Favorite Christmas songs/alblums

[twich54]

It is that time of year(as noted by Brian's Christmas lite thread), so what are your favorites, songs/artists/alblums ?

I've always loved Nat King Coles alblums, Alabama does a great job as well.

Has anyone heard of John McCutcheon ? He wrote a song, "Christmas in the Trenches", off the 'Water from Another Time' alblum that puts alot of things into perspective given our service men and women abroad this time of year. If any of you have the opportunity, give it a listen.

 

[edwinr]

Two all time favorites:

Frank Sinatra: "The Sinatra Christmas Album" with Gorden Jenkins. What can I say? Sinatra at his peak. Superb. :bowdown:

Elvis Presley: "Elvis' Christmas Album". The original recorded in 1957. Elvis at his best. His version of 'White Christmas' has never been surpassed. Outstanding. :music: BTW - Avoid the putrid Christams album release from the 1970's. Most of Elvis' 1970's output should be destroyed...

PLUS...

Brian Wilson: "What I Really Want For Christmas". Released a year or so ago. A surprisingly competent Christmas release from this unpredictable legend. Flashes of brillance ensures an honorable mention for this album.

 

[Bernard]

Much as I love Barbara Streisand, I detest her murderous version of "Jingle Bells".

 

[risabet]

NKC "The Christmas Song" Capitol SM 1967
"A Jazzy Wonderland" Columbia IP 8120
"The Sound of Christmas" The Ramsey Lewis Trio Chess CH 8310
"God Rest Ye Merry, Jazzmen" Columbia PC 37551
"Handmade Christmas" HandMade Recordings HCR 100


All vinyl but available on CD these are all among my favorites all with some less conventional discs like:

"A Reggae Christmas" RAS RAS 3101
"Christmas Rap" Profile PRO 1247 I love "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC

 

[tonepub]

My favorite Christmas song of all time is on the current Aimee Mann CD and titled: "I was thinking I could clean up for Christmas"

And I was lucky enough to see her perform it on Wed. night! Awesome!

Describes my dysfunctional family perfectly!!

 

[Diamonds]

Mine would be:

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

It is fantastic...It is highly recommended by me

 

[captain_tinker]

I was thinking of starting a thread like this but figured I would check first before I started it. Good thing I did. Thanks Twitch!

I must say I have always loved the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums. They bring back a lot of fun memories from being a kid. I am not sure about the most recently released one though... But I LOVE the DVD-A of the red album. Here are some of my families perrenial favorites:

- Chipmunks Christmas
- John Denver & the Muppets Christmas Together
- The Carpenters Christmas Portrait (probably one of the best Christmas Albums I've ever heard!)
- The Beach Boys Christmas Album
- Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio
- Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- Burl Ives - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
- Kenny G Miracles - The Holiday Album
- George Winston - December
- Vince Gill - Let there be peace on earth
- Hallmark Presents - Sandi Patti - Celebrate Christmas! (circa 1992 Hallmark holiday CD)

I heard a few nice songs on the radio this weekend that I may want to check out. Jewel apparently has a nice christmas album out. Even the Barenaked Ladies have one out. I liked the song God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings, with Sarah Mc Lachlan. It was really well done! Apparently David Lanz, and Jim Brickman both have some Christmas Albums out too, I heard some of the songs on Pandora, and would like to check them out further.

-capT

 

[eknuds01]

I know this stuff is played a lot once the end of November rolls around, but I always like the Manheim Steamroller Christmas Albums.

My dad got me hooked on them years ago, and Christmas just isn't the same without some Steamroller playing in the background.

Erik

 

[twich54]

Trans Siberian Orchestra's - "The Ghosts of Christmas Past" is a good DVD and enjoyable sound track as well.

 

[C.A.P]

Johnny Mathis was a staple at Christmas around my house. It has stayed with me and is the sound of the holidays. Percy Faith does a great job with his orchestra backing him up.

Elvis, Blue Christmas is always solid too, I realy like Jimmy Buffets X-mas Disc too. Ray Charles ,

YES , that Barbara Streisand version of Jingle Bell's is Murderous..........

 

[Bernard]

"Memorabilia Navideña" by Tish Hinojosa. A Southwestern Christmas by a singer from San Antonio.

BTW everyone should at least once in their lifetime experience live the Christmas Pagent on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. It leaves you with a very warm feeling. I bought the video right after the show, and watch it every year. I was there in 1999, and keep meaning to return, but have not made it back yet.

 

[DTB300]

I am going to show my age here with this response, but around my house when I was a kid my parents would be playing songs by Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, and Percy Faith to name a few. Over the years, I still find I like these old version of songs when compared to some of the newer artists.

For a new (not as old?) artist that was mentioned is the Carpenters Christmas Portrait album, which is really a great album if you like the Carpenters or not. Just something about the songs just reminds me of being a kid again.

 

[Joey_V]

Elf OST sounds very good to me. I have a few other Christmas albums, but I keep coming back to this.

 

[TomD]

Not sure of the title, but The Roaches have a great CD of Christmas music. They are three sisters who sing some with a fine traditional feel and some with a nice New York attitude. Great voices and arrangements.

 

[Brian_74]

Grew up listening to Johnny Mathis "Merry Christmas" on vinyl. Stuck with me to adult hood, but now on CD! Funny thing is I can still remember every place that old record would skip.

 

[Craig]

I like the Mannhiem Steamroller CDs and they are typically recorded very well with plenty of dynamics and subleties. If you look closely on the CD case you'll see that nearly all are pressed in HDCD format. I don't think they've done any SACDs yet but they did print a Mickey Mouse Disney disc in DVD-Audio.

 

[Cherian]

The Little Drummer Boy
by
The Harry Simeone Chorale

This is wonderful, joyous Christmas music! I grew up with this album and I'd love to hear more of it on the radio at Christmas time. Do yourself a favor and listen to it once - you will add it to your holiday music collection!

 

[MiTT]

My favorite traditional Christmas album is my precious copy of Cantate Domino on Proprius vinyl (although I really detest the campy version of White Christmas that closes the album - it seems entirely out of place with the rest of the music). I also pull out the Vince Guaraldi album every year, probably my first introduction to jazz as a child. Lately I've also enjoyed the Dianna Krall Christmas album.

I haven't pulled out my Mannheim Steamroller albums in years. I saw them once at the Glenn Miller Ballroom up on the CU campus - GREAT Christmas show, and when we were leaving it was snowing hard outside, a perfect Christmas scene as we walked back to our car across the campus.

When I was a kid my parents had a series of albums on RCA I think that had all sorts of people singing a varitable smorgasborg of Christmas songs. There would be a cut by Bing Crosby followed by the Mormon Tabernacle Chior or Andy Williams, then Dean Martin followed by Nat King Cole, followed by Luchiano Pavoratti. I have a couple of them down in the basement, but they are virtually un-playable having been abused nearly non-stop for years by my brother and I on a cheap fold up record player (as opposed to a real turntable) with a nickle taped to the tonearm. We would listen to the music for hours on end.

 

[risabet]

My favorite traditional Christmas album is my precious copy of Cantate Domino on Proprius vinyl (although I really detest the campy version of White Christmas that closes the album - it seems entirely out of place with the rest of the music). I also pull out the Vince Guaraldi album every year, probably my first introduction to jazz as a child. Lately I've also enjoyed the Dianna Krall Christmas album.

The Cantate Domino album is a wonderful X-mas album (I agree about White Christmas). You should try to find a white jacketed version. It is not half-speed mastered and IMO sounds markedly better than the black jacketed version, which is itself very good. The Charlie Brown Christmas is also a favorite. I wonder how I failed to list it above? It has been remastered by Analogue Productions @ 45rpm.

 

[Burke]

For me it is "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.