Christmas music (and Fave Xmas Albums)

[GringoTex]

I need some suggestions:

My favorite: The Carpenters Christmas (I'm not joking)

[bert patenaude]

The Christmas Album produced by Phil Spector. A classic.

[riverplate]

Nat King Cole's Christmas Album. I don't know the name of it. Perhaps it's called "The Christmas Song," since that's the most famous number on it. You know, "Chesnuts roasting on an open fire..."

TRIVIA QUESTION: Who wrote that song?

In the guilty pleasures department, I've always liked Andy Williams' two Christmas albums, and Robert Goulet had a good one. Those are from the sixties. I'm sure they're around on CD somewhere.

I've heard the previously mentioned Phil Spector one. It's good.

[Alberto]

Originally posted by riverplate
Nat King Cole's Christmas Album. I don't know the name of it. Perhaps it's called "The Christmas Song," since that's the most famous number on it. You know, "Chesnuts roasting on an open fire..."

TRIVIA QUESTION: Who wrote that song?

In the guilty pleasures department, I've always liked Andy Williams' two Christmas albums, and Robert Goulet had a good one. Those are from the sixties. I'm sure they're around on CD somewhere.

I've heard the previously mentioned Phil Spector one. It's good.

Mel Torme, the velvet fog

[MeridianFC]

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" - Vince Guaraldi

"A Scottish Christmas" - Bonnie Rideout (local DC fiddler)

"Winter Solstice" - John McCutcheon

And basically any of the $9.99 Christmas records you can find from Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Andy Williams, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, etc.

I'm fairly catholic in my Christmas music tastes, with the very notable exception of "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues w/ Kirsty MacColl.

[Footix]

There's an amazing amount of info and reviews of holiday records here:

http://www.christmasreviews.com/

My favorite recent holiday tune:
Fountains Of Wayne "I Want An Alien For Christmas".

[DoctorJones24]

Originally posted by MeridianFC
I'm fairly catholic in my Christmas music tastes, with the very notable exception of "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues w/ Kirsty MacColl.

Right on.

"You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy *#*#*#*#*#*#."

It's not Christmas till I hear that lyric.

[carolinab]

Elvis, "Memories of Christmas"

Got no sleigh with reindeer
No sack on my back
You're going to see me coming
In a big black Cadillac

[dfb547490]

This list begins and ends with "Jingle Dogs".

[bungadiri]

The Chieftans, et al.
The Bells of Dublin

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000003F53.01._PE_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[Waingro]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000540CO.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[skipshady]

If only it was just Jose Feliciano and his guitar and all the other instruments were stripped away, I would say Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad".

I like this one if only for the Paul Frank album cover:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006L9NX.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[cj herrera]

One of the best Xmas compilations is this tape my brother made a few years ago entitled "Bummer Christmas" -- with nothing but sad sack, "My baby left me on Christmas Eve," "Ain't no Joy This Year" kinda songs.

I have to dig that out again.


But more to Gringo's question:

I'm going to lose all credibility I ever dreamed of pretending to have on this board, but I have to say that every year these chain-stores-that-have-nothing-to-with-music music compilations are getting better and better.

You know: Pottery Barn, Starbucks, etc. You go in these stores and they're playing these great tunes and you realize their from "their own" CD compilation.

And they **always** have holiday versions. And I have to admit that each year I notice they've unearthed and licensed yet a few more really groovy nuggets -- some that I've loved for ever and some I've never heard.

I've never actually bought one, but I've been mighty tempted. If I thought about it for five minutes I could probably come up with several reasons why this is a dreadful and dangerous trend ( probably because property is theft, the workers united will never be divided and eventually we shall overcome ).

Other than that, they sound pretty cool.

[cj herrera]

Okay, to wash that taste out of my mouth, here's a link to Rhino's seasonal section on their website.

http://www.rhino.com/store/ArtistandCompilationList.lasso?Genre=holiday&Comp=yes

http://www.rhino.com/store/topgenre_seasonal.lasso

Everybody loves -- or should love -- Rhino Records. And their compilations are great.

Here's some sample Holiday titles:

Cajun Christmas
Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits:1935-1954
Billboard's Greatest R&B Christmas Hits
Mambo Santa Mambo: Christmas From The Latin Lounge
Natty & Nice: A Reggae Christmas
Punk Rock Xmas
Doo ****** Xmas

And looky here:
Bummed Out Christmas -- this apparently made up about half of my brother's tape. Who knew?

[Malaga CF fan]

James Brown's Funky Christmas

When you want to groove and are sick of all the typical Christmas rehashes of the timeless classics.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000001EFD.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[fiddlestick]

Chipmunks.

[Father Ted]

Originally posted by DoctorJones24
Right on.

"You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy *#*#*#*#*#*#."

It's not Christmas till I hear that lyric.

"You're a bum you're a punk you're an ole' whore on junk"

"Happy Christmas me arse I'd rather be dead"

[Mel Brennan]

http://stat.discogs.com/R/104861-001.jpg

CHRISTMAS RAP

Tracklisting:

A1 Run DMC - Christmas in Hollis TIIIIGHT!
A2 Sweet Tee - Let The Jingle Bells Rock
A3 Dana Dane - Dana Dane Is Coming To Town
A4 Spyder-D - Guetto Santa
A5 King Sun-D Moet - Christmas in The City

B1 Derek B - Chillin' With Santa
B2 Disco Four (DUPLICATE) - He's Santa Claus
B3 The Showboys - That's What I Want For Christmas
B4 Surf MC's - A Surf M.C. New Year

[The Double]

It's all about Christmas in Hollis.

[minorthreat]

NWA's "Merry Mother*#*#*#*#in' Christmas".