More Music of Christmas – Day 21: Sleigh Ride

“Sleigh Ride” By Los Straitjackets I featured the Debbie Gibson version of this last year. This year is far from that 80’s pop version. It’s surfing music! Not much to this song other than it’s a Christmas classic that can transcend musical styles. And it sounds at home in an orchestra as it does with surf guitar. A sandy beach in summer is the exact opposite of a winter sleigh ride, but darn it, it works. Listen to it. Have fun with it. Great stuff. The entire Los Straitjackets Christmas album should be in your collection. Tomorrow — we go

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More Music of Christmas – Day 19: Driving Home for Christmas

“Driving Home for Christmas” By Chris Rea Back around nine or ten years ago, my wife and I stumbled across the British comedy series “Gavin and Stacey”. We got hooked on the first episode and tracked down the entire three series (seasons) and the 2008 Christmas special. It is in this episode that we here today’s song, “Driving Home for Christmas”. The song is heard when one extended family boards a coach bus in Wales to make the drive to other family in Essex. One of the characters, Uncle Brynn, hears the song on the radio and asks the driver

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More Music of Christmas – Day 14: I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (Wait, What?)

“I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” By Leann Rimes Wait, what? Didn’t we do this yesterday? Yep. Wasn’t it a Monday Music Monstrosity? Yep. But we’re doing it again? Yep. Don’t you hate country music? Yep. Have you lost your mind? Ye– well… maybe. I didn’t know this version existed until a few weeks ago, when I happened to come across it while flipping the dial on SiriusXM. I almost turned it off when it started. I didn’t like the like the original, I sure as hell wouldn’t like a country remake. But I decided to chance it. And okay,

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More Music of Christmas – Day 13: Monday Musical Monstrosity #2

Welcome to Monday Music Monstrosity, where each Monday I will talk about a holiday song I absolutely detest. I won’t link to it because it sucks so hard. I just want to share my pain because misery loves company. “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” By Gayla Peevey Why couldn’t this song have stayed forgotten? My Christmas would have been fine without this song. Let it stay in 1953, and die before the 60’s came along. But no. Sometime in the late 00’s, this song was rediscovered. I remember hearing it on one of the local radio stations that went

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More Music of Christmas – Day 12: Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

“Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” By Bing Crosby and David Bowie This is a duet that, on paper, shouldn’t work. Bing Crosby and David Bowie seem like such complete opposites. American clean-cut crooner, British new-wave rocker. Opposites may attract, but really? These two? And yet it does. While the TV special may be awkward and make you cringe when watching it, somehow these two made magic together. It’s even more impressive when you learn David’s portion was written for him in an hour when he came to tape the special and balked at singing “Little Drummer Boy”. It’s understandable —

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More Music of Christmas – Day 11: Little Saint Nick

“Little Saint Nick” By Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem Of course I’d take the Muppet version of a song over the original version. The Beach Boys first released this song in 1962, and honestly it took me years of not decades to warm up to it. Even this version — I’d listen to it on the record of John Denver and The Muppets – A Christmas Together, but it wasn’t my favorite. A few years ago, though, I started to like the Beach Boys version more. And then when I would listen to the Muppets, I’d pay more attention

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More Music of Christmas – Day 10: Mele Kalikimaka

“Mele Kalikimaka” By Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters Ah, another Christmas classic song, lovingly sung by Bing and the Andrews Sisters. I included it because of it being in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It’s one of the best Christmas movies, don’t argue with me. This song is heard as Clark Griswold stares out the window, day-dreaming about his pool he wants to put in the ground. It’s a classic scene, and somehow this song doesn’t seem out of place. While reading about this song, I learned what “Mele Kalikimaka” means. It’s a way of turning “Merry Christmas” into the

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More Music of Christmas – Day 9: Ring Christmas Bells

“Ring Christmas Bells” By the Ray Conniff Singers I don’t have a lot to say about this song. I just know I like it. Based on “Carol of the Bells”, this version adds lyrics to the familiar melody. I think what strikes me the most about it is just how it sounds. You hear it and you know it’s old. You just know they don’t make recordings like this any more. It’s the audio equivalent of an oil painting that has dulled over time. The sound isn’t as crisp as newer songs. Orchestration feels very traditional. It feels like mono

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More Music of Christmas – Day 8: White Christmas

“White Christmas” By The Drifters “White Christmas” is a perennial holiday classic, even if it didn’t originally come from the movie White Christmas. When you mention the song, most people envision Bing Crosby’s golden tones painting a picture of fresh snow covering a quaint town, Christmas just around the corner. Irving Berlin’s lyrics are timeless and classic, and you can’t imagine Christmas without the song. It’s a great song. You know how I know that to be true? Because great songs can be sung in nearly every genre and still be great. Case in point – this version by the

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