Recently I've really been into the Christmas songs from the 1940s. I'm a traditionalist, so these songs fit me perfectly. I'd have to say Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole top my list of favorite Christmas singers.
Narrowing it down to one favorite Christmas song is hard, but I've always been a huge fan of Bing's God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. A close second is Nat King Cole's Christmas Song. And Burl Ives and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? A classic!
I've tried to listen to the "updated" versions of Christmas songs by current pop artists, and I just can't do it. Give me Bing, Nat, and Burl anyday.
What is your favorite Christmas carol?
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Love Sinatra's Jingle Bells. He brings a lot of swagger to the tune :)
ReplyDeleteMine is a bit older. The Boar's Head Carol (although The Coventry Carol is a close second). There's just something about that early Victorian choir sound while lights are twinkling. Sitting in the comfy chair with rising clouds of pipe smoke and a cup of something warm and noggy .... ahhh.
ReplyDeleteMy all-time favorite is Robert Earl keen's Merry Christmas from the family but you have to drink a twelve pack of Shiner Bock and have at least some relatives from Texas to full appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI bought a record player so that I could listen to my parent's collection of Firestone Christmas albums. (The covers look like presents tied up with big red bows.)
ReplyDeleteI love the old performers best too-and one of my favorites is "Silver Bells" sung by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell. It makes me wish I could have celebrated Christmas in the 40's.
Joanne - Ah, Frank. I love just about everything he sings. :-)
ReplyDeleteRick! You're not a true grinch after all! ;-)
Travis - Never heard of it, but now my curiosity is aroused. Must go check it out.
Valerie - Oh, I completely agree! I would have loved to celebrate Christmas during the '40s.
Melissa - as I commented on FB, my favourite Christmas song is Snoopy's Christmas...as for carol, it's harder for me to choose. Loreena McKennitt does lovely versions of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman, In the Bleak Midwinter and Good King Wenceslas, which all rate very highly with me. I also love O Holy Night sung by Tevin Campbell and What Chiled is This sung by Vanessa Williams on the A Very Special Christmas, Volume 2 album... And then there's Once in Royal David's City and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel...
ReplyDeleteJust one? ONE?
ReplyDeleteI like David Meece's One Small Child
Also, Jewel's entire Christmas album is good -hard to pick just one of hers.
Tess - I was so delighted to see the Christmas Snoopy song on one of my friend's FB statuses that I just had to share. Classic!
ReplyDeleteHereBeDragons - Thanks for stopping by!
I know - picking one is really hard! I also love "Oh Holy Night" - beautiful song. I don't think I've ever heard any of Jewel's Christmas songs, but then again, I just can't bring myself to listen to the modern versions. :-)
I don't know... I can't choose! I was looking at classic Christmas albums on iTunes last night and can't decide what to go for. Any suggestions? :)
ReplyDeleteErin - Oh boy! Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole's Christmas albums are great. I also love the soundtrack to the classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with Burl Ives. And of course, the Nutcracker. Isn't Christmas without that one!
ReplyDeleteOh I love, love, love, Silver Bells! I don't know why maybe it's because it's moody, but I just love the feelings it evokes in me!
ReplyDeleteHi! Just wanted to say hello and that I adore your blog. It has such a classy feel to it and brings a smile to my face. *follows*
ReplyDeleteSo, when it comes to christmas carols j'adore "Carol of the Bells" and "We Need a Little Christmas". It's so funny that you mentioned "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" because when I was a child that song used to scare me to death! I don't know why! I was strange then, I think. Stranger, anyways.
Looking forward to more.
-J.
T. Anne - Oh, that's a wonderful song, too. I think Rosemary Clooney sings a version that I really like.
ReplyDeleteEvelyn - If you're strange, you're in the right place because I'm just about as strange as they come! LOL Welcome! I love "Carol of the Bells", too. There was a really fun Christmas Claymation special years ago (in the late '80s, I think) that featured this song. You can check it out on YouTube at this link...so, so funny!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW34kHnpo1g
The song I always seem to have in my head around Christmas time is, Walking in a Winter Wonderland. Love it.
ReplyDeleteGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is my traditional favorite. My non-traditional fave is the God Rest Ye/We Three Kings arrangement by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLaughlin!
ReplyDeleteI settled on "Christmas in Jazz"... it has Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Sinatra, etc. Sounds amazing! Thanks for the advice. :)
ReplyDeleteDebs - With all the snow you've had, you definitely have a Winter Wonderland! :-)
ReplyDeleteChristine - OH. I forgot about that one (the BareNaked Ladies and Sarah). That is a great song, too!
Erin - That sounds PERFECT. Ella has such a beautiful voice. Hope you enjoy it! :-)
It's practically impossible for me to pick just one favorite Christmas song - I love so many of them. We have XM radio in the car and they have an entire station devoted to older Christmas in December (it's their '40s station the rest of the year). Just about everybody seems to have done 'Silver Bells' at some point - I heard the Jimmy Wakely/Margaret Whiting version for the first time this year and really liked it. And since I've grown to like Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers lately I enjoyed their version of 'Jingle Bells.'
ReplyDeleteOne song I've never taken to is 'Sleigh Bells' with vocals - for me, the original by the Boston Pops is the only one.