Tag Archives: Christmas Music

Christmas Song Countdown #21

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

tree

Courtesy of:  The City Sage (original source unknown)

 

Today’s pick was an easy choice.  My Christmas season is not complete until I hear this song by Elvis Presley himself.  Let’s be real-there was not a piece of music the King sang that I did not like.  His delivery was always impeccable with just the right amount of emotion in his velvety smooth voice.  Combine that with the heavy bass line and the fantastic back-up singers and you have one heck of a song.

But as much as I love Elvis’ Blue Christmas, I remembered another version of this song that I love, too.  It is by an artist who died on his 79th birthday in April.  Another country music star who had that heavy-drinking-fast-living-outlaw persona but that started from his past as a convict while he was in his late teens and early 20’s.  While in jail he realized that all he would get for a life of petty crimes and robberies were those steel bars, so he began to turn his life around, especially after seeing Johnny Cash’s San Quentin concert in 1959.

elvis

Courtesy of:  Elvis.com

 

This artist’s version of Blue Christmas is acoustic and his voice is much edgier than the King’s, bit it still works.  Maybe because I’m a fan, maybe because I am sorry he is gone, maybe a little of both.  The last time I saw him perform was on the 2014 Grammy Awards.  where he sang with his buddies Kris (sa-woon) Kristofferson and Willie Nelson.  Some of his hits include “If We Make It Through December“, “Silver Wings“, “That’s The Way Love Goes” and “Bar Room Buddies“, a duet with Clint Eastwood from the movie “Bronco Billy”.  However, he will probably best be remembered as an “Okie from Muskogee“.

Merle Haggard:  Blue Christmas.

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Merle Haggard Courtesy of:  ABC News (original source unknown)

 

P.S.  I found this on YouTube the other day, and I still have not stopped laughing.  I am not a big fan of Porky Pig’s, but his performance.of this song is just too funny!!!  Enjoy!!!

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

silver-bells

 

 

Christmas Song Countdown #20

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

robin

Courtesy:  Country Living Magazine

Today’s pick was one of my mother’s favorite Christmas carols.  If I close my eyes tight enough I can practically see myself as a young girl standing next to her in church singing this song with her.

The version I chose is by a singer who has one of the most beautiful-and most powerful-voices I have ever heard.  She is tied with Reba McEntire for the most nominations (17) in any vocalist category from the Country Music Association .  While she has a lengthy repertoire of original music (including my favorite “A Broken Wing“), she has also covered such classics as Van Morrison’s “Wild Night“, Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night“.

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Kris Kristofferson (Original source unknown)

 

WE INTERRUPT THIS BLOG POST FOR A MOMENT TO SWOON OVER KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!!! .

(Thank you.  I needed that).

I like that despite the strength of her voice, she does not over-sing every single note of every song she sings.  She adds the punch when needed but sings softly as well.  Her performance of this song is a perfect example of her impeccable balance.

Martina McBride:  O Come All Ye Faithful.

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

country-living

Courtesy:  Country Living Magazine

Christmas Song Countdown #19

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

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Durango, Colorado  Courtesy:  TopValueReviews.net (original source unknown)

 

The singer with today’s song is another phenomenal soul and R&B singer.  Like the others in the countdown, he got his start singing in church. That early training laid the foundation for the passionate delivery on almost every song he sang.

He recorded some music at Stax records and worked with the house band-also known as Booker T. and the MG’s-and Isaac Hayes, who would go on to win an Oscar for “Shaft”.  This singer also wrote his own music, putting him on the same level as contemporaries Sam Cooke and Otis Redding; but, he is also known for a fantastic cover of the Beatles song, “Hey Jude“, which features a pre-Allman Brothers Band guitarist named Duane Allman.

 

wilson-duane Wilson Pickett and Duane Allman circa 1968 (original source unknown)

 

This singer recorded several Christmas songs, but this one is my favorite.

Wilson Pickett:  Jingle Bells

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

small-town-christmas

Courtesy:  Cape Night Photography 

Christmas Song Countdown #16 & #17

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

I had some technical difficulties yesterday, so today’s post will celebrate two songs to catch us up.  Double the musical fun!!!

christmas-4

(Original source unknown)

 

The first song is by country music royalty.  He grew up listening to hymns and folk songs to become one of the architects of Sam Phillips’ label, Sun Records.  He brought an edge to country music, joined fellow country icons to become a Highwayman and for all intents and purposes brought the bad guy persona to country music with his “Folsom Prison Blues” song & concert.

And if his contribution to that genre was not enough, he covered many different songs from artists he admired like Neil Young (“Heart Of Gold“), Bruce Springsteen (“Johnny 99“) Nine Inch Nails (a powerful astonishing version of “Hurt“) and U2 (“One), to name a few.  Yet, he will always be best know for his staple songs, namely “Ring of Fire“,  “A Boy Named Sue” and “I Walk The Line“.

He was also one half of one of the greatest love stories of all time, proving to men everywhere that there is absolutely no shame in admitting you need a good woman by your side, and wanting her there as well.

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Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash’s wedding day-March 1, 1968 (courtesy:  JohnnyCash,com) 

 

He took this Christmas carol and made it his own.  He was, very simply, the Man In Black.

Johnny Cash:  Silent Night.

Second pick:

Not too many people have actually written a Christmas song, only performed the classic ones.  This singer has done both, and I really like some of her music from the early years of her career (mid to late 1990’s) until she moved to her post Tommy Mottola now-I-am-going-to-pepper-my-pop-sound-with-rap years.  But there is no denying the power or beauty of her voice.

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(Courtesy of Universal Pictures)

 

Call it a guilty pleasure, or a loyalty to someone else from my home region of Long Island, but I do occasionally listen to this singer and this song specifically at this time of year.  If you are a fan of the film “Love Actually” there is no way not to enjoy this song.  (And despite all the baggage surrounding her first acting performance in the movie “Glitter”, I thought her performances in “Wisegirls” and “Precious” were very well done.)

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Mariah Carey, Melora Walters and Mira Sorvino in “Wisegirls” (courtesy of Loins Gate Films)

 

I love this video for this song so much better than the first one.  It may not be Christmasey, but it is not cheesy, either.

Mariah Carey:  All I Want For Christmas.

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

 

christmas-candles

(Original source unknown)

Christmas Song Countdown #15

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

chistmas-music-ornament

Courtesy:  Tea Green Chandelier

 

It is hard for me to believe that the same team behind the “Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer” TV special-Arthur Rankin, Jr. & Jules Bass-also came up with the story for the special based on today’s song, which was first recorded in 1951.  Perhaps one of them worked for Walt Disney at some point because he seemed to enjoy creating stories around subjects who lost parents.

The main character of this special is an orphan, so I do not enjoy watching this Christmas show at all.  I remember it being on our TV set year after year when I was a kid, but between the sad story and the operatic version of the song used in the special, I preferred to go to bed early rather than suffer through the show one more time.

But then I heard the song as a duet between Bing Crosby and the beautiful talented man we lost earlier this year-David Bowie (read my tribute here)-and suddenly the song was no longer the bane of my existence (I still hate the TV special, however.  The story of an orphan is not Christmas fare EVER, even if that orphan got to play his drum for the Baby Jesus!!!  A lot of kids with parents play the drum, too!!!)

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David Bowie & Bing Crosby (original source unknown)

 

Over the years I have heard other fantastic recordings of this song, but today’s pick is my favorite.  Why?  Because it’s by Ray Charles.  No other explanation necessary.

Ray Charles:  The Little Drummer Boy

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

 

10-shabby-chic-vase-decoration

 

Courtesy:  Christmas Celebrations 

 

 

Christmas Song Countdown #14

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

country-christmas-trees-farm-snowy-winter

 

Courtesy:  cctrees.us 

I am not a fan of reality shows, so I do not watch them.  I knew who the first winner of “American Idol” was because of all the publicity surrounding that season, so after that I really did not know anything about the competitors until Daughtry (sa-woon!!!).

So the winner of Season 4 was not on my radar.  But then her song, “Before He Cheats” was everywhere, and I remember thinking is it really a good idea for someone to be bragging about a crime (“Carved my name into his leather seats, I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights, I slashed a hole in all four tires”) ?  I must admit I was not impressed.

Then I saw her perform live at the 2014 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. She joined Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt & Emmylou Harris in a tribute to Linda Ronstadt.

linda-rondstadt

Linda Ronstadt circa early 1970’s  (original source unknown)

This singer was so good even Stevie Nicks complimented her performance of “Different Drum“.  That is an amazing feat.  So is co-hosting the CMA Awards for  eight years straight.  So now I am a little impressed.  Especially after hearing her take on this Christmas classic.

Carrie Underwood:  The First Noel.

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

silver-bells

Original source unknown

Christmas Song Countdown #13

Posted in Christmas, Music, Uncategorized by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

picture-wreath

Courtesy of Widadesign.com 

 

Today’s singer has been performing for decades, and is probably the greatest and most famous back up singer that ever was.  She has worked with the likes of Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt and Aretha Franklin, whom she channels in today’s song.

A phenomenal singer in her own right, she will probably always be best remembered for her work with Phil Spector’s groundbreaking “Wall of Sound” recordings in the 1960’s; namely ”He’s a Rebel,” ”(Today I Met) the Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” and today’s featured song which she performed regularly on David Letterman’s show during the Christmas season.

She was one of the main singers spotlighted in the 2014 Best Documentary Oscar winning film, “20 Feet From Stardom”.  She also played Danny Glover’s wife in all four “Lethal Weapon” movies and Judy Burrell on my soap “Another World” in 1993.

lethal-weapon

Danny Glover & Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon” (Courtesy of IMDb)

 

If all that were not impressive enough, the New York Times paid her one of the greatest compliments ever when they said her voice is ”as embedded in the history of rock and roll as Eric Clapton’s guitar and Bob Dylan’s lyrics”.  Wow.  Who would not want to be remembered like that?

Darlene Love:  Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

P.S.  An honorable mention to U2 for their version of today’s song.  Who does not want to imagine themselves as the reason for Bono’s pleading?  Or more to the point, who does not want to listen to Bono and the rest of U2, period???

u2-mojo-254-770

U2 by Mattia Zoppellaro for MOJO magazine

 

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

Christmas Song Countdown #9

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown!!!

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I will admit this is not a great song.  Musically it leaves a lot to offer and the singing is, well, terrible.  And I could have produced it better despite the fact that I have never produced a record in my life.  And the video is one of the cheesiest ever made.

So why is it on the countdown, you ask???

BECAUSE IT’S FUN!!!

And funny.  To listen to and to sing.

One of the best things about the Christmas season is the traditions.  So when they are gone, it leaves a void and a bittersweet feeling that can be hard this time of year.

My cousins and I use to sing this to my grandmother on Christmas Eve while we were opening presents.  I may not remember what I received, but I remember the singing.  And my grandmother’s face as she laughed with us during the chorus.  I miss those Christmas Eves because I miss her so much I ache.  Incredibly big sigh.

Elmo & Patsy:  Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

wreath

 

Christmas Song Countdown Day 6

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the Christmas Song Countdown!!!

I have included pictures of some very interesting Christmas trees I spotted today…..

Like the angel one below…..

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Beautiful, right???

So I hope you enjoy them also!!!

Yesterday I told you about my dear childhood friends, the Peanuts.  Well, I discovered them through another great love of mine-TV.  I have had a profound TV addiction since I was born and I make no apologies for that.  It is part of the charm of me   🙂

Another thing I make no apologies for is my love for daytime soaps.  Of course I was wild for “GH” during the Luke & Laura years, but my all-time favorite one was “Another World” (AW).  I used to watch it with my mother when I was home sick from school and on summer vacations and continued  watching it as an adult until it was cancelled in June of 1999.

another_world-show

Complete aside.  I bought my house in May 1999.  A month later, the soap opera I watched for my entire life was cancelled.  Talk about the yin and yang of life!!!  I still miss my friends from Bay City every day.  Sigh.

But I digress.

One of the reasons why I always loved AW was because it kept surprising me.  The way it celebrated great friendships, had several characters quoting W.B. Yates & E.E. Cummings and used great music in every episode, 20 years before “Grey’s Anatomy” made it a staple in evening TV.  One of the singers I heard for the first time was the artist with the #6 song.

“AW” used one of her Broadway solos in an especially sad scene after a favorite character, Ryan, died.  The song played as the audience watched his loved ones get the news (including Ryan’s dad, played by my beloved Charles Keating).  Their raw emotion set to the power of her voice and her delivery of the song had me, at first, in uncontrollable tears to giving the cast a standing ovation from my bedroom.  That is what happens when the right song is used in the right moment of a show.

And how could it not work in a mourning scene with lyrics like these:

“Once upon a dream, you were heaven sent to me 

But it wasn’t meant to be, now you’re just a dream…”

Oh, no…..I’m getting verklempt   😦

aw-carl

Charles Keating as Carl Hutchins in “Another World”

The tune was “Once Upon A Dream” from the “Jekyll and Hyde” Broadway play.   I never forgot the song or the singer.  She left an indelible mark on my heart and my memory.  So when I heard the song at #6, I knew it was her.  The music is led by an unbelievably talented harpist named Jung Kwak.  The combination is mesmerizing.

Linde Eder:  The Gift.

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

And say “Hi” to the snowman tree below!!!  I love him!!!

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Christmas Song Countdown Day 5

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the Christmas Song countdown.

truck-with-wreath

Today’s song has the ability to transport me back to the warmest part of my childhood with the very first note.  And that is no easy feat.  I grew up much faster than I should have because that was my road to walk, but once you see happily ever after end in a horribly final way, you never believe in fairy tales again.

But these childhood friends of mine were my safe place, where I was kept out of harm’s way in a world with kids who did not see me differently because I no longer had the innocence of a child.  In fact, they did not even seem to notice.  They kept me in their world, no questions asked.  That was the part of my childhood I needed to hold on to most of all.  You do not forget friends like that.

peanuts-2

Copyright:  Charles M. Schultz

My friends, the Peanuts, already recorded this song to perfection.  But many other singers have covered this song since then, and this artist’s version is by far the solid second.  Between the combination of her beautiful voice and Diana Krall’s sublime piano accompaniment, this cover is absolutely gorgeous.

Sarah McLachlan:  Christmas Time Is Here.

PS:  Anita Baker’s jazzy, soulful version is also a worthy contender.  It definitely deserves a listen.

PSS:  The first song of the countdown was Joni Mitchell’s “River” (read that here) with an honorable mention to Sarah Mclachlan’s version.  Michael commented on that post that Robert Downey, Jr. did a “hauntingly beautiful” version of River when he was on “Ally McBeal”.   I love Robert Downey, Jr. and thought I saw every single “AB” episode when he was on it, but somehow that episode eluded me.  I listened to RDJ’s version today and Michael described it perfectly. It is hauntingly beautiful.  So, of course, I could not keep a gem like that to myself.  You can listen to it here.

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, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!

christmas

Courtesy of:  Captainwalt.com