DISQUS

Frank Booth · 3 years ago

Christmas in the Stars -- A Star Wars Christmas album. Features such great hits as: What do you get a Wookie for Christmas, when he already has a comb.
Classic!

TomD · 3 years ago

Not an album, but Robert Earl Keane's "Merry Christmas From the Family" is inspired.

Rich Miller · 3 years ago

Yeah. I did an REK Friday thing a year ago or so. I should do a post on that song next week. Classic.

VanillaMan · 3 years ago

I go from cutting edge punk and rock to syrupy sweet Christmas music. So admiting I like Jewel's Christmas album is a little tough for me.

But her tone and musical style is truley spiritual and perfectly modern, yet very cool.

Chick album, uh - yeah, OK - I'm embarrassed for me too.

Anani Mouse · 3 years ago

For my money, you still cannot beat Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" -- an oldie but greatie.

Happy holidays, Rich, to you and all your readers.

cermak_rd · 3 years ago

I love The Christmas Attic (Trans-Siberian Orchestra). The lyrics are beautiful and full of the spirit of Christmas.

Skeeter · 3 years ago

"The Spirit of Christmas" by Ray Charles. "Baby Its Cold Outside" is a classic.

I also listen to Ella Fitzgerald's "Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas."

For a Christmas song with a political edge, try Steve Earl's "Christmas in Washington" which is more of a political song than a Christmas song.

However, his "Nothing But A Child" is a great Christmas song.

cool hand claudio · 3 years ago

pretenders "2000 miles".

so i was at the pretenders concert this week at the riv and - i kid you not - somebody in the beer line was talking about hot tuna... great band. find that CD.

Frank the Frowner · 3 years ago

You can get an emusic trial and download Christmas with Jorma Kaukonen for free here:

http://www.emusic.com/album/10599/10599105.html...

emusic is a legit company, you get the files as mp3s that you can play on any device (without any of that stupid digital rights management that itunes imposes and the followers of jobs accept like sheep). you can cancel your membership in the trial period, or become a paying subscriber if you like it.

they recently sold their 100 millionth song:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news...

Reddbyrd · 3 years ago

The new Hall & Oates Christmas album is great. Jimi Hendrix Little Drummer Boy is great too

Gregor · 3 years ago

It is a family tradition to listen to the whole Little Drummer Boy album, the famous old version with the Simeone Chorale, while setting up the tree and ornaments. The rest of the CD is not too shabby either. It is definitely religiously inclined and puts one in a good frame of mind. Since LDB and "The Friendly Beasts" goes all the way back to my earliest memories of home and family, hearing it now never fails to turn me into a sobbing mess the first time I hear it each year. Sometimes I have to go listen to it in private a time or two to get over all the close family members no longer with us, but after that, it brings back so many happy memories and feelings, the holiday just isn't complete without it. Music has true power.

Henry Krinkle · 3 years ago

Me want to download Jorma's Christmas CD because it sounds so cool! But it is out of print, itunes doesn't have it, and this emusic outfit wants my cc# before they bill me. Can someone send it to me for free?! Thanks

Angie · 3 years ago

My mother subjected me to the same Christmas over and over and over while I was growing up, and so there are certain albums which, if I ever hear them again, will make me scream bloody murder.

I like listening to choirs sing them when there's some tv special, or live, or something, but I cannot stand those pop star Christmas albums.

Tone deaf kids running around caroling are kind of cute, too, actually (if you can get over the tone deafness).

Favorite satirical song has got to be the Denis Leary Christmas song. I can't post the lyrics, because Rich would delete them for obscenity (gotta love Leary, though).

Angie again · 3 years ago

Choirs, tone deaf kids, and Denis Leary's R-rated Christmas song.

Let's hear it for appreciation of diversity in music. lol

Anonymous · 3 years ago

There is a Christmas CD from the early nineties called "A Lump of Coal." Covers of Christmas classics from great alternative bands (The Primitives, Drunken Boat, Crashtest Dummies). Must be checked out for the memorable rendition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Henry Rollins. Truly beautiful and haunting.

Happy Holidays everybody.

Anonymous · 3 years ago

Oh, and "A Peanuts Christmas." Beautiful.

Hal · 3 years ago

Timeless Christmas, by Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, a Christian big band. Very cool.

Jacques Strappe · 3 years ago

A Very Special Christmas. Not only do Bono and Bruce wail, but it contains the single greatest Christmas song ever recorded, Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis."

Proof of its brilliance: "It's Christmas time/in Hollis, Queens/Mom's cookin' chicken/and collard greens."

Oldskul, baby, oldskul!

bored now · 3 years ago

hot tuna's first album is still my favorite. if you don't know jorma, you don't know jack -- still a favorite t-shirt. i dl'ed a lot of their live shows when they were still up on etree, some of which are monumental.

as for christmas albums, i'm still partial to four albums that have since gone missing (too many moves, i guess): the first three grp christmas albums and one (who's name i completely forget but thankfully i got for my parents so one day i'll "remember") more winterish in theme with a guitar and viola (iirc). i also have a homemade disc of christmas-ish recordings, both live and studio, of al di meola, john mclaughlin, paco de lucia and julian bream that i play periodically...

Rich Miller · 3 years ago

===i also have a homemade disc of christmas-ish recordings, both live and studio, of al di meola, john mclaughlin, paco de lucia and julian bream===

Wow. I would love to hear that one.

ChuckAmuck · 3 years ago

For a pop Christmas, you cannot do better than the Phil Spector Christmas Album, which includes Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby please come home).

Martha Mitchell · 3 years ago

Christmas with the Cambridge Singers and the London Sinfonia. The best of the English cathedral choirs (members are friends who sang in King's Chapel Choir while students at Cambridge University in England). Absolutely breath-taking voices, harmonies and renditions. I like old, different carols, like "Lo How a Rose E're Blooming" and "Good Christian Men, Rejoice - sung in Latin, and the old German favorite, "Stille, Stille, Stille."

It all makes me think of the reformed Scrooge and Tiny Tim.

Little Egypt · 3 years ago

Rich, go to Recycled Records in Springfield and see if they have the same CD. If they don't, I'm betting Mark Kessler can order it for you. They are the best at tracking down older and out of stock music.

Just the Facts · 3 years ago

Not sure if it ever made it onto an album but the most surreal Christmas duet of all time had to be Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing the Little Drummer Boy - I remember it from a tv special from years ago.

Calypso · 3 years ago

"Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Cockburn Christmas" for sure, maybe a little Mathis on the side.

NoGiftsPlease · 3 years ago

Christmas With Elvis was and still is a classic. It had White Christmas AND Blue Christmas. I don't have it any more either. It was a cassette and finally failed....oh well, it left me with fond memories.

proud state copper · 3 years ago

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER "CHRISTMAS" CD. New wave christmas carols that will keep the tempo upbeat. Makes me not want to write tickets.

The Horse · 3 years ago

marcus roberts christmas album - great piano jazz
mahaila jackson - need we say more?