Overlooked Christmas Music Recommendations

There is something about "Christmas music on the radio" that I think has roots in another side issue. You think of "radio" as "your radio", you're fine. But, as you begin to realize it as a global/community medium, you become aware that, others are listening to "your" station, so their preferences affect "your" listening experience. So, you know if Montovani is set-aside to play more Mancini (or developing this further, Kelly Clarkson), your access to what you love is diminished/spoiled.

But what good does it get you to become "territorial" over a medium you know is to please "everybody", when you know you have personal access to anything if you are so motivated sufficiently? And that answer, lies somewhere towards "ego".

We want our tastes validated by our peers. Come Christmastime, a whole battalion of people who don't listen to the radio on a regular basis, as much as they listen to their ministers, suddenly find the request line, and the PD starts getting e-mails. And we love this,that people care about the music we play, and they're passionate about it. But, it's not for another airing of Wham's "Last Christmas"...it's for hymns. And Amy Grant. And "Christmas Shoes".

Now this is admittedly, an extreme example. But it's as valid as somebody rooting for their own favorite song getting played on their preferred radio station, even though they have a copy of it on their phone, they could have anytime they want to listen to it. Because it's not just about you hearing it...it's about them wanting everybody else to hear it.

Not making a judgement call about this, just saying, it is a part of the relationship between publicly-shared media and personally-accessed media, and we know it exists. Hell, we use that oueslves, whenever we tell you the chart positions of this song or that artists, telling you how "your" artist or song stacks up with the rest off the audience. Just making you aware, we are aware of its' significance for both you, and the rest of the audience.

 

Also made on vinyl for a record club and another source that I forget. Meanwhile,BlueNote brought out a 1997 follow-up,Yule Be Boppin'-lots of then-signed BlueNote artists. No vinyl. And still BlueNote never brought out Duke Pearson's 1969 Merry Ole Soul. It ain't Handel's Messiah but far better than the measly two star rating via All Music. Jazz celeste is hard to find. Maybe a reason why? But I've enjoyed this album since I rescued one from a $1.99 bin decades ago. Duke Pearson has yet to get his due for his BlueNote years.

 

Adding some maybe not so well known kinda new stuff from my collections:
Marty Stuart 2003 Even Santa Claus Gets The Blues
Alice Cooper 2008 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Steve Lukather 2003 Broken Heart for Christmas
Carly Simon 2005 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Kylie Minogue 2000 Santa Baby
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings 2009 Ain't No Chimneys in the Project

Tony Christie 2007 Merry Xmas Everybody
Always liked this video :


Aimee Mann 2006 Calling On Mary
Joan Osborne 2005 Santa Claus Baby
Refreshments 2003 Rock & Roll X-mas
Blaze Bailey 2016 Crazy Christmas
Cyndi Lauper 2016 Hard Candy Christmas
Kelly Clarkson 2013 4 Carats
Rod Stewart 2012 Red-Suited Super Man
Weeping Willows 2014 Merry Christmas Baby

 

Achingly beautiful, also brilliantly covered by Pelle Carlberg.

 

Here's another good one. Brave Combo's It's Christmas, Man! Bob Dylan borrowed their arrangement of "Must Be Santa" for HIS arrangement.

 

Shell's Wonderful World of Christmas featuring the Longines Symphonette. Takes me all the way back...

 

Recently acquired these on vinyl:

 

Bill Mallonee's previous band, Vigilantes of Love - On to Bethlehem.

 

Beat me to it!

Put out through Hi-Tide Recordings in NJ. Very cool record label that focuses on surf and lounge artists/music. Love the website and the various album cover art there.

Hi-Tide Recordings "Surf, Lounge & Exotic Sounds"

 

I discovered the Doris Day Christmas album earlier this year.

 

Kate Rusby has put out several Christmas records and they’re all worth a listen but When Mortals Sleep and Angels and Men are really fantastic recordings and while very festive, the familiar songs are rearranged and there were lots of new to me holiday songs as well.
One of my favorite tracks from When Mortals Sleep;

 

Not an album, but one song from Islands

 

Just sublime...always gets a play around our house at Xmas....

(NB: Make you get the original version as later re-issues add newly recorded songs and spoil the flow)

 

Christmas with the Everly Brothers and the Boys Town Choir (1962) - Phil takes the lead vocal on this one:

 

Merry Christmas from Bobby Vee (1962) - 'My Christmas Love'

 

A third Christmas album from 1962 - The Four Seasons Greetings.

 

Beyond the traditional favs (Charlie Brown, etc) this has become one of my go to's.

 

I really love Ella's A Swinging Christmas as well, but even more under the radar is her almost equally great Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas album from 1967. It features the very understated, yet gorgeous, orchestral and choral arrangements of Ralph Carmichael, well known for his stupendous work on Nat King Cole's definitive holiday album from 1963, The Christmas Song. This album features some of Ella's most delicate and restrained vocals ever, along with her near perfect vocal pitch.

 

Just got this from VMP, sounds great.

 

Anyone have an idea on the best-sounding version of this album? Everything I've heard on CD almost sounds as bad as a needledrop.

 

The Colbie Callait Christmas album is excellent, full of original fun pop songs. If you like her it's a must buy. I got it a couple years ago and I just played it this week again and love it.

 

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