I'm working on a little something-something for the holidays and would love to know:What is your most beloved Christmas album or song? Do you have a favorite version of a classic or one CD that never leaves the car? What are you listening to when you deck the halls and trim your tree?
45 comments:
Tran-Siberian Orchestra for sure! Especially Christmas/Sarajevo. It gives me goose bumps!
And lame as it is, All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey. Love that one.
Any and all versions of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas! It's my most favorite Christmas song and I'll take it anyway I can get it. Also - Harry Connick Jr.'s Christmas album is pretty magical.
I know this is kinda lame but "Now That's What I Call Christmas" is my favorite CD. It has all of my favorites including Brenda Lee singing Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. I also love children singing silent night, like in the movie Home Alone. Finally Johnny Mathis's Christmas album reminds me of growing up, it's what my parents always had on the record player when I was small.
Ha! Too funny. I was just about to apologize for the Mariah song--looks like I'm in good company. That song makes me dance.
Any and all from Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby. They are the best!
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" for sure!
Any "big band" Christmas c.d. is awesome, Pottery Barn used to make amazing Christmas c.d.'s (not sure if they still do). My husband is partial to Jim Henson's and the Muppet's Christmas Album...ha ha!
I love Elvis Christmas songs! And of course the classics (Sinatra/Crosby).
I agree with everyone about Mariah Carey. Her christmas cd gets played every year while we trim the tree.
My favorite cd that is constantly playing while I'm in the car is Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan. My favorite song is River. (A remake of the Joni Mitchell song)
Plus I always love a little Please come home for Christmas by Jon Bon Jovi!
Josh Groban's "Noel(O Come All Ye Faithful". It's AMAZING. Also, Mariah! haha I'm glad there are others that agree on this too.
Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses. And there's a certain instrumental version of Sleigh Ride that has a nice, brassy horn jam - can't remember who does it...
This sounds like a beautiful treasure you are working on for the holidays!
Since I can't carry a tune I enjoy listening to ALL kinds of music. I'm a little bit rock, country, jazz, the old traditional artists, Josh, Mariah etc... and my husband playing some of the classical holiay songs on the guitar.
I'm not sure of the name . . . but I always call it "The Little Drummer Boy" {do you hear what I hear?}, I love that song!
When My Heart Finds Christmas by Harry Connick, Jr. is my "play on repeat" album. My favorite song is "(It Must've Been Ol') Santa Claus". So fun and upbeat. Gets me in the mood everytime.
Can't wait to see what you are working on.
My definite standby is All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah (like many others here!) It can instantly cheer me up and put me in a holiday spirit. I also agree that Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses is fantastic.
Other favorites are Jack Johnson's cover of Someday at Christmas and Skating by Vince Giualrdi Trio (spelling?).
We listened to Elvis Christmas music when trimming the tree growing up, so I bought Elvis' Christmas Album on CD a few years ago. And for a 1940s Christmas vibe, check out Bing Crosby Sings Christmas Songs.
OH MY. You are really gonna know how cheesey I am now. Two favs: Celine Dion Christmas and Amy Grant- specifically "Tender Tennessee Christmas". Really I have better suggestions... but those are the two that tug at my heartstrings.
XO
Grew up with Bing. My two favorites are God Rest Ye Marry gentlemen-Bare Naked Ladies, and Christmas Wrapping- The Waitresses.
FAV FAV - Ronette's Christmas Album - oldie but GOODie!
I truly thought I was going to be the first to share this one - no, not the Mariah one - The Waitresses, Christmas Wrapping!!! I love it & think its super fun!
And of course I love, Santa Baby, Baby It's Cold Outside & the theme song from Home Alone : )
Yay... the Holidays
A Christmas Song by Nat King Cole :)
Love many of the ones listed and so many more but just heard one this week that really moves me. Enya just came out with a new Christmas CD and her version of "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel" is beautiful.
Shar
No real favorites...but with all the comments on Mariah's "All I want for Christmas is You" I wanted to add...My kids and I made Daddy a music video to that when it first came out :) I told Santa (via photograph of husband) that's what I wanted and I went mall shopping to "find" him by showing shops his picture. SO much fun and one of the best memories from what seems ages ago.
Sufjan Stevens' album "Songs For Christmas" gets me every time. Beautiful, poetic songs for the holidays. Love it!
My favorite one is the Betty Boop(i.e., Madonna) "Santa Baby". There's just something about that tune that makes me smile. It's "soo me!"
Josh Groban, and The Jackson Five!!!
I love the Pogues Fairytale of New York - it's the only Christmas song I know that starts out:
It was Christmas eve, babe
In the drunk tank
Love it. I also love In the Bleak Midwinter.
The Christmas Song, sung by Nat King Cole or Harry Connick Jr.
Pretty Paper, sung by either Willie Nelson or Roy Orbison. Both are sublime.
The entire Charlie Brown Christmas CD
The entire Nutcracker Suite, for ballerina moves with my girls.
john waters compiled a great christmas cd, with al sorta of abscure christmas songs, my personal favorite.
Let's preface this with- I love Christmas music...and I am one of those who on occasion listens to it in July!
Favorites are a tough call, but Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and The Christmas Song top the list. All I Want For Christmas Is You is a guaranteed good mood song, and Tender Tennessee Christmas is a fav as well.
I love the classics- oldie, but goodies like Nat King Cole, Sinatra, and the Nutcracker Suite. My all time fav albums are probably Amy Grant's second Christmas album and Lee Ann Womack's.
This is just scratching the surface- I really do love Christmas music in all it's cheesy goodness. Because if you can't be cheesy at Christmas, when can you be? :)
Michael Buble's Christmas EP. Can't get enough of it!
Patty Loveless': BLUEGRASS WHITE SNOW... you can even Pandora {Patty Loveless holiday} and enjoy all of her songs from the Bluegrass White Snow album and get more of the same! Delightful! Happy Trimming, Court!
John Pizzarelli and Steve Tyrell both have great Christmas albums (a la Sinatra and Tony Bennett). One of my favorite songs (also done by Harry Connick, Jr.) is What are you doing New Year's Eve?
I second the Sufjan Stevens vote. The Christmas boxed set is a fantastic mix of traditional standards and original songs. It's beautiful.
I had to think abou this one. I'm on the All I Want for Christmas is You (Maria) bandwagon, even though I'm a little embarrased to admit it. It always puts me in a happy sing along mood.
I also really like older versions of Santa Baby and pretty much any version of Sleigh Ride.
Leaving me misty like a dork every time I hear it is "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland. But the cd that means it's officially christmas? "Sleigh Ride" by Emile Pandolfi. He's a pianist, and although he's not that well-known, his cd's are awesome. It's what's playing Christmas morning!
"Feliz Navidad"... it reminds me of the fun of the season as a kid. We (my sisters and I) would watch Christmas on Sesame Street EVERY year on Christmas Eve after dinner and before opening presents at my grandmother's house.
Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas album....particularly "Louisiana Christmas Day"... whether we're in Chicago, New Zealand, San Francisco or Singapore.. it always makes us feel like we're spending Christmas at 'home'...I even play it at work, and no one gets it...but it puts a smile on my face!
my all-time fave is by the waitresses, I think it's called "christmas song"??...it's funny and upbeat! i pretend i know all the words.
Sting..The Angel Gabriel is a beautiful song that I listen to over and over during the holidays.
How did I miss this post? I just saw it in my blog follower. It's funny since I have some of my favorites added to each page of the Holiday Guide. I love just about all Christmas music....from the very classic songs of Josh Groban to Celtic Christmas to Charlie Brown and everything in between....love em all.
yikes, i'm late for this post!
favorite album - Vince Guaraldi Trio's Charlie Brown Christmas. This album can fix ANYTHING.
favorite song - Nat King Cole's A Christmas Song
this is funny, i was just thinking about doing a post of my top 20 favorite xmas songs.
I am SO late on this and I'm sure everything I reccommend has already been listed above, but I had to weigh in. Xmas music is my passion. :)
-YES to "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
-YES to the Bing Crosby. The album I have is called simply "Merry Christmas" - don't get it unless it has the "Mele Kalikimaka" on there. And the version of "Jingle Bells" with the Andrews Sisters is gold.
-"Christmas with the Rat Pack" with songs from Dean, Frank, Sammy, etc. Frank's version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" breaks my heart every time.
-YES to the Sufjan Stevens, if you want something a little more "present day." Such pretty variations of the classics on those albums.
-Don't forget "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney. That's a guilty favorite.
-Duke Ellington's "Three Suites" is amazing. The first half of the album is his arrangements of the Nutcraker Suites. Jazzy and fun and familiar. My favorite is "Sugar Rum Cherry" (his version of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"), but they're all good.
-If you need more Dean Martin (who doesn't?), look into "Making Spirits Bright." A little bit of overlap with the Rat Pack album, but it ensures you get the full Dean spread of holiday favorites.
See what I mean? I had to weigh in! I'm nuts about this stuff. :)
Nothing can ever beat Wham's "Last Christmas", well, except for maybe Elton John's "Step into Christmas", whose video I just watched for the first time on your site after mocking that song for years...it was just as satisfying as I'd hoped...
PS- this is Melissa's (from rubypress) sister....saw your blog on her list..love it!!
Muppet's Christmas with John Denver, hands down. Not only does wash me in great memories, but I get to enjoy John Denver's beautiful songwriting that really encompasses what it's all about.
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