🎄 Holidays! You have ONE blank 80 minute CD...

[Rudy]

Here's an exercise for all of you.

You have one blank 80 minute CD. You have a stack of vinyl, CDs or whatever, and want to make yourself one really good Christmas compilation CD. For popular songs, you can count on getting maybe 20-25 tracks on your CD. Also, please limit your compilation to no more than two or three songs by the same artist or band.

So, that's our exercise for the day...pick all your favorite Christmas, winter or holiday songs and put them on your CD, and give us your track listing! I figure this is a little different from "name your five favorite whatevers", especially if you already own the music and can make a finished project yourself!

(If you are not CD enabled, I MIGHT let you stretch it to two good 45 minute sides for a cassette, or one 1800 ft. 7-1/2" reel of open reel tape. )

Go for it! I'm jotting down ideas myself right now. I am, however, seriously planning to make a DVD-Audio compilation. At CD's data rate, I can put seven hours of CD-quality audio onto one disc, and divide it into "programs" (maybe rock/pop, jazz, traditional, novelty, etc. programs, for instance). Neat idea for uninterrupted playback during the busy holidays!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I just happen to have my own Christmas Jazz CD (appropriately called Christmas Jazz ) with the following tunes:

Ella Fitzgerald - Jingle Bells
Herbie Hancock - Deck The Halls
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Arthur Blythe Quartet - The Christmas Song
Pete Jolly - It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Ella Fitzgerald - Sleigh Ride
Duke Ellington - Jingle Bells
Lionel Hampton - White Christmas
Herb Alpert & Jeff Lorber - Winter Wonderland
Steps Ahead - Angels We Have Heard On High
Pony Pointdexter - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Beto y Los Fairlanes - We Three Kings
Dexter Gordon - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Ella Fitzgerald - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Gary Burton - O Tannenbaum
Kevin Eubanks - Silver Bells
Larry Carlton - What Child Is This?
Marlowe Morris - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Kai Winding & JJ Johnson - Little Drummer Boy
Herb Alpert & TJB - Jingle Bell Rock
Ella Fitzgerald - Frosty The Snowman


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I have probably half of those songs, if not more. I recognize a few songs as coming from a few different jazz CDs I own. I see some from GRP Christmas, Jingle Bell Jazz, Ella's Xmas album, and the A&M tracks are obvious as well. I should probably do the same myself--not all jazz renditions of Xmas songs work, but I should at least compile the ones I like in one place.

Still working on my list though...hard to pare my favorites down to one disc!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

This is a fun thread!! :santa: So with Santa hat on, here goes mine:

1. Christmas Waltz ~ Carpenters (Perfect Opening to start Christmas)
2. Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song) ~ Amy Grant
3. Christmas Never Felt Like This Before ~ Olivia Newton-John
4. Silver and Gold ~ Burl Ives
5. The Decree ~ Art Garfunkel (The Animals Christmas CD)
6. All is Well ~ Michael W Smith
7. Ave Maria ~ Carpenters (German CD Version w/ out choir)
8. Silver Bells ~ Olivia Newton-John
9. My Favorite Things ~ Julie Andrews
10. Heirlooms ~ Amy Grant
11. It's the Thought ~ Twila Paris
12. The Christmas Song ~ Nat King Cole
13. Christmas Time is Here (vocal) ~ Vince Guaraldi from A Charlie Brown...
14. All I Want is You This Christmas ~ Nsync
15. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ~ Andy Williams
16. Silent Night ~ Olivia Newton-John
17. Tennessee Christmas ~ Amy Grant
18. O Christmas Tree ~ Kenny G
19. Linus and Lucy ~ Vince Guaraldi from A Charlie Brown Christmas
20. Santa Claus is Coming to Town ~ Carpenters Single Version
21. Little Altar Boy ~ Carpenters

Bonus Track: Merry Christmas Darling ~ Carpenters Single Version

I cheated I have more Carpenters...what can I say it's the holidays. :santa:

 

[Dave]

I think the following symbolize the Holiday Season and the Winter Months the best:


Herb Alpert & TjB -- WINTER WONDERLAND

Andy Williams -- CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Diane Krall -- CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

Peter, Paul & Mary -- T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

John Stewart & Buffy Ford -- HOLLY ON MY MIND

Jimmy Dean -- BLUE CHRISTMAS

Ferlin Huskey -- JINGLE BELLS

Glen Campbell -- THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Anne Murray -- SNOWBIRD

J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding -- LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

Roberta Flack -- SOME GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

Simon & Garfunkel -- SCARBOROUGH FAIR/CANTICLE

Herb Alpert & TjB -- THE CHRISTMAS SONG (CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE)

Peter, Paul & Mary -- LIGHT ONE CANDLE (CHANUKKAH SONG)

Tammy Wynette -- IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR

Jerry Vale -- SLEIGH RIDE

Andy Williams -- CHRISTMAS BELLS (CAROL OF THE BELLS)

Bobby Helms -- THE BELL THAT WOULDN'T JINGLE

Johnny Mathis -- DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

Don McLean -- WINTER HAS ME IN ITS GRIP

Argent -- CHRISTMAS FOR THE FREE

The Kings Singers -- TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Mac Davis -- CHRISTMAS CAROL

John Denver -- SILVER BELLS

Kenny Rogers -- MY FAVORITE THINGS

Herb Alpert & TjB -- MY FAVORITE THINGS

ABBA -- CHIQUITITA

Jim Nabors -- I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Mason Williams -- A GIFT OF SONG

John Davidson -- WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

Mahalia Jackson -- SWEET LITTLE JESUS BOY

Jim Croce -- IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY

Johnny Mathis -- WHEN A CHILD IS BORN

Bobby Helms -- JINGLE BELL ROCK


Dave :bigsanta:

 

[Murray]

Here's my compilation. I've grouped the winter/generic Christmas songs together at the start, and finished with the spiritual songs.

1. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Carpenters
3. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts...) - Nat King Cole
4. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Manhattan Transfer
5. Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops
6. The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Herb Alpert & TJB
7. Santa Baby - Kylie Minogue
8. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Barry Manilow & K.T. Oslin
9. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - The Corrs
10. Tennessee Christmas - Amy Grant
11. Merry Christmas Darling (Album version) - Carpenters
12. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
13. Just In Time For Christmas - Nancy Lamott
14. Christ Is Born - Carpenters
15. Heirlooms - Amy Grant
16. Breath Of Heaven - Amy Grant
17. Mary Did You Know? - Kathy Mattea
18. Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem - The Judds
19. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear - Tennessee Ernie Ford
20. O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Tennessee Ernie Ford
21. O Holy Night - Ronnie Milsap
22. Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen - The Kings Singers
23. Stille Nacht - The Kings Singers

Murray :santa:

 

[seashorepiano]

Allright folks, here's my lineup for the solitary 80-minute CD I have. I hope this isn't considered cheating, but last weekend I assembled this playlist on CD for a Knights of Columbus Christmas party, so I think I'll just list the same one here. The artists are listed alphabetically--but as a side note, their tracks were shuffled around as the night progressed; as well, the selection might seem biased towards particular artists, but please understand that I compiled it in a hurry. Here goes:


"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Bill Evans
"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," Billie Holiday
"Christmas Eve," Billy Eckstine
"Strange Meadow Lark," Dave Brubeck
"Ole Santa," Dinah Washington
"Silent Night," Dinah Washington
"The Secret of Christmas," Ella Fitzgerald
"White Christmas," Ella Fitzgerald
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Ella Fitzgerald
"White Christmas," Frank Sinatra
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," Frank Sinatra
"Jingle Bells," Jimmy Smith (highly recommended!)
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," Jimmy Smith
"The Christmas Song," Mel Tormé
"A Child Is Born," Oscar Peterson
"Easy Listening Blues-instrumental," Oscar Peterson (from the album With Respect to Nat)
"Samba With Some Barbecue," Paul Desmond
"Emily," P. Desmond
"Someday My Prince Will Come," P. Desmond
"Autumn Leaves," P. Desmond
"Summertime," P. Desmond
"Christmas Medley: Carol of the Bells/Melodies for the Day/O Sanctissima," The Swingle Sisters
"Watch What Happens," Tamba 4
"O Tannenbaum," Vince Guaraldi Trio
"What Child Is This?" V. Guaraldi
"Christmas Time Is Here (instrumental)," V. Guaraldi
"Christmas Is Coming," V. Guaraldi
"The Christmas Song," V. Guaraldi
"Greensleeves," V. Guaraldi

Apparently most of the partygoers were pleased with the music...

 

[Tim Neely]

I can't say this is my all-time favorite Christmas music, but it's a damned fine collection of stuff -- just under 80 minutes of holiday cheer that I made for a college friend. My idea was to keep it mellow, with a combination of familiar and less familiar songs. Here are the contents.

1. We Wish You a Merry Christmas / The Weavers
2. The Star Carol / Simon & Garfunkel
3. What Child Is This? / The Moody Blues
4. Old Toy Trains / Roger Miller
5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear / Roseanne Cash
6. O Tannenbaum / The Vince Guaraldi Trio
7. A-Soalin’ / Peter, Paul & Mary
8. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen / Manfred Mann
9. Light of the Stable / Emmylou Harris
10. We Five Kings / Jethro Tull
11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas / James Taylor
12. Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane) / Gene Autry
13. The Gift / Aselin Debison
14. Jingle Bells / Jim Reeves
15. Away in a Manger / Joan Baez
16. It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way / Jim Croce
17. Winter Wonderland / America
18. Good King Wenceslas / Loreena McKennitt
19. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas / Chet Atkins
20. The Land of Christmas (Mary) / Carly Simon
21. O Little Town of Bethlehem / Carol Noonan
22. I’ll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams) / Bing Crosby
23. O Come, All Ye Faithful / Harry Nilsson
24. Christmas in the Trenches / John McCutcheon
25. We Need a Little Christmas / Percy Faith and His Orchestra and Chorus
26. The Pause of Mr. Claus / Arlo Guthrie
27. Silent Night / Wisconsin Master Chorale

The last track is a recording of the group with which I sing, with a solo from yours truly....