Whoever had the idea for Justin Bieber to have a Christmas album is a genius. Christmas pop songs always become standards for the rest of eternity without even having to be good. Add Boyz II Men, and you practically don’t even have to write an actual song and everyone will play it forever. Including me, apparently.
25 Days of Free (AmazonMP3)
I recently joined Twitter (after saying that I didn’t need it because I already had Tumblr for a few years), and I like how quickly and easily it pumps content into my life.
Today’s interesting find is Amazon’s Advent Calendar type of giveaway this month. Their website is such that even though I go on it multiple times a week, I had never seen this before following them on Twitter.
p.s. If you are on Twitter, too, find me. @xoxoadrienne
Shaquille O’Neal’s conducting debut with the Boston Pops.
Ella Fitzgerald, Christmas Island
Even though this was written in 1946, around the time of Rudolph (1948) and Frosty (1950), it wasn’t really around by the time that I was hearing Christmas songs, and it seems pretty random. Are any of you familiar with this?
Stream Sufjan Stevens’ entire Songs for Christmas on Bandcamp.
60 plays
“Kelly’s trademark weirdness doesn’t flare up until the title song’s Christmas remix, which includes cowbell and lyrics that wouldn’t be out of place in a Rankin/Bass production.” —Ben Greenman (New Yorker)
My Christmas playlist gets better every year.
It’s no Vince Guaraldi Trio, but it’s helping me get through the day.
Ok, back to Vince
Greg’s back! HOORAY!
In response to Dan’s post about Christmas records, I have two more to add:
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, Ella Fitzgerald
A Christmas Together, John Denver & The Muppets
On Surviving The Holidays
Don’t get me wrong. I have unconscious warm fuzzies going on in regards to this time of year, just like the next guy. But of all the things that you can’t control about this season, at least there is some comfort knowing that you don’t have to come face to face with your own death via “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,” or some other equally brain-melting and consistently looped dog shit coming out of the radio and/or you aunt’s home stereo. Here are Christmas albums you can’t deny.
Being prepared in this regard pays off every time.
3. Ray Charles
4. James Taylor
5. Bing Crosby
and of course:
Others that may be good, but that I’ve not heard include Sinatra’s (if he didn’t have several), Stan Kenton’s, and perhaps your suggestions.
Thank goodness for modern technology that allows me to impulse buy all of these in my pajamas on my couch and listen to them right now.
Me: Now we don’t have to listen to the stale Christmas mix on Pandora anymore.
CR: Because they were playing too much soft jazz? Soft-core jazz?
Me: Smooth jazz.
