my new blog. Merry Christmas!
http://www.bluemoonstudios.com/blog
The mention of John Denver's "Please, Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas") reminds me of another album for people who don't want the usual Christmas cheer. Check out "Bummed Out Christmas," featuring such classic obscurities as "Christmas Eve Can Kill You," "Santa Got A DWI," "Christmas In Jail," the even worse "Christmas In Prison," and the even-worse-than-that "Christmas in Vietnam." Listen to this and you'll understand why Christmas is the prime season for suicides:
http://www.amazon.com/Bummed-Out-Christmas-Various-Artists/dp/B0000032QT
And of course there's the ever popular Jesus' Birthday, by the Canadian group Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie
http://www.deadtroll.com/index2.html?/audio/jesus.html~content
this entire blog post is offensive to my religion. you'll be hearing from my lawyers
One of my favorites is "Mele Kalikimaka" by Hawaii native Willie K, a huge talent who could be the offspring of Jimi Hendrix and Jackie Wilson, if only that was possible.
David Letterman is right -- rock'n'roll novelty Christmas songs ("Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," "Jingle Bell Rock") are the absolute WORST popular music, with the exception of Ms. Love's "Christmas Baby Please Come Home." Give me "Ave Maria" (or, for that matter, "Born to Run") any Yuletide.
One nice modern (i.e., written around 1950) Christmas pop song I've recently discovered -- a second cousin of mine named Donald Upton wrote the lyrics -- is "Christmas Eve in My Hometown," sung by Bobby Vinton.
I LOATHE "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." And anything by The Carpenters.
The best is "Blue Christmas" sung by Porky Pig. I tear up every time I hear it.
I'd rather be consumed alive by red ants than hear "The 12 Days of Christmas" again.
Happy to recommend the cover of Christmas Time Is Here by Will Downing on the album "Special Gift." Can be sampled on that ubiquitous music service.
I can certainly agree that the worst of the holiday songs seem to be those played with greatest frequency! The metro Manila area has been inundated with them since September! (Yeah, they start a bit early over here!) And I agree that Paul McCartney's ranks up there with them.
If you have to pick a Beatle to listen to at Christmas time, try Ringo Starr and his album "I Wanna Be Santa Claus". It's a mix of standards and original songs, lots of fun and you can listen to it almost any time of year.
Nobody heard of "Oy to the World: A Klezmer Christmas" by the Klezmonauts? Classic fun stuff.
From the mushy and sentimental side, I love the melody on Paul Anka's "It's Christmas Everywhere" (there is a chord change in it identical to the '40s classic "That's All"), Frank Sinatra's "Christmas Waltz" and Frankie Lymon's absolutely heartbreaking "It's Christmas Once Again." (When I hear that I want to hijack Rod Taylor's time machine, go back to 1958 and tell Lymon to clean up his act, and get off the drugs before time ran out.)
On a more modern note, Lou Christie wrote and recorded a terrific audio postcard about his adopted hometown. Check out "Christmas in New York" on his self-named website.
Quick question for Ken's savvy readers -- what is the name of the song (I suspect it's by Mannheim Steamroller) that's playing in the current Christmas-themed Miller Beer TV commercial, the one showing Frederich Miller's original Plank Road Brewery in Milwaukee?? Great stirring piece of music, but I can't place it.
Thanks in advance.
What is the name of the song (I suspect it's by Mannheim Steamroller) that's playing in the current Christmas-themed Miller Beer TV commercial...
That's the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, otherwise known as the world's best Mannheim Steamroller tribute band. (Okay, that last part's not really true.) The commercial is actually based on a video by TSO that keeps running on a local cable access channel here, but offhand I can't remember the name of the song. Think it's an original, though, not a reworking of an older song.
Hmmmm...
I didn't see any mentions of....
2000 Miles by the Pretenders
Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon
I Believe in Father Christmas -- ELP
Merry F'n Christmas -- South Park
My parents had the world's greatest 8-Track tape that was a mixture of 50s, 60s, and 70s Christmas Songs. I'd love to have it on CD, but I think it was a Columbia House special.
Got it. That Trans-Siberian Orchestra song is "Wizards in Winter." Thank you, Wikipedia.
How about Frank Sinatra's "The Christmas Waltz"? He recorded two versions of it; I prefer the one without the chorus.
Whatever, man, Feliz Navidad is the bomb.
My favorite is "Last Christmas", though. The Jimmy Eat World cover is awesome.
Stop laughing.
Yeah, as much as I love rock 'n' roll, the second I hear sleigh bells on a rock station, I lunge for the dial. I haven't been impressed with many Christmas songs written or recorded in the last 30 years or so. Maybe I'm just hearing the wrong ones.
I Believe in Father Christmas -- ELP
That one reminds me of another favorite that I think has gone unmentioned: "Father Christmas" by the Kinks, the most moving holiday tune ever written about a gang of punks mugging a guy dressed as Santa Claus.
"Fah-ther Christmas!
Give us the money!..."
Hey Ken, you and Jef Mallett are apparently on the same page as far as your opinions of "Feliz Navidad" go. But Jef's found a way to deal...
Today's "Frazz" comic strip
:-)
Hey Ken, you and Jef Mallett are apparently on the same page as far as your opinions of "Feliz Navidad" go. But Jef's found a way to deal...
Today's "Frazz" comic strip
:-)
Sorry for the double post. My mistake, of course.
I too hated Feliz Navidad until my six year old and I traded verses on it one day for a good half an hour.
Anything that makes my daughter smile and gets me involved is okay in my book.
To be clear though, Jose Feliciano's version sucks. Let's just be glad his version of Light My Fire has been chucked into history's dustbin.
Sounds like we may have a great feature for an oldies station, the "Christmas Oldie From Hell."
"Don Ho may have left us, but as long as Britney Spears and her now pregnant 16 year old sister are still alive, we'll always have Ho's singing at Christmas time."
-- Don Imus
ken, i not only have the claudine longet album picture w/this story, but i have ANOTHER ONE she issued around the same few years.
this is me: holding my head in shame.
on a brighter note, i also have the linda eder CD.
merry holidays!!!
No mention of Green Christmas by Stan Freberg?
Why all the hatred for "Feliz Navidad"? I love that song - always makes me happy.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Richard Cheese, with Christmas in Las Vegas!
RE:"Don Ho may have left us, but as long as Britney Spears and her now pregnant 16 year old sister are still alive, we'll always have Ho's singing at Christmas time."
-- Don Imus
Jamie Lynn Spears favorite Christmas song:
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
Mommy and Daddy are mad --
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
'Cause I was so good, I was bad.
My horny boyfriend knocked me up;
The Enquirer snitched on me.
Now every morning I throw up
Right on my agent's knee.
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
Britney and Kevin are mad --
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
'Cept more press than they ever had.
Just realized that there are more lines to the original, so came up with more (I apologize, Ken, but you know me -- give me a cyber-inch and I'll take a mile)
Jamie Lynn Spears' favorite Christmas song:
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
Mommy and Daddy are mad --
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
'Cause I was so good, I was bad.
My horny boyfriend knocked me up;
The Enquirer snitched on me.
Now every morning I throw up
Right on my agent's knee.
That's the end of all my fun --
A single momhood I've begun --
No more Nickelodeon --
Wait! Oprah's on Line Three!
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
Britney and K-Fed are mad --
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas --
'Cept more press than they ever had.
Here in Alabama, they play I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayla Peevey (from 1953) in heavy rotation every December.
http://homepage.mac.com/thetexansundial/hippopotamus/Personal151.html
I love it and hate it all at the same time.
My husband is from Philly, and he says he never heard it until he moved here.
Does anyone else know this song?
I most emphatically second Tom Galloway on Stan Freberg's classic Christmas message, "Green Christmas".
While it's not exactly a Xmas song, whenever I was working on-air on Christmas Day at an album rock station (being the station Jew, that was quite often), I always made sure to play Jimmy Buffet's "My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink, & I Don't Love Jesus". Just my way of saluting the holiday.
BOB
A few years back, Lynyrd Skynyrd & .38 Special released albums with some great covers of Xmas tunes. Give .38 Special's version of
"The Little Drummer Boy" a listen; it's a great arrangement and Don Barnes' vocals are from the heart. I'm also a big fan of Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas From The Family", ELP /Greg Lake's dark take with "I Believe in Father Christmas", and Jethro Tull's "A Christmas Song". I can't stand Streisand's Xmas yowlings, hate "Granma got run over...", and despise the barking dog thing.
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