Poll: Karen's Best Christmas Vocal

What are Karen's four finest Christmas vocal performances?

  • First Snowfall / Let It Snow

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jingle Bells

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Santa Claus is Coming to Town (interlude from Christmas Portrait)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Winter Wonderland / White Christmas

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    24

Kyle Thomas

Well-Known Member
Karen's voice was remarkably suited for Christmas songs, as the enduring success of "Merry Christmas Darling" has shown. But if there were someone new to the Carpenters at Christmas, and you could pick only the four finest of her vocal performances, which would you choose?

I'd go with these:
1. Merry Christmas Darling (1978)
2. Christ is Born
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1974)
4. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
 
We are all right. Do any of Karen's vocals on holiday music suck? I think not. :)
But we have our favorites. These our mine.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1974 single)
MCD (1978)
Ave Maria
Little Alter Boy
 
Thanks Kyle for starting this. Here are my 4 and why;

1) I'll Be Home For Christmas - Tears me up every time:cry:. The whole Karen dying young and how she loved Christmas thing overwhelms me.
2) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - I was listening to my CP vinyl a week or so ago and was taken by Karen's strong vocals on this one. Really ends each stanza with a strong vibrato and a great performance. I never really noticed it before.
3) Christ Is Born - I have the impression that Karen was "inspired" with this one. Beautiful, heartfelt performance. After Lil Alter Boy and Ave Maria, makes me wish Karen would've recorded a gospel album.
4) Christmas Waltz - Just love the way she "breaks in" to this song. When I hear that voice, I know Christmas is here!

Honorable Mention - MCD (1970) - An original, not Nat King Cole or Bing Crosby. This is the duo's signature Christmas song. I could put it in my top 4 any given day (depending on how I feel), but there it is.
 
We are all right. Do any of Karen's vocals on holiday music suck? I think not. :)
But we have our favorites. These our mine.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1974 single)
MCD (1978)
Ave Maria
Little Alter Boy

^These ARE mine! ^ But you know my favorite holiday performance is Karen singing Merry Christmas Darling on Bruce Forsyth's UK show 1978. To me that one is the most special, of many!
 
1. Little Altar Boy - There has been quite a bit of debate about Karen's spirituality, and when anyone asks me if she was a Christian, I say that she at least was during Little Altar Boy. In my opinion, there is no better example of her ability to get into the feelings and meanings of a song.
2. Merry Christmas Darling (1978 Version)- For me, this cut captures the joy of Christmas.
3. Ave Maria - Incredibly powerful and moving rendition.
4. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Single Version) - A beautiful expression of childlike innocence, another welcome and warm Christmas feeling.
 
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