We all have them and they are never more precious than at Christmas time- I'm talking about our favorite versions of classic holiday songs.
So when I say "Frosty the Snowman", are you hearing Fiona Apple or Bing Crosby? Maybe you prefer Ella Fitzgerlad or even The Cocteau Twins. Or, for a slow-dance version, the Partridge Family. But please tell me it's not Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Let's play a little game. I'll name a Christmas song, and you tell me who recorded your definitive version. Well, okay, I'll start. But I want to hear you singing along!
Frosty the Snowman: Fiona Apple
Santa Claus is Coming to Town: Chris Isaak (with Stevie Nicks)
Good King Wenceslas: Loreena McKinnett
Go Tell It On the Mountain: Simon and Garfunkel (with James Taylor a very close second)
I Saw Three Ships: Sting, of course
Mary's Boy Child: Boney M (go look it up on itunes- the real version isn't there, but some good imitations are)
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear: Sixpence None the Richer
Do You Hear What I Hear: The Rankin Family
I Pray on Christmas: Harry Connick, Jr.
I'll be Home for Christmas: Tony Bennett (live version)
Let It Snow: Gary Grant (a former co-worker of Q's, Sinatra sound, on itunes)
Winter Wonderland: Harry Connick, Jr. (from When Harry Met Sally)
Jingle Bells: Diana Krall
O Little Town of Bethlehem: Sarah McLachlan
Away in a Manger: Emmylou Harris
Hark, the Herald Angels SIng: Jim Brickman (piano)
O Tannenbaum: The Vienna Boys Choir
O Come All Ye Faithful: Amy Grant
Silent Night: The Hooters
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day: Jars of Clay
Deck the Halls: Aly & AJ
O Holy Night: Afterglow
Silver Bells: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Some Children See Him: James Taylor
Angels We Have Heard on High: Josh Groban
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting): Mel Torme
Do They Know It's Christmas: Band Aid (really, nobody else can do it justice- it must have Boy George, George Michael, and Bono in all of their 80's naiveness.)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Chris Isaak (if I have to listen to that song)
You might notice a few missing. Well, I don't have a favorite version, so let me know what your definitive version is of "Joy to the World", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (BNL is pretty good), "White Christmas", "The Holly and the Ivy" (I used to have a great dulcimer version, but it's on cassette tape), etc.
As for new favorites, I love "Mele Kalikimaka" and "Brightest Star" by Christ Isaak, "Someday at Christmas" by Stevie Wonder, and " Maybe This Christmas" by Ron Sexsmith, of course.
What's on your soundtrack this year- and every year?
6 comments:
There's no way I'm competing with a list like that. I did a new soundtrack this year called "Kari's So-Good-I-Amaze-Even-Myself Christmas Mix" and yet 2 days after burning the discs I already have revisions so extreme that I've started my Christmas 2009 mix. I tried to go hunting for some new material this year. I bought Jars of Clay "Christmas Songs" at Borders - a most excellent album with about half originals and half renditions of classics, very good dreamy renditions. I also stumbled into the Christian rock area on iTunes - something I know little about - and found some good groups that do good songs: Mercy Me, Third Day (bought their whole Christmas album on iTunes) and Josh Wilson. He has a 3-song mini album I bought for $2.49 with an orignal song "Sing" (haven't listened to it yet), a peppy "Angels We Have Heard on High", and an awesome acoustic guitar "The First Noel." Love that one. I also still like Aly & AJ's Christmas cd I bought last year.
The two songs I can't seem to get enough of, for several years running now, are "Song for a Winter's Night" by Sarah McLachlan and "Who Comes This Night" by James Taylor. Sometimes I just put them on repeat. I like how they make me feel. Hate to do a spoiler but just for you - this year's mix is:
1- Jingle Bell Jamboree by Keb' Mo'
2- Christmastime in the City by Mary Chapin Carpenter
3- Mary Did You Know by Christine Evans
4- Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24 by TransSiberian Orchestra
5- Little Drummer Boy by Josh Groban
6- Joy to the World by Voice Male
7- O, Little Town of Bethlehem by jars of Clay
8- In the Bleak Mid-Winter by Shawn Colvin
9- Who Comes This Night by James Taylor
10- Song for a Winter's Night by SM
11- One Toy Soldier by Enya
12- Angels We Have Heard on High by Josh Wilson
13- Oh Holy Night by Relient k
14- Born in Bethlehem by Third Day
15- Silent Night by Aly & AJ
16- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by MercyMe
17- Oh Come All Ye Faithful by Twisted Sister (That's right!)
I have a Kari's Christmas Favorites playlist on my ipod with about 40, and I switch them out as I get tired of them or new ones come into favor. That's really the way to do a Christmas soundtrack because it's ever-changing.
That sounds like a great Christmas album. You should burn that on a disk or 2 and give it to me :) I'll even give you the disks!! ::batting my eyelashes:: I must say we only had one Bing Crosby album growing up so that's about all I know. I haven't invested the time or funds to listen to the new stuff, plus I NEVER listen to the radio. Soooo, I guess I get left out on that front. But I do love Bing's version of Mele Kalikimaka.
You can't have a list like that without some more divas . . .
Ok- name them! Let's see your list.
No Peanuts Christmas songs? That's always been my favorite! I guess I'm not the target audience for Christmas songs, though.
Ha ha- that made me laugh. I guess there are some good Peanuts instrumentals. You can add any of your winter holiday favorites. I have to say that the Hebrew in Chanukah songs usually throws me off, but I like Maoz Tzur by Cindy Paley and Chanukah and Solstice by Linda Hirschhorn. What's on your music list?
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