Music & makeovers! I swoon for chippy paint, a gorgeous patina and a fabulous song!!! I love great music (read: Bruce Springsteen & Otis Redding), white lilacs, walking in freshly fallen snow, the Golden Girls, road trips and the fall!!!
Thirty five years ago the world was shocked to learn John Lennon was killed outside the entrance to his home in the Dakota Building in New York City. Part of why the news was so startling was not only because Lennon was a Beatle, but because after all his fame, music and notoriety, he was an icon of peace. And his killer was a mentally ill man who was able to get his hands on a gun despite his unbalanced status.
A few days after Lennon’s death, one of the New York papers ran a drawing of a smoking gun with the caption-“And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree there will be an answer”-from “Let It Be”. That was December 1980.
Less than four months later, another mentally ill individual attempted to assassinate President Reagan and permanently disabled Press Secretary James Brady in the process. That event led to one of the country’s first gun laws with the passing of the Brady Bill.
Nearly three years ago, 20 children and 6 adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty-two years ago yesterday 6 people were killed in the Long Island (NY) Railroad massacre.
Source: Newsday
In the years since places like Columbine, Aurora, Virginia Tech, Casas Adobes, Northern Arizona University, Texas Southern University, Umpqua Community College, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, UC Santa Barbara and too many others have experienced mass shootings. While some are acts of terrorism, like the ones in San Bernardino last week along with the those in Paris last month, the majority of the shootings which occur in this country are not.
Wherever you stand on the gun issue, we all must be able to agree that when a church, an elementary school, a college campus or a movie theatre becomes a shooting gallery, something has to change. Something that keeps the guns out of the hands of those too ill to understand the effects of their actions, while allowing those who are of sound mind and body the right to keep and bear arms. Because these mass shootings cannot continue to be routine events. They cannot and should not be our legacy.
Hello, Vixens. Did you read about the large people peace sign Yoko Ono organized in Central Park earlier this week? It was done in honor of John Lennon’s 75th birthday, which we celebrate today.
Photo courtesy of PIX-11.
That gesture reminded all of us how Lennon lived his life, using his celebrity and music not to push a clothing line or cologne spray, but to ask the world to consider peace over war. Light over dark. Love over hate. It is easy to see the roots of his masterpiece “Imagine” in that thinking.
Photo author unknown.
His childhood in England, his life as a Beatle, his marriage to Yoko Ono, his solo career and his years in his beloved adopted home of NYC shaped the life he shared with us in song. He was intelligent (“Across The Universe“), rebellious (“Revolution“), introspective (“In My Life“), romantic (“Jealous Guy“), a rocker (“Whatever Gets You Through The Night“), a proud father (“Beautiful Boy“). And so very much more.
Music is such a special part of my life, and Christmas songs are no different. There have been so many great versions of almost every song, it was hard to narrow it down to just 20. But with 10 days to go before the big day, I thought I would share my list with all of you.
Each song includes a link to a YouTube video. I do not own the rights to anything, nor am I associated with any of the channels/videos that I chose. I just picked ones that showcased either the artists and/or the song enough to give you the best feel for the tune (in my humble opinion).
All opinions are my own.
What are some of your favorite Christmas songs? Tell me in the comments below.
Enjoy!!!
1) Merry Christmas Baby by Bruce Springsteen ( written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore).
It’s Bruce. To say this is perfect would only be redundant.
2) Christmas Time is Here by the Peanuts ( written by Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi).
The Peanuts were my best friends when I was a kid, and today they are just as special to me. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is the main reason why. If all I did for the holiday season was watch this special, my Christmas would still be perfect.
3) White Christmas by Otis Redding (written by Irving Berlin).
Yes, I know all about the popularity of Bing Crosby’s version. However, in my humble opinion, Redding brings such a stunning soulful element to his version of this song I really cannot listen to any other one. And if it was good enough for the “Love Actually” soundtrack, it is good enough for me.
4) Winter Wonderland by Ray Charles (written by Felix Bernard).
Charles’ take on this is as unique and gorgeous as his version of “America The Beautiful”. Truly a holiday gem.
5) Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives (written by Johnny Marks).
Who does not want a singing snowman??? Burl Ives is one of the reasons why I still tune in to watch “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” even now.
6) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love (written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry).
Love has performed this song on Letterman’s show since 1993. You have to watch both the studio version and the live version to truly appreciate this song and Love’s voice.
7) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (written by Charles Wesley).
Between the Peanuts characters singing it at the end of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and it being the song that celebrated George Bailey’s worth in “It’s A Wonderful Life”, it is impossible for me to hear any version of this song and not get verklempt. A multitude of singers have covered this song but Martina McBride, Neil Diamond & Frank Sinatra’s versions are among my favorites.
8) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland (written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane).
Tony Bennett called Garland the greatest singer he ever heard. I am in no position to argue with a man of his talent and taste.
9) Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley (written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson).
It’s ELVIS!!!
10) O Come All Ye Faithful by Nat King Cole (written by John Francis Wade).
Most people associate him with the most famous version of “The Christmas Song”, but it is this Christmas classic that I love the most of Cole’s holiday recordings.
11) The Christmas Song by Tony Bennett (written by Mel Torme & Robert Wells).
Tony Bennett is a legend. If you do not have any of his music in your collection, you are doing yourself a disservice.
12) It’s a Marshmallow World by Dean Martin (written in 1949 by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose).
I think Frank Sinatra would even agree that Martin was probably the coolest member of the Rat Pack.
13) Celebrate Me Home by Kenny Loggins (written by Bob James and Kenny Loggins).
Not a cover of a Christmas classic, but a song of Loggins’ very own is now a holiday staple.
14) What Christmas Means To Me by Stevie Wonder (written by Anna Gordy Gaye (yes, Marvin Gaye’s first wife) & George Gordy).
Another original Christmas tune that has become a staple of the holiday. And who can forget Will Ferrell’s “Elf” jumping on the mattresses with his little brother while this song was playing?
15) Silver Bells by Rosemary Clooney & Bing Crosby (written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans).
Before her nephew George was probably even born, Rosemary Clooney was Hollywood’s “it” girl. Anything she sang was perfection and pairing her voice with Bing Crosby’s turned a song into a spectacular event.
16) Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon (written by John Lennon & Yoko Ono).
From the man who told us “love is the answer”, peace was the gift he wanted for the world, and not just at Christmas.
17) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams (written by Eddie Pola and George Wyle).
I’ll admit this song now reminds me of back to school shopping thanks to a fabulous campaign several years ago by Staples, but it is a holiday classic nonetheless.
18) The Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth by Bing Crosby & David Bowie (Drummer Boy written by Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati & Katherine Kennicott Davis, and the Peace on Earth music & lyrics written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman and Alan Kohan expressly for the recording by Crosby and Bowie).
In theory this was an odd pairing, but in principle their voices worked so well together it is hard to imagine this season without this song. But I still wonder what would have happened if Bowie had shown up at Crosby’s house dressed as Ziggy Stardust??? (LOL)
19) O Holy Night by Eric Cartman (written by Adolphe-Charles Adam).
South Park is one of my all time favorite shows, and this clip illustrates just one of the reasons why. Any reverence I had for this song is gone thanks to Trey Parker and Matt Stone, but I would not have it any other way!!!
20) Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer by Elmo and Patsy (written by Randy Brooks).
This brings back memories of me and my cousins signing this song to my grandmother, who I miss everyday, not just at Christmas. But this makes me feel a little closer to her.
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Lilacs & Rust 