🎄 Holidays! CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT, SIDE "B" [POLL]

Which Side "B" Track Is Your Most Favorite?

  • 10.) "Jingle Bells"

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 11.) "The First Snowfall"/"Let It Snow" [MEDLEY]

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • 12.) "Carol Of The Bells"

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • 13.) "Merry Christmas, Darling" [1978 Remix]

    Votes: 8 33.3%
  • 14.) "I'll Be Home For Christmas"

    Votes: 5 20.8%
  • 15.) "Christ Is Born"

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 16.) "Winter Wonderland"/"Silver Bells"/"White Christmas" [MEDLEY]

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 17.) "Ave Maria"

    Votes: 8 33.3%

  • Total voters
    24
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Chris May

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“CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT”
Side B


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Track Listing:

10.) Jingle Bells* 1:10 (P.D. Orig Music: James Pierpont, Arrg. & Adapted by Peter Knight)
11.) The First Snowfall/Let It Snow (Medley)* 3:35 (Webster/Burke) & (Cahn/Styne)
12.) Carol Of The Bells* 1:39 (P.D. Trad Ukranian Carol, Arrg. & Adapted by Richard Carpenter)
13.) Merry Christmas Darling+*** 3:05 (Pooler/Carpenter)
14.) I’ll Be Home For Christmas** 3:48 (Gannon/Kent/Ram)
15.) Christ Is Born* 3:13 (Charles/Bartolucci)
16.) Medley**: 5:31


a. Winter Wonderland" (Smith/Bernard)
b. Silver Bells" (Livingston/Evans)
c. White Christmas" (Berlin)


17.) Ave Maria* 2:35 (P.D. Original Music: Johann Sebastian Bach, Adapted by Charles Gounod, This arrg & adaptation by Peter Knight)
 
I chose "I'll Be Home For Christmas".

My adoration for everything this song has to offer manages to increase year by year. Perhaps the fact I only listen to it 1 month a year keeps it special.

The composition and lyric are beautiful. Billy May's arrangement. The backing singers. And . . .Karen. My god she sounds good on this. . .the first time she sings "You can count on meeeeeeeeee" it spirits me away. And when this track was remixed for the 1998 (I think) re-release of the xmas albums, that particular line is enhanced even further than the 1978 original.

Merry Christmas, gang.

Neil
 
I relish and delight in side B. I'll vote later. The First Snowfall and the overdubs 'folks put runners on their surreys' I thought AHA! This is where the CarpenterS part of the album kicks in. Looking ahead to Merry Christmas Darling I was certain that lil Karen's and Richard's would be swirling 'round the room. Didn't happen. But what did are straight readings of some lovely lyrics flawlessly. The power of Christ Is Born and the last of the Alleluias is riveting. Karen pumps out that note with tenacity. A triumph!
 
I picked a really odd choice, "Carol Of The Bells", but I have a reason.

It was about five-or-so years ago that I was in a store or a mall that had Christmas music playing and this version of Richard playing "Carol Of The Bells" came on. At first, being an instrumental, it just sort of blended in with the rest of the tunes and I didn't really think about it. As it was getting near the end, some of Richard's flourishes cut through and I recognized it for what it was, and it was quite a nice surprise to realize that it was getting some play in public.

I've always liked the song itself and was just a bit disappointed initially that such a choral treat like "Carol Of The Bells" wasn't done in a Carpenters choral setting. But over the years, I've come to really appreciate Richard's arrangement here, and his playing as well.

Ordinarily, I probably would have picked "Merry Christmas, Darling", but I tend to prefer the single version. "Ave Maria" might have been a choice too, as would the medley with "White Christmas", as I appreciate that they put the prelude part of the song in there - "The sun is shining, the grass is green...".

Harry
 
I'm surprised at myself, but over time, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" has become my favorite song and the one that gets the most airplay at least here in Phoenix at Christmas. I adore Merry Christmas Darling 1978 version, but it has slipped to the number two position for me.
 
"Ave Maria", hands down, and it's not just a Christmas track for me. It has not only provided immense joy for over three decades, but also helped bring peace through some of the difficult valleys that we all experience over the years. I think it's one of Karen's most powerful interpretations ever.
 
OK, I pick MCD. It's iconic. No one does it like Karen. And I LOVE the 1978 version.
 
I pick MCD. It is an iconic tune that you will hear everywhere, usually sung by KC. Many years of not going home for Christmas can make this song very close to your heart. I do have to admit "Ave Maria" is absolutely stunning and a masterpiece, by far one of the most beautiful renditions, and I might add one that is not attempted by many singers. So I'm split between the two, but MCD is it for me.
 
To me, Side "A" got much of the best material, so I went w/ the familiarity of "I'll Be Home For Christmas"...!


-- Dave
 
I picked "The First Snowfall/Let It Snow" since the former song is one you do not hear very often, and it is nice to hear something different for a change.
 
I picked "The First Snowfall/Let It Snow" since the former song is one you do not hear very often, and it is nice to hear something different for a change.

That makes two of us! HA! It's always the first thing I look forward to on side B every year. Funny as it sounds, the part where Richard comes in with "Folks put runners on their surreys" breaking into the 4-part with Karen…always a blast to hear.
 
I have to go with "Ave Maria" I have never heard a version that comes close to Karen's
What I love most about Karen and all her Christmas songs is that she takes her time with not only the words but the phrasing, she never rushes and it allows the listener to absorb all the emotion.

Runner Up's
"I'll Be Home For Christmas" (the longing in her voice always gets me)
"Christ Is Born" (the reason for the season)
 
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