Tag Archives: Charles Brown

25 Days Of Christmas Music 2023: Day 14

Posted in 25 Days Of Christmas Music by

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the countdown.

Blog day 14

A beautiful rustic Christmas tree with pinecones galore featured in Country Living Magazine. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Today’s song was first recorded in 1947 by the band of one of the songwriter’s, Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers. The lead vocal is by singer & pianist Charles Brown, who went on to co-write and sing another successful holiday hit as a solo artist with “Please Come Home For Christmas” in 1960. 

My favorite version of today’s track is by my great love, Bruce Springsteen, released as part of 1987’s compilation album, A Very Special Christmas (it was also the B-side to his cover of “War” of all tracks in 1986). His rendition is followed closely by the cover by my other great musical love, Otis Redding. No surprise there. But I got so comfortable with these three renditions, I did not look for any others. Until this year. And what a shock to find two more unbelievably great versions by two unequivocal music legends.

Tina Turner recorded hers in 1964 when she was singing with her first husband. It is a rousing, funky, powerful no holds barred rendition delivered in a way only Tina could. Needless to say, it is glorious. We may have lost this force of a woman earlier this year, but finding this gem of a cover proves that music is the gift that just keeps giving, no matter how long it takes to find it.   

The King took on this song for himself as well. His website calls his version “as unlikely as it was welcome in the antiseptically “wonderful world of Christmas” and is that ever an understatement. I was so used to hearing the ballads and rock inspired tunes by Elvis, not to mention his gospel tracks, that this just reminded me why he is called The King. There was nothing-NOTHING-he could not sing, including a bluesy piano & guitar driven version of a great old Christmas tune. Shame on me for not finding it until 2023, but thank goodness I finally did. 

All five renditions are below for you to choose your favorite. And if you cannot choose, you have five great additions to your seasonal playlist.  

Johnny Moore
Tina circa 1973
otis-redding-merry-christmas-baby-atlantic-6

Picture 1: Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers. Picture 2: Tina Turner circa 1973. Picture 3: The jacket for Otis Redding’s 1968 holiday release. Picture 4: The jacket to Elvis Presley’s 1971 holiday single. Picture 5: The Boss in a festive mood in an undated picture. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers: ”Merry Christmas Baby” (1947, written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore. Lead vocal by Charles Brown.) 

Ike and Tina Turner: “Merry Christmas Baby” (1964, written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore).

Otis Redding: “Merry Christmas Baby” (1968, written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore).

Elvis Presley: “Merry Christmas Baby” (1971, written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore).

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: “Merry Christmas Baby” (1986, written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore).

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

Until next time, happy listening!!!

25 Days Of Christmas Music 2021: Day 20

Posted in Christmas, Holidays, Music by

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the countdown.

Day 20

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Blues musician & singer Charles Brown had the distinction of being part of two original Christmas songs during his career. In 1947 he played piano & sang the lead vocal on “Merry Christmas Baby” when he was a member of Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers. Moore wrote the song with Lou Baxter and later it was covered by many other performers including Chuck Berry in 1958, Otis Redding circa 1965 and Bruce Springsteen in 1986 (featured here on Day 6).

Brown co-wrote today’s song with Gene Redd in 1960 which was also the same year Brown released it as a single. It is sometimes referred to as “Bells Will Be Ringing” and has been covered by several artists over the last sixty years. But I think the soulfulness of the original beats any other rendition that came after it.

“Won’t you tell me you’ll never more roam
Christmas and New Year’s will find you home
There’ll be no more sorrow no grief and pain
‘Cause I’ll be happy happy once again“.

Charles Brown

Charles Brown circa 1955. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Charles Brown: “Please Come Home for Christmas” (1960, written by Charles Brown and Gene Redd).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing some things that I love with you  

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

Until next time, happy listening!!!

25 Days Of Christmas Music 2019: Day 15

Posted in Christmas, Holidays, Music by

Welcome back to the countdown!!!

Here is a vintage Christmas bell to ring now that the big day is officially 10 days away.

day 15

Found on Pinterest (original source unknown).

I have written before about how much I loved soap operas (you can read more about that here).  One of the soaps I loved was General Hospital.  Who was not infatuated with the whole Luke & Laura phenomenon?  But in many GH fans opinions, that show’s real hey day was the 1990’s.  The writing, the acting, the story lines were not only sublime but reality based as well.  This was in complete contrast to the previous decade where one major story line was about stopping a mad man with a weather machine trying to dominate the world.

Instead, the 90’s brought us stories dealing with organ donation, breast cancer, AIDS and living with an HIV positive diagnosis, adoption and family dysfunction in addition to a slew of new super couples and so much more.  It was truly must see TV.  While GH is still on the air, I lost interest over the years especially once Tony Geary (who played Luke) retired.  I love him sooo much and if you watch this clip from 6:45 -7:00 you will see why.  Long live Lucas Lorenzo Spencer!!!  But I digress.

Someone sent me a current video of GH they thought I’d like (I didn’t), but that little taste sent me to YouTube where I have been lost in a GH vortex ever since.  And I stumbled upon one of the best moments from the aforementioned great decade of the show.  Luke Spencer opened a blues club and today’s singer performed the first show there.  Who better to sing in that venue than “The King of the Blues” himself?

It was a huge moment for soaps, not to mention music.  For a genre considered by many to be a step down from “real” acting, not to mention their classification as “chick shows” because the majority of viewers were women, an appearance by a famous man who was a musical legend gave the show and the genre some solid respect.  He & his band put everything they had into their performance as well, just as if they were playing in front of a paying crowd in a concert arena.  There was nothing phoned in about it.  The only thing negative about it is that it did not last long enough.  There were actors with story lines to get to, as this was a soap, after all.  But music and soaps had gone hand in hand for years, and thanks to Riley B. King, they came together onscreen for two days in February 1995.  You can see the whole performance here.

BB King

B.B. King:  “Please Come Home For Christmas” (2001, written by Charles Brown & Gene Redd in 1960).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing some things that I love with you  🙂

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

Until next time, happy listening!!!

25 Days Of Christmas Music 2018: Day 7

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hi, Everybody!!!  Welcome back to the countdown.

day 7

Found on Pinterest/House Beautiful Magazine’s page.

Today’s song was written by Gene Redd & blues singer Charles Brown in 1960.  Brown recorded the original version the same year and it has since been covered by the likes of the Eagles, Willie Nelson, Martina McBride and Kelly Clarkson, to name a few.  The original is my favorite followed very closely by the 1993 version by a soul and R&B powerhouse who began as a solo performer in the 1960’s, then joined a group with his brothers in the 1970’s before hitting the top of the charts with a couple of duets with Linda Ronstadt in 1989 & 1990, including the #1 Billboard Adult Contemporary smash “Don’t Know Much”.

charles brown              aaron

Charles Brown (circa 1960’s)                                Aaron Neville (circa 1990’s)

Aaron Neville:  “Please Come Home For Christmas” (1993).

Charles Brown:  “Please Come Home For Christmas” (1960).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing some things that I love with you  🙂

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

Until next time, happy listening!!!