🎄 Holidays! Your Holiday Favorites (Albums or Singles)

[Rudy]

Since we've been featuring some A&M goodies in our forum as of late, let's discuss some of your other holiday favorites here. I have between 100-120 various Christmas albums in my collection, but I would say my core favorites involve only about two dozen of them; the others may get an occasional spin, or see a track included on a compilation or playlist I make for playback at home.

I've been doing a countdown of my favorite Xmas albums here: http://www.rudyscorner.com . I'm doing one album and/or artist per day in no particular order.

Newer ones I haven't yet listened to are the Xmas CDs by Reverend Horton Heat and Los Straitjackets. Jury's still out on those.

What are some of your go-to favorites for the holidays? Let's see some good lists here! For some of us (present company included), there may be some hidden gems that we're not yet aware of.

 

[Dave]

The Herb Alpert & TjB Christmas album... Still 3 days to go to feature it here! (I'll think of more...)


-- Dave

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

These always get play from me each year:

Christmas Portrait Carpenters-german pressing cd (this ultimately gets the most play from me, it's the perfect christmas cd and set the bar.

An Old-Fashioned Christmas Carpenters-usually played from the Shm cd from Japan, it gets a few plays but not nearly as much as CP.

Time Life Christmas w/ the Carpenters 2 CD set, I play this once or twice because I love the fact that it's basically all Karen one song right after the other, although I don't like the remix remix of MCD, Richard messed that one up on this set.

The Animals' Christmas Amy Grant Art Garfunkel- I bought the LP version off ebay this year and I was blown away at how much better it sounded than the original CD I had from 86. I imagine the new ortofon 320 had something to do with it

A Charlie Brown Christmas LP- AcousTech by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman 45 rpm 2 LP set, this was the best $50.00 I spent that year, it has more than paid for itself, I really love how this turned out and play the needle drop I made alot in my car, even when it's not Christmas

Amy Grant, The Christmas Album, Home for Christmas, My Best Christmas (which contains a rare track of Merry Christmas Darling) Her cassette single-Let the Season Take Wing. I play alot of her material for Christmas.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer/Burl Ives CD- it contains 19 tracks from the tv show, the first half of the CD are the exact songs from the show and the last half are instrumentals of the same songs. Why? because I am still a kid at heart. Love those songs.

Christmas Wish by Olivia Newton-John- this is one of my favorites not just because she's my favorite artist but the arrangement and songs included are her best, I also love the instrumentals tucked in between each track she sings, almost reminds me of the Carpenters Christmas how you wait to her Karen in between the instrumentals, so this is the case as well w/ Livvy.


2 Christmas songs I bought off iTunes this year
Aspenglow (taken from Rocky Mountain Christmas John Denver) I have always loved that song and decided to buy it.

My Favorite Things (by Kenny Rogers album Christmas Greetings) he recorded this a couple times but I like the version from this album, love the tempo, I actually heard this on internet radio live365 on my android phone while I was wrapping presents today and I liked it some much I bought it.

That are just some of my favorites.

 

[Rudy]

One single track I like that never made it to an album was Al Jarreau's "The Christmas Song." It came out during the mid 80s when his albums Breakin' Away and Jarreau were all the rage so it is in a very similar style. It was likely on a promo 12" originally, and I could never find it on 45. One day at the register at Car City, they had a bin of $1 promo CD singles, and guess what was in there?? Shocked, was I. It's good to have it, as I'd never hear it anymore.

"Last Christmas" by Wham! is another favorite. To be honest, I don't buy much current artists, but I can't think of anyone who's covered this one yet.

It's been awhile since I've spun the 12" singles or B-sides, but Prince & The Revolution had "Another Lonely Christmas." The 12" was unique in that the A-side was the Purple Rain hit "I Would Die For You," but it was not a remix of the album track--it was a live recording, possibly the one they used in the film. The flip side had the long version of "Another Lonely Christmas." What's also unique is that the label area is oversized; I've never seen another like that.

 

[Harry]

In addition to all of the classic A&M stuff, I've discovered a few newer things that I like a lot in recent years. Those include (as I've mentioned elsewhere) the Amy Grant HOME FOR CHRISTMAS album and now it's 13th track from the bonus cassette at Target.

I really like Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan doing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings". There are two by Trans-Siberian Orchestra that I've latched onto, the "Christmas Canon" and "Christmas Eve-Sarajevo 12/24". That magnificent arrangement of David Foster doing "Carol Of The Bells" along with some of John Williams tunes from HOME ALONE are great.

And speaking of soundtracks, I really love the Nick Bicât score for the George C. Scott version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL from 1984. I waited for years for that soundtrack to be released and it never was. But it turns out that if you look up Mr. Bicât on the web and make contact, he'll sell you his soundtrack on CD-R. I did that a couple of years ago and have been thrilled to include some of that stuff in my annual Christmas rotation.



Other newer favorites include Vanessa Williams version of "Do You Hear What I Hear". It turns out that the version I liked on radio was an edited version eliminating a nifty gospel-type chorus, but the album version is the full-blown arrangement.

A couple of tracks that date back to my working at a radio station that had a bit of a folk-rock bent to it yielded two tracks from Peter Paul & Mary that don't often get played anywhere. "Christmas Dinner" is the obvious one, but there's another that our late PD used to throw in called "A 'Soalin'". Those two always get some spin time every year.

I've really come to like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers doing "Christmas All Over Again" and the Eurythmics "Winter Wonderland". Those two were from that VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS series that A&M released.

Oh, and then there's Gloria Estefan's bouncy big-band arrangement to "Let It Snow. Let It Snow, Let It Snow".

And of course, the glue holding all of this together are the Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Nat King Cole-type classics.

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Speaking of Sarah McLachlan, last year I bought some of her Christmas songs off iTunes, Wintersong, River, What Child is This? (Greensleaves) and I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Wintersong is one of my favorites. She has the video to the song on youtube, it looks like it might be her youtube page, not sure

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Someone incorporated these beautiful winter photos to this song, they did a really great job. There will be no white Christmas where I live but this video expresses the beauty of winter. It's best in the 720 quality version.

 

[Harry]

"Last Christmas" by Wham! is another favorite. To be honest, I don't buy much current artists, but I can't think of anyone who's covered this one yet.

I like that one too, and it HAS started springing up on other artists track lists. One I can think of that I know you dislike is Taylor Swift,

Harry

 

[Rudy]

Never heard of him/her/it, but I'm sure I'd dislike that song being slaughtered. I heard enough bad Xmas music at the mall last night that I don't even feel like listening to anything holiday-related at all today...not even my TJB LP. That current popular music is so bad that it pretty much ruined my holiday music spirit for the day.

Out to battle the crowds again, but I'm taking music in the car to cleanse my mind a bit. Good day for some White Zombie (not quite holiday music, but a fantastic antidote to crowd control ).

 

[Rudy]

Time to give our Holiday thread a bump! 'Tis the season, and all that.

 

[Rudy]

"Last Christmas" by Wham! is another favorite. To be honest, I don't buy much current artists, but I can't think of anyone who's covered this one yet.

Sadly I did hear a couple of remakes of that song while out at the stores a few weeks back. Awful. Truly awful. Just about every song I heard was awful, in fact. Not to be "bah humbug" about having the music forced at us since Nov. 1, but I finally nailed on one thing about these current popular artists' singing: there is absolutely no emotion to it! They are singing the words, Autotuned to perfection and sung with all the right inflections so it'll sell.

So of course, time to come home and let Setzer's two Xmas albums rip and shred us right into the holiday spirit. He has more soul and life in just one of his tracks than all the popular music out there combined!

 

[Harry]

I've got my traditional Christmas compilation CD in the car. I generally update it every year with nay new favorites, and there were a couple to add this year. My new favorite to start off the season is one introduced to my by Chris-An Ordinary Fool, the rare Amy Grant single sold only on cassette and only at Target for one season, "Let The Season Take Wing." It's a great starter for Christmas music in general.

My WMA CD is in the car, rotating whenever I drive, which isn't as often as the old daily commute to and from work. So, with a start somewhere around Dec. 1, I'm currently up to about track #65 out of 150.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

That reminds me that I should either compile a WMA disc for the car, or load up a memory stick with favorites. Seeing how I enjoy variety at times, and complete albums at others, I could easily do some of each.

And it's yet another sore reminder that another year has slipped by without making my new, improved Something Festive compilation with all the improved sources I've found, and redoing it in high-resolution digital for clearer sound.

 

[Harry]

Yes, this year, as in all others, there is plenty of helpings from the major A&M Christmas albums:

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass CHRISTMAS ALBUM
Various Artists SOMETHING FESTIVE
Carpenters CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT
Carpenters AN OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS
Amy Grant HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

and of course tracks that featured on the many VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS albums, and that European counterpart to SOMETHING FESTIVE called MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

A Charlie Brown Christmas LP- AcousTech by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman 45 rpm 2 LP set, this was the best $50.00 I spent that year, it has more than paid for itself, I really love how this turned out and play the needle drop I made alot in my car, even when it's not Christmas

Can't tell you how many times I've kicked myself for not picking that one up... That would have been the ultimate version to own of that album. I do have a couple of needle drops of it, but it's not the same.

Steve also did the 33-1/3 and 45RPM Rumours. (Be sure it's the US pressing, however.) For someone who was dead set on never listening to that album ever again (due to it being heavily overplayed--still--by radio), the album is a treat. I've never heard it so good!

I do have Charlie Brown Christmas on a Fantasy SACD, and it's pretty good, but the Monster high-res release is to be avoided (has the wrong take of "Linus and Lucy" and I think the mixes were different).

 

[Rudy]

While going through what's left of my LPs, I found a couple of Xmas titles I'd forgotten I owned.

One is Have Yourself A Merry Chess Christmas", featuring ten tracks from the Chess records family: Chuck Berry, The O'Jays, Ramsey Lewis, etc.

I'd really like to find that Phil Spector Xmas album on vinyl also. Wonder if there's a non-trashed version waiting for me out there....

 

[Harry]

In my Christmas rotation, the other day, up came Juan Oskar's "Chevy Bells". What a cool little song!

Harry

 

[Nicko]

Talking about Charlie Brown, the Choir of Angels on BBC Radio this year featured a cover of "Christmas Time is Here" by Emily Barker and backed by the other angels (Rumer, Ren Harvieu, Kristina Train), you can listen to it here and get a free download of it too.

http://emilybarker.bandcamp.com/track/christmas-time-is-here

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

It's funny reading what I wrote last yr cause so far I've played all that again. That A Charlie Brown Christmas LP I mentioned above is by far my favorite purchase, I never thought something like that would have had such an impact on how I feel about that album, the mastering is superb.

While I still consider the Carpenters Christmas Portrait to be the best of the best. I did ended up picking up a few new ones this year:

1. This Christmas -ONJ and John Travolta, As much as I adore Olivia, this was just not her best, in fact I was almost close to returning the CD yet since I am such a fan I must keep it for my collection. I simply can't recomend this one to anyone. It's just a weird vibe when practically every track start with JT vocals, which makes it appear to be more his album than both. The video to main track off the CD, "I Think You Might Like It" has had some pretty harsh response from the media and public. It was marketed as their comeback song from their "Grease" days. It's written by John Farrar (Olivia's long time record producer) I really like the song not so much the video. It's nice that the proceeds of the CD go to their favorite charities.

2. I was in Target last week and always end up looking over the music section. I've never purchase any of his albums but I picked up Michael Buble' CD called "Christmas" It was a special edition CD from Target containing 3 bonus tracks. I watched his special on TV and ended up looking for the CD to puchase. I have been enjoying it.

3. The last one I purchased on iTunes as a downloaded CD w/ digital booklet, David Archuleta "Christmas From The Heart" I remember him from American Idol a few years back and always thought his voice was pure and natural sounding. This has become one of my favorite Christmas CD's this season. He sings a really nice Ave Maria, which the first part remind me so much of Karen Carpenter's version. There is also a song titled "Pat-A-Pan" I really like his vocal talent on that one. I also enjoy how it contains more traditional songs of the true meaning of Christmas such as What Child is This, O Holy Night and Joy to the World.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Someone uploaded a 1080p video of this track Pat-A Pan from David Archuletta. It's such an unusual track, I love the use of the guitar and orchestra. He really has a natural talent.

 

[alpertfan]

I haven't owned any Christmas albums, per se, since I moved into my own place, but I have downloaded some of my favorite renditions of some of my favorite Yultide ditties, which include:
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman"-Mannheim Steamroller
"The Christmas Song"-Nat King Cole
"Deck The Halls"-Ottmar Liebert (for those who don't know, he's German-Hungarian classical guitarist)
"The Little Drummer Boy"-Bob Seger
"Step Into Christmas"-Elton John
"Feliz Navidad"-Jose Feliciano
"Christmas Eve In Sarajevo"-The Trans-Siberian Orchestra
"Adeste Fideles"-Gerry Rafferty
"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow"-Dean Martin
"Rusty Chevrolet"-Da Yoopers
"The 12 Pains Of Christmas"-Bob Rivers
I could go on and on, but those are a few. I actually made 2 CD-Rs' worth of songs earlier this year, one of which is all jazz.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

One of the new Christmas CDs I got is the Beach Boys Christmas Album. The vocals are pretty cool and in a couple of cases there is a big band backing them. It's a little different from what you usually get from the Beach Boys.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

One of the new Christmas CDs I got is the Beach Boys Christmas Album. The vocals are pretty cool and in a couple of cases there is a big band backing them. It's a little different from what you usually get from the Beach Boys.

Is that a new recording? The only thing I have by them dates back to the 60s, and I have it on a Capitol reissue LP.

 

[mikeargo]

Is that a new recording? The only thing I have by them dates back to the 60s, and I have it on a Capitol reissue LP.

Heard a track from that on the radio today--very nice. Been spinning a lot of holiday disks these past weeks, but a couple of daily must-plays are the Sinatra Christmas album and Jo Stafford's Happy Holidays--I Love the Winter Weather. I can listen to those year-round. --As well as, of course, the Guiraldi Charlie Brown Christmas album.

Mike A.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Is that a new recording? The only thing I have by them dates back to the 60s, and I have it on a Capitol reissue LP.

That's the one. When I said "new" I meant new to my collection.



Capt. Bacardi