Favorite Christmas Music

[Pumpkin_Man]

Hi Folks:

I was thinking in terms of putting this in a poll, but there are so many different renditions of every Christmas Carol out there, that the list would be several miles long, and I still wouldn't have them all covere, so I'll just post this for a discussion.

I have a lot of Christmas music in my CD and LP collection, but there are 4 of them that are my favorites.

My absolute favorite Christmas album, which is on LP, but I transfered to a CD, is "Tijuana Christmas" by the Border Brass. I fell in love with these Mariachi renditions when I was 7 years old when my late brother Jack came home with that record way back in December of 68. That record got played a lot, and was wrecked, but luckily I was ble to locate a very clean copy of it on Line. There's a story about how I got that record in the "Halloween General," or "Paranormal" discussion, so I won't bore you with it again.

Every bit as much, there's an other LP that I love, titled "That Christmas Feeling." It's a "various artists' record, which featured Perry Como's rendition of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," among others. It also contains a beautiful rendition of "I Wonder as I Wander" a rousing rendition of "Here We Come a Caroling" and one of my favorite orchestral versions of "Hark the Harold Angels Sing/We Three Kings."

In 2nd place, because "That Christmas Feeling" and "Tijuana Christmas" are tied for First, is another LP titled "Sing Along with Mitch Miller," Holiday album. This music is very simply done, so anyone can sing along. The little ones really love, and it's among the top requested at my Tree Trimming party by the grand nieces and nephews.

And 4th place, is a CD. It was a various artist CD put out by Time Life titled "Jinglebell Rock." It's a collection of oldies Rock & Roll Christmas tunes, which contains a very unique rendition of "Sleigh Ride" by the Ventures, "Rockin Around the Chsirtmas Tree," by Brenda Lee (I think, but am not too sure) "Merry Christmas Baby," (I think Otis Williams) and "The Little St. Nick" by the Beach boys, just to name a few. I even burned a copy of this one to keep in my car to listen to on my way to work during December.

So what are your personal favorite Christmas albums or CDs?

Mike

[adrian]

some thing i like to listen to during christmas time are both of Alabama's christmas C.D.s i love em!! that and the goldie oldies christmas

[Spookymufu]

I'm not a Christmas person, I actually hate Christmas, but I like Christmas songs sung by Elvis.

[Belladonna]

Yeah I like country Christmas songs. Mannheim Steamroller is another good one.
My Dad loved Elvis' Christmas stuff, so that is a sentimental favorite.

Really too many to list!

[Andybev01]

There was a 2 record set put out by DECCA in the early 70's performed by the London Symphony Orchestra that I would kill to have again. every now and then I do a search for it online but have yet to find it.

Second up, 'Merry Christmas, Johnny Mathis'. The one with him dressed up in a ski suit in front a ridiculously bad, fake mountain scene.

A Charlie Brown Christmas and, Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits. They have a lot of similar tracks but the Holiday Hits one has the Thanksgiving music on it, so it gets a lot of play time.

[Murfreesboro]

I have a thing about "Early Music," which covers most stuff written during Shakespeare's time and before. I love many of the traditional carols collected by Ralph Vaughn Williams in the Oxford Book of Carols--things like A Virgin Most Pure, Coventry Carol, that sort of thing. An old Basque carol called The Angel Gabriel.

At the New Age-y end of the spectrum, I have one of the Windham Hill Winter Solstice CDs (#5, I think), which I also enjoy.

I also like choral Christmas music, such as Mormon Tabernacle Choir, or the Robert Shaw Chorale.

In general, I am not a huge fan of Christmas songs by popular singers, but every once in a while I'll hear something I love. I love Vanessa Williams's arrangement of Do You Hear What I Hear, and Clay Aiken's version of Mary Did You Know.

My husband and I both sing; in fact, that's how we met. We sang in the Vanderbilt Univ. Concert Choir as well as the more select group of Chamber Singers. I have a particular love of chamber music. The Chamber Singers did not introduce me to Early Music--I was already into it--but that group did enable me to experience singing this stuff. (We sang the same kind of thing the King's Singers do, if you are familiar with that group. Mostly Early Music, but sometimes more modern things, too.)

[Belladonna]

Yes! Wyndham Hill's is awesome and Loreena McKennitt too. She has some very early Christmas music that I just love.

[Belladonna]

And this:
http://www.amazon.com/Putumayo-Presents ... B0000AYLHW

I love World Music.

[witchy]

I love Jingle Bell Rock the best!!! I also like the Little Drummer boy, it always makes me cry, I don't know why, but it does, it's very sentimental to me. I am a big baby I know!!!

[adrian]

I love Jingle Bell Rock the best!!! I also like the Little Drummer boy, it always makes me cry, I don't know why, but it does, it's very sentimental to me. I am a big baby I know!!!

i love the little drummer boy too!! a rock band did a version of this song and it was REALLY good... i can't think of their name for anything but man those guys are talented.. very experimental and if i'm not mistaken, they were all music majors

[Alan Wake]

Dashing through the sand, with a bomb strapped to my baaaaaaaaaack...

In all seriousness, it's Christmas Eve Sarajevo. I saw Transiberian Orchestra live and it was pretty bad <deleted> when this song came on.

[Murfreesboro]

I love Jingle Bell Rock the best!!! I also like the Little Drummer boy, it always makes me cry, I don't know why, but it does, it's very sentimental to me. I am a big baby I know!!!

i love the little drummer boy too!! a rock band did a version of this song and it was REALLY good... i can't think of their name for anything but man those guys are talented.. very experimental and if i'm not mistaken, they were all music majors

I love the duet Bing Crosby did with David Bowie years ago, the medley of Little Drummer Boy with Peace on Earth. You can find it on YouTube pretty easily.

[adrian]

david bowie? he sings "the blowers daughter" right? i think that's the name of the song

[Spookymufu]

"Linus and Lucy", puts you in the mood!

[Belladonna]

Oh yes! David and Bing's rendition of that old classic is GREAT! I really like that one.