Although I do not celebrate Christmas I do enjoy many of the
songs that have been written about it. Granted, I think it’s a bit
much when I start hearing Christmas songs in October. If it were up
to me, the playing of Christmas songs would begin after
Thanksgiving. With that, here are my twelve favorite Christmas
recordings.
12. Twelve Days of Christmas – Straight No
Chaser
In 1998, a men’s a cappella
group at Indiana University performed a
comedic version of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” that had been
arranged more than three decades earlier at Williston Prep School
in Easthampton, Massachusetts. But Straight No Chaser added
a mix of “Dreidel” and Toto’s “Africa” and made the parody their
own. It would unexpectedly go viral on YouTube in 2006 and resulted
in a recording contract from Atlantic Records.
11. Happy X-Mas (War is Over) – John
Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
O.K., I know this is an anti-war song. But it manages to
transcend
its political message with the young voices of the Harlem Community
Choir.
10. Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Bruce
Springsteen
Recorded
during a concert in December 1975, The Boss begins by gently
teasing the now departed Clarence Clemons and other members of the
E Street Band if they’ve been good this year. But what stands out
most about this version of this Christmas classic is how Springsteen sings
the song. While most pause between “you better watch out/you better
not cry/you better not pout/I’m telling you why,” he sings it like
it was a continuous sentence. In a clever twist, the song ends with
the first few bars of “Jingle Bells.”
9. Jingle Bells – Frank
Sinatra
It was the lead
track on the Chairman of the Board’s 1957 Christmas album A
Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra. The song begins with
backup vocals by The Brewster Singers which were arranged by Gordon
Jenkins and make this recording a cut above. “I love those
J-I-N-G-L-E Bells.”
8. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – Dean
Martin
Ol’ Blue Eyes
wasn’t the only Rat Pack member to get into the Christmas spirit.
In 1966, Dean Martin recorded a Christmas album of his own. How can
you not like someone who sings, “Rudy the
Red Beaked Reindeer”?
7. White Christmas –
America
At the risk of
sacrilege, while the Bing Crosby recording of the Irving Berlin
classic is memorable I prefer a more contemporary version. In 2002,
the pop duo America recorded an album of Christmas songs titled
Holiday Harmony. The arrangements of several of the
Christmas songs they recorded were similar to those of some of
their biggest hits. In the case of “White Christmas,” the sound was
reminiscent of their 1974 hit “Tin Man.” Indeed, when they perform “White
Christmas” in concert it segues into “Tin Man.”
6. Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth – Bing Crosby
& David Bowie
On
paper, this is the strangest duet in the history of recorded music.
Bing & Ziggy Stardust on the same song? While taping his annual
TV Christmas special in London in September 1977, the producers
arranged for Bowie to sing “Little Drummer Boy” with Crosby. The
only problem was that Bowie detested the song. The producers came
up with a compromise. Bing & Bowie would sing “Little Drummer
Boy” but composed a song called “Peace on Earth” that
Bowie would sing as a counterpoint and wove it into the melody.
Yet somehow it worked.
This would prove be Crosby’s last Christmas special.
Sadly, a month after the recording, Crosby died of a heart attack
after playing a round of golf in Madrid.
5. Remember (Christmas) –
Nilsson
When Bing Crosby
asked David Bowie if he listened “to any of the older fellas,”
Bowie replied, “John Lennon and the other one, Harry Nilsson.”
While Lennon is remembered for “Happy X-Mas (War is Over),” Nilsson
was far less remembered for “Remember
(Christmas)” from his 1972 album Son of Schmilsson.
Although the song doesn’t actually have the word Christmas in it,
the arrangements take you to December and make you think of a time
that is very likely never to return.
4. Wonderful Christmas Time – Paul
McCartney
The former
Beatle wrote and recorded this song in 1979 without Wings although
they would appear in the music video with
him. I’ve always loved the warmth and good cheer that emanated from
this song. I could never find this record in the stores. One night
I remember leaving my radio on in the hope of hearing the song so I
could record it onto a cassette and at about 4:45 a.m. I leapt out
of bed and pressed the record button.
3. Merry Christmas Baby – Charles
Brown
This is Christmas at
its most
bluesy. I like Brown’s understated piano and the soft rhythm
guitar. Whenever I hear this song on the radio I feel like I’m
front of a cozy fire.
2. Merry Christmas Baby – Otis
Redding
The arrangement is
180 degrees away from Charles Brown’s version but every bit as good.
Released in 1968, the year following his death in a plane crash,
Lord only knows how many Christmas songs the King of Soul could
have left with his vocal imprint.
1. I Believe in Father Christmas – Greg
Lake
Released in 1975, it
was the only
solo hit for Greg Lake who is best known as the lead singer of
Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It does take a rather cynical look at
Christmas. “They said there’ll be snow at Christmas/They said
there’ll be peace on Earth/But instead it just kept on raining/A
veil of tears for the Virgin’s birth.” It is a reminder that we can
do better in the New Year, though it seems that New Year has yet to
come.
