Dec 19 2011 08:44 AM
Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll
American tradition is anything that happens to a Baby Boomer twice.
Master Index of Archived Threads
Favorite Xmas Song Poll
| Bing Crosby - White Xmas | 0 votes |
| Bing Crosby/David Bowie | 3 votes |
| The Pogues?Kristy McColl | 3 votes |
| Wham | 0 votes |
| Mariah Carey | 0 votes |
| Slade | 0 votes |
| Band Aid | 0 votes |
| Chris Rea | 0 votes |
| Jose Feliciano | 0 votes |
| John Lennon | 0 votes |
| Bobby Helms | 0 votes |
| Bruce Springsteen | 0 votes |
| Paul McCartney | 0 votes |
| Gene Autry | 1 votes |
| Perry Como | 0 votes |
| Jon Bon Jovi | 0 votes |
| Lou Monty | 0 votes |
| Elvis | 0 votes |
| Skid Row | 0 votes |
| Jani Lane | 0 votes |
| Darlene Love | 1 votes |
| U2 | 0 votes |
| Other/Write In | 9 votes |
| metirish Dec 18 2011 02:50 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 18 2011 03:34 PM |
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Bing Crosby - White Xmas
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| Gwreck Dec 18 2011 03:28 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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The best Christmas song of all time is Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) which was originally recorded by Darlene Love. U2's version isn't shabby either.
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| metirish Dec 18 2011 03:35 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Both versions added, thanks.
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| cooby Dec 18 2011 03:56 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Dec 18 2011 04:08 PM |
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Oh Holy Night.
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| LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 18 2011 04:01 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I like my carols sung by the boys of the NYPD choir, tanks.
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| cooby Dec 18 2011 04:14 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Okay I can't actually find the adorable War is Over video...
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| dgwphotography Dec 18 2011 06:33 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Holy Night by Trombone Shorty
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| LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 18 2011 07:23 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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A favorite rendition of mine.
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| MFS62 Dec 18 2011 08:02 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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What?
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| themetfairy Dec 18 2011 08:07 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses
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| Ashie62 Dec 18 2011 10:11 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Kinks- Father Christmas
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| G-Fafif Dec 18 2011 11:33 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I'd agree, except it's my second-favorite holiday song of all-time. Favorite: [youtube]SeAO7y7k7dc[/youtube]
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| Gwreck Dec 18 2011 11:46 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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It's almost as if Greg and I agree about everything baseball and disagree about everything music.
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| metsmarathon Dec 19 2011 12:00 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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bing/bowie
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| G-Fafif Dec 19 2011 12:02 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I'll give you Nos. 5, 4 and 1 (definitely 1), though I'd probably swap out "Say (Cubed)" for "The Girl Is Mine".
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| themetfairy Dec 19 2011 05:01 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I actually like Wonderful Christmastime. And Step into Christmas.
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| Ceetar Dec 19 2011 07:28 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Mele Kalikimaka
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| Edgy DC Dec 19 2011 07:31 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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"Milledge Iriki Tucker."
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| SteveJRogers Dec 19 2011 08:40 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I'm amused by the fact that "Wonderful Christmastime" and "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)" are pretty much a microcosm of the seemingly endless, and ultimately pointless John Lennon vs Paul McCartney debate. Lennon's is very introspective and even if unintentional due to his feelings on organized religion, very much in the spirit of the idea of the season. While McCartney's is all about being fun and festive in that moment, with nary a mention of why one is supposed to. Kind of also interesting in the fact that "Happy X-Mas" transcends being a novelty single release to being one of John's signatures. Appearing on the only best of collection released during John's lifetime, as well as inclusion on the many posthumous best of collections. As opposed to "Wonderful Christmastime," which while you can find on collections of Christmas music, the song has never been included on any of McCartney collections. Even on Wingspan which is guilty of having several non-Wings tunes (the song is credited as Paul McCartney, not Wings or any variation of the Wings/McCartney classification) on it. The only McCartney CDs that you can find it on are as a bonus track on Back To The Egg and the recent remastering of McCartney II.
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| Ceetar Dec 19 2011 08:44 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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| Frayed Knot Dec 19 2011 09:00 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Was that chart compiled from BatMag's spreadsheet?
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| metsguyinmichigan Dec 19 2011 11:41 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I love Rob Thomas' "New York Christmas"
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| Gwreck Dec 19 2011 12:32 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Agreeed. I would only put the Phil Spector Christmas album ahead of this one.
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| Edgy DC Dec 19 2011 12:36 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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| DocTee Dec 19 2011 12:42 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Whither Billy Squire?
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| LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 19 2011 12:59 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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"Very Special" ages better than most compilations, I suppose. But "Hollis"-- a medal contender for my favorite of all time-- the U2, the Eurythmics and the Pretenders are the only ones I would really choose to listen to. All the rest are listenable only in the "Well, for a Mellencamp Christmas record, it's decent" way.
It's become the most-played version. Apologies to MGiM, but it's as much the definitive version as the Beatles' R & B covers are "definitive soul music." (And I say that as someone who grew up thinking that was the song's first recording.) My favorite non-homemade, non-solo-artist Christmas albums? 1) Guaraldi. Doy. 2)  (Find it. Try it. It's goofy, mix-tape-y fun, con Louie Prima, Rufus Thomas, AND NRBQ. ) 3)  Even it didn't have Clarence Carter's "Backdoor Santa" (no synths, I promise)-- and it does-- it's got Booker T/the MGs killing 3-4 classics in their own inimitable way, the Donny Hathaway "This Christmas," and Stax All-Stars (Otis, Carla Thomas, King Curtis) sprinkled liberally throughout... on stuff like this: [youtube]Djc5jwYNnj0[/youtube]
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| G-Fafif Dec 19 2011 06:03 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Stevie!
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| G-Fafif Dec 19 2011 06:20 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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True to its name, America just swung by New Jersey to celebrate "Christmas in California".
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| G-Fafif Dec 19 2011 06:24 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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A standard, interpreted by Christmas MVP candidate Amy Grant...
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| G-Fafif Dec 19 2011 06:29 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Billy Joel, more Christmas than Carol...
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| Nymr83 Dec 20 2011 07:45 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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My favorite Christmas song is "none of the above." I hate christmas songs, I hate that FM radio becomes basically unlistenable for a month every Thanksgiving through the New Year!
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| John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 20 2011 07:51 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
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| G-Fafif Dec 20 2011 07:58 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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 I'm not so bad once you get to know me. Huh? Oh. Never mind.
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| Edgy DC Dec 20 2011 07:59 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Sheesh, if you're going to describe yourself as a Grinch and a Scrooge, the least you can do is throw a few bones to the fine songs written about the Grinch and Scrooge. All the best Christmas songs were written by Jews, after all.
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| metsmarathon Dec 20 2011 08:19 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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i've gotta say, just about any of the barenaked ladies' holiday songs are winners.
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| Nymr83 Dec 20 2011 02:01 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I was tired of Sandler before I even heard those terrible Chanukah songs. Matisyahu's "Miracle" is the only decent Chanukah song I can think of, but I still wouldn't want to hear it on the radio all the time.
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| Edgy DC Dec 23 2011 05:47 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I always hear
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| MFS62 Dec 23 2011 07:42 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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The guy who sang Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, Dr. Elmo, was on Good Day, New York this week.
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| John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 23 2011 09:30 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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You should perform this in front of a camera, put it on youtube, and buy yourself whatever you want next xmas. When Paul comes after you, appeal to his cheeky nature to do a cameo in the big-budget remake that he'll finance. Buy more stuff still.
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| Ceetar Dec 24 2011 05:45 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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woke up with this one stuck in my head.
[youtube]W1fECcM0cS4[/youtube]
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| Edgy DC Dec 24 2011 07:12 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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And my wife's response...
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| Edgy DC Dec 24 2011 07:28 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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| LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 26 2011 07:56 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Aqui!
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| Edgy DC Dec 26 2011 09:51 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Thanks. I can't find a download service distributing it, though.
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| TransMonk Dec 27 2011 07:36 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Spot on!
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| metsmarathon Dec 27 2011 07:54 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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we've got this whole song thread going, and i can't believe i let it pass by without mention of one of my absolute favorites. a wonderful little tune, that i've only seen one place, on a cd that arrived at my door lo many years ago.
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| TransMonk Dec 27 2011 08:08 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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"Father Christmas" by The Kinks is my favorite for the season that runs from Thanksgiving to about December 22nd.
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| Ceetar Dec 27 2011 08:36 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime
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| MFS62 Dec 27 2011 08:41 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Any vote against America's favorite singing cowboy was a vote against America.
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| SteveJRogers Dec 27 2011 09:57 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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His team, yes I know he was no longer the owner then, hired the reason I can not root for the Angels until he is no longer the manager!
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| Mets – Willets Point Dec 27 2011 03:59 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Excellent songwriting on that one.
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| Edgy DC Dec 27 2011 04:36 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Very nice. All I can say of that one is, if you like it, download it. (Or by the full-length CD album that contains it.) The CD single is a rougher mix with a weaker violin player.
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| metsguyinmichigan Dec 29 2011 09:51 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Apparently the Bon Jovi version of "Back Door Santa" as so cringe-worthy that Bon Jovi really DID take it back!
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| TransMonk Dec 29 2011 10:20 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I had a copy of that album with "Back Door Santa".
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| Edgy DC Dec 29 2011 10:41 AM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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Which is, of course, highly derivative of the Spector arrangement.
An act that made an art out of detachment sings a song all about engagement. The track strikes me as kind of creepy.
I generally hate R&B singers pulling out all the stops and tossing in the kitchen sink, but I mostly like this. However, I think I heard it the other day and I think she skips verse two --- "little lamb to the shepherd boy."
Bruce established the rawk Christmas radio format, so they sort of needed him here to validate the whole enterprise. Can't just give another version of "SCICtT," so he comes up with another oft-done soul classic and also uses a live recording. Feels all mailed in to me.
The Pretenders already had a wonderful Christmas song in the bag. This isn't really the Pretenders, but Chrissy throwing her hat in. The world didn't need a millionth version of this. I just don't think it suits her. She has a romantic streak, but not the sort of one that would quaintly wish you a "merry little" anything. I'm not sure which is the version most folks consider to be the definitive, but I absolutely never hear the Judy Garland original.
This is a fifties novelty song, whose payoff joke has long since worn thin, and hardly deserves to be a standard. It's a gross representation of how songs from baby boomer childhoods have dominated the canon. Thankfully "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teef" has faded. I like Mellencamp's sound at this time, and I wish he applied it to a more interesting selection.
Sting is pompous, but in light of my prior comment, he should be lauded (see what I did there?) for looking for afield for his source material. This is actually not a Christmas song, but an Advent song, and we could do with more of these in the weeks leading up to Christmas and save the Christmas songs for the weeks following --- I think there's a secular argument for this, also. Stingk has good harmonies here, probably taken from older arrangements. He could have stood to slow this down, and rest on the turnaround. Congrats to Stingk for finding himself a traditional Basque song. Unfortunately, it worked well enough that he got a carried away with his superior attitude about his superior sourcing afterwards. It would have been cool to open the record with this.
Look, an ill reindeer! This should have been the guiding spirit of the enterprise, I think. More originals. Pretty jarring after "Gabriel's Message."
I like this a lot, but unfortunately, by reviving this as a Christmas standard, U2 triggered 791 subsequent versions. In promoting this album, Bono said that U2 would like to do an original Christmas song and hoped to do one soon. Fortunately, no one held their breath, but a lot of folks treat "Peace on Earth" as a U2 song to play at Christmastime.
For all the wrong reasons. Another case of Madonna trying to corner the market on sex marketing by appropriating somebody else's legacy. An ugly little song to begin with.
I hear you there. This is a really good song and hard to do poorly and BS&tSBB (if they are present) certainly don't mess it up. My favorite rocker version is Joan Jett's, where she sings lyrics that clearly came out of a 1950s version of the song, singing "Baby Jesu" instead of "Little baby." Punk rockers + Anachronistic language = fun.
A tired one. Original was never improved upon even in part.
Jon BJ, rivaled only by Huey Lewis in his need to be liked, has failed several times to come up with a perennial Christmas chestnut.
Great song. Great voice. Great match.
A bad version of this is a bad finisher indeed. Sometimes too much diversity can be a drawback. Mixing the solemn with the kooky, they tend to discredit each other. I'm sorry if this comes out uncharitably. I bought it back in the day. I mean, you know, Special Olympics and all. And I like Keith Haring a lot. Don't know what happened to my vinyl copy. But the haphazardness of it all helps explain why subsequent "VSC" editions sold much more poorly. Offer collections that make sense arranged together, that are compiled based on the quality of the tracks rather than the collective star power of the artists. That would be enduring.
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| metsguyinmichigan Dec 29 2011 01:07 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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This is true. And I love the Spector disc.
What's kind of odd about this one is that it was released as the B-side of a single, and I think that was before the VSC disc came out. He came out with that massive live CD that had like most of "Born in the USA" on it, and Edwin Starr's "War" was the first single with this on the back. I always thought it was odd that Bruce was releasing a war song around Christmas, and that they didn't edit out his long verbal intro on the 45. I can't remember hearing it on the radio that way.
The Garland version is kind of a weeper, especially in the context of the movie, Chrissy has more of a hopeful yet still melancholy air to it. I think "2000 Miles" is a great song, but no rules against the Pretenders having two great Christmas songs.
U2 came out with a cover of ELP's "I Believe in Father Christmas" a couple years ago that's pretty good.
No argument, I love the Joan Jett version! I don't think any of the subsequent CDs in the series were nearly as strong, and weren't as completely stacked with A-listers But here are some of my favorite songs from the others: Volume 2: "Christmas All Over Again" by Tom Petty "What Christmas Means to Me" by Paul Young "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector -- a Spector disc reunion!!! "What Child is This" by Vanessa Williams -- kind of a jazzy feel to it. "Merry Christmas Baby" by Bonnie Raitt and Charles Brown -- I think she was touring with a group of blues legends at the time. "I Believe in You" by Sinead O'Connor -- While not necessarily a Christmas song, I think it's beautiful and heartfelt. I think the quality drops off after this disk: Volume 3: "Christmastime" by Smashing Pumpkins "O Holy Night" by Tracy Chapman Volume 4 is the live disc, and I can't say I like it too much. Volume 5: "This Christmas" by Macy Gray "I Love You More" by Stevie Wonder & Kimberly Brewer Volume 6 is the acoustic disk which I do not have. Volume 7: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" by Carrie Underwood -- this is beautiful and possibly my favorite song of the entire series
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| Edgy DC Dec 29 2011 01:36 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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I didn't know this. That ELP song (actually a solo Greg Lake song, but it's ended up on ELP anthologies subsequently) is pretty excellent. It's full of ambiguity. Many have embraced it and it's theme of disillusionment and made it an atheist anthem but Lake and his collaborator have disowned that interpretation. They put a horn theme by Sergei Prokofiev at the end. Very U2-ish. A lot of Spector-ish echo, too. [youtube]RXCEdrnaFlY[/youtube] And da cover: [youtube]cLShxhQwwwA[/youtube] Like it a lot.
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| metsguyinmichigan Dec 29 2011 02:14 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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It is kind of a strange little song. I knew there were multiple Lake/ELP versions, but I didn't realize there were four of them. One is less orchestrated.
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| Edgy DC Dec 29 2011 02:37 PM Re: Favorite Xmas Song Poll |
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The Kinks song was one of the top three (with Lennon and Stringbean) in rock Christmas playlists once upon a time, but has really faded in recent decades, like the standing of the Kinks in general.
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