Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

On October 15, 1957 Elvis Presley released his first Christmas record, Elvis’ Christmas Album. It contained two covers pertaining to the colors of the season-“Blue Christmas” (first recorded in 1948 by country singer & actor Doye O’Dell) & “White Christmas” along with Gene Autry’s “Here Comes Santa Claus”, amongst other holiday songs. But it is the first track of the album-another homage to Santa Claus-they gets my heart going. Written by the legendary songwriting team of of Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller (the geniuses behind “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock” and a slew of others), it is a rocking, bluesy, fiery tune that features a great Fats Domino-like piano arrangement (played to the heavens by Elvis’ longtime band member Dudley Brooks), killer back-up vocals by The Jordanaires and a tempo so strong you can almost visualize The King’s hips vibrating in front of you. The song is just magic.

Two months later on December 16, the album hit the #1 spot in the country. Elvis put one more Christmas record out during his career (1971’s Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas followed by several posthumous holiday releases), but for me and a lot of other fans it is this album, which was at the top of the charts 63 years ago today, that all the other ones would have to measure up to. As of this date, it remains the best selling holiday album of all time. All hail The King.

“Well, it’s Christmas time pretty baby
And the snow is on the ground
Well, you be a real good little girl
Santa Claus is back in town“.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Elvis Presley: “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” (1957, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.