This week we bring you the Library Director’s annual “Don’t Touch That Dial” holiday-music blog post, designed to chase the dark away.

PART 2….

9. Angels We Have Heard On High by Indigo Girls from Holly Happy Days
Girls with guitars who have known each other since grade school and whose voices blend like a yogurt smoothie.

10. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by The Pointer Sisters from A Very Special Christmas 1987
Silly, sassy and so much fun.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuQRXoIP3uI?fs=1]

11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Eddie Higgins Christmas Songs 2005
This year’s pick of my favorite Christmas pop song.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArFBB0Ik9-4?fs=1]

12. Greensleeves by Paul Desmond & The Modern Jazz Quartet
Recorded on Christmas Day 1971, by Paul Desmond and the Modern Jazz Quartet, the first and only time they played together.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-brmiryqxxY?fs=1]

13. The Christmas Waltz (Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne) by Peggy Lee from Christmas Carousel, 1960
For those who might remember only her woozy sounding pop charter of 1969, “Is That All There Is?”, Peggy Lee (March 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer and actress in a career spanning nearly seven decades. This track was recorded in 1960, at the height of her popularity.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n1yapgYn8o?fs=1]

14. Silver Bells by Dean Martin, from My Kind of Christmas, issued 2009
Okay, I needed someone to represent the SammyPerryAndyTonyBingFrankSteveandEdie spectrum, and settled finally on Dino, whose boozy on stage persona eclipsed a croony, real life hipness. Warm and easy; a recording that’s amore.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D5t9wPjhyE?fs=1]

15. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by Jo Stafford, from Happy Holidays – I Love the Winter Weather (Re-mastered)
I love, love LOVE Jo Stafford. Play this in any kind of weather. Repeatedly.

16. Last Christmas by Wham! From Music from the Edge of Heaven 1986
Before there was George Michael, paparazzi fodder, there was Wham, his and Andrew Ridgeley’s revival of teen pop. A great song; give it to someone special.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI?fs=1]

Stay tuned for Part 3, coming Monday night…

 

Here we come a caroling—‘tis the season to be seasonal. It’s that most wonderful time of the year for decking and hauling, tinseling and snowballing (at least somewhere), so it’s time for another list of much beloved songs to drive the dark away. In looking over last year’s inaugural list, I see we have a hard act to follow. Decisions, decisions—whether to go ironic or indie? Caroler or crooner? Classical or comedy? Hipster or hippie? Rhythm ‘n’ blues-er or rocker? Too much to choose from because ANYONE who has ever dared to call himself or herself a singer has made an album or two (or three) of seasonal favorites, those tunes that nestle in like ear worms as the Macy’s T-Day balloons are launched, not to be freed until early January.

Much as I did last year, I decided to go for the eclectic sampler, the kind of box of treats my family used to buy at the Russell Stover Candies store at Seven Corners Shopping Mall.

 

 

No barking dogs, no marauding reindeer committing granny-cide, no warbling, woodland rodents, and not a lot you’re likely to hear in the grocery aisles. Not even a Bob Dylan re-interpretation (too scary). Just a little of this and a little of that—something new, something blue and maybe a tune (or two) new to you.

So grab a hot cuppa, slip into a Snuggie and, once again click, spin or play your way into the holidays. And post a comment below with YOUR list of favorites—be they musical, audio-visual, photographic, literary or memories of the most notable gifts ever given or received as you and yours celebrate the best of the season—be it Christmas, Eid, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, the Solstice or any other.

Repeat the sounding joy. . .

10. “Winter Wonderland”—Rosemary Clooney. Long before there was dreamy George there was his Aunt Rosie, one of the best of the canaries (girl singers) to come outta the Big Band era. She really swings, “are you listening?”

9. “Do You Hear What I Hear”—The Roches (from “We Three Kings”). A trio of hip sisters, neo-folkies with a twist. I picked this one because I like the song so much but the whole deal is great.

8. “Jingle Bells”—Barbra Streisand. On steroids. A frighteningly fast take on a holiday classic, recorded in 1967 when La Barbra was no doubt still channeling Fanny Brice. Catch it if you can; it must be heard to be believed.

7. “Greensleeves”—John Coltrane, live in 1961 at the fabled Village Vanguard with his greatest band ever, featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones.

6. “River”—Herbie Hancock: The Joni Letters.

It’s coming on Christmas.
They’re cutting down trees.
They’re putting up reindeer.
And singing songs of joy and peace.

Herbie and Joni, it doesn’t get any better than this.

5. “The Wild Wood Carol”—Cambridge Singers (from “Christmas Day in the Morning”), conducted by John Rutter. After a nine millionth hearing of the John Rutter “Gloria” last Christmas, a friend of mine remarked that he was going to devote the rest of his life to destroying every extant recording of it. But that’s Rutter the composer. Rutter the choral conductor puts the Brit stiff upper lip to good use with this crystalline clear collection of classics that stays in my CD changer throughout the whole of December.

4. “A Christmas Song”—Charles Bressler and Ned Rorem (from “Rorem: Songs of Rorem”). And for the truly adventuresome, check out Susan Graham’s “Songs of Ned Rorem.” Take special note of “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Luscious.

3. “Santa Claus is Back in Town”—Elvis Presley. The King.

2. “Run Run Rudolph”—Chuck Berry. Hey hey my my. Rock and roll will never die.

1. “Have Yourself A Merry Christmas”—The Carpenters. Last year I closed my list with Judy Garland’s version . With this pick, I am starting a tradition within a tradition, to close with a different cover of my super all-time fave song of the season. I own a lot of versions and there are scores out there–even one by Twisted Sister. So we should be more than good until 2050. And still I will never, ever put Bob Dylan’s version on this list.

 

Bonus Tracks: One silly, one serious and one off-the-wall.

1. “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time”—Wings. Sir Paul McCartney doing what he does best. Tossing off a little nothing and making it all look easy.
2. “I Fell Out of A Christmas Tree”—Little Rita Faye. Okay. This is the off-the-wall one. From a goofy and strange Christmas album I owned when I was a kid. It had Lionel Barrymore reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, among other strangenesses. The whole thing is just plain weird.
3. “The Holly and the Ivy”—The Medieval Babes. The whole album is a little new agey and other worldly.

 

 

Do you hear what I hear?

As another holiday season has us in the grip (or gripe), I am reminded once again of the thing that still makes me tingle (and ring-ting-a-ling-a-ling, too). Seasonal music! The stuff that snuggles like a treasured knitted scarf. Those tunes that hibernate in your head only to spring, like Rudolph and his happy feet, at the first whiff (or taste?) of eggnog, pine and fruitcake.

Christmas music, long the Hallmark of Bing, Nat, Johnny, Rosie, Perry, Andy and Alvin got hip-ish when Elvis, the Beatles, the Beach Boys and others of their elk (er, ilk) started rocking around the Christmas tree. Then there were all of those Celtic, Brit-ic, medieval-ic rediscoveries. A British invasion of another sort. And today’s new age-ic global village brings its own brand of seasonal confection.

Now I’m not talking about Christmas novelty songs spawned by the likes of Dr. Demento, Stan Freberg and Root Boy Slim (“Christmas at K-Mart”). I am talking about the real thing here–timeless carols, “newly “interpreted” classics,” spiffed up and re-packaged to drive the dark away. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of listening to Christmas music. At our house in the mid-1960s, the latest Firestone Christmas music album was as eagerly anticipated as the Sears “Wish Book.” Hymns and jingles sung by the likes of Rise Stevens, Roberta Peters, Burl Ives, Robert Goulet, Mitch Miller and his gang, the Vienna Choir Boys, the New Christy Minstrels and the Young Americans. Stars of stage, studio and the small screen. Ghosts of Christmas past. For a buck a pop, these records, with their colored wrapping paper and big red bows screamed Christmas like nothing else. And I loved them.

Firestone stopped the series at No. 7. Maybe they felt they had nothing left to say? Maybe they felt that the whole series was a little played out (pun intended)? Besides, the times were changing. In the years covered by the series, 1962-1968, there had been three assassinations, marches for civil rights, an unpopular war, the Summer of Love. The world was too much with us. Time to put away childish things.

And yet, every year about this time I can’t help but scan the web for the latest in seasonal grooves. And then I find myself wondering, as I wander, what if Firestone were willing to issue an 8th and final “Best of Christmas” collection? Like Dylan’s basement tapes, masters from the vaults, what Christmas classics would I want to bring back, re-package, find new audiences for? So after some humming and hawing, my “Best Of” list, in Letterman order–plus two bonus tracks, in the spirit of giving. Firestone, are you listening?

10. “Good King Wenceslaus” – The Ames Brothers. From “There’ll Always Be a Christmas,” 1957, Taragon label. One of my all-time favorite carols and my all-time favorite cover. Dig the counter-tenorish “mark my footsteps my good page.” Nothing said Christmas at 6922 N. 29th St.like this recording. It still gives me chills.

9. “Personent Hodie.” Okay, I didn’t say I didn’t like this stuff, I only noted its proliferation. Lots of good versions, though I am partial to Anonymous 4‘s (“Legends of St. Nicholas”).

8. “Let it Snow” – Jo Stafford. Nothing says cool like Jo Stafford, who passed away this last July. Hip, sophisticated and oh-so-smooth.

7. “Sleigh Ride” – Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. “Giddy-yap giddy-yap giddy-yap let’s go/Let’s look at the snow.” For a few hot minutes, I could imagine what it would be like to live in the New England countryside. And then I would come back down to earth. Great sound effects.

6. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” – Ray Charles and Betty “Bebop” Carter. It just does not get any better than this.

5. “Caroling,Caroling/Happy Holiday” – Johnny Mathis. I’ll take anything by Johnny Mathis. He could sing the phone book and I would like it. An old style crooner with heart and soul.

4. “My Favorite Things” – John Coltrane. It gets on the list because of its lyrics (“snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes”). And Coltrane spent a career recording multiple versions. I never tire of it. A 1960 release that introduced the Coltrane quartet with drummer Elvin Jones, pianist McCoy Tyner and bassist Steve Davis. Yes, I never get tired of this record.

3. “The Christmas Song” (“Chestnuts roasting…”) – Nat King Cole. Mel Torme wrote it but Nat owned it. ‘Nuf said.

2. “Wexford Carol” – Cambridge (Mass.) Revels. From “Christmas Day in the Morning.” I have never heard a version of this song that I didn’t like but picked this one because of its old-timey feel and spirit. Percussive and pure.
1. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Judy Garland. Introduced by Garland in the holiday classic “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Judy at her most limpid and luminous; future first husband Vincente Minelli at his most Minelli-ish. MGM really knew how to make movie musicals.

Bonus Tracks:
“Christmas Time is Here” – Vince Guaraldi. From the TV evergreen, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Still holds up after all these years.
The album “Light of the Stable” – Emmylou Harris. As crystalline pure today as it was when it was released almost 30 years ago. A classic from start to finish.

So click, spin or play your way into the holidays. And post a comment below with YOUR list of holiday favorites—be they musical, audio-visual, literary or memories of the most notable gifts ever given or received. Hanukah tunes? Eid? Kwanzaa?
And have yourself a merry little. . .