Tae

Today we have the Little Drummer Boy, performed by Percy Faith & Orchestra & Chorus. 

Today we have Bing with 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas'... which has to be one of the longer titles of the season. 

Not a lot to say today... here for your enjoyment is (There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays by The Carpenters:

This selection is for my husband. We went out for dinner, and in the middle of all the classy sort of tunes the restaurant was playing, the Chipmunk Christmas song came on. He was shocked, and even more so when I said that some people consider it a classic.

Then he demanded to know if the Star Wars Christmas special was also a classic. *facepalm*

So I said I'd post this, just for him: What do you get a Wookiee for Christmas? (When he Already Owns a Comb)

And now for the incomparable Judy Garland, with 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'.

Well. Since I'm running late (again), I'm going to do two songs and once and hope I get back on track on Saturday. ^^;

First up (we'll call it day 14) we have Jingle Bells. Everybody and his/her brother has recorded this, but I particularly like the version by the Mills Brothers... so that's the one I'm going to reference.

Although the song has more verses, the only artist I've ever heard sing more than the first is Barbra Streisand. I know the second verse, but there's also a third and fourth! (O.o)



My second choice for today (call it day 15) is "Christmas Is" by Bing Crosby. (Of course Crosby would show up here!) I've always liked the song, but it doesn't seem to be as popular or well-known as many of his other holiday recordings.

Today we have "Riu Chiu" performed by the Sailor Monkees. I love the song, and the video is mildly amusing too. =)

Today we have "Carol of the Bells" (or the Ukrainian Bell Carol) as performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. As beautiful as this piece is when presented as an instrumental, it's so much better when performed as originally intended: sung a cappella.

Which is why I found it absolutely amazing when my first college roommate -- who had David Foster's version on CD -- insisted that I was "making it up" when I said the song had words (which I was singing under by breath before she interrupted me). I couldn't decide whether to be that she thought I was creative enough to come up with the lyrics on the spot, or insulted that she thought I would lie about something like that. O.o

I hope you enjoy this version. As a chorale, there is an added depth and difficulty due to the timing and the cues and the fact that much of it is sung almost in the round.

And if anyone can point me to a version in the original Ukrainian, that would be fantastic!



Previous Selections:
Day 1: Jo Stafford, Winter Weather
Day 2: Dean Martin, I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Day 3: Eartha Kitt, Santa Baby
Day 4: Petula Clark, The Happiest Christmas
Day 5: Doris Day, Toyland
Day 6: Sammy Davis Jr., Christmas Time All Over the World
Day 7: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Day 8: Vanessa Williams, Baby, It's Cold Outside
Day 9: Nao, Fuyu no Sora

I wanted to include some more non-Christmas songs (which has been ruined by the fact that the best version I could locate has MERRY CHRISTMAS splashed across it, ARG), so today we have "Baby, It's Cold Outside".

This song is interesting (to me) because, although it's been recorded a number of times, the vocals are always uneven. Either one half of the duet will have a strong voice and the other doesn't; or both will be strong, but they don't match each other. For example, Michael Buble has done a version with Anne Murray, and Harry Connick Jr. has done one with Lee Ann Womack, and although in each case the vocalists are very good... they don't go well with each other. I've listened to at least ten versions, and none of them have it 'right'.

At least in my opinion. ^^;

I'm finding it rather frustrating, as I quite like the song.

So I'll go with the first version I ever heard, which is by Vanessa Williams. Her voice is smooth and lovely... I just which she'd gotten hold of Buble or Connick Jr. to sing it with her. ;)



Day 1: Jo Stafford, Winter Weather
Day 2: Dean Martin, I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Day 3: Eartha Kitt, Santa Baby
Day 4: Petula Clark, The Happiest Christmas
Day 5: Doris Day, Toyland
Day 6: Sammy Davis Jr., Christmas Time All Over the World
Day 7: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Sorry for the delay in posting this, today has just been busy busy! (And, I wanted to select Jo Stafford's rendition of "Let it Snow", but couldn't find a link to it. *pout*)

Today's selection is "Christmas Time All Over The World" by Sammy Davis Jr. This one is very upbeat!



Previous selections:

Day 1: Jo Stafford, Winter Weather
Day 2: Dean Martin, I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Day 3: Eartha Kitt, Santa Baby
Day 4: Petula Clark, The Happiest Christmas
Day 5: Doris Day, Toyland