I can't help but think of Christmas music and it seems divided into two catagories. The traditional songs I grew up listening to, that give me that warm fuzzy feeling of home and hearth. Then there's the newer contemporary songs by some of my favorite artists and bands. It's the lyrics that really make these great, because we all know the music can be really cheesy at times."A Christmas Song" Jethro Tull ~ Christmas Spirit is not what you drink.
"Please Come Home For Christmas" The Eagles or Aaron Neville, both versions are excellent, but Charles Brown is the original.
"I Believe In Father Christmas" by Greg Lake (of Emerson Lake & Palmer) ~ this song was redone years later by rockers Honeymoon Suite, which appeared on a Warner Brothers compilation CD Winter Warnerland.
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" - John Lennon's single Christmas song, but he only needed one to make his point..."A very Merry Christmas, And a Happy New Year, Let's hope it's a good one, Without any fear."
"Silent Night" Dr. John - The good doctor remakes this classic into a real celebration of joy.
"Father Christmas" The Kinks ~ I didn't know who this was at first, but I love the Kinks.
"Snoopy's Christmas" The Royal Guardsmen ~ The classic tale of Snoopy vs. the Red Baron..."Christmas Bells ringing through the land, bringing peace to all the world and good will to men."
"Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" David Bowie & Bing Crosby ~ priceless celebrity Christmas duet. It was a real surprise when it first came out, because these two guys seem to exist at the opposite ends of the universe. Not so.
"Oiche Chiun" Enya ~ from Irish group Clannad, Enya sings a haunting rendition of this classic Christmas carol "Silent Night" in Gaelic.
"Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Ray Charles & Betty Carter - Great story line with big band instrumental breaks.
"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" - Brenda Lee - This always makes me feel like a kid peeking under the tree.
"The Christmas Song" - Natalie Cole - Her silky smooth voice and lush orchestration make this uplifting, warm & bright.
"Wonderful Christmastime" - Paul McCartney - Macca's one and only Christmas song.
"Blue Christmas" Elvis ~ a timeless classic by The King.
"All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" Dread Zeppelin ~ Elvis meets Led Zeppelin reggae mashup, with lyrics from Spike Jones' classic.
"Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto" ~ James Brown funks up the holiday spirit.
"All I Want for Christmas" Timbuk 3 ~ Pat & Barbara update this song in their own "Austin-tageous" way.
"Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy" Buck Owens ~ Christmastime from the kids' point of view.
"Merry Christmas From The Family" Robert Earl Keen ~ Texas kinfolk git together fer a holiday in the country.
from the Atlantic album I Am Santa Claus; "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" sung to the tune of "The House Of The Rising Sun" and "Walkin' Round In Women's Underwear" (sung to the tune of "Winter Wonderland") by comedy music group Bob Rivers & Twisted Radio, one of my favorite parodies.
"Santa Claus And His Old Lady" Cheech & Chong ~ one of my favorite seasonal comedy routines. These guys always cracked me up.
"Deck the Halls" R.E.M. - The instrumentation really make this one stand out.
"It's Just Not Christmas" The Malibooz ~ from their album A Malibu Kind Of Christmas, sounds alot like the Beach Boys.
"Little Saint Nick" Beach Boys ~ a seasonal favorite you can sink your toes into.
"Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" The Texas Tornados ~ from the Warner Brothers' album A Christmas Tradition Volume III, Doug Sahm, Augie Meyers, Freddy Fender & Flaco Jimenez remake this Christmas classic.
"How Do I Wrap My Heart Up For Christmas" Randy Travis ~ from Warner Brothers' compilation album Winter WarnerLand. "Pretty bows and ribbons don't fit the gift I'm giving; your loving arms will have to do."
"What Child Is This" - Violinist and composer Mark O'Connor instrumental classic.
An album worth mentioning: A Charlie Brown Christmas ~ Vince Guaraldi's Original Soundtrack Recording of the CBS Television Special. An annual favorite TV special; I never tire of watching Linus recite the real meaning of Christmas. After all, 'tis the season for the children.
Related Tags: Music, Rock and Roll, Classic Rock, Christmas Music, CybersMusic
Posted by Mike
One of my favorites is the song "2000 Miles" from The Pretenders.
ReplyDeleteAnd Vince Guaraldi's music always seems to fit this time of year.
Enjoy the season!