This week adds two version of Twas the Night Before Christmas and a decided underdog in the race to represent The Little Drummer boy. This is also the week that a few standards in their definitive versions made the list - Crosby, Sinatra, Elvis, Cuomo, Ives - it's pretty clear most of these are going to be favorites for the final track list.
More controversially I've added a version of My Favorite Things. It's Herb Alpert's take on the Sound of Music chestnut but the real question is - Is My Favorite Things even a Christmas Song. It certainly shows up on a lot of Christmas albums and that alone has worked to make it feel Chrismassy but if you were compiling a Perfect Mix would you feel it Christmassy enough?
I've added a poll over there in the side bar where you can vote for or against My Favorite Things as an "official" Christmas Song. For more debate see this 2006 thread at Falalalala and this more recent one. I have a few more borderline tunes that we'll put to the yuletide test as the months roll on.
Here's this week's list of contenders for The Perfect Christmas List...
- A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
- A Very Merry Christmas - Cliff Edwards
- Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
- Christmas Carols - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
- Christmas City - Merv Griffin
- Christmas Is - Lou Rawls
- Christmas Love - The Rotary Connection
- Christmas Rush - Vincent Lopez
- Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
- Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly/Wassail Song - Hugo Winterhalter
- I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra
- It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Perry Cuomo
- Jingle Bells/Mele Kalikimaka - Alfred Apaka And The Hawaiian Village Serenaders
- Mistletoe And Wine - Cliff Richard
- My Favorite Things - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass
- Noite Santa, Silenciosa - Guimaraes e Seu Conjunto
- Step Into Christmas - Elton John
- Thanks For Christmas - XTC
- The Little Drummer Boy - The Longines Symphonette Society
- Twas The Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring
- Twas The Night Before Christmas - Jo Stafford
- White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Whew! Nearly 50 songs and it's not eve the middle of January!
Surprises? Christmas Love by the Rotary Connection and the second Little Drummer Boy. I can't imagine the Longines version beating out the classic Harry Simone but you never know...
Underdogs? The Longnes Drummer Boy I suppose. At Least one of the Twas's.
And here's a partial list (homemade compilations and a couple of dozen singles excluded) of the stuff I listened to in order to come up with the above ( in vaguely descending order of perfection) ...
Al Goodman & His Orchestra - A Christmas Symphony
MY(P)WHAE - Merry Mervmas
The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra - The Music of Christmas
Vincent Lopez - Christmas Songs
Alfred Apaka - Christmas At The Hawaiian Village
Sinatra & Crosby Christmas Special
Lawrence Welk - Jingle Bells
Roger Williams - Christmas Time
Emmy Rossum - Carol Of The Bells
Harry Simeone Chorale - Best Loved Christmas Carols
Eric Rigler - Traditional Celtic Christmas
Hugo Winterhalter And His Orchestra And Chorus - Christmas Magic
Marie Osmond - Magic Of Christmas
Guimaraes e Seu Conjunto - Dancando com o Papai Noel
MY(P)WHAE - Merry Shellacmas
Sears Golden Strings - White Christmas
VA - A Celtic Christmas (Saydisc)
The Longines Symphonette Society - Shell's Wonderful World of Music - Special Christmas Edition
VA - Billboard's Top Christmas Hymns
VA - Natal no Brasil Vol.1, Vol.2
VA - Christmas Favorites (Current Hits 22)
Demis Roussos - Christmas
Music City Singers - Favorite Songs of Christmas
I Heart Lung - I Heart Christmas
The Osmond Brothers - We Sing You A Merry Christmas
A Band Called Quinn - Christmas E.P.
...and a random Christmas image to make things look a tad more festive around here...
