Today began for me the official season of listening to Christmas CDs. I have a few favorites: Chieftains -- The Bells of Dublin. Irish group. Includes everything from bawdy drinking tunes to high church music, all with an Irish twist. All of the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs -- of course. The Roches -- We Three Kings. 3 sisters who sing together for the sheer fun of it. Great harmonies and impossible not to sing along to. Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. Produced by Quincy Jones. African-American interpretations of selections from the classic. Everything from slave dirges to jazz to disco to rap. Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel -- The Gift. Instrumental interpretations of classic holiday tunes, nice relaxing music to read to. The Ray Conniff Singers -- We Wish You a Merry Christmas. What can I say? It was is among my fondest childhood memories. So does anyone have any favorites? I'm always open to something new. Peace --
I too am a big fan of the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas collection, but who isn't. If you enjoy the Irish touch, you may enjoy the Celtic Christmas (Windham Hill) sampler. I can only speak to the first disc (I believe there are at least 3 at this point), but it is a beautiful collection. Enjoy and happy holidays.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Nov 24 2006, 06:13 PM) [snapback]353817[/snapback]</div> These sound nice. Don't forget Bing Crosby's Christmas Classics, hard to have a Christmas without hearing Bing's 'White Christmas', and "old Blue eyes" Frank Sinatra, some nice vocals from earlier days, but classic.
The Christmas Season started for me about an hour ago. My wife and I were walking through a store and they played Bing Crosby and David Bowie "Little Drummer Boy." I just about melt when I hear that song and the world disappears entirely when I see the video on TV.
Marjorie! I just love that version of the Messiah by Quincy! I cry every time I hear it! also Mel Torme and Nat King Cole Christmas songs, Take 6- He is Christmas falalalala!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Nov 24 2006, 09:39 PM) [snapback]353832[/snapback]</div> I had a version of Little Drummer Boy, and I think the other singer was David Bowie. But I've moved twice since I heard it, and I have no idea where it is. Is this the one where Bing is singing Little Drummer Boy and David Bowie is singing a different melody that starts "Peace on earth, can it be?" Peace --
Here's my Christmas Mix from last year: Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero Tori Amos - Muhammad My Friend Negativland - Christianity Is Stupid Tom Lehrer - A Christmas Carol Depeche Mode - Blasphemous Rumours Rudolph and Gang - Here Comes Fatty Claus Ren & Stimpy - I Hate Christmas Nine Inch Nails - Heresy The Bobs - Christmas in Jail XTC - Dear God Wall of Voodoo - Shouldn't Have Given Him a Gun For Christmas Spinal Tap - Christmas With the Devil Poxy Boggards - Santa Dog Mark Mothersbaugh - Soylent Night Public Image, Ltd - The Order of Death Stan Freberg - Green Christmas The Velvet Underground - The Gift Timbuk 3 - All I Want for Christmas I haven't made this year's yet, but I am hoping to make it even more cynical.
I love all of the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs as well. I have a traditional Handel's Messiah I like. I think Harve Presnell does the bass solos. Or maybe it's the Robert Shaw Chorale. I also like Three Harps for Christmas. I think I only have that on vinyl and not CD. And I have a Medieval Christmas record that I don't think has been released on CD. I may have to look again this year, or just transfer it to my laptop and burn my own CD. I think it was called Christmas in Anglia. It featured a soprano and a countertenor. A lot of the songs were in Latin. Man, I love that record. I was a bit disappointed in a Manhattan Transfer Christmas CD I bought a few years ago. I have two Bill board Top Christmas CDs. An early one 1935-1954 and a later onen1955 to present. One has Bing doing White Christmas and Rudolph. The other has Santa Baby and Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer. Two favorites are the soundtrack to Charlie Brown Christmas and the soundtrack to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. My mother has a Drummer Boy record we all listened to growing up. I like it for it's familiarity. I have a the Nutcraker on classical guitar that is rather nice. This year I bought a Klesmer Nutcracker and will be checking that out. I also have a Music Box Christmas that is the traditional tunes of the season recorded off of antique music boxes. Really nice. I have one German CD recorded by a children's choir in Germany. The traditional carols are sung in either German or Latin, depending on their original language. Also very nice. I think it's called Weisse Weihnacht.
I have over 700 Holiday songs on my iTunes, that I just put into there, from my own collection of CD's. Now I can play them throughout the house, via the iTunes local network. Keen!
I love the straight version of Messiah. Also the Bach cantatas number 4, Christ Lag and number 140, Wachet Auf. Not strictly christmas music, but they've got more to do with christmas than any of the popular garbage about snowmen and reindeer. Hey, I don't even believe in god, and I'm offended by all the crass commercialism!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Nov 24 2006, 11:25 PM) [snapback]353849[/snapback]</div> Yes, that's exactly the one. They sing in harmony for the majority of the song but at times while one is singing "come, they told me" the other is slowly singing "peace on Earth, can it be?" The video is of the two guys standing beside a piano. Nothing flashy, just a couple guys standing around singing.
Thanks for reminding me to spring load my index fingers to either plug my ears and hum and chant “nahh, nahh nahh, I don't hear it†. . . or to instantaneously flick the channel up or down button prior to the second note being sounded of The Christmas Shoes song. My gag reflex is now also on high-alert standby mode. <_< I too enjoy Christmas songs . . . just not for an entire month . . . and absolutely not THAT song.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Nov 25 2006, 10:10 AM) [snapback]353909[/snapback]</div> I know you're not much into the religious aspect of the season, but if you like unique, non-commercial vocal music look into Hildegard Von Bingen "Visions". Really nice plainchant with a twist. A bit old and non religious or seasonal at all is Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares vol 1 & 2. If your taste runs that way it's great accapella women's vocal music. I didn't care for vol. 3 or anything they've put out since 1 & 2.
Besides the Mannheim Steamroller disks I have to add the Trans-Siberian Orchastra. These guys are just awesome!
"Christmas Must be Tonight" by the Band. "Home by Another Way" by James Taylor. "Celebrate Me Home" By Kenny Loggins. "Same Old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg. And of course Bruce Springsteen's rendition of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."
What, no Bob Rivers? Chipmunks Roasting on a open fire Santa Clause is foolin' around White Trash Christmas Aquaclaus The Little Hooters girl Me and Mrs. Clause I am Santa Clause Walking around in Woman's Underwear Jingle Hells Bells The Under the Tree World of Jacques Cousteau
