The Perfect Christmas Mix

Nearly Perfect? : Time - Life Treasury Of Christmas

2008-12-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a series of posts to try and rekindle my enthusiasm for (Dinsdale) Kringle's Folly. I'll grab tracklists from various commercially available Christmas compilations and give them a quick once over to see if there's really been any point at all in trying to make a Perfect Mix. Has my Perfect Compilation been out there all along? We'll see...

Time - Life Treasury Of Christmas

Disc 1

01. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
02. Medley: Winter Wonderland / Sleigh Ride - Dolly Parton
03. The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
04. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Andre Previn
05. The Twelve Days of Christmas - Roger Whittaker
06. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing - Nat King Cole
07. O Holy Night - Perry Como
08 The Christmas Song - The Carpenters
09. Medley: Carol of the Bells / Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly - Robert Shaw Chorale
10. Twas the Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians
11. Here Comes Santa Claus - Elvis Presley
12. Santa s Beard - The Beach Boys
13. Christmas in My Home Town - Charley Pride
14. Away in a Manger - Ed Ames
15. Silent Night - Jim Reeves
16. Home for the Holidays - Perry Como
17. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
18. Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano
19. Good King Wenceslas - Morton Gould and The RCA Symphony Orchestra
20. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
21. Medley: Here We Come A-Caroling / O Tannenbaum / I Saw Three Ships - Atrhur Fiedler and The Boston Pops
22. Ave Maria - Leontyne Price with the Choir of St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Disc 2

01. Ding Dong Merrily on High - Roger Whittaker
02. If Every Day Was Like Christmas - Elvis Presley
03. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
04. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Perry Como
05. Jingle Bells - Jim Reeves
06. What Child Is This? - Andre Previn
07. Adeste Fidelis - Luciano Pavarotti with the National Philharmonic
08. I ll Be Home for Christmas - Perry Como
09. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Julie Andrews
10. Christmas in Dixie - Alabama
11. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Bing Crosby
12. Medley: Joy to the World / Angels We Have Heard on High - Robert Shaw Chorale
13. Blue Christmas - Glen Campbell
14. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Philadelphia Orchestra Chorus
15. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
16. Mary s Boy Child - Harry Belafonte
17. Rocking - Roger Whittaker
18. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Lena Horne
19. The First Noel - Sergio Franchi
20. Silver Bells - Kate Smith
21. Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
22. It s Beginning to Look like Christmas - Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters
23. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus

Not a bad song in the bunch. 32/45 that I would consider favorites.A solid collection. Not quite perfect though is it?

ASCAP's Top 25 / 5

2008-11-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

ASCAP has released their list of the most played Christmas tracks on radio over the past five years. Since I'm a fairly harsh critic of modern pop music, both in general and especially in the holiday music genre, I figure I should check the list twice and see if things are better or worse than I imagine.

#1 Winter Wonderland
Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Performed by: Eurythmics

#2 The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Performed by: Nat "King" Cole

#3 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Performed by: The Pretenders

#4 Sleigh Ride
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Performed by: The Ronettes

#5 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Performed by: Frank Sinatra

#6 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Performed by: Michael Bublé

#7 White Christmas
Written by: Irving Berlin
Performed by: Bing Crosby

#8 Jingle Bell Rock
Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Performed by: Bobby Helms

#9 Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Gene Autry

#10 Little Drummer Boy
Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra

#11 It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Written by: Edward Pola, George Wyle
Performed by: Andy Williams

#12 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Brenda Lee

#13 Silver Bells
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Performed by: Kenny G

#14 I'll Be Home For Christmas
Written by: Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Performed by: Amy Grant

#15 Feliz Navidad
Written by: José Feliciano
Performed by: José Feliciano

#16 Frosty The Snowman
Written by: Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Performed by: The Ronettes

#17 A Holly Jolly Christmas
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Burl Ives

#18 It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Written by: Meredith Willson
Performed by: Johnny Mathis

#19 Blue Christmas
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
Performed by: Elvis Presley

#20 (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
Written by: Bob Allen, Al Stillman
Performed by: Perry Como

#21 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Written by: Tommie Connor (PRS)
Performed by: John Mellencamp

#22 Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
Written by: Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
Performed by: Gene Autry

#23 Carol Of The Bells
Written by: Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich
Performed by: David Foster (instrumental version)

#24 Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
Written by: Midge Ure (PRS), Bob Geldof (PRS)
Performed by: Band Aid

#25 This Christmas
Written by Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor
Performed by Gloria Estefan

Well, that didn't help. Apparently songwriters have forgotten how to write holiday songs that people want to record and other people want to listen to. The most recently written song is from Band Aid?

As for the list...

The top 12 is surprisingly sound. I wouldn't have guessed the number one but I suppose it crosses genres nicely. 13 is unlucky indeed. I'd rather have seen a different "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" than Johnny Cougar's make the list. The list only weakens again at number 25.

Of course the list's saving grace is the preponderance of classic tracks and the weak links are all of relatively recent vintage. At least programmers and DJs have the good sense to stick with the classics, it's just too bad they haven't been a bit more adventurous with the modern stuff.

Nearly Perfect? Top 100 Christmas Songs (V.A.)

2008-11-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a new series of posts to try and rekindle my enthusiasm for (Dinsdale) Kringle's Folly. I'll grab tracklists from various commercially available Christmas compilations and give them a quick once over to see if there's really been any point at all in trying to make a Perfect Mix. Has my Perfect Compilation been out there all along? We'll see...

I've seen this set on a few blogs but couldn't find an official link to it. I'm not sure if it's a commercial release of an unofficial compilation but here goes...

Top 100 Christmas Songs

CD1
01. Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas 03:47
02. Boyz II Men - Let it Snow 04:09
03. Michael Mcdonald - Every Time Christmas Comes Around 03:33
04. Marvin Gaye - I Want to Come Home for Christmas 03:23
05. Ashanti - Hey Santa 01:54
06. David Essex - A Winter's Tale 04:13
07. Aaron Neville - Such A Night 03:24
08. Olivia Newton-John - Christmas Never Felt Like This Before 03:51
09. Jackson 5 - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 02:57
10. Freddy Fender - Christmas Time in the Valley 02:24
11. Michael Ball - Driving Home for Christmas 03:57
12. Laura Fygi - the Very Best Time of Year 02:47
13. Gladys Knight - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear 04:36
14. Diana Ross - Little Bright Star 02:28
15. Patti Page - Where Did My Snowman Go 02:32
16. Ringo Starr - Dear Santa 05:11
17. Wes Montgomery & Jimmy Smith - Baby It's Cold Outside 05:58
18. Vanessa Williams - Go Tell it to the Mountain 05:47
19. The Temptations - Little Drummer Boy 03:21
20. The Moody Blues - Happy X Mas (War is Over) 02:35

Not a bad disc but only 8/20 are in my rotation with none that are making the Perfect list.

CD2
01. Bing Crosby - White Christmas 03:00
02. Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock 02:11
03. Brenda Lee - Winter Wonderland 02:22
04. Chante Moore - Christmas Morning 05:20
05. The Platters - Blue Christmas 02:00
06. Diana Ross & the Supremes - My Favourite Things 02:53
07. George Strait - Santa's on His Way 02:07
08. B.B. King - Christmas Celebration 03:38
09. Ella Fitzgerald - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 02:53
10. Will Downing - the First Noel 04:58
11. Chris De Burgh - A Spaceman Came Travelling 04:04
12. Patti Labelle - That's What Christmas Means to Me 03:27
13. Jack Jones - Lullaby for Christmas Eve 04:13
14. New Edition - the Joy of Christmas 02:59
15. Shawn Philips - A Christmas Song 03:28
16. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Christmas Lullaby 04:08
17. Singers Unlimited - Caroling, Caroling 01:15
18. The Statler Brothers - Away in A Manger 02:51
19. Dinah Washington - Ole Santa 02:44
20. Roger Whittaker - Little Shepard 02:52

9/20 this time with three crackers to lead the disc off. Again, a pretty good selection.

CD3
01. Mel Torme - the Christmas Song 02:46
02. Andrews Sisters & Bing Crosby - the First Snowfall 03:08
03. Pat Boone - I'll Be Home for Christmas 01:51
04. James Brown - Please Come Home for Christmas 03:22
05. Kid Creole & the Coconuts - Christmas on Riverside Drive 03:46
06. Free the Spirit - Last Christmas 03:52
07. Slade - Merry Christmas Everybody 03:43
08. Stephanie Mills - Christmas with You 04:56
09. Michael Jackson - Little Christmas Tree 03:38
10. Hanson - What Christmas Means to Me 03:40
11. Lionel Hampton - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus 02:45
12. Connie Francis - Baby's First Christmas 02:27
13. Billy Eckstine - Christmas Eve 03:05
14. Betty Carter - Home for the Holidays 04:31
15. BZN - Once Upon A Christmas 05:28
16. Nana Mouskouri - Deck the Hall Boughs of Holly 01:34
17. Rita Reys - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 04:21
18. Kim Weston - Wish You A Merry Christmas 02:37
19. Supremes - Joy the World 02:11
20. Gheorghe Zamfir - Little Drummer Boy 02:17

9/20. A bit dodgy here and there but not too bad. Once again the disc starts out really well and has a swell path in the middle.

CD4
01. 98 Degrees - this Gift 04:12
02. K - Ci & Jojo - Merry Christmas Baby 03:02
03. Steve Winwood - Christmas in Now Drawing 02:35
04. Shanice & Johnny Gil - Silent Prayer 04:58
05. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Jingle Bells 02:48
06. Oliva Newton John - There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays 04:09
07. The Moody Blues - December Snow 05:14
08. Brenda Lee - A Marshmallow World 02:34
09. Jackson 5 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town 02:24
10. Marvin Gaye - Purple Snowflakes 02:53
11. Laura Fygi - A Song for Christmas 02:59
12. Ella Fitzgerald - Sleigh Ride 03:01
13. Louis Armstrong - Yule Cool 02:59
14. Commodors - Jesus is Love 04:58
15. Blue Diamonds - Christmas Day is Coming 02:48
16. Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rapping 04:00
17. Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run 02:43
18. James Brown - Signs of Christmas 04:40
19. Michael Ball - When A Child is Born 03:37
20. Venessa Williams - Hark the Herald Angels Sing 05:28

6/20. A few classic amidst a fairly ordinary selection.

CD5
01. Will Downing - All I Want for Christmas is You 04:04
02. Love Unlimited - it May Be Winter Outside 04:14
03. Boys II Men - Cold December Nights 04:10
04. 98 Degrees - Ave Maria 01:55
05. A-Teens - Happy New Year 04:24
06. The Kelly Family - Who'll Come with Me 03:10
07. Engelbert Humperdinck - Winter World of Love 03:22
08. Patti Labelle - O Holy Night 04:40
09. Michael Mcdonald - White Chistmas/winter Wonderland 03:29
10. Aaron Neville - the Star Carol 02:13
11. Marvin Sease - Funky Christmas 06:17
12. The Temptations - Silent Night 02:24
13. The Platters - All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth 02:14
14. Samatha Mumba - All I Want for Christmas 04:01
15. Connie Francis - O Little Town of Bethlehem 03:01
16. Rahsaan Patterson - Christmas at My House 04:56
17. The Supremes - Twinkle Twinkle Little Me 03:04
18. Stephanie Mills - it Doenst Feel Like Christmas 04:12
19. Larry Carlton - Ringing the Bells of Christmas 04:42
20. B.B. King - Auld Lang Syne 02:21

Oh dear. 2/20. That's not to say there are 18 bad songs on the disc - none of them are "bad", but almost none of them are really good either. Not a great showing for a compilation that bills itself as Top 100 songs.

Nearly Perfect? : Christmas Hits (2007)

2008-11-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

Kringle's Folly

2008-10-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of weeks until Halloween means the offfical start of the Christmas season is just around the corner.I've been doing sporadic work on the "Mix" and I'm a little but disappointed at how predicable the the final selection is turning out to be. Lots of the usual yuletide suspects. I had hoped to offer a revised version of the traditional holiday canon but the best are still the best. So there won't be any real revaltions but i'll still be posting the various compilations I've been, umm, compiling, as well as asking all of you for your favorite collections of Christmas songs - store bought or home made.

More after All Hallows...

2 more sneak in...

2008-08-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

A couple of additions...

We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Johnny Mann Singers
(will likely be competing with We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go - Gunter Kallmann Choir)
Christmas Is A 'Comin' (May God Bless You) - The Brothers Four
(has the unenviable task of going against Bing's version)

16 more shown the door...

2008-08-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

Some more very tough cuts. Cailoa/Ortolani and KT Tunstall both disappear from the master list and my current personal fave version of Baby It's Cold Outside gets frozen out as well. Some cuts were hard but inevitable - was there really any doubt that the Harry Simone Chorale version of Little Drummer Boy would beat out it's rivals?

As always the songs leaving the main comp. will end up on others comps because even the Perfect Christmas Mix would become tiresome if it was all you ever listened to.

Christmas Chimes - Andre Kostelanetz
Sleigh Ride - Al Cailoa & Riz Ortolani
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Andre Kostelanetz
Sleigh Ride - KT Tunstall
A Christmas Medley - Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops
A Time To Be Jolly - Bing Crosby
A Very Merry Christmas - Cliff Edwards
Angels We Have Heard on High - The Roches
Buon Natale - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis Jr.
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - The King's Singers
Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas in Hawaii) - KT Tunstall
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
The Little Drummer Boy - Anita Kerr Singers
The Little Drummer Boy - The Living Voices
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Claudine Longet

10 more frozen out...

2008-08-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

This just gets harder and harder. Gone is my last 12 Days type tune, the Andy Williams re-write "A Song and a Christmas Tree". I figure the Perfect mix has to have the real thing.

I still have a number of tunes with multiple version so next on my to-do list is getting each song down to a single, hopefully Perfect, example. I've really sent my self on a fool's errand this time. Oh well...

A Song And A Christmas Tree (The Twelve Days Of Christmas) - Andy Williams
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Christmas Chopsticks - Bobby Vinton
Frosty the Snowman/Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Henry Mancini
Give Love on Christmas Day - The Temptations
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Julie Andrews
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Joao Bosco
Jingle Bell Rock - Anita Kerr Singers
My Christmas Tree - The Going Thing
The Sounds Of Christmas - Catherine McKinnon

16 more former candidates....

2008-07-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

16 down, oodles to go. I've already blogged about my 12 days problem, it ituns out I've somehow missed finding the perfect "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as well. The search continues.

Quite a few favorites here but they're either the second most perfect version of a song (Bing's "And the Bells Rang") or just not quite right for this type pf compilation (the Line Material stuff). Every cut will end up on a supplemental volume though so, please, no hate mail from rabid Ray Conniff fans. (Or "Conniffreaks" as they like to call theselves)

The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Mantovani
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Ray Conniff & Singers
Jing Jing A Ling - Honey And The Bees
Caroling Caroling - Lisa Ono
And The Bells Rang - Bing Crosby
Christmas Is - Percy Faith
Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk
Jingle Jangle - The Penguins
O' Bambino - Harry Simeone Chorale
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Glad Singers
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers
Winter Wonderland - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
Welcome Christmas - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
The Kinds of Christmas - Line Material
Let's Trim the Christmas Tree - Line Material
Christmas Collage - Kathy Mattea

The Twleve Days of Christmas

2008-07-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

Today I pit the three remaining versions of The Twelve Days of Christmas against each other and, much to my surprise, none of them seemed quite "perfect". I don't know how I overlooked better versions from other artists - perhaps it was the length and repetition inherent in the song that I unconsciously steered away from, maybe I was burned out from a surfeit of jolliness. I don't know but I've decided to keep Bing and the Andrew Sisters for now and move Mantovani and Ray Conniff to the supplemental volumes.

I even considered the Sesame Street version, featuring a stirring lead vocal from Cookie Monster, already destined for a kiddie themed mix but couldn't quite being myself to add it.

Do you have a favorite version of The Twelve Days of Christtmas you think I should consider? Let me know in the comments!

Perfect Candidates List - July Update

2008-07-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

Update: Looks like I forgot to add a week's worth of new candidates a couple of months ago! New total is now 162 - I've updated the Master list (below) with the missing tunes...

Here's the most recent Master List. 162 top tinsel tunes. Time to get to work paring it down to something in the low double digits....

(There's No Place Like) Home For the Holidays - Perry Como
A Christmas Medley - Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops
A Christmas Toast - Bing Crosby
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
A Marshmallow World - Johnny Mathis
A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's - The Andrew Sisters with Danny Kaye
A Merry Christmas Song - Living Strings & Living Voices
A Song And A Christmas Tree (The Twelve Days Of Christmas) - Andy Williams
A Time To Be Jolly - Bing Crosby
A Very Merry Christmas - Cliff Edwards
All I Want for Christmas (is my Two Front Teeth) - Nat King Cole
And The Bells Rang - Bing Crosby
And The Bells Rang - The Modernaires
Angels We Have Heard on High - The Roches
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis Jr.
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
Blue Christmas - Johnny Mathis
Buon Natale (Means Merry Christmas To You) - Nat King Cole
Buon Natale - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
Caroling, Caroling - Nat King Cole
Caroling Caroling - Lisa Ono
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Christmas Can't Be Far Away - Burl Ives
Christmas Carols - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
Christmas Chimes - Andre Kostelanetz
Christmas Chopsticks--Bobby Vinton
Christmas Chopsticks - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Christmas Collage - Kathy Mattea
Christmas Is - Lou Rawls
Christmas Is - Percy Faith
Christmas Is A-Comin'- Bing Crosby
Christmas Rush - Vincent Lopez
Christmas Time All Over The World - Sammy Davis, Jr
Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby
Comfort And Joy - Simon & Garfunkel
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
Deck the Halls - Nat King Cole
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - The King's Singers
Do You Hear What I Hear - Andy Williams
Do You Hear What I Hear - Bing Crosby
Do You Hear What I Hear - Johnny Mathis
Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk
Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano
First Snowfall Medley - The Carpenters
Frosty The Snowman - Jimmy Durante
Frosty the Snowman/Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Henry Mancini
Give Love on Christmas Day - The Temptations
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Ray Conniff
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Glad Singers
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers
Happy Sleigh Ride - Ferrante And Teicher
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Julie Andrews
Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Andre Kostelanetz
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - The Going Thing
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - Elvis Presley
Here Comes Santa Claus - Doris Day
Here Comes Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
Here We Come A-Caroling - Ray Conniff Singers
Holiday For Bells - Bert Kaempfert
Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Doris Day
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Joao Bosco
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Dean Martin
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Claudine Longet
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Burl Ives
I Saw Three Ships - Nat King Cole
I Wouldn't Trade Christmas - The Sinatra Family
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Perry Cuomo
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
It Happened In Sun Valley - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling - Wayne King and His Orchestra
Jing Jing A Ling - Honey And The Bees
Jingle Bell Rock - Anita Kerr Singers
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Jingle Bells - The Norman Luboff Choir
Jingle Bells/Sleigh Ride - Henry Mancini
Jingle Jangle - The Penguins
Joy to the World - Percy Faith and His Orchestra
Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells - Andy Williams
Let's Trim the Christmas Tree - Line Material
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Andre Kostelanetz
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Dean Martin
Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Randy Van Horne Singers
Little Drummer Boy-Peace On Earth -Bing Crosby & David Bowie
Little Jack Frost, Get Lost - Bing Crosby (with Peggy Lee)
Lullaby For Christmas Eve - Judith Durham
Medley: Pine Cones And Holly Berries (with It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas), We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Living Voices
Medley: a. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, b. Deck the Halls, c. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - Henry Mancini
Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas in Hawaii) - KT Tunstall
Merry Christmas Polka - Freddy Martin w. Merv Griffin
Mistletoe & Holly - Jack Jones
My Christmas Tree - The Going Thing
My Favorite Things - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass
My Favorite Things - Living Strings & Living Voices
O' Bambino - Harry Simeone Chorale
O Holy Night - Andy Williams
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
Oh Come, All ye Faithful - Elvis Presley
Oiche Chiún (Silent Night) - Enya
Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers - Dick Schory's Percussion Pops
Pretty Snowflakes - Patti Page
Ring Christmas Bells - We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Living Strings & Living Voices
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Round and Round The Christmas Tree - Bing Crosby
Rudolf, The Red Nosed Reindeer Mambo - Billy May
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle And The Modernaires
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Peppermint Kandy Kids
Schlittenfahrt Zum Weihnachtma - James Last
Silent Night - The Norman Luboff Choir
Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Sleigh Ride - Al Cailoa & Riz Ortolani
Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler
Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
Sleigh Ride - Johnny Mathis
Sleigh Ride - KT Tunstall
Snow - Claudine Longet
Snowfall - Enoch Light
Snowfall - The Manhattan Transfer
Song of the Sleigh Bells - June Hutton
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Anita Kerr Singers
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Burt Bacharach
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) - Johnny Mathis
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra
The Christmas Waltz - Peggy Lee
The First Noel - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
The First Snowfall- Bing Crosby
The Holly And The Ivy - The Norman Luboff Choir
The Jolly Old Man In the Bright Red Suit - Vaughn Monroe
The Kinds of Christmas - Line Material
The Little Drummer Boy - Anita Kerr Singers
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
The Little Drummer Boy - The Living Voices
The Man with the Bag - Kay Starr
The Merriest - June Christy
The Secret of Christmas - Julie Andrews
The Sounds Of Christmas - Catherine McKinnon
The Sounds of Christmas - Johnny Mathis
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Andrews Sisters w/ Bing Crosby
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Mantovani
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Ray Conniff & Singers
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Jo Stafford
Twas the Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians
Wassail Song O Christmas Tree I Saw Three Ships - Arthur Fiedler & the Boston
We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go - Gunter Kallmann Choir
We Wish You The Merriest - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Welcome Christmas - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
What Child is This - Vince Guaraldi Trio
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Winter Weather - Jo Stafford
Winter Wonderland - Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
Winter Wonderland - Johnny Mathis

Perfect Candidates - July 7

2008-07-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

Finally an update.

To tell the truth I've been a bit burnt out the last few weeks. It took half a year of non-stop Christmas music before I found myself actively avoiding the stuff but it did eventually happen. I think I'm coming out of it now though and hope to have posts up on at least a weekly basis from here on out. Famous last words...

Only one addition to report...

Lullaby For Christmas Eve - Judith Durham

Perfect Candidates Update - June 1

2008-06-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

Not too many additions this time out - blame the summery weather I suppose.

A Christmas Medley - Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops
Christmas Is A-Comin'- Bing Crosby
Joy to the World - Percy Faith and His Orchestra
Little Jack Frost, Get Lost - Bing Crosby (with Peggy Lee)
Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers - Dick Schory's Percussion Pops
Snowfall - The Manhattan Transfer
The First Snowfall- Bing Crosby

HAL Kringle, my yuletide computer, had itself an episode while I was compiling the album list for this update and I lost the first half. I'll go back through my discs and add the missing entries to the next update. No, I don't think anyone actually cares.

Here's the post-crash list...

A Cabaret Christmas
A Christmas Festival - Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops
A Merry Christmas With Engelbert Humperdinck
Acoustic Hearts Of Winter - Aly & AJ
Angels' Glory - Kathleen Battle & Christopher Parkening
Antlers - Melanie
Christmas '64 - Jimmy Smith
Christmas: Through a Different Window - Ray Stevens
Christmas Disco - Mistletoe Disco Band
Christmas In July 2006-The Best From Ernie (Not Bert)
Christmas Is Calling - Roch Voisine
Christmas Sing In - Gunter Kallmann Choir
Christmas Song Book - Helen Merrill
Christmastime Is Here - Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops
Elf
Follow That Star - Stacey Kostes
For Christmas - Peter Kater
Gary Puckett At Christmas
Golden Memories Christmas
Haunted Mansion Holiday
Home For Christmas (RCA Dynagroove)
Jimmy Dean's Christmas Card
Jingle Bell Rock
Jose-Luis Orozco - Navidad Y Pancho Claus
Merry Christmas - The New Christy Minstrels
Nomad Christmas
Non-Stop Christmas Disco - The Roller Disco Orchestra
Not A Traditional Christmas - Jessica Harper
Original Music Box Favorites
Ralph Carmichael - 'Specially For Shepherds
Raphael Presents Christmas
Romantic Christmas
Santa's Own Christmas
Santa Claus Is Canadian - Ontario Lottery Corporation
Sing A Song Of Christmas - The Swingalongs
Stereo Motion Christmas
Switched on Santa! The Merriest Moog Synthesizer Plays Christmas Favourites - Sy Mann
Te Canto Navida
The Best Christmas...Ever
The Christmas Album - The Manhattan Transfer
The Columbia album of Christmas Music - Percy Faith and his Orchestra
The Huron Carol - Phoenix A Chamber Choir
The Reggae Christmas Collection
The Spirit Of Christmas - Living Strings
The Star Carol - "Tennessee" Ernie Ford
The Twelve Days of Christmas - The Salvation Army Band
The Twenty-fifth Day Of December - Staple Singers
The Voice of Christmas - Bing Crosby
Tijuana Christmas - The Border Brass
Ultimate Christmas Album
You Just Gotta Love Christmas - Peter Cetera
Yuletunes

Perfect Candidates Week Fifteen

2008-05-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry I'm late with these (as if anyone was actually waiting for them) but Mother's Day weekend was surprisingly hectic.

It only took a few months but I've finally come to the realization that all this work has been unnecessary. The perfect Christmas compilation only needs a few tracks each from a couple of Johnny Mathis albums and you're all set. It took great determination to hold myself to six Mathis tunes in this week's additions.

A Merry Christmas Song - Living Strings & Living Voices
Angels We Have Heard on High - The Roches
Blue Christmas - Johnny Mathis
Comfort And Joy - Simon & Garfunkel
Do You Hear What I Hear - Andy Williams
Do You Hear What I Hear - Johnny Mathis
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - The Going Thing
Here Comes Santa Claus - Doris Day
Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas in Hawaii) - KT Tunstall
My Christmas Tree - The Going Thing
My Favorite Things - Living Strings & Living Voices
Ring Christmas Bells - We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Living Strings & Living Voices
Sleigh Ride - Johnny Mathis
Sleigh Ride - KT Tunstall
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) - Johnny Mathis
The Jolly Old Man In the Bright Red Suit - Vaughn Monroe
The Sounds of Christmas - Johnny Mathis
Twas the Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians
Winter Wonderland - Johnny Mathis

Week 15 - Albums

2008-05-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here are most of the albums I listened to, some more thoroughly than others naturally, while compiling this week's new additions to the master list. Song list to follow in a little while...

50,000,000 Santa Fans Can't Be Wrong! - The Dino Martinis
A Christmas Card - The Forester Sisters
A Christmas Carousel with Children's Bible Hour
A Christmas To Remember - The Jimmy Joyce Singers
A Family Christmas - John Tesh
A Sentimental Christmas - Gerry Beaudoin
A Sound of Christmas - Søren Sko
Brand New Year - Shedaisy
Cheetahlicious Christmas - Cheetah Girls
Chemistry Xmas - Girls Aloud
Chicago XXV - Chicago
Christmas - Kimberley Locke
Christmas - Tim Janis
Christmas 1968 With The Going Thing
Christmas Album - Johnny Mathis
Christmas At The Stables - Cleo Laine
Christmas Carousel - Peggy Lee
Christmas Classics - Burgess Meredith With Joe Reisman's Orchestra And Chorus
Christmas Disco Party - Max Fagen
Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis
Christmas Favorites Sung By The Magnificent Magnavox Chorus
Christmas Is For You - Paulette Carlson
Christmas Is The Time - Lou Rawls
Christmas Pan Flute, Vol. 2
Christmas Time - The Pete King Chorale And Orchestra
Christmas With Kitty Wells
Christmas With The Chipmunks
Christmas in Europe
Christmas in My Heart - Connie Francis
Christmas with Paul Anka
For Christmas - Johnny Mathis
Give Me Your Love for Christmas - Johnny Mathis
Hallelujah He Is Born - Sawyer Brown
Have Yourself A Very KT Christmas - KT Tunstall
Home for the Holidays - Trisha Yearwood
It's Christmas Time
Jack Jones Christmas Album
Laughing All The Way - Kitty Stallings
Let It Snow - Michael Buble
Marshmallow World & Other Holiday Favorites - Raul Malo
Marty Gold Children's Chorus - How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Merry Christmas - Andy Williams
Merry Christmas - Johnny Mathis
Music Box Christmas creations - Porter Music Box
Music For A Merry Christmas - Frank Chacksfield
Noels - Paul Mauriat
Nutcracker Suite - Duke Ellington
Osmond Family Christmas
Peace - Rotary Connection
Rock-A-Billy Christmas
Santa's Playlist - Sister Hazel
Simply The Best Christmas Album
Songs of the Season - Peter White
Sounds Like Christmas - The December People
Sounds of The Season - Elliott Yamin
Sounds of the Season - Taylor Swift
Spirit of the Carols - Thom Rotella
Star Bright - Vanessa Williams
Swing Along With Santa's Snowmen
The Christmas Album - The CompanY
The Joyous Sounds of Christmas - Johnny Largo at the Optigan
The Meaning of Christmas - Fred Waring
The Sounds of Christmas - Johnny Mathis
The Williams Brothers Christmas Album
Watching The Snow - Michael Franks
Well Seasoned - The Joy Strings
When It Snows - The Blenders
White Christmas - Living Strings & Living Voices

Nine more drops...

2008-05-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

Nine more tracks drop from the main lis. Some wonderful music here - The Glad Singers were over-represented on the master list and so are over-represented here. I must have done half a dozen A/B comparisons of the Sinatra and Jack Jones versions of Mistletoe and Holly and in the end I found Sinatra's a bit too somber for the flavor the Perfect Mix is beginning to develop.

A new group of nominees coming soon (and it won't be a short list this time thanks to my hitting the Johnny Mathis section of my collection!)

Deck the Halls - The Glad Singers
Happy New Year - The Glad Singers
Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly/Wassail Song - Hugo Winterhalter
Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
Gloria (Angels We Have Heard on High) - The Glad Singers
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Kingston Trio
Winter Wonderland - The Three Suns
The Little Drummer Boy - Henry Mancini
Mistletoe And Holly - Frank Sinatra

Perfect Candidates Week Fourteen

2008-04-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a good sign - only two new additions to big list this week! And from a decent selection of albums too...

Good King Wenceslas - Mel Tormé
You Meet The Nicest People - Dinah Shore

Here are most of the albums I sampled this time out...

12 Saxophone Christmas Classics - Ace Cannon
60's Soul Christmas Party - Mark Baldwin
A Barbershop Christmas
A Caribbean Christmas - Tommy Beaumont
A Christmas Song - Russ Taff
A Drummer Boy's Christmas - Eric Darken
A Noteworthy Christmas
A Tapestry of Carols - Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band
Asi Es Nuestra Navidad - Gilberto Santa Rosa Y El Gran Combo
Christmas... It's a Love Story - Naturally 7
Christmas; Time For Song - Thurlow Spurr And The Spurrlows
Christmas Dreams - Liona Boyd
Christmas Memories = Barbra Streisand
Christmas Party - The Three Suns
Christmas Sing-Along with Mitch - Mitch Miller
Christmas Sing Song - Woody the Woodchuck
Christmas from around the World
Cool Jazz Christmas
Country Jul
December - Chris Botti
Faith of Our Fathers Christmas - John McCormack And Frank Patterson
Following Yonder Star - Scott Williamson
Funky Christmas
Gifts - Nashville Mandolin Ensemble
Greatest Christmas Songs of our Land - Vic Jordan
Guitars at Christmas - Guitars, Inc.
Holiday - Russ Freeman
Holiday For Teens - Paul and Paula
Home For Christmas - The Irish Tenors
In The Swing of Christmas - Brett Wales
Irish Tenors Christmas
It's Christmas Day - CBC TV's Singalong Jubilee Singers
It's Christmas Time In Holland
It's a Wonderful Life: Sax at the Movies for Christmas - Jazz at the Movies Band
Joyeux_Noel - Gisele_MacKenzie
Le Party Des Fêtes - La Famille Dion
Les Fans Chantent Noël - L'école Des Fans
Lil Wally Sings Polish Christmas Carols
Lynn_Anderson-The_Christmas_Album
Merry Christmas - Raymond LeFevre
Merry Christmas From Buck Owens & Susan Raye
Merry Christmas from Kukla, Fran and Ollie
Merry Monster Christmas
Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics
Mrs. Santa Claus (OST)
Music And Mistletoe - Howard Lopez
My Christmas Favorites - John Davidson
Noël, parle-moi - Marie-Denise Pelletier
Noel! Noel! Noel! - Michala Petri
Noel - Derri Daugherty, Riki Michelle, Steve Hindalong
O Santa Where Art Thou
Pac-Man Christmas Album
Santa's Bag: An All-Star Jazzy Christmas
Sing Christmas and The Turn of The Year - Alan Lomax Collection
Sing Me Home - Lisa Leuschner
Songs Of Christmas - Alan Lomax Collection
The Season...A Family Christmas Celebration - Fred Penner
The Sounds Of Christmas - The Three Suns
The Three Suns Present Your Christmas Favorites
Tis The Season - Fred Koch
White Christmas - Rosemary Clooney

Perfect Candidates: Week Twelve

2008-04-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

So, after the trauma of pulling 27 yracks off the master list here I am adding a bunch more righ back on it.

A Song And A Christmas Tree (The Twelve Days Of Christmas) - Andy Williams
Caroling Caroling - Lisa Ono
Frosty the Snowman/Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Henry Mancini
Give Love on Christmas Day - The Temptations
Jingle Bell Rock - Anita Kerr Singers
Jingle Bells/Sleigh Ride - Henry Mancini
Jingle Jangle - The Penguins
Let's Trim the Christmas Tree - Line Material
Medley: Pine Cones And Holly Berries (with It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas), We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Living Voices
Merry Christmas Polka - Freddy Martin w. Merv Griffin
O Holy Night - Andy Williams
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Anita Kerr Singers
The Kinds of Christmas - Line Material
The Little Drummer Boy - Anita Kerr Singers
The Little Drummer Boy - The Living Voices
The Sounds Of Christmas - Catherine McKinnon
Winter Wonderland - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass

27 more down...

2008-04-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

I feel such a Grinch. 27 terrific songs cut from the master list. They'll all be back on one of the various supplemental playlists I'll work up once The Perfect is done - but still I feel as if I'm betraying some old friends...

2000 Miles - Pretenders
A Five Pound Box of Money - Pearl Bailey
A Winter's Tale - Mike Batt & David Essex
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Lionel Hampton
Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant
Christmas - Rachelle Ferrell
Christmas Is The Best Of All - Johnny Tillotson
Christmas Love - The Rotary Connection
Come On, Ring Those Bells - Evie (Tornquist)
December Will Be Magic Again - Kate Bush
Deck The Halls - Sandler & Young
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Margo Guryan
I Love The Winter Weather - Tony Bennett
It's Clichéd to be Cynical at Xmas - Half Man Half Biscuit
Just Like Christmas - Low
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Mary, Did You Know - Kathy Mattea
Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding
Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
Merry Merry Christmas Baby -Dodie Stevens
Midnight Sleighride - Sauter-Finegan Orch.
Ring out solstice bells - Jethro Tull
Silent Night - Elvis Presley
Sleigh Ride - The Ventures
Sleigh Ride - Voices of Walter Schumann
What Child Is This - Julie Andrews

Week 12 : Albums

2008-04-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

In order to shorten some of these posts I'm going to experiment with using separate entries for each round of candidate's songs and source albums. Here are most of the albums I listened to in order to come up with the newest collection of candidates for TPXMASM...

A Christmas Sampler - Westminster Hi Fi
A Jazz-a-Bye Christmas
A King Family Christmas
A Million Dollars Worth Of Christmas Doo-Wop
A Sesame Street Christmas
Boas Festas - Lisa Ono
Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas - Universal Honey
Christmas Album - Catherine McKinnon
Christmas Dancing - James Last
Christmas Kisses
Christmas Time Is Here - Dianne Reeves
Christmas With Donald And Debbie - Donald O'Connor & Debbie Reyonlds
Christmas With The Don Les Harmonicats
Christmas with Korla Pandit
Doo Wop Christmas
Everything You Want For Christmas - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Gifts Of Comfort & Joy - Medwyn Goodall
Give Love at Christmas - The Temptations
Glade Jul - Sissel Kyrkjebø
Greatest Christmas Songs - Henry Mancini
Happy Holi-dee - Lenny Dee
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Wayne King and His Orchestra
Irish Christmas - Craig Duncan
Joyeaux Noel - Les Djinns Singers
Laughing All The Way - Kitty Stallings
Merry From Lena - Lena Horne
Noel Des Anges - Laurence Jalbert
Pastorale des Noels de France - Le Petits Chanteurs de Chaillot
Pop Idols the Xmas Factor
Süßer Die Glocken Nie Klingen - Vicky Leandros
Snowfall - Jackie Gleason & His Orchestra
Spirit of Christmas - Medwyn Goodall
The Christmas Album - Mighty Blue Kings
The Little Drummer Boy - The Living Voices
The Magic Of Christmas - Giovanni
The Temptations Christmas Card - The Temptations
Too Many Santas! - The Bobs
Underground Oldies Christmas Album
When It Snows - The Blenders
Wonderland of Christmas - Andre Kostelanetz

I should have this week's songs up soon, plus I'll try to pull a few tunes off the master list in a feeble attempt to keep the tally under 200.

Jingle Bells Ring-Off

2008-04-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

While Jingle Bells is an undisputed classic I doubt we need more than one version on the Perfect Mix. I've gathered up the current candidates...

Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
Jingle Bells - Glenn Miller and His Orch.
Jingle Bells - Johnny Cole
Jingle Bells - Johnny Mercer
Jingle Bells - Sammy Davis, Jr
Jingle Bells - The Norman Luboff Choir
Jingle Bells/Mele Kalikimaka - Alfred Apaka And The Hawaiian Village Serenaders
Jingling Brass - Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass
Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells - Andy Williams

...and now it's time to pick the best version
(in my humble opinion - your mileage may, and likely will, vary).

The Hawaiian version's long been a favorite but it's just can't cut it against this competition.

Sammy and Frank do great turns but I think they'll do just fine on a supplemental disc - plus both artists are still represented by other songs on the big list.

The Glenn Miller version's straight out of an old radio broadcast and suffers a bit in the audio department - plus the cigarette ad opening's less than ideal.

Johnny Cole's sounds classic on it's own but when placed in direct contrast against the rest it's clear it belongs on a supplemental.

Jingling Brass gets dropped since it's an instrumental version (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Andy Williams' take on Kay Thomson's Jingle Bells makes the cut since the song is enough of a variation that i don't consider it a duplication.

That leaves a pair of brilliant cuts - The Norman Luboff Choir and Johnny Mercer. Both tracks are in heavy rotation at Casa Kringle each holiday and it's hard t choose between the two. But, of the current crop, I'd have to say the Luboff version is so perfectly Christmas that it's starts snowing every time I play it.

So, I managed to drop 7 terrific , but just slightly less than perfect, songs from the master list. Thrilling, ain't it?

For more info on the song that sets the season visit Wikipedia.

karloff3 started a terrific Jingle Bells thread over at the Falalalala forums.

Do you have an absolute favorite vrsion of Jingle Bells I haven't covered yet?

14 down, 140 to go!

2008-04-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Well I've managed to drop 14 tracks (plus another duplicate) to reduce the candidate list down to 161. A mere 140 or so more than I need. No problem. Sure I'm likely to add a whole bunch more in the upcoming months but hey, how tough could it be?

The current over/under for supplemental volumes is 14 (including themed volumes I've been populating but not chronicling here on the blog (yet).

I guess it's time to have a couple of song showdowns - there's no point in carrying 10 variations on Jingle Bells or 4 Deck the Halls. Watch for them in the next few days.

Here are the 14 songs I reluctantly sent to the supplementals.

Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea
Driving Home For Christmas - Michael Ball
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Joyce
It's Clichéd to be Cynical at Xmas - Half Man Half Biscuit
Jingle Bells - Diana Krall
Let It Snow - Ray Brown Trio
Little Drummer Boy - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Three Suns
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Arthur Lyman
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Bruce Springsteen
Twinkle Twinkle Little Me - Stevie Wonder
Vive le vent - Ginette Reno

Updated Master List - April 8

2008-04-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

Holy Reindeer Droppings! I've let the list get a wee bit out of control. Nearly 200 songs! I guess I've got some serious pruning ahead of me.

Update: I found a few duplicates and dropped the total down to 176 -but still...176! And I've got more candidates waiting in the wings!

Updated Master List (April 8, 2008)

(There's No Place Like) Home For the Holidays - Perry Como
2000 Miles - Pretenders
A Christmas Toast - Bing Crosby
A Five Pound Box of Money - Pearl Bailey
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
A Marshmallow World - Johnny Mathis
A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's - The Andrew Sisters with Danny Kaye
A Time To Be Jolly - Bing Crosby
A Very Merry Christmas - Cliff Edwards
A Winter's Tale - Mike Batt & David Essex
All I Want for Christmas (is my Two Front Teeth) - Nat King Cole
And The Bells Rang - Bing Crosby
And The Bells Rang - The Modernaires
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis Jr.
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Lionel Hampton
Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant
Buon Natale (Means Merry Christmas To You) - Nat King Cole
Buon Natale - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
Caroling, Caroling - Nat King Cole
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Christmas - Rachelle Ferrell
Christmas Can't Be Far Away - Burl Ives
Christmas Carols - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
Christmas Chimes - Andre Kostelanetz
Christmas Chopsticks--Bobby Vinton
Christmas Chopsticks - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Christmas Collage - Kathy Mattea
Christmas Is - Lou Rawls
Christmas Is - Percy Faith
Christmas Is The Best Of All - Johnny Tillotson
Christmas Love - The Rotary Connection
Christmas Rush - Vincent Lopez
Christmas Time All Over The World - Sammy Davis, Jr
Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby
Come On, Ring Those Bells - Evie (Tornquist)
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
December Will Be Magic Again - Kate Bush
Deck The Halls - Sandler & Young
Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly/Wassail Song - Hugo Winterhalter
Deck the Halls - Nat King Cole
Deck the Halls - The Glad Singers
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - The King's Singers
Do You Hear What I Hear - Bing Crosby
Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk
Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea
Driving Home For Christmas - Michael Ball
Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano
First Snowfall Medley - The Carpenters
Frosty The Snowman - Jimmy Durante
Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
Gloria (Angels We Have Heard on High) - The Glad Singers
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Ray Conniff
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Glad Singers
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers
Happy New Year - The Glad Singers
Happy Sleigh Ride - Ferrante And Teicher
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Julie Andrews
Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Andre Kostelanetz
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Joyce
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - Elvis Presley
Here Comes Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
Here We Come A-Caroling - Ray Conniff Singers
Holiday For Bells - Bert Kaempfert
Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Doris Day
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Joao Bosco
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Dean Martin
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Claudine Longet
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Margo Guryan
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Burl Ives
I Love The Winter Weather - Tony Bennett
I Saw Three Ships - Nat King Cole
I Wouldn't Trade Christmas - The Sinatra Family
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Perry Cuomo
It's Clichéd to be Cynical at Xmas - Half Man Half Biscuit
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
It Happened In Sun Valley - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling - Wayne King and His Orchestra
Jing Jing A Ling - Honey And The Bees
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Jingle Bells - Diana Krall
Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
Jingle Bells - Glenn Miller and His Orch.
Jingle Bells - Johnny Cole
Jingle Bells - Johnny Mercer
Jingle Bells - Sammy Davis, Jr
Jingle Bells - The Norman Luboff Choir
Jingle Bells/Mele Kalikimaka - Alfred Apaka And The Hawaiian Village Serenaders
Jingling Brass - Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass
Just Like Christmas - Low
Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells - Andy Williams
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Andre Kostelanetz
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Dean Martin
Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Randy Van Horne Singers
Let It Snow - Ray Brown Trio
Little Drummer Boy - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
Little Drummer Boy-Peace On Earth -Bing Crosby & David Bowie
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Mary, Did You Know - Kathy Mattea
Medley: a. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, b. Deck the Halls, c. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - Henry Mancini
Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding
Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
Merry Merry Christmas Baby -Dodie Stevens
Midnight Sleighride - Sauter-Finegan Orch.
Mistletoe & Holly - Jack Jones
Mistletoe And Holly - Frank Sinatra
My Favorite Things - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass
O' Bambino - Harry Simeone Chorale
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
Oh Come, All ye Faithful - Elvis Presley
Oiche Chiún (Silent Night) - Enya
Pretty Snowflakes - Patti Page
Ring out solstice bells - Jethro Tull
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Round and Round The Christmas Tree - Bing Crosby
Rudolf, The Red Nosed Reindeer Mambo - Billy May
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle And The Modernaires
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Three Suns
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Arthur Lyman
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Bruce Springsteen
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Peppermint Kandy Kids
Schlittenfahrt Zum Weihnachtma - James Last
Silent Night - Elvis Presley
Silent Night - The Norman Luboff Choir
Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Sleigh Ride - Al Cailoa & Riz Ortolani
Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler
Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
Sleigh Ride - The Ventures
Sleigh Ride - Voices of Walter Schumann
Snow - Claudine Longet
Snowfall - Enoch Light
Song of the Sleigh Bells - June Hutton
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Burt Bacharach
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra
The Christmas Waltz - Peggy Lee
The First Noel - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
The Holly And The Ivy - The Norman Luboff Choir
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
The Little Drummer Boy - Henry Mancini
The Man with the Bag - Kay Starr
The Merriest - June Christy
The Secret of Christmas - Julie Andrews
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Andrews Sisters w/ Bing Crosby
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Mantovani
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Ray Conniff & Singers
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Jo Stafford
Twinkle Twinkle Little Me - Stevie Wonder
Vive le vent - Ginette Reno
Wassail Song O Christmas Tree I Saw Three Ships - Arthur Fiedler & the Boston
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Kingston Trio
We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go - Gunter Kallmann Choir
We Wish You The Merriest - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Welcome Christmas - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
What Child Is This - Julie Andrews
What Child is This - Vince Guaraldi Trio
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Winter Weather - Jo Stafford
Winter Wonderland - Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
Winter Wonderland - The Three Suns

Perfect Candidates Week Eleven

2008-04-02T17:56:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! I've already got waaay too many songs to choose from and I haven't even included nine out of your own personal (and flawless) top ten. How can I keep adding candidates?

This week's newcomers...

And The Bells Rang - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis Jr.
Buon Natale (Means Merry Christmas To You) - Nat King Cole
Buon Natale - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
Christmas - Rachelle Ferrell
Christmas Can't Be Far Away - Burl Ives
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers With Organ And Chimes
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Joyce
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Joao Bosco
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Burl Ives
It Happened In Sun Valley - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Jingle Bells - Johnny Mercer
Jingle Bells - The Norman Luboff Choir
Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Randy Van Horne Singers
Little Drummer Boy - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
O' Bambino - Harry Simeone Chorale
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
Silent Night - The Norman Luboff Choir
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Mantovani
We Wish You The Merriest - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Winter Weather - Jo Stafford

Great, didn't I just struggle over getting rid of a couple of "Jingle Bells" and here I am adding two more. And couldn't I have at least made up my mind between the two "Buon Natale's"? Apparently not.

Quitw a few terrific albums this week - I really enjoyed revisiting some of these.

A Celtic Celebration - The Night Heron Consort
A Christmas Carol - David Austin
A Christmas Carol- Jordan Rudess
A Gift Of Song - Mason Williams
A Goodfellas Christmas
A Johnny Mathis Christmas
A Personal Christmas Collection - Robert Goulet
A Romantic Christmas - Richard Clayderman
A Smooth Jazz Christmas - Dave Koz & Friends
A Very Nostalgic Christmas
Beyond The Season - Garth Brooks
Christmas Carol - James Galway
Christmas In The Stars - Star Wars Christmas Album
Christmas Serenade in the Glenn Miller Style - The Original Glenn Miller Singers
Christmas Sky - Jordan Rudess
Christmas Songs - Mel Torme
Christmas Songs - Wayne Newton
Christmas Time Down South - Charlie Daniels
Christmas Variations - Rick Wakeman
Christmas With Patti Page
Christmas With The Platters
Christmas With the Norman Luboff Choir
Christmastime - David Benoit
December - Kenny Loggins
Enchanted Christmas - Anna Maria Mendieta
Ghosts of Christmas Past
Go Tell it on the Mountain - Blind Boys of Alabama
Hallmark presents Christmas With Tony Bennett
Happy Holidays-I Love The Winter Weather - Jo Stafford
Happy Holidays - The Lemon 5
Have A Merry Little Christmas -Al Hirt
Have Yourself A Souful Little Christmas - Kenny Burrell
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
Heavenly Christmas
Holiday Pops - Boston Pops Orchestra
Holly & Ivy - Natalie Cole
Home for the Holidays - Schooner Fare
Iceland - All About Eve
It Feels Like Christmas - Lettermen
Its A Cool Cool Christmas
Joy - Avalon
Mambo Christmas
Mantovani's Christmas Favorites
Merry Christmas - Brenda Lee
Merry Christmas - Joe Scruggs
My Christmas Dream - Sonny James
Original Big Band Christmas
Personal Christmas Collection - Doris Day
Poets & Angels - Ottmar Liebert
Remembering Christmas - Danny Wright
Sharing the Season, Vol. 4 - Lorie Line & Her Pop Chamber Orchestra
Snow the Get Easy Christmas Collection
Songs Of The Season - Peter White
Sound of Christmas - Al Caiola and Riz Ortolani
The Christmas Album - David Foster
The Christmas Song - Lawrence Welk
The Christmas Song - Roger Whittaker
The Greatest Hits Of Christmas - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Presence of Christmas
The Spirit of Christmas
The Star Carol - Tennessee Ernie Ford
UltraLounge - Christmas Cocktails 1-3
Vintervisor / WinterSongs - Triakel
What A Wonderful Christmas - Anne Murray
White Christmas - The Mike Sammes Singers With Organ And Chimes
Winter Magic - Hilary Stagg
Winter Wishes
Winter in Scotland, a Highland Christmas - Steve McDonald & Hollie Smith
Wurlitzer Christmas Carousel - Tom Meijer

Coming up in the next couple of weeks - another poll, another week's worth of candidates and the updated master list (with some new trims hopefully).

Perfect Candidates Week Ten

2008-03-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Just got back from an unplanned extended vacation in CT. so I'm a bit behind.

Here's another batch of Christmas Crackers vying for a position in the Perfect Christmas Mix.

A Christmas Toast - Bing Crosby
A Five Pound Box of Money - Pearl Bailey
A Time To Be Jolly - Bing Crosby
A Winter's Tale - Mike Batt & David Essex
And The Bells Rang - Bing Crosby
Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant
December Will Be Magic Again - Kate Bush
Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea
I Saw Three Ships - Nat King Cole
It's Clichéd to be Cynical at Xmas - Half Man Half Biscuit
Just Like Christmas - Low
Let It Snow - Ray Brown Trio
Mary, Did You Know - Kathy Mattea
Oiche Chiún (Silent Night) - Enya
Round and Round The Christmas Tree - Bing Crosby
Sleigh Ride - The Ventures
Song of the Sleigh Bells - June Hutton
The Holly And The Ivy - The Norman Luboff Choir
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Ray Conniff & Singers
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Kingston Trio
What Child is This - Vince Guaraldi Trio

Many of this week's tunes came from the following albums (selected favorites in bold)..

(I was pleasantly surprised by The Moody Blues offering - I'd only sampled bits of it in the past but it's likely to get a lot more spins from me in future. The Bing Crosby album 'A Time to be Jolly" is a one of Der Bingle's later efforts and holds great sentimental value for me -thus four tracks make the list - how many will survive until the end remains to be seen.)

A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert
A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio
A Classical Christmas - Helmut Lotti
A Merry Affair
A Pooh Christmas
A Tapestry of Carols- Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band
A Time to be Jolly - Bing Crosby
A Washington Christmas - United States Marine Band
Best Christmas Album Ever
Blanca Navidad - Eydie Gorme y Los Pancho
C'est Noël Luis Mariano
Cambridge Singers - Christmas Night
Caribbean Christmas Party - The Merrymen
Carols & Capers - Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band
Celtic Christmas - Katie McMahon
Cheery, Vol. 1
Christmas All Over the World
Christmas Is For the Family - Dennis Day
Christmas Rocks
December - Moody Blues
Do You Hear... Christmas with Heather, Cookie and Raylene Rankin
Fröhliche Weihnacht überall - Calimeros
Frank Sinatra's Christmas Cabaret
Holiday Guitar - Dan Crary
In the Moon of Wintertime - Barbara Semmann
In the Spirit - Michael McDonald
Kidz Bop Christmas
Let's Share Christmas - John Pizzarelli
Meowy Christmas - Jingle Cats
Nature's Noel - Bruce Kurnow
Osmond Family Christmas
Radio City Music Hall Presents Songs Of Christmas - Stephen Hill Singers
Rock n' Roll Christmas - Dion
Sounds of Christmas - The Living Strings
The 20 Greatest Xmas Songs - Boney M
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
The Last Month Of The Year - The Kingston Trio
The Bing Crosby Christmas Album
The Sounds Of Christmas
The Three Tenors Christmas
The Ventures' Christmas Album
This is Christmas - Jimmy Joyce Singers
Trojan Christmas Box Set
Ultimate Christmas - Beach Boys
What Would Santa Say - Mark Shane
WOW Christmas
World Christmas
Yule B' Swingin' Too

Perfect Candidates Week Nine

2008-03-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here are the latest additions to the Perfect Christmas List song candidate list.

A Marshmallow World - Johnny Mathis
And The Bells Rang - The Modernaires
Caroling, Caroling - Nat King Cole
Christmas Collage - Kathy Mattea
Deck The Halls - Sandler & Young
Do You Hear What I Hear - Bing Crosby
Driving Home For Christmas - Michael Ball
First Snowfall Medley - The Carpenters
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - Elvis Presley
I Wouldn't Trade Christmas - The Sinatra Family
Jingle Bells - Diana Krall
Jingling Brass - Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass
Little Drummer Boy-Peace On Earth -Bing Crosby & David Bowie
Oh Come, All ye Faithful - Elvis Presley
Pretty Snowflakes - Patti Page
Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Bruce Springsteen
Schlittenfahrt Zum Weihnachtma - James Last
Silent Night - Elvis Presley
Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
The Christmas Waltz - Peggy Lee
The Secret of Christmas - Julie Andrews
Twinkle Twinkle Little Me - Stevie Wonder

...and here are the best of where I found this week's tracks...

A Disney Family Christmas
A Renaissance Christmas - The Boston Camerata
Christmas - PlusOne
Christmas with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass
Christmas with Julie Andrews
Country Christmas -Johnny Cash
Cowboy Christmas - Gene Autry
December II - Dag Kolsrud
Elvis' Christmas Album - Elvis Presley
Elvis Sings the Wonderful Songs of Christmas - Elvis Presley
Gipsy Christmas - Los Reyes
Happy Holidays - Sandler & Young
Hey, Mr. Christmas - V.A.
Holiday Sing Along With Mitch - Mitch Miller
Merry X-Mas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad - Esquivel
Miracles - Kenny G.
Now! The Christmas Album - V.A.
O Holy Night - Luciano Pavarotti
Pretty Paper - Willie Nelson
Someday At Christmas - Stevie Wonder
Songs of the Season - Jane Olivor
Star Wars Christmas Album
That Christmas Feeling - Glen Campbell
The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas
To Drive the Cold Winter Away - Loreena McKennitt
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Winterludes - V.A.
Wurlitzer Christmas - Matthew Ross
The world of Christmas Carols - Bach Choir
wonderful Christmas - James Last

Updated master list

2008-03-09T00:28:00.000-08:00

This week I managed to pull 16 tracks off the candidate list including a couple of charming, but not quite perfect, versions of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. As usual I love all these tunes and will be making use of most of them in other comps eventually. That leaves us with 90 songs on the master list with a new batch of candidates being added tomorrow.

Farewell to...

Bossa Nova Medley - Living Strings & Living Voices
Christmas Time in Louisiana - Johnnie Allan
Deck The Halls - The Mike Sammes Singers
Good King Wencelas - Morton Gould
Hang Your Wishes On The Tree - Les Baxter Orchestra & Chorus
Jingo Jango - Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
Little Drummer Boy - The Soulful Strings
Little Stowaway On Santa's Sleigh - The Golden Orchestra
Mistletoe And Wine - Cliff Richard
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - The Hiltonaires With The Tony Mansell Singers
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Goldiggers
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Ralph Hunter Choir
The Sleigh - Hugo & Luigi with Their Children's Chorus
The Old Sweet Songs Of Christmas - Frank DeVol & The Rainbow Strings
We Need A Little Christmas - The New Christy Minstrels
Winter Wonderland - The Peter Wood Singers

2000 Miles - The Pretenders
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's - The Andrew Sisters with Danny Kaye
A Very Merry Christmas - Cliff Edwards
All I Want for Christmas (is my Two Front Teeth) - Nat King Cole
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Lionel Hampton
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Christmas Carols - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
Christmas Chopsticks--Bobby Vinton
Christmas Chopsticks - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Christmas Is - Lou Rawls
Christmas Is - Percy Faith
Christmas Is The Best Of All - Johnny Tillotson
Christmas Love - The Rotary Connection
Christmas Rush - Vincent Lopez
Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly/Wassail Song - Hugo Winterhalter
Deck the Halls - Nat King Cole
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - The King's Singers
Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk
Frosty The Snowman - Jimmy Durante
Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Ray Conniff
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers
Happy New Year - The Glad Singers
Happy Sleigh Ride - Ferrante And Teicher
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Here Comes Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
Here We Come A-Caroling - Ray Conniff Singers
Holiday For Bells - Bert Kaempfert
Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Doris Day
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Claudine Longet
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Margo Guryan
I Love The Winter Weather - Tony Bennett
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Perry Cuomo
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling - Wayne King and His Orchestra
Jing Jing A Ling - Honey And The Bees
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
Jingle Bells - Glenn Miller and His Orch.
Jingle Bells - Johnny Cole
Jingle Bells/Mele Kalikimaka - Alfred Apaka And The Hawaiian Village Serenaders
Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells - Andy Williams
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Andre Kostelanetz
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Dean Martin
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding
Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
Merry Merry Christmas Baby -Dodie Stevens
Midnight Sleighride - Sauter-Finegan Orch.
Mistletoe & Holly - Jack Jones
Mistletoe And Holly - Frank Sinatra
My Favorite Things - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle And The Modernaires
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Arthur Lyman
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Peppermint Kandy Kids
Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Sleigh Ride - Al Cailoa & Riz Ortolani
Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler
Snow - Claudine Longet
Snowfall - Enoch Light
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Burt Bacharach
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra
The First Noel - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
The Man with the Bag - Kay Starr
The Merriest - June Christy
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Andrews Sisters w/ Bing Crosby
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Jo Stafford
Vive le vent - Ginette Reno
Wassail Song O Christmas Tree I Saw Three Ships - Arthur Fiedler & the Boston
We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go - Gunter Kallmann Choir
Welcome Christmas - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
What Child Is This - Julie Andrews
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland - Bing Crosby

Yules of the Game - North Pole Standards Time

2008-03-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

As any one whose glanced over the track lists I've been posting has probably noticed - I have an affinity for the classic pop of yesteryear, these days commonly referred to as standards, and my Perfect Mix is absolutely going to reflect that. Because of this a number of my favorite Christmas albums are going to be entirely unrepresented in the candidates lists merely because they fall into the wrong genre.

There won't be much in the way of choral, classical, pure jazz, new age, celtic, traditional folk, album oriented rock, indie or altrock, blues or country & western. Many of my favorite tracks in these genres will end up on the themed compilations that I'm preparing concurrently with TPM but, despite my love, they won't make the final cut.

Besides my own personal passion for standards I feel they belong at the heart of any purportedly "Perfect" holiday mix because they truly are a vital part of the quintessential Christmas experience. The Perfect Mix is the one you put on when your closest family and friends come over to help trim the tree, it's an eighty minute audio distillation of everything that makes the holiday joyful. It should resonate with the young and the old, the hip and the square. These holiday standards, I believe, accomplish this like no other music can.

Naturally The Perfect Mix isn't always going to be "The" Perfect Mix. For a quiet dinner among friends you might want a nice selection of jazz or contemporary instrumental fare. Old friends from high school stopping by might lead you to break out the Rock and Roll. If the kids have their pals over it's time for Santa, Rudolph, Frosty and the Grinch.

While I was debating the shaky wisdom of starting this whole mix blog thingy I realized that I already had plenty of excellent, essentially "perfect", options for those times when a jazzy mix felt right, or a contemplative selection of New Age was called for. New Wave, Cajun, Blues,Country, Folk, Novelty. I have lots of terrific options on commercial releases that satisfy any jones I may have for different styles of festive tunage.What I hadn't found, despite spending far too much on pre-fab compilations and collecting dozens of mixes made by friends and family over the years, was my Perfect mix of songs.

Okay, that was just way too many words to use to simple explain why even though I love a lot of different styles of Christmas music I'll be concentrating on those songs that either are holiday "standards" or can play nicely with them. Sorry.

New Poll: New Year's Songs at Christmas

2008-02-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

Our latest poll (over there on there right) asks the eternal question:

" Do "New Year's" songs belong on Christmas mixes?"

From the perennial favorite "Auld Lang Syne" to the romantic standard "What Are You Doing New Years Eve" to Abba's "Happy New Year", or even Death Cab For Cuties' "The New Year". Do these end of calendar tunes work in the context of your favorite Christmas mixes?

What are your favorite New Year's related songs?

Perfect Candidates Week 8

2008-02-25T04:50:00.000-08:00

Lots more songs for the the master list. It should be pretty clear by now that I'm going to be doing this the hard way. If a song would not be out of place on a top notch Christmas compilation then it's likely to land on the candidates list. Yes, there is a certain amount of re-inventing the wheel going on here but it's just that process that makes it interesting to me.

Here's what's new this week:

(There's No Place Like) Home For the Holidays - Perry Como
Christmas Chimes - Andre Kostelanetz
Christmas Time All Over The World - Sammy Davis, Jr
Come On, Ring Those Bells - Evie (Tornquist)
Deck the Halls - The Glad Singers
Ding Dong! Merrily On High - King's Singers
Do You Hear What I Hear - Bing Crosby
Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano
Gloria (Angels We Have Heard on High) - The Glad Singers
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - The Glad Singers
Happy New Year - The Glad Singers
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Julie Andrews
Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Andre Kostelanetz
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Dean Martin
I Saw Three Ships - Nat King Cole
Jingle Bells - Sammy Davis, Jr
Medley: a. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, b. Deck the Halls, c. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - Henry Mancini
Ring out solstice bells - Jethro Tull
Rudolf, The Red Nosed Reindeer Mambo - Billy May
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Three Suns
Sleigh Ride - Voices of Walter Schumann
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
The Little Drummer Boy - Henry Mancini
Winter Wonderland - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
Winter Wonderland - The Three Suns

A busy week then. Multiple cuts from The Glad Singers, Herb Alpert, The Three Suns, Henry Mancini and Andre K. Not surprising as these are some of my most listened to artists at Christmas.

Here are the best of what i listened to on the way to these new additions. Most of these albums are favorites even if they failed to produce a Perfect candidate.

A Cathedral Christmas A Capella - Cathedrals
A Christmas Sound Spectacular - John Klein
A Little Christmas Music - The Kings Singers
A Merry Mancini Christmas - Henry Mancini
A Winter Solstice Reunion
Baby It's Cold Outside - Holly Cole
Bright Day Star - The Baltimore Consort
Christmas - Rockapella
Christmas For Kids - Nat King Cole
Christmas In The Aire - Mannheim Steamroller
Christmas With - Nana Mouskouri
Christmas with Chanticleer - Chanticleer
Christmas with the Rat Pack
Come On, Ring Those Bells - Evie
Dream Season The Christmas Harp - Yolanda Kondonassis
Goodyear's The Great Songs of Christmas Vol 5
Graham Parker's Christmas Cracker
I Still Believe In Santa Claus - Andy Williams
JazzCity Christmas Vol 1
Mambo Christmas
Merry Texas Christmas, Y'All - Asleep At The Wheel
Season's Greetings - Perry Como
Season Of Joy - Rick Foster
Shamrocks & Holly: An Irish Christmas Celebration - Frankie Gavin
Swing Bells! - The Glad Singers
The Christmas Album - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
The Sounds of Christmas - The Three Suns
The Stars Come Out at Christmas
The Voices of Christmas - Voices of Walter Schumann
We Wish You a Merry Christmas - The Cats
White Christmas - Martina McBride
White Christmas - OST
Wishing You a Merry Christmas - Andre Kostelanetz

Coming up later today - a new poll.

Master Song List Update

2008-02-22T09:32:00.000-08:00

Since I needed an excuse to postpone snow shoveling duty a few more minutes here's another pathetic attempt at pruning the list. I'd really wanted to keep the list at 100 but I'm going to have to do some side by side comparisons with a few of the duplicate songs before I'm ready to commit to relegating any to the companion discs.

As always I love the songs I'm cutting but they just don't seem to be fitting in to the mix as it seems to be shaping up.

A Spaceman Came Traveling - Chris De Burgh
Christmas City - Merv Griffin
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas) - The Free Design
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - George Shearing Quintet
Noite Santa, Silenciosa - Guimaraes e Seu Conjunto
See Amid the Winter Snow - Julie Andrews
Thanks For Christmas - XTC
What Will Santa Claus Say - Mark Shane Xmas All-Stars

And here's the new Master List as of today...

2000 Miles - Pretenders
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's - The Andrew Sisters with Danny Kaye
A Very Merry Christmas - Cliff Edwards
All I Want for Christmas (is my Two Front Teeth) - Nat King Cole
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Lionel Hampton
Bossa Nova Medley - Living Strings & Living Voices
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Christmas Carols - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
Christmas Chopsticks--Bobby Vinton
Christmas Chopsticks - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Christmas Is - Lou Rawls
Christmas Is - Percy Faith
Christmas Is The Best Of All - Johnny Tillotson
Christmas Love - The Rotary Connection
Christmas Rush - Vincent Lopez
Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Christmas Time in Louisiana - Johnnie Allan
Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
Deck The Halls - The Mike Sammes Singers
Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly/Wassail Song - Hugo Winterhalter
Deck the Halls - Nat King Cole
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - The King's Singers
Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk
Frosty The Snowman - Jimmy Durante
Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Ray Conniff
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers
Good King Wencelas - Morton Gould
Hang Your Wishes On The Tree - Les Baxter Orchestra & Chorus
Happy New Year - The Glad Singers
Happy Sleigh Ride - Ferrante And Teicher
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Here Comes Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
Here We Come A-Caroling - Ray Conniff Singers
Holiday For Bells - Bert Kaempfert
Holly Jolly Christmas = Burl Ives
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Doris Day
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Claudine Longet
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Margo Guryan
I Love The Winter Weather - Tony Bennett
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Perry Cuomo
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling - Wayne King and His Orchestra
Jing Jing A Ling - Honey And The Bees
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
Jingle Bells - Glenn Miller and His Orch.
Jingle Bells - Johnny Cole
Jingle Bells/Mele Kalikimaka - Alfred Apaka And The Hawaiian Village Serenaders
Jingo Jango - Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells - Andy Williams
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Andre Kostelanetz
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Dean Martin
Little Stowaway On Santa's Sleigh - The Golden Orchestra
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding
Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
Merry Merry Christmas Baby -Dodie Stevens
Midnight Sleighride - Sauter-Finegan Orch.
Mistletoe & Holly - Jack Jones
Mistletoe And Holly - Frank Sinatra
Mistletoe And Wine - Cliff Richard
My Favorite Things - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle And The Modernaires
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - The Hiltonaires With The Tony Mansell Singers
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Arthur Lyman
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Goldiggers
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Ralph Hunter Choir
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Peppermint Kandy Kids
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Ralph Hunter Choir
Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Sleigh Bells - Al Cailoa & Riz Ortolani
Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler
Snow - Claudine Longet
Snowfall - Enoch Light
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Burt Bacharach
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra
The First Noel - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
The Little Drummer Boy - The Soulful Strings
The Man with the Bag - Kay Starr
The Merriest - June Christy
The Old Sweet Songs Of Christmas - Frank DeVol & The Rainbow Strings
The Sleigh - Hugo & Luigi with Their Children's Chorus
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Andrews Sisters w/ Bing Crosby
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Jo Stafford
Vive le vent - Ginette Reno
Wassail Song O Christmas Tree I Saw Three Ships - Arthur Fiedler & the Boston
We Need A Little Christmas - The New Christy Minstrels
We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go - Gunter Kallmann Choir
Welcome Christmas - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
What Child Is This - Julie Andrews
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland - Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland - The Peter Wood Singers

Perfect Candidates Week Seven

2008-02-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest group of classic Christmas tunes up for inclusion in "TPCM"

All I Want for Christmas (is my Two Front Teeth) - Nat King Cole
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Lionel Hampton
Deck the Halls - Nat King Cole
Holly Jolly Christmas = Burl Ives
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Claudine Longet
I Love The Winter Weather - Tony Bennett
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
Jing Jing A Ling - Honey And The Bees
Little Drummer Boy - The Soulful Strings
Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding
Mistletoe And Holly - Frank Sinatra
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Arthur Lyman
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Burt Bacharach
Winter Wonderland - Bing Crosby

Next week is shaping up as a biggie as I go through my collection and keep finding ways to rationalize adding more and more of my favorites to the list. Before then I'll try to cut a few candidates plus I'll have a new poll up soon.

Perfect Candidates Week Six

2008-02-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

I managed to cut a whopping 10 tracks out the master Perfect Candidates List! Pathetic, I know. Today's unlucky tracks - now headed to other themed mixes - fall into two categories. Pop songs that I felt wouldn't meld well with the other songs that are shaping up to be around for the long haul and a couple of duplicates.

Christmas Is The Time To Say 'I Love You' - Billy Squier
Early Christmas Morning - Cyndi Lauper
Jingle Bells - The Organ Orchestra
Last Christmas - Pas/Cal
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
Merry X-Mas Everybody - Slade
One Little Christmas Tree - Stevie Wonder
Step Into Christmas - Elton John
The Little Drummer Boy - The Longines Symphonette Society
The Man with the Bag - Vonda Shepard

Now, here are the latest additions...

Perfect Candidates Week Six :

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Christmas Chopsticks--Bobby Vinton
Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
Happy Sleigh Ride - Ferrante And Teicher
Here We Come A-Caroling - Ray Conniff Singers
I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - Margo Guryan
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Jingle Bells - Glenn Miller and His Orch.
Jingle Bells - Johnny Cole
Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells - Andy Williams
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Andre Kostelanetz
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Dean Martin
Midnight Sleighride - Sauter-Finegan Orch.
Mistletoe & Holly - Jack Jones
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Ralph Hunter Choir
Sleigh Bells - Al Cailoa & Riz Ortolani
The Merriest - June Christy
Vive le vent - Ginette Reno

That's right - after agonizing over the list and culling 10 tracks I added another 19 - including 2 more versions of both Jingle Bells and Let it Snow! I am my own worst enemy.

Back in a couple/few with more candidates, hopefully another list of cuts and a new poll.

Yules of the Game - Repeats

2008-02-16T14:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry to have been quiet recently - other stuff kept me from the computer these last few days. I'll have the next Perfect candidates post up as soon as I can manage. Until then here's a couple of fairly obvious but still important Yules of the Game...

No repeats rule (Songs)- No song should appear on a single disc more than once. This rule is both easy and hard to follow. Easy because there are so darn many great Christmas songs out there that filling 80 minutes without repeat should be a breeze - hard because there are so darn many great performances out there of the most classic Christmas songs that choosing only one version will take a bit of soul searching in some cases.

No Repeats Rule (Performers) - In theory I like this rule but in practice keeping the likes of Bing, Perry, Andy, Nat, Frank and quite a few others down to a single track per disc will be tough. However I'll try to stick to the letter of the law as long as I can.

I'll be back tonight (or maybe tomorrow) with another list of candidates plus I'll knock a few earlier candidates off the master list.

The Month in Review - January

2008-02-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

So here's the candidate list so far. Ninety-eight marvelous holiday tunes. Unfortunately there's only room for twenty or so on the final CD and I haven't even started going through my main Christmas CD collection. Someone's gettin' chopped like a Tannenbaum.

2000 Miles - Pretenders
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's - The Andrew Sisters with Danny Kaye
A Spaceman Came Traveling - Chris De Burgh
A Very Merry Christmas - Cliff Edwards
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
Bossa Nova Medley - Living Strings & Living Voices
Christmas Carols - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music
Christmas Chopsticks - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Christmas City - Merv Griffin
Christmas Is - Lou Rawls
Christmas Is - Percy Faith
Christmas Is The Best Of All - Johnny Tillotson
Christmas Is The Time To Say 'I Love You' - Billy Squier
Christmas Love - The Rotary Connection
Christmas Rush - Vincent Lopez
Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Christmas Time in Louisiana - Johnnie Allan
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby
Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas) - The Free Design
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
Deck The Halls - The Mike Sammes Singers
Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly/Wassail Song - Hugo Winterhalter
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - The King's Singers
Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk
Early Christmas Morning - Cyndi Lauper
Frosty The Snowman - Jimmy Durante
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Ray Conniff
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - George Shearing Quintet
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers
Good King Wencelas - Morton Gould
Hang Your Wishes On The Tree - Les Baxter Orchestra & Chorus
Happy New Year - The Glad Singers
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Here Comes Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
Holiday For Bells - Bert Kaempfert
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Doris Day
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Perry Cuomo
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling - Wayne King and His Orchestra
Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
Jingle Bells - The Organ Orchestra
Jingle Bells/Mele Kalikimaka - Alfred Apaka And The Hawaiian Village Serenaders
Jingo Jango - Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
Last Christmas - Pas/Cal
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
Little Stowaway On Santa's Sleigh - The Golden Orchestra
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
Merry Merry Christmas Baby -Dodie Stevens
Merry X-Mas Everybody - Slade
Mistletoe And Wine - Cliff Richard
My Favorite Things - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass
Noite Santa, Silenciosa - Guimaraes e Seu Conjunto
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
One Little Christmas Tree - Stevie Wonder
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Dean Martin
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer- The Organ Orchestra
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle And The Modernaires
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - The Hiltonaires With The Tony Mansell Singers
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Goldiggers
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Ralph Hunter Choir
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bing Crosby
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Jimmy McGriff
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Peppermint Kandy Kids
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Jackson 5
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - The Partridge Family
See Amid the Winter Snow - Julie Andrews
Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Sleigh Ride - ArthurFiedler
Snow - Claudine Longet
Snowfall - Enoch Light
Step Into Christmas - Elton John
Thanks For Christmas - XTC
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra
The First Noel - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
The Little Drummer Boy - The Longines Symphonette Society
The Man with the Bag - Kay Starr
The Man with the Bag - Vonda Shepard
The Old Sweet Songs Of Christmas - Frank DeVol & The Rainbow Strings
The Sleigh - Hugo & Luigi with Their Children's Chorus
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Andrews Sisters w/ Bing Crosby
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Fred Waring
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Jo Stafford
Wassail Song O Christmas Tree I Saw Three Ships - Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops
We Need A Little Christmas - The New Christy Minstrels
We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go - Gunter Kallmann Choir
Welcome Christmas - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
What Child Is This - Julie Andrews
What Will Santa Claus Say - Mark Shane Xmas All-Stars
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland - The Peter Wood Singers

Let's start with dear old Santa. Sure, he'll be Coming to Town but that's still eleven months away so we don't need seven versions...

Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Goldiggers
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Ralph Hunter Choir
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bing Crosby
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Jimmy McGriff
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Peppermint Kandy Kids
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Jackson 5
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - The Partridge Family

Okay, that's four down and all i have the heart to cut now.I figure Bing's going to have at least one other tune on the mix, the bubblegum versions are terrific but maybe not perfect and the Jimmy McGriff is wonderful but a victim of the numbers. Of course theres no guarantee the three remaining tracks will make it until the end either.

Now it's Rudolph's turn...

Ever since the North Pole Cloning project was abandoned there's been no reason for more than one version of Rudy's tune on TPM.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Dean Martin
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer- The Organ Orchestra
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle And The Modernaires
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - The Hiltonaires With The Tony Mansell Singers

The Organ Orchestra was a dark horse from the very beginning (and they still have a shot with Jungle Bells), Dean's version is top notch but I think he'll make the list with another tune.

The good news for our departing songs is that they are now all in the running for one of our theme mixes - one of which may end up being a runners-up disc.

So, from 98 to 91. Hardly a dent. I'll revisit the list in a couple of days to try and knock a few more ornaments loose.

Perfect Candidates Week 5

2008-02-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest batch to make the increasingly long "short list" for TPM.

Lots of selections this week from FaLaLaLaLa.com's fine series of ADVENTure in Carols sharity compilations .

Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
Christmas Is - Percy Faith
Christmas Is The Best Of All - Johnny Tillotson
Christmas Is The Time To Say 'I Love You' - Billy Squier
Deck The Halls - The Mike Sammes Singers
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Mike Sammes Singers
Hang Your Wishes On The Tree - Les Baxter Orchestra & Chorus
Here Comes Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling - Wayne King and His Orchestra
Little Stowaway On Santa's Sleigh - The Golden Orchestra Pops
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle And The Modernaires
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - The Hiltonaires With The Tony Mansell Singers
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Goldiggers
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Peppermint Kandy Kids
Snow - Claudine Longet
Wassail Song O Christmas Tree I Saw Three Ships - Arthur Fiedler & the Boston
We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jingle Bells/Where Did My Snowman Go - Gunter Kallmann Choir
Welcome Christmas - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

I've clearly got a lot of pruning to do but I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment so I'll be back in a bit with another post where I'll vote a few songs off Christmas Island.

Here are some of the albums I skied through to come up with this week's list - lots of great compilations.

V.A. Adventures in Carols 2004 - 2007
V.A. Ernie (not Bert)'s Best of Christmas in July
V.A. Red Letter Day - a Synthpop Christmas
V.A. A polaroid for Christmas
V.A. Sanity Clause 2007
V.A. The Big 80's x-mas
V.A. Winter Was On the Ground (Box Set Go)
V.A. Al's Christmas Ale 2001, 2004
V.A. Do You Fear What I Fear
V.A. The Blues Are Still Blue Kerstmix 2007 (The Late Greats Music Blog)
V.A. Spiked Candy Canes
Daniéle et Michèle - Noël à deux

Perfect Candidates Week 4

2008-01-27T20:00:00.000-08:00

Here we are at week four and we're close to hitting the 100 track mark. Only 75 or 80 more than the final compilation will allow and I haven't hit my actual CD collection yet. Next week I'll make a few tough decisions and knock a few contenders off the list.

Until then here's this week's additions...

A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's - The Andrew Sisters with Danny Kaye
Christmas Chopsticks - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Ray Conniff
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - George Shearing Quintet
Holiday For Bells - Bert Kaempfert
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Doris Day
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
Last Christmas - Pas/Cal
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Dean Martin
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - The Partridge Family
Snowfall - Enoch Light
The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Andrews Sisters w/ Bing Crosby
What Child Is This - Julie Andrews
Winter Wonderland - The Peter Wood Singers

Surprises :

Last Christmas - one of my least favorite modern pop Christmas tunes and yet there's something about this version...

Do You Hear What I Hear - The Gamble Folk - the more I hear it the more I like it. It will certainly make one of my personal mixes in 2008 - the Perfect Mix may be a long shot though.

Here are some of the albums I went through to find this week's selection (in no particular order, besides alphabetical)...

Countryside Unitarian Fellowship - Hey Jesus Christ Welcome to This World
Elvis Presley - Elvis' Christmas Album / The Wonderful World of Christmas
Frankie Ford - Christmas
Joe Wise - He Has Come
Lawrence Welk's Little Band - Merry Christmas
Neil Sedaka- The Miracle Of Christmas
Reflection - Nativity
The Andrews Sisters- Christmas
The Gamble Folk - Christmas Boy
The Joyful Noise - Nativity
Various Artists - Carols and Candlelight - Great Songs of Christmas - Goodyear 14
Various Artists - Christmas Pizza
Various Artists - Santa Claus Comes

Many of this week's albums (including The Gamble Folk and The Joyful Noise) came from the wonderful and highly recommended sharity site Heavenly Grooves

Moonlight in Vermont

2008-01-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

Time for another poll...

With only three brief lines alluding to winter, and none mentioning Christmas specifically, should the John Blackburn & Karl Suessdorf penned standard "Moonlight in Vermont" be considered a Christmas song?

While not turning up nearly as often as "My Favorite Things" (don't forget to vote on MFT in the poll in the sidebar) "Moonlight in Vermont" does pop up now and then and there are some lovely performances out there.

Vote now in the poll over there on the sidebar and let us know what you think!

Perfect Candidates Week 3

2008-01-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a quiet week here at TPCM. I've added a few more candidates for the final compilation plus I've been fleshing out some of the other themed comps I'm putting together as well.

With so many nearly perfect songs having no chance at making the ultimate disc it just makes sense to branch out and start working in The Perfect Santa Mix, The Perfect Christmas Romance and The Perfect Post-Modern Christmas ( and so on... names and themes subject to change blah blah blah).So, if your favorite doesn't land on the main comp. it'll more than likely show up somewhere.

Here are the new additions to The Perfect Christmas Mix candidate pool...

Christmas Time in Louisiana - Johnnie Allan
Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby
Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas) - The Free Design
Frosty The Snowman - Jimmy Durante
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
Jingo Jango - Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Merry X-Mas Everybody - Slade
One Little Christmas Tree - Stevie Wonder
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Ralph Hunter Choir
Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
Ring Christmas Bells/The First Noel/Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Frank DeVol & The Rainbow Strings

Surprises - Feist maybe, Slade perhaps.

No brainers - the Mathis, Beach Boys, and Guaraldi tracks, and of course the definitive "Christmas Song" performance from Nat King Cole.

And here's the (compilation heavy) pool these, and quite a few others that will end up the sub-comps, came from ...

The New England Christmastide Musicians - A Very Special Season
The Ralph Hunter Choir - Christmas Surprises From The Ralph Hunter Choir
Frank DeVol & The Rainbow Strings - The Old Sweet Songs Of Christmas
VA - Santology 06

OST - Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
The Lutheran Hour Choir - Christmas Carols
The Longines Symphonette Society - Shell's Wonderful World of Music - Special
Christmas Edition
Marc Haney - Let Us Go To Bethlehem
VA - The Leather Canary Christmas Mixes 1-7
VA - Deacon Blues Christmas Mixes 1-3
VA - Ginger Cookie Disco Christmas Mix 2007

The Joystrings - Well Seasoned

The Yules of the Game

2008-01-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

Every now and again I'll post some of the basic criteria i use when selecting songs for TPCM - and my Christmas listening enjoyment in general.

Today's Yule of the Game:

This is a Christmas party. Let's keep the dying to a minimum please.

Holiday songs featuring dead or dying loved ones don't generally give me that special warm and fuzzy holiday feeling. The last thing I want to hear while the egg nog's being served is The Christmas Shoes or Another Lonely Christmas. Yes, I know death is a fact of life - even during the holidays - but so is a nasty case of the plops and i have no interest in listening to songs about that either*.

I'm not saying that all songs that bring death to the holidays are necessarily bad songs - just that I'm not putting them on the Hi-fi during the tree trimming party.

There are some exceptions no doubt and obviously some hymns and carols dealing with Christ's life will touch upon his death and resurrection. Are there any mortality related tunes that you feel deserve a chance to be part of TPCM?

* I do, however, reserve the right to include the occasional fart based Christmas song - as long as it's done with good taste.

Perfect Candidates - Week 2

2008-01-11T13:23:00.001-08:00

Welcome to week two of my quest to create the Perfect Christmas Mix. The more music I listen to and the more songs I add to the list of contenders the clearer it becomes that this project won't be able to be confined to a single one disc compilation. Along with the songs I'm considering for the "Perfect" I'm also saving tunes for consideration for at least three other themed compilations. I'll have more details about these other mixes later on.

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

Here's last week's selection.

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...

Making the List - Week One

2008-01-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

Here's the very first round of albums and songs up for inclusion in the mix. I've decided to start with the Christmas music that's on my computer right now. These are Rhapsody and iTunes purchases, CD Rips from my collection and sharity downloads I've amassed over the last couple of weeks of the holiday season. Once I've cleared my hard drive I'll move on to the myriad tapes and discs I've accumulated over the years.

I've made a conscious decision not to begin with a pre-selected core of obvious must be included standards. While I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Bing Crosby's White Christmas or Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song on the final disc I will make this token attempt at keeping an open mind and giving other performances a fair chance.

Right out of the gate you'll get a good idea of my taste and inherent biases. I'm not a huge Country Music fan. I don't hate it, or even particularly dislike it - I simply don't seem to choose it to listen to very often. One of the albums I listened to this week was a compilation of perfectly good country tunes from the likes of Willie Nelson, Porter Waggoner, Roy Clarke, Loretta Lynn and Waylon Jennings. If I were doing a country themed mix half this comp. would have made the cut but none of them realistically had a chance for my ultimate selection. So, instead of throwing a few into the mix just to suck up to C&W fans, I'm just going to remind everyone that through this whole process Your Mileage May Vary, don't take any of my selections as a personal affront to your own taste in music.

This also leads to the reason it's taken more than 30 years for me to tackle a Single Perfect Mix. There is so much fine music out there that I always find myself breaking down and making themed mixes. I'm going to try to stay true to my vision of one perfect CD but we'll see if I can resist the urge to create the Perfect Set of Christmas Mixes.

Here's the first, of many, list of songs currently in the running for The Perfect Mix...

A Spaceman Came Traveling - Chris De Burgh
Bossa Nova Medley - Living Strings & Living Voices
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - The King's Singers
Early Christmas Morning - Cyndi Lauper
Happy New Year - The Glad Singers
Good King Wencelas - Morton Gould
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Jingle Bells - The Organ Orchestra
Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
Merry Merry Christmas Baby -Dodie Stevens
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer- The Organ Orchestra
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bing Crosby
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Jimmy McGriff
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Jackson 5
See Amid the Winter Snow - Julie Andrews
Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler
The First Noel - Domenico Savino And His Orchestra
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
The Man with the Bag - Kay Starr
The Man with the Bag - Vonda Shepard
The Sleigh - Hugo & Luigi with Their Children's Chorus
We Need A Little Christmas - The New Christy Minstrels
What Will Santa Claus Say - Mark Shane Xmas All-Stars

As you can see this is going to be tricky. I already have nearly a full disc's worth and we've got a long way to go. Eventually the duplicates will be weeded out but there are still a lot of songs on this list that won't be here in December. I'm guessing there are no more than three or four that are near dead certs. And yes I can also tell which songs will be the first for the chop - but I did want to give them their brief time in the sun.

Surprises - Cyndi Lauper making the list - I didn't realize just how much I liked her entry - two tracks from The Organ Orchestra - two versions of The Man with the Bag.

The urge to make this a multi-disc set is strong and I've already started farming out some of the also rans to potential sub-compilations.

Here's a partial list of the more than fifty albums and compilations (plus assorted singles) I went through this week to get the above songs (grouped in descending order of likelihood to be played next Christmas at Casa SWO)...

Mark Shane - What Would Santa Say
Paul Mickelson - The Best Of Christmas
The Organ Orchestra - That Happy Christmas Feeling
The Ukulele Orchestra
Domenico Savino And His Orchestra

VA - A Good Old Country Christmas
David Rose - A Merry Christmas to You
VA - Christmastime In Carol And Song
Hugo Winterhalter-Blue/White Christmas
VA - Hear Something Country Christmas
Amahl and the Night Visitors 1963 NBC Production
The Sound Of Children At Christmas - Hugo & Luigi with Their Children's Chorus
VA - Seriously Westcoast Vol. 2
Pokemon - Christmas Bash (this is my son's pick of the week)
Rocki Lane & The Gross Group
VA - Happy Christmas 1,2,3
VA - The Folkphile Christmas Collection 1-15

Christmas Carols By The Lighthouse Singers
VA - Singing in this Christmas
Agnetha Falstkog & Linda Ulvaeus - Nu Tandas Tusen Juleljus
Music City Chorale And Orchestra
Songs Of Christmas By The General Motors Chorus
A Christmas Party For Children - Modern Sound
Luis Gomez Mexican Brass - Christmas Tijuana Style
Flash Cadillac - Ghost of Christmas Past
VA - I Love My Doo Wop Christmas Vol 1,2,3
Bill Doggett - Around The Christmas Tree

Big Love Hospital
VA - Santa Sings
VA - Elephant Hug Christmas

I'll let the list grow over the next few weeks and then the polls come out!

Christmas in January?

2008-01-02T12:23:00.000-08:00

If you thought Christmas in July was extreme get ready for Christmas in January... and February and March and so on and so on...

I've been putting together holiday mixes since I was a kid holding a tape recorder up to a radio speaker and editing with the pause button. I've done mix tapes, mix CD's, Mix DVD's, podcasts, online compilations and a Christmas station on Live 365 but I've never put together my Ultimate Christmas Mix. Until now.

Over the next 12 months I'll be reviewing every album, tape, CD, DVD and download in my crimbo collection and picking out the very best songs and performances. By December I hope to have my perfect Christmas mix ready to go. Between now and then I'll be sharing the process through this blog. I'll let you know what I've listened to and what tracks have made the grade and moved on to the list of nominees from which I'll choose the eventual 80 or so minutes of music that will be my perfect mix-CD. Along the way I'll be asking for your help and input as well - there will be polls where you can vote when I'm undecided on what songs are worthy and I'll beg for your recommendations and personal lists of favorite Christmas tunes.

Though the blog is called The Perfect Christmas Mix it's really just My Perfect Christmas Mix. Over the next 12 months we'll see if it comes close to being Your Perfect Mix as well.

2007-12-29T22:29:00.000-08:00

Coming January 1

a nearly year long journey beckons...

the quest to create The Perfect Christmas Mix begins!