Enough Already With The Ancient Christmas Carols

 

One drudgery of Christmas season – which, as you know, is much, much too long, starting in mid-October – is the tired old Christmas carols the stores insist on playing. Perhaps they assume it makes people more, what, festive, to hear those sleigh bells in the snow, but mostly it just annoys people.

We need some new Christmas music, not just more tedious remakes by whatever singers happen to be popular today.

Every year I try to buy one or two Christmas CDs, or downloads the past two years, hopeful that the new recordings will make a difference, but generally they do not. This year was an exception, as I came across some pretty good music, and added two songs to my favorites list.

First was Christmas Cello by Steven Sharp Nelson, aka one of The Piano Guys. The entire set is wonderful, perfect for decorating the tree, as we did (at least one of our trees), or for just having as background while reading, or talking, or doing dishes. My favorite is Simple Gifts, which is simply beautiful.

Next was Christmas Island by the one and only LeonRedbone. The title track is excellent, but my favorite, barely beating out That Old Christmas Moon, is Christmas Ball Blues. Great for dancing in the kitchen with the one you love, and if you ender up under the mistletoe, even better.

So here’s my updated list of Five Favorite Christmas Songs, with a tie for the bottom spot:

 

1. Merry Christmas Baby, Elvis Presley (another great one for dancing in the kitchen, when the kids aren’t home)
2. You’re All I Want For Christmas, Brook Benton
3. Baby, It’s Cold Outside, Brian Setzer and Ann-Margret (although the Ann-Margret Al Hirt version is much more sensual)
   
4. Christmas Ball Blues, Leon Redbone
5. Christmas Wish, She & Him
   Simple Gifts, Steven Sharp Nelson

What are your favorites?

My Favorite Female Singers Are Extras On Frasier

I don’t like women singers, really. Linda Ronstadt, I like, and Stevie Nicks, and Tracy Ullman. So what are the odds that my two favorite female singers both played one-episode bit parts on Frasier?

Sara Melson I checked out after watching the rerun with her appearance as Carrie, the men’s store clerk.

Last night I saw the Zooey Deschanel episode where she plays a childhood friend of Roz. Like a lot of people, I liked Zooey in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Elf and Failure to Launch. There’s just something about her, you know.

A year or so ago I was surprised to come across videos of hers on YouTube. Her singing was delightful, soulful and, well, perky. You know, one of those perky soul singers. I listened to her Hawaiian version of I Should Have Known Better and knew I had to have more.

A quick search on Amazon revealed not only an album of her songs, but an album of her songs for only $5. I immediately downloaded Volume One and listened to it nonstop for days. Then I downloaded Volume Two, still just $5, and liked it even better.

Then there was a Christmas album, too.

If you’ve not heard She & Him, head over to YouTube and give it a listen. Let me know what you think.