Originally posted in 2015.
Here's our annual post on our seasonal standbys.
If you can forget about the disturbing spectre of Spector for a few moments, you'll enjoy these upbeat, exuberant tracks from Darlene Love, the Ronettes, the Crystals and others--all backed by the fabulous Wall of Sound.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry
Putting this on was an annual tradition in our house growing up - probably yours too.
Autry's take on these seasonal favorites is so gentle and warm, plus his great spoken introductions — he nails what the season is all about: Family and friends and kids having fun.
Putting this on was an annual tradition in our house growing up - probably yours too.
Autry's take on these seasonal favorites is so gentle and warm, plus his great spoken introductions — he nails what the season is all about: Family and friends and kids having fun.
White Christmas by Bing Crosby
Contains the seminal version of "White Christmas," anyone? Plus, better yet, "Mele Kalikimaka"!
Contains the seminal version of "White Christmas," anyone? Plus, better yet, "Mele Kalikimaka"!
Christmas Island by Leon Redbone
This has become one my favorite Christmas albums. It's joyful and warm, just like Autry's Christmas recordings. The old timey arrangements and Redbone's one-of-a-kind mumbly vocals evoke a time when the snow was deeper, the air was colder, the fire was warmer and Christmas Day seemed to last forever.
This has become one my favorite Christmas albums. It's joyful and warm, just like Autry's Christmas recordings. The old timey arrangements and Redbone's one-of-a-kind mumbly vocals evoke a time when the snow was deeper, the air was colder, the fire was warmer and Christmas Day seemed to last forever.
Elvis' Christmas
Nostalgic and campy, but fun and beautiful to boot. Plus, it really shows the King's vocal range, from the the reverent gospel vocals of "Peace in the Valley," the blue crooning of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to the rocking "Santa Bring My Baby (Back to Me)."
Nostalgic and campy, but fun and beautiful to boot. Plus, it really shows the King's vocal range, from the the reverent gospel vocals of "Peace in the Valley," the blue crooning of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to the rocking "Santa Bring My Baby (Back to Me)."
Beatles Fan Club Christmas Recordings 1963-1970
If you haven't heard the Beatles' zany, pre-Monty Python holiday recordings for their fans, don't go in expecting a lot of Christmas carols and holiday standards. The "songs" that do appear — "Christmas Time is Here Again" and "This is to Wish You a Merry, Merry Christmas" — are dashed off and fragmentary. These releases are more about humor than music.
The records are full of "Goon Show"-style jokes and general goofing around. The group's exuberance and joyfulness come through loud and clear. You can hear how much they enjoyed being Beatles. Until they didn't. The 1968 and 1969 recordings, you can tell, were all recorded individually, apart from one another. But the Fabs still cared enough about their fans to make an effort.
An official, limited reissue set of the recordings was issued on vinyl in 2017 and can still be found. You also can Google around a bit and you can find sound files online. The pic above is the cover of the compilation LP of Christmas recordings the Beatles Fan Club sent to fans in 1970, after the group had broken up.
If you haven't heard the Beatles' zany, pre-Monty Python holiday recordings for their fans, don't go in expecting a lot of Christmas carols and holiday standards. The "songs" that do appear — "Christmas Time is Here Again" and "This is to Wish You a Merry, Merry Christmas" — are dashed off and fragmentary. These releases are more about humor than music.
The records are full of "Goon Show"-style jokes and general goofing around. The group's exuberance and joyfulness come through loud and clear. You can hear how much they enjoyed being Beatles. Until they didn't. The 1968 and 1969 recordings, you can tell, were all recorded individually, apart from one another. But the Fabs still cared enough about their fans to make an effort.
An official, limited reissue set of the recordings was issued on vinyl in 2017 and can still be found. You also can Google around a bit and you can find sound files online. The pic above is the cover of the compilation LP of Christmas recordings the Beatles Fan Club sent to fans in 1970, after the group had broken up.
The original 1964 Beach Boys Christmas LP featured lots of Four Freshman-style takes on holiday standards over big band and string arrangements along with a handful of excellent Brian Wilson-penned originals. The best-known of those, of course is "Little Saint Nick," but others, like "The Man With All the Toys," are great
This expanded version includes later, not as good, Christmas recordings by the band along with some outtakes — but why not have the works?
This expanded version includes later, not as good, Christmas recordings by the band along with some outtakes — but why not have the works?
As a toddler, I hurled a copy of this LP across the room and smashed it to bits. I'm not sure if that was due to my age or whether I was annoyed by the Chipmunks' sped-up, screechy singing. Either way, destroying the record meant that I was missing out on a lot of goofy, nostalgic fun.
Christmas songs are some of the best songs around, and Sinatra was one of the best singers. The combination is pretty much what you'd expect. Nice to have on while you sip a glass of eggnog or something stronger. Plus, you gotta dig Frank's hipster ad libs, ring-a-dings and singing-behind-the-beat.
See what I said with Sinatra re: matching great music with a great singer. This one's a beauty.
This one is a must if just for the melancholy "Christmas Time is Here." Plus you get the rollicking "Linus and Lucy."
Don't they look cute in their Santa hats? They sound great, too, especially on the hip "Little Bright Star," which coulda shoulda been a Motown hit as great as any other.
Not content with standards, Stevie put a few originals on his Christmas LP, too, including the upbeat "What Christmas Means to Me."
As you might expect, the Ventures twang'n'reverb a good carol. Part of the fun of this one is spotting the then-current pop tune the group quotes before launching into the Christmas song--like the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" that turns into "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." What an insane, inspired approach.
As with the Ventures, this is another all-instrumentals take on Christmas classics, but with more of a groove. If you dig "Green Onions," "Time is Tight" and the MGs' other Stax hits you'll like their hip versions of traditional carols, too.
Yet another instrumental collection of holiday tunes, but much different that the previous two LPs listed. On steel string acoustic guitar, the eccentric folk/blues guitarist Fahey, lends this traditional music a lonesome, yet joyful quality and promotes quiet thought about what the holidays mean to all of us, apart from the frantic pace, all the shopping and commercialism. A true gem.
Tired of hearing about Christmas from Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra? Take a music trip across the pond for a different perspective on Yuletide.
This compilation assembled by members of the great pop band St. Etienne features a selection of pop and light jazz tunes from the 1950s and pre-Beatles 60s, all celebrating the season British style. Artists featured include the John Barry Seven, Alma Cogan, Billy Fury and Adam Faith. Nothing too rocking, but the Echoes' "Sounds Like Winter" sounds like "Tel-Star."
Fun stuff, and a nice diversion from the usual fare.
This one is a classic, featuring swinging, loungey and just plain bonkers instrumental arrangements in pristine 1950s "hi-fi." This one gets played a lot around my place, starting right after Thanksgiving.
A 1950s hi-fi treasure. This will transport you to an idyllic Christmas past before you were even born.
What are your favorite Christmas LPs?
