Which Christmas Album Did you listen to the most (Christmas 2021)?

Which Christmas Album Did You Listen To The Most Christmas 2021?


  • Total voters
    18

tomswift2002

Well-Known Member
I know the Christmas 2021 season isn’t fully over yet, but between the Carpenters 2 Christmas albums, which one did you find you listened to the most, in terms of tracks played or just the whole album put on for background/listening pleasure.
 
Played Christmas Portrait for the whole month, play it in the car. did listen to old fashioned Christmas once or twice
 
Started with the second half of 'An Old-Fashioned Christmas' and then played 'Christmas Portrait' twice during the Christmas season.
 
Played Christmas Collection twice thru with repeats on certain songs by Karen, and then played CP Special Edition thru several times now after acquiring it as a gift from a very generous individual...
 
I didn't play either one of them, actually. I didn't really listen to much Christmas music this year - I don't think I even remember hearing "Merry Christmas Darling" on the radio.
 
This year I must’ve given “An Old-Fashioned Christmas” from the CC set 7 or 8 spins, plus I even played the cassette version I have a few times and add the CPSE & the Time-Life CD (plus I heard more of the AOFC tracks on the radio) and I clearly AOFC was the most played.
 
All proving the old adage that "one can never hear the Carpenters too much" - might have been old Ben Franklin, but I'm not sure...
 
I listened to each album once. Plus, I listened to several other favorites one time each. Then there were a few evenings where the Christmas radio station was on with their mostly predictable selections. Finally, there are a great many playlists on YouTube of Christmas music from different eras; singers, big bands, lots of classical music which were often not predictable at all. 🌲⛄😊
 
I must be a confounded Christmas lunatic, as I played Christmas Portrait probably 20 times this past month and AOFC at least a handful of times. In my defence, I do work in a stufio all day and pretty much play music for 8 hours a day straight. But I also played the Christmas Memories DVD and 78 special more times than I should maybe admit - but again it was while I was working - so that makes it a little less weird. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️
 
Usually, I predominantly listen to the original 1978 Christmas Portrait.
But, this year I wanted to experiment and it was Old-Fashioned Christmas for the most part.
Too bad about the poor LP marketing in its day (1984: substandard artwork, no inner sleeve),
because I really enjoyed this album.
It deserves more attention than it gets.

Billboard Magazine Pop Picks (page 62) December 1984:
CARPENTERS An Old Fashioned Christmas, PRODUCER: Richard Carpenter A& M SP -3270.
"The duo's second Christmas album, following their gold "Christmas Portrait," consists of previously unreleased tracks,
save for a shimmering version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Although less consistent than the earlier set,
this collection features several indispensable tracks with the late Karen Carpenter singing lead, most notably a heartbreaking "Little Altar Boy."
 
I played the double issue CP & AOFC a couple of times at work and in my head when falling asleep Christmas eve. (I just love them both so much).:)
 
Because I acquired the W. German "Christmas Portrait" CD in 2021, I had to listen to the W. German "Christmas Portrait" CD this year. Didn't listen to "An Old Fashioned Christmas" because I can't find my "Christmas Collection" CD, and wasn't listening to records as much this year (although I plan to listen to my record collection more in 2022, incl. AOFC).
 
Christmas Portrait, CD in my car, here and there a couple times over the month of December. Didn't listen to An Old Fashioned Christmas.

I'm normally a "Christmas spirit" kinda guy, love the Holiday season, but this year was flat for me. Didn't feel the mood much.
 
Recently learned that RC originally intended to have more vocal input with Christmas Portrait (was that in The Musical Legacy? I think so) ... but pulled back because of his illness ... I couldn't be more intrigued. Seems I'm one of the few that missed his vocals in the later years. I wonder how much of the opening medley of AOFC is how it might have been? ...
 
Recently learned that RC originally intended to have more vocal input with Christmas Portrait (was that in The Musical Legacy? I think so) ... but pulled back because of his illness ... I couldn't be more intrigued. Seems I'm one of the few that missed his vocals in the later years. I wonder how much of the opening medley of AOFC is how it might have been? ...
It’s kind of surprising that “Toyland” didn’t appear on Christmas Portrait or An Old-Fashioned Christmas or even the 1992 Time-Life (or even as a bonus track on the Christmas Collection, since both albums only take up about 50 minutes of each CD’s 74 minute run time).
 
Toyland would have fit better on An Old Fashioned Christmas as that whole album gives off a reminiscing type feeling for me. It would not have fit on CP in my opinion. It's strange he's never spoke about the this unreleased track, probably thinks there's no interest since it doesn't have Karen vocals on it.
 
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