My favorite Christmas CD? That's easy: "The Christmas Album," shown above. One thing that's striking about it: every song is sung with conviction. No irony, no condescension, just the straight dope. I also like the idea that some of the songs come from the mono era, and that artists include off-the-wall choices like The Associated Glee Clubs of America, and the De Paur Infantry Chorus. 
While I'm at it, I think I'll put up my list of definitive versions of Christmas songs. Here goes:
First Noel: Mario Lanza (45rpm version only, not the one on his Christmas album).
Jingle Bells: The Chipmunks
Cherry Tree Carol: Beers family
Watts Nativity: Mormon Tabernacle Choir (Mono)
O Holy Night: Mahalia Jackson
Silver Bells: Johnny Mathis
Blue Christmas: Elvis
White Christmas: Bing
Rudolph: Autry
This list leaves out a lot, most notably "Silent Night." That's because those songs are done well in several versions and no one version stands out as the best.
Favorite Christmas albums include ones by King's College (the early ones), Mathis, Jackson, the Chipmunks (only the one with Jingle bells is commendable), Nat King Cole and a bargain audio cassette: "Music Box Christmas." Come to think of it, there's a great CD containing songs and recitations by Hollywood stars of the 40s...I just can't think of the name.
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I like the soundtrack to the stop-motion Rudolph.
ReplyDeleteElvis also does the definitive version of "Here Comes Santa Claus".
ReplyDeleteEddie,
ReplyDeleteOh manly man of men who are manly, why do you censor and delete comments that dont have the same view or opinion as yours or the John K cult that thrives here. i notice that any comments that may have even suggested anything that didnt agree with you (or actually John K 's )or had a distorted/different view of certain things were quickly pulled form being view. It almost feels like a Scientology like thing.
Dare I even raise this question with fear of this post being also deleted for even asking? I am just curious and would like an honest opinion. That is ok to have different opinions isnt it?
Thanks and keep blogging the good blog.
Eddie, Thanks for the recommendations! Two of my favorite Christmas albums: Bobby Darin's ("The 25th Day of December") and the first of John Fahey's two Xmas albums (the one that, unfortunately lacks the Ukrainian Carol of the Bells). Also the album by Hermann Prey, Placido Domingo, and the Vienna Choir Boys gets an annual workout here on Jefferson Street.
ReplyDeleteWhat, no Beach Boys?
ReplyDeleteWhat about "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives?!? He's the ultimately grandfatherly singer!
ReplyDeleteAnon: You've sent me a lot of letters that I had to delete. I deleted them because they were half-baked and obsessive, not because I disagreed. I don't mind rational disagreement. I expect it.
ReplyDeleteYou have Asperger's or something similar. You simply can't understand answers that anyone else would accept. It's a medical condition. You don't have the intuition for social situations that other people have.
Accept that you have this condition and learn to cope with it. In this case just accept what seems like an illogical answer...and move on. If you can't accept it then appear to accept it. That'll be frustrating but at least you'll get along.
Don't write to me about this. What am I saying...you have a condition that guarantees that you'll do that. Well, that's what the delete button is for.
I wish you well. Other people manage to live with this condition and you can too.
Lester: Of course, The Vienna Boys' Choir! They're great! I'm familiar with the other names. I'll look up Hermann Prey and the Ukranian piece.
ReplyDeleteMarc: The Beach Boys did a Christmas album? I didn't know. I like the Phil Specter album. I wish I'd listed it.
Josh: Good choice!
weirdo: True, so true!
Dean Martin: "Christmas With Dino". Despite being a compilation of tracks from his Capitol and Reprise Christmas albums (from late 50s and mid-60s), it's very consistent in style. These are really enjoyable, laid back and slightly inebriated versions of Christmas classics :)
ReplyDeleteAnd how about THIS ONE ?
ReplyDeleteWith a cover like that, it might be one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time. :) Too bad that I never had a chance to hear it.
The santa on that cover seems kinda sinister.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine him moaning "dance puppets, dance!" while Pink Floyd's 'The Trial' plays in the backround.
Which would be cool
Just came here from Kali's place.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
Oh, yes, that's right: today is the Natal Anniversary. The Day That Shall Not Be Named--did Kali out you?! How you've grown and changed, Eddie--mellowed, even! Time was you'd cut the head off any unsuspecting, well-wishing workplace pal who'd dare to mention it. I say this from experience. ; D
ReplyDeleteWell, happy happy and a spin of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "IN the Bleak Mid Winter"(my two favorites among so many)for you.
btw I can't believe you'd leave out Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song"--or did you?
And for "contemporary" favs, I have to also add Kay Starr's "The Man With The Bag" and Jackie Gleason's instrumental "I'll Be Home For Xmas/Baby It's Cold Outside"--they're fantastic!
I can't play them at home without dancing around the living room--or drawing to them, that's really fun. : )
And last but not least: post some Xmas deco pics, please! From your deep love of non-ironic Christmas melodies, I take it you must jump into the Xmas spirit much as you do Hallowe'en!
I like the work Vince Guaraldi did for the Charlie Brown Christmas special. Those Charlie Brown cartoons were painfully boring to watch, but I always loved the music.
ReplyDeleteAnd happy B-day Eddie mon frère!
ReplyDeleteHave a Happy Birthday Eddie!!!
ReplyDeleteMine is on the 20th.
When you were a kid, how did you feel about those combination Birthday/Christmas presents.
Happy Birthday Uncle Eddie!!!
ReplyDeletehappy birfday uncle eddie!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE EDDIE!!! Do you get Birthday and Christmas presents, or do they get lumped together?
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Eddie!
ReplyDeletehappy birthday eddie!
ReplyDeletegreat theory about anon's Asperger condition! i just can imagine the guy thinking "okey, i'm going to accept what he said and get along with my life...i'm accepting it...accepting it....yeah i've accepted it already....hmmmm done...WHERE'S THAT COMMENT BUTTON!???"
enjoy your day!
It seems that Christmas season is the only time I can go to the malls and restaurants, etc, and actually hear good music. That's because they take the Bing, Nat, Andy, Burl, Frank and Dino CD's out of the mothballs and give them some airplay. As soon as Christmas is over, it's back to the same godawful modern rock and rap crap blaring out of every store and eatery. (sigh)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I've got my "Christmas With The Rat Pack" CD in heavy play these days. Though I love Sinatra, it's really Dean Martin who sings the best Christmas music. Whereas Frank sticks mostly to the heavy duty, serious Christmas carols, Dean sings all the lighter stuff and, as Hammerson so colourfully described, in a "slightly inebriated" fashion. My fave is Dean and the unidentified gals singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Dean at his most adorably lecherous!
Happy birthday Eddie! May you have many, many, more.
ReplyDeleteYAY Eddie and his anniversary of birth! Have a good one, man!
ReplyDeleteThis is my favourite post yet, Eddie, about my favourite topic. I'm not a fan of children's songs like Rudolph, kitschy cliche songs like "Jingle Bells" or overly traditonal or religious carols, unless they're by pavarotti or bing, but I do love the 30s-60s pop and rock songs!
ReplyDeleteThe greatest recording and song of all time in the history of mankind is Bing's rerecording of White Christmas (the famous one we all know.) it is perfect and it brings tears to these tired, cold and searching eyes. I actually stop working and just listen when it plays at my store.
My store only plays good music during the holidays and people actually complain! They'd, amazingly enough, rather listen to Fallout Boy and Cindi Lauper!
Here's my list, an asterisk denotes when ONLY this person may sing this song, and when I don't list the song, the answer is by default Bing Crosby:
*Christmas song: nat
white Christmas: bing (but elvis is also good)
let it snow: Frank "I DON'T CARE!!" Sinatra
God rest ye merry gentlemen: bing, live with the spoken word intro and clarinet solo
mama liked the roses: elvis (ray charles did one like this called "for mama"
here comes santa claus: bing (elvis comes close)
santa claus is coming to town: bing
*holly jolly Christmas: burl ives
*blue christmas: elvis
ave maria: pavarotti and bing
adestes fideli: bing (but pavarotti comes close
christmas don't be late: chipmunks (why don't more poeple cover this? Dave Seville was a good songwriter!)
winter wonderland: dean martin and bing crosby
i'll be home for Christmas: dean martin (elvis comes close)
*santa claus is back in town: elvis
run run rudloph: chuck berry (hey, did carl perkins ever record this?)
silver bells: bing crosby + carol richards
*jingle bell rock: bobby helms
*rocking around the christmas tree: brenda lee
Baby it's cold outside: bing + doris day
christmas in hollis: p.o.d.
I'm missing alot.
By the way, anyone want to get Bush to sign a constitutional emanedment banning Michael Buble, Barry Manilow, Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and all these other hacks from singing christmas songs?
Hammerson: Wow! Nice cover art! That guy likes his meat!
ReplyDeleteJenny: I haven't heard a couple of the pieces you mentioned; I'll keep an eye out for them!
My house is a mess right now so I may avoid putting up Christmas pictures but I might put up some Halloween pictures when I'm able. How about you? Have any Christmas pictures to share?
Casey: Guaraldi was great! I forgot to list him!
Josh: You got it: lumped together!
Pete: I can imagine that Dino would do a definitive version of that song!
Casey: Wow! Good choices and the ones I haven't heard yet are now on my list of versions to look for! Thanks!
Ernest Tubb did a nice version of Blue Christmas, too.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday, Eddie!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could do what they do in Katroo...