Eric Clapton "Happy Xmas" (10/02/18)

Blame Dylan for this. He opened the gateway to 'credible' artists recording Christmas albums.....

 

Recording. Promo. Videos. "Content". Sounds like hassle to me!

 

James Taylor had an interesting bluesy take on Jingle Bells that's on my annual Christmas playlist. I'm sure Clapton will do something different with it too.

 

Why does a X-mas album need a double 45 RPM release is beyond me.

 

Based on the album title, the artwork, and the tracklist, I assumed that this was a story in The Onion.

 

For me, Eric’s last four albums have been quite good with eclectic mix of tracks (some blues, some standards, some JJ originals, etc.). There is nothing outstanding about them but that’s not what I expect from Eric at this point. He seems happy making that type of music and I have enjoyed most of it.

My guess is that this won’t be a straight off Xmas record, I would expect some different arrangements and obviously some tasty guitar here and there.

Also wonder if this is same album that Eric asked Jamie Oldaker to guest on....perhaps there’s been more than one album under construction and this is the first of them. This seems like something Eric wants to do (for his own family than anyone else) and he wants to get it done before it’s too late for him.

 

And yet, here you are on a forum built around sound quality. Hey @noname74 ...thought you could use a laugh, come here.

 

He released this in late November/ early December (can't remember exactly) and nobody complained!

 

At least he's not setting up camp in Vegas like Steven Tyler & Aerosmith.

 

Yeah but different topics get discussed here not only sound quality.

Again. A Christmas album on 2 x 45 RPM discs? amazingm

 

Keep in mind that he records for a label which had great success with three Christmas albums by Brian Setzer.

 

He's only been here 5 years...how is he to know this place is about sound quality in that short a time frame?

 

Hmmmmmmm....er...no.
The term Happy Christmas and its very common usage in England began with Queen Elizabeth II when she used the term "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas" in her annual holiday messages she began giving in the 1950s. Or this is what the internet says anyway.
I am assuming that both Eric and John used the term when they were growing up but of course perhaps someone from the UK can indeed confirm if the phrase was very common in the 1950s and later.
I hear the term every now than then when I watch those BBC shows they play over here on America BBC and PBS.

 

I'm looking forward to this.

Eric Clapton to Release Christmas Album

 

It's a little early. Couldn't they wait til Halloween?

 

Lots of nastiness in another thread. If you're looking forward to EC's album as you say, don't go there.

 

I like both Eric and Christmas music so I can't wait to hear this!

 

Looks great if you enjoy giving money to a man who is doing the barest minimum to earn it.

 

You've already heard it? Bummer it sucks. Sure I'll buy it anyway. I have a thing for Christmas music. Have a stash that I rotate throughout the season -- Crosby, Sinatra, Elvis, Dylan even. Especially Dylan. Also like Jimmy Buffett's Christmas Island. The Brian Setzer Orchestra has a rockin' good one out. One of my favorites is Aimee Mann's One More Drifter in the Snow. Be nice to hear modern-day EC's phrasing on these tunes.

 

Some more info from the press release:

“I had in my head that these holiday songs could be done with a slight blues tinge, and I started to figure out how to play the blues lines in between the vocals,” Clapton told Billboard.

“I got it down and one of the most identifiable songs on the album, the one that became the foundational style, is ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.'”

The 14-track album boasts popular seasonal favorites like “White Christmas” and “Silent Night” alongside lesser-known Christmas songs and one Clapton-penned original, “For Love on Christmas Day.” Clapton’s rendition of the standard “Jingle Bells” also carries the parenthetical “In Memory of Avicii.”

So it’s going to be Christmas Album with a Blues Tinge, now that could be interesting....

 

Double checking my collection, I decided to use Wiki.
I'm confused. It clearly states 23 studio albums, yet I count only 20 listed ?

Eric Clapton discography - Wikipedia

 

Curious about his relation to Avicii.

 

I don't get all the negative reactions to a Christmas album. Credible artists? You mean like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Oscar Peterson, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Brenda Lee, Phil Spector (and artists), Booker T. & The MG's, Peggy Lee, The Beach Boys, James Brown, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald and tons of others who have all released Christmas albums? Or how about tons of others who released Christmas songs on singles and compilation albums like John Lennon, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Chuck Berry, Les Paul & Mary Ford, Albert King, Isaac Hayes, Lena Horne, Solomon Burke, Sonny Boy Williamson, Marvin Gaye, Louis Armstrong plus many, many more? None of these artists ever lost any credibility for releasing Christmas material, and neither will Eric Clapton. If you have a problem with it, just don't buy it.