Kristin Chenoweth Covers Merry Christmas Darling

It’s certainly a compliment for her to choose and sing it. The sentences (phrases) are a little broken with the jazz style framing and to me loose the intent of their meaning. Guess I think the way Karen and Richard did it is still best. Karen had impeccable phrasing.
 
It's a good, easy arrangement and orchestrated nicely - Chenoweth has a soft, sweet voice and can carry a tune and it's a heartfelt rendition - about what one would expect from any of a thousand and one amateurs on YT - would love to have heard what Marilyn McCoo would have done with this beautiful song...or Ella, or even Doris Day...
 
I had heard she was a fan but don’t know much about her other than the Pushing Daisies show. Saw her on The Voice as a coach.

Speaking of that- someone just did Superstar, and no, not a mention of Karen or Richard.
 
I'm never crazy about covers of "Merry Christmas Darling" for fear that on Christmas radio, some new rendition will end up replacing Karen and Richard's original. It's a long-shot, but I also have seen how radio operates. Some newer, hot, young singer will come along and do a new - and big hit - version of "Merry Christmas Darling" - and the programmers will have to acquiesce to all of the requests to play THAT version at Christmas time - and they'll end up giving Carpenters original version fewer spins due to repetition.

But Kristin does a decent job here. Back in 2004, she was supposed to be the opening act for a Corrs concert I was going to up in Boston, but another singer took her place. I never heard an explanation - nor much cared.
 
I can't listen to Chenoweth for more than 2 minutes until her sound starts to get on my nerves. I appreciate her range, but everything is else is too shrill. In my opinion, Karen's version is sacred and I don't think anyone should record it. Kind of joking, but mostly not.
 
It's Kristin Chenoweth-y, but I like her, so to me it's another version. Karen is still Queen of Christmas music.
 
The only other version I’ve heard on the radio is by Vanessa Williams, and that was many years ago. Carpenters will always win out. It’s a true classic Christmas tradition.
 
A quote from Kristen: "For example, as a young girl, Karen Carpenter was a huge influence on me, so of course I’m going to want to celebrate her on the next record. I think that I will celebrate her on Broadway as well.”

ELYSA GARDNER | NOVEMBER 5, 2019
Broadway Direct
 
I thought I would dislike this, but it's actually very pretty. I like the sleepy jazzy arrangement.
 
The only other version I’ve heard on the radio is by Vanessa Williams, and that was many years ago. Carpenters will always win out. It’s a true classic Christmas tradition.
Here's that version from YT, with this comment from Frank Pooler's wife: "I am Frank Pooler's wife. He was the lyricist for this song. Someone, tell Vanessa he LOVED this version of the song! So do I! Rhonda Sandberg-Pooler (4 years ago)

Lovely vocal, really tasteful accompaniment...


 
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About the only thing these covers of Merry Christmas Darling
do for me is to reinforce my belief that:
Karen's vocals were unparalleled and
Richard's arrangement can not be outdone.
 
About the only thing these covers of Merry Christmas Darling
do for me is to reinforce my belief that:
Karen's vocals were unparalleled and
Richard's arrangement can not be outdone.
Well, yes, they do that - it's indisputable - and yet, the best of the "covers", whether professional or amateur, do provide a certain level of entertainment value and personal listening pleasure that can be enjoyed "in the moment" without the impossible comparison to a Karen vocal or a Richard arrangement.
 
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