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Caroling, caroling now we go

December 15th, 2007 at 09:26am McB

I checked the schedule and *gasp* we don’t have a 3rd weekend author!  How can that be?  Any of you random posters want to step up and take permanent duty?

Anyway … I mentioned in a comment that I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to Christmas songs.  I want Nat King Cole singing “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)” and Brenda Lee “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.”  I’m not a huge fan of “new” holiday songs either.  Few of them ever get it right, the whole spirit of the season thing.  And a few I just plain don’t like.  Which ones?  Well, “The Christmas Shoes” for one.  Although I blame it on radio bombarding me with that song relentlessly every year.  First time I liked the song, second time I really listened to it, third time was “what, again?” 

Another one, and I’m dying to know how many others feel this way, is Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas.”  No, no, I’ve got nothing against The King.  It’s those back up singers woo hoo hoo-ing their way through the song.  I hear that first “woo” and it’s like someone dragging fingernails down a blackboard for me.  My radio gets switched off before they make it to the last “hoo.”

I’m also not a big fan of song interpretations.  Interpretation is supposed to be part of art, I guess, but to my mind the original artist – in this case the songwriter – has already done that.  He (or she) is giving us their interpretation of a Christmas song.  The first artist to sing it will usually give it a twist, a little something to brand it to their particular style.  But after that?  After that, my friends, it has had all the interpretation it needs.  If you want to do something different, come up with your own song and leave the beloved standards alone.

There are acceptable exceptions, however.  Reba McIntire’s version of “The Christmas Song” is lovely, a sort of bluesy, piano thing that almost makes me think I can smell those chestnuts roasting.  And Vince Gill did a wonderful instrumental version of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” that is just plain fun.  I’ve mentioned Mannheim Steamroller’s version of “Carol of the Bells” before.  In their hands it is not the delicate chiming I’m used to; but if the purpose of music is to move you and make you feel something, they’ve clearly accomplished that. 

And for non-traditional, the ‘not really Christmas songs but played at lot at this time of year’ my vote goes to Emerson, Brown & O’Donoghue and “It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way.” 

Which songs to you love to hear ths time of year?  Which ones make you cringe?  Which ones make you sit up and pay attention?

Entry Filed under: CB World, Froofroo, Reviews, Uncategorized