We are in the thick of christmas wrapping and last minute shopping. What album keeps your christmas cheer going? I can think of two. If I want to hear my HIFI shine I go for David Lanz Christopher's dream . Wow [itunes.apple.com] . If I want to dance like a middle aged man who doesn't know how to dance then I go for The Ventures Christmas Album, specifically the Sleigh Ride song, [itunes.apple.com] .

So, what are your favorite christmas albums?

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Ukulele music I couldn't find anywhere else.
[colquhoun.info]

Not an album, but I love the way The Temptations do "Silent Night". It was free on iTunes store a few years ago.

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That old man - he don't think like no old man...
Now I wouldn't want to be within 400 - 500 yards of one of them nuclear bombs when it goes off! WW1 Vet Old Man
"He's pinned under an outcropping of rock. Lucky for him, the rock kept the dirt from burying him alive."
If idiots could fly, this place would be an airport. And I'd be a TSA agent.
A bonified member of The Mystic Knights of The Sea, George P. Stevens, President. Andy Brown, Treasurer, Algonquin J. Calhoun, Legal Consultant.

Here's another vote for The Ventures. Discovered it when I saw a band play it all the way through a few years ago.

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gayla Peevy.

Not an album, just a song, cracks me up every time.

"Just bring him in the back door, it's the easy thing to do."

Nana Mouskouri

[itunes.apple.com]

Straight No Chaser: Holiday Spirits gets alot of airtime in my house

This is a single song, not an album.

“NBC ran a comedy-drama show for one season back in 2006 called Studio 60. One episode featured a group of displaced-by-Hurricane-Katrina New Orleans jazz musicians playing O Holy Night. Hauntingly beautiful.

NBC put up a link for folks to download the song shortly after that episode aired. Don’t know if the official NBC link is still active. You can find a link here:

[bigsole.blogspot.ca]

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Christmas Eve and Other Stories

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The only part I don't like is where the cast of the show starts singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing". I just skip to the next song.

msg and Todd's, thanks for those! Never heard either of them. Like'em!

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That old man - he don't think like no old man...
Now I wouldn't want to be within 400 - 500 yards of one of them nuclear bombs when it goes off! WW1 Vet Old Man
"He's pinned under an outcropping of rock. Lucky for him, the rock kept the dirt from burying him alive."
If idiots could fly, this place would be an airport. And I'd be a TSA agent.
A bonified member of The Mystic Knights of The Sea, George P. Stevens, President. Andy Brown, Treasurer, Algonquin J. Calhoun, Legal Consultant.

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rz
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The only part I don't like is where the cast of the show starts singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing". I just skip to the next song.

You beat me to it!

Yoootooobe

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CW2V

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rz
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The only part I don't like is where the cast of the show starts singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing". I just skip to the next song.

You beat me to it!

Yoootooobe

This.

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GuyGene
Not an album, but I love the way The Temptations do "Silent Night". It was free on iTunes store a few years ago.

That's my all-time favorite Christmas song! [www.youtube.com]

The whole album isn't great but I love Ringo Starr's "I Want To Be Santa Claus"

has excellent versions of "Little Drummer Boy" and a good, triply, original "Peace Be With You"

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Eli Weisel

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

"I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it." - Billy Graham 1981

"Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise" - Barry Goldwater

Do I have to like just one album?

I prefer Pandora's Swinging Christmas Radio.

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vision63

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GuyGene
Not an album, but I love the way The Temptations do "Silent Night". It was free on iTunes store a few years ago.

That's my all-time favorite Christmas song! [www.youtube.com]

Yeah, don't they just do a fantastic job! I listen to that one over and over.

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That old man - he don't think like no old man...
Now I wouldn't want to be within 400 - 500 yards of one of them nuclear bombs when it goes off! WW1 Vet Old Man
"He's pinned under an outcropping of rock. Lucky for him, the rock kept the dirt from burying him alive."
If idiots could fly, this place would be an airport. And I'd be a TSA agent.
A bonified member of The Mystic Knights of The Sea, George P. Stevens, President. Andy Brown, Treasurer, Algonquin J. Calhoun, Legal Consultant.

The Roches, We Three Kings.

I just got tipped off to this:
[www.discogs.com]

Jingle Bell Jazz is a collection of jazz versions of Christmas songs recorded between 1959 and 1962 by some of the most popular artists on the Columbia label. It was first issued October 17, 1962.

Side One

01 – Jingle Bells (Duke Ellington)
02 – White Christmas (Lionel Hampton)
03 – Winter Wonderland (Chico Hamilton)
04 – The Christmas Song (Carmen McRae)
05 – Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Pony Poindexter)
06 – We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Paul Horn)

Side Two

07 – Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Dave Brubeck Quartet)
08 – Deck Us All With Boston Charlie (Lambert, Hendricks & Ross)
09 – Deck The Halls (Herbie Hancock)
10 – If I Were A Bell (Manhattan Jazz All Stars)
11 – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree (Marlowe Morris)
12 – Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (Miles Davis)

Released: October 17, 1962
Genre: Christmas, Holiday, Jazz
Length: 41:37
Label: Columbia Records

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decay

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CW2V

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rz
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The only part I don't like is where the cast of the show starts singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing". I just skip to the next song.

You beat me to it!

Yoootooobe

This.

Count me in. One of my all time favorites. I really like Vince's piano playing. Heck, I can even put up with the Hark song too.

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Mr. Lahey: A lot of people, don’t know how to drink. They drink against the grain of the liquor. And when you drink against the grain of the liquor? You lose.

Randy: What the @#$%& are you talking about?

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas 1984
The orchestra is still on tour this year.

Yule Struttin : A Blue Note Christmas

Stanley Jordan does a great version of Silent Night

[www.amazon.com]

Hipsters' Holiday: Vocal Jazz and R&B Classics

A good one to put on and break out the cocktail shaker

[www.amazon.com]

“You’re All I Want For Christmas” by The Persuasions.

I love the old Firestone and Goodyear albums from the 60s and 70s. Corny but so full of memories for me. Unfortunately they aren't available as anything but second-hand vinyl.

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Definitely:
Christmas Wonderland - Bert Kaempfert

I love the Charlie Brown Christmas album, especially the kids singing Hark the Herald Angel Sing

GRP Christmas (jazz album series) - [www.amazon.com]
--sounding a little dated now as a reviewer mentioned, but still good stuff

A Merry Jazzmas - various artists

Harry Connick Jr. - When my heart finds christmastime

George Winston - December

Winter's Solstice V and VI (there are many others obviously, also likely good) - (Wyndam Hill artists)

Elvis' Christmas album

Santa Stole My Lady - Fitz & The Tantrums

Seriously West Coast Vol 2 - (various Canucks)

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Everything you want for christmas

Sarah Mclachlan - Wintersong

The Killers - various xmas songs

Paste Holiday Sampler - various artists

In addition to all the others, the Brian Setzer Orchestra one, and Barenaked Ladies-Barenaked for Christmas

Edit: also the old Avon collection from the 80s.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2014 12:53PM by BernDog.

John Denver and the Muppets - A Christmas Together

Christmas in the Stars - A Star Wars Christmas

Victoria's Secret Christmas - London Symphony Orchestra



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The Guaraldi LP for sure.

I have some others that bring great childhood memories that are also good in their own way.

These both from 1962:

Ray Conniff, We Wish You a Merry Christmas
So very schmaltzy. It's of course "music for squares," in a "Mad Men" suburbia style but a lot of fun.)

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Philly Orch w/ Eugene Ormandy, The Glorious Sounds of Christmas
A standard choral, orchestral set done really well, straight up, "no foolishness." Too good to be boring.

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Now we go back to 1959 with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians for The Sounds of Christmas (seems there was little imagination for album titles back then).
Again, a "formal, adult" recording but there's huge variety here, everything from stuffy orchestral/choral like the Ormandy, to gospel to almost-Conniff like campy to swanky jazz. "Santa Claus Is coming to Town" here is the sexiest version of it you'll hear.


A little more than a year I ago I emailed the Coordinator at Penn State's Library, where Fred Waring had left many artifacts and recordings. The Sounds of Christmas was OOP but he graciously gave me an MP3 download for free, unfortunately crappy-sounding. I shared with him my better-sounding LP rip ... (got no response about that)

It was later part of a 2-LP and then 2-CD set called "Christmas Magic" also OOP. Apparently, 3 weeks ago Capitol/Universal re-released it. (iTunes link)
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So now back to the '60s with Ferrante and Teicher, We Wish You a Merry Christmas
History wasn't kind to this kind of light "fluff" artistry but for Xmas it works just fine.

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If you like vocal jazz I shouldn't have to tell you about this, you need to own it already:


If you play vinyl seek out both the original mono and stereo versions, black label Verve.
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With a few others that group above formed the core of what I heard growing up for most Decembers.

Now for something completely different: From '91, Brave Combo, It's Christmas, Man!
Polka, waltzes, samba, rock, etc


There's a live recording that's similar, called Christmas Present.
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If you find this, it should be green vinyl. Earlier versions weren't but sound the same: like an old TV speaker ...


There are others in standard rotation here but that should get anyone going.

Tijuana Christmas by The Border Brass
[www.youtube.com]

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I love all of Amy Grant's Christmas albums.

Thanks for the listings here, I will definitely try some of them (Pandora will be easy).

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$tevie
I love the old Firestone and Goodyear albums from the 60s and 70s. Corny but so full of memories for me. Unfortunately they aren't available as anything but second-hand vinyl.

There's some really good music on those records (and a lot of schmaltz, too, but still). Kind of remarkable that a couple of tire companies put in the kind of resources it must have taken to make them, and with some of the biggest musical names of the time to boot.

MP3 rips exist if you look around for them...

Not an album, and some might scream humbug, but I like Katzenjammer's cover of Fairytale of New York.

[www.youtube.com]

Thank DK, for the Jingle Bell Jazz tip. Ordered a NM copy.

Looks like when Trunk Records in the UK licensed it a few years ago they got the original running order (Dukes of Dixieland instead of Herbie Hancock). And from them you can it lossless and with original artwork: [bleep.com]

I like the GRP series as well.

Also the "A Very Special Christmas" series. All of Run DMC's tracks starting with Christmas in Hollis are now classics (to me).

James Brown "Santa's got a Brand New Bag" is good.

One of my favorites for the past couple of years is A Very She and Him Christmas.
She and Him Christmas

Also, the one from Pink Martini is really good.
Pink Martini - Joy to the World

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Two wrongs don't make a right, but, three rights make a left.

Hidey Ho!
[www.youtube.com]

John Waters Christmas
[www.youtube.com]

I farted on Santa's Lap
[www.youtube.com]

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I always recommend Sing We Christmas by Chanticleer. Some gorgeous work.

Yule Struttin : A Blue Note Christmas

Got this one. Also:

Jingle Bell Jazz

We have an album from Pottery Barn with some of these songs and others from the 40s and 50s.

Gary Hoey's "Ho Ho Hoey" Christmas CD

His take on meny holiday favs with a lead rock guitar.

Dave

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Welcome to Dave's BBQ!

Many have eaten here....

Few have died

I must also go with Vince Guaraldi. Classic for folks my age.

However, December by George Winston is also one of my seasonal favorites. And I've somehow just gotten to love the song "It Snowed (Last Night)" by Meaghan Smith, which was on an iTunes holiday sampler a couple years ago. So upbeat and cheery about snow, it could only have been sung by a Canuck.

We usually put on the Vienna Boy's Choir, or some german Christmas music from the 1950's and 1960's. It's a 32 year family tradition that we gather 'round the tree and sing "Stille Nacht". In German. OK, my wife and I sing it in German, the kids mumble along. We adopted almost all of my wife's family's Christmas traditions. Except I don't hit the Slivovits as hard as her dad usually did. Or complain about the food.

Album...gotta go classic: Christmas With The Conniffs

Individual Song Category

White Christmas - Bing Crosby

Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus Is Comin To Town

Red Peters - Holy @#$%& It's Christmas

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“Live your life, love your life, don’t regret…live, learn and move forward positively.” – CR Johnson
Loving life in Lake Tahoe, CA

Holy smokes, 43 posts so far and still going strong! I'm going to spend tonight listening to the music listed here. I already bought one album based on these recommendations.

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Ukulele music I couldn't find anywhere else.
[colquhoun.info]

[itunes.apple.com]

I picked up this LP for 50 cents, but it's also on CD

Rockin' Little Christmas



[www.amazon.com]

(starts at a penny)

[www.discogs.com]

[itunes.apple.com]

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Haven't listened to their album, but favorite live Christmas show is Celtic Woman.

Late to the party but I love harmony (someone else mentioned Strait No Chaser, but I also love the Roches "We Three Kings" and Aliqua "All I Want"

Kate

decay, didn't ye mean this one:

[m.youtube.com]

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That old man - he don't think like no old man...
Now I wouldn't want to be within 400 - 500 yards of one of them nuclear bombs when it goes off! WW1 Vet Old Man
"He's pinned under an outcropping of rock. Lucky for him, the rock kept the dirt from burying him alive."
If idiots could fly, this place would be an airport. And I'd be a TSA agent.
A bonified member of The Mystic Knights of The Sea, George P. Stevens, President. Andy Brown, Treasurer, Algonquin J. Calhoun, Legal Consultant.

Can’t recommend this as classic Christmas music, and I enjoy a nostalgic trek by listening to at least one lot-time radio program. Here you can find “The Great Gildersleeve” episodes.

“Leroooooyyyy!”

[www.greatgildersleeve.com]