Thank you for tuning in on Christmas Eve.
Several years ago, I put out a list of my favorite Christmas/Holiday Songs. As a general rule, I can't stand Christmas music, I mean, some of it is good, but one of my pet peeves are radio stations that go 24/7 Holiday Music starting in November. But when everybody from Dean Martin to Elvis to Dr. Dre has a Christmas album, it easy to inundate the senses with it. Neil Diamond has a couple of Christmas Albums out. Neil Diamond? Wouldn't that be like Sinatra singing Dradel Dradel Dradel (I'm sure someone is going to dig that up and post it)
Anyway, I decided to update and expand my list of Christmas songs. The top 3 are pretty much the same, but we have new entries, and also, someone pointed out my last list didn't have any actual religious tunes, so we are going to change that up a bit.
1) Do They Know It's Christmas Time-Band Aid- 32 years we've been hearing this song, and at least as far as I'm concerned it's still the gold standard. It's the Stairway to Heaven of Christmas tunes. Yeah, admtiing you like some of the guys on the record may bring a snicker or too, but together these dudes made some musical magic.
This is a trivia game that my good friend Jenn Ciardullo created a few years back.
Fill in the blank: Who sang what lines in Do They Know It's Christmastime
1) It's Christmas time, there's no need to be afraid
At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish shade.
2) And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world at Christmas time.
3) But say a prayer, to pray for the other one
At Christmastime
4) It's hard, but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window.
4) and 5) and its a world of dread and fear
where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears
5) and 6) and the Christmas bells that ring there
are the clanging chimes of doom.
6) Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you!!!
Answers below.
2) Happy Christmas (War is Over) - Plastic Ono Band- The first time I heard this song, Father Lew Maynard played it for us in 8th grade at St. Mary's.
Powerful and haunting, especially knowing that John Lennon was gunned down just a couple weeks before Christmas. Listening to this song on December 8th catches you right in the throat.
3) Wonderful Christmastime -Wings-Then of course you have John's songwriting partner. This song is what McCartney lovers love about him and what his detractors couldn't stand about him. Harmless fun. If someone else was singing it, I'll admit it wouldn't make the list, but it's Paul so it does.
4) Oh, Holy Night -Josh Groban - What a set of pipes this kid has. He recorded this classic at age 21. This is a song you can't just give to anyone, it has to be done perfectly, to capture it's meaning. Groban hits it out of the park and then some.
5) Blue Christmas -Elvis/Porky Pig- The Elvis version is a classic by itself, but the Porky Pig version is hysterical.
6) 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night-Simon and Garfunkel- On one side of your speaker, you hear Simon and Garfunkel singing the classic Silent Night. Out of the other speaker, you hear a newscaster (Charlie O'Donnell of Wheel of Fortune fame according to Wikipedia) reading the news headlines of the day, including the death of comedian Lenny Bruce, the indictment of serial killer Richard Speck, and former Vice President Richard Nixon predicting 5 more years of war in Vietnam.
Depressing, but powerful. So let's pick it up a little.
7) Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer Elmo and Patsy- Unlike Do They Know... the novelty of this song wore off years ago. Especially after the 1000th time you've heard it this month. Still, when you hear it for the first time during the season, you can't help but chuckle. Should we open up her gifts or send them back? Send them back!
8) O Come O Come Emmanuel-Joan Baez- Every year at least once or twice, my hippy parents would gather my sisters and I around the entertainment system, bust out the hash brownies, the incense and the lava lamps, and pop "A Joan Baez Christmas" into the cassette player
Ok so most of that story is bull, but we did have A Joan Baez Christmas in our collection. It was probably a buck and a quarter at some supermarket, which is most likely the reason someone in my house bought it. This is the one song I remember from it.
9) Christmas in Hollis- Run DMC - I'm not much of a rap fan, but this is the closest song to represent my hometown. The official Christmas song of Queens.
10) Fairytale of New York-The Pouges with Kirsty McColl- Had to include this late entry after posting that article praising it on FB a couple of weeks back. Even more so than Christmas in Hollis, this may some up Christmas in Woodside as much as any song. Donovan's and Shelley's were the hometown bars, but Roosevelt Avenue was populated with bars that catered to different counties in Ireland. Every so often I would venture in there and hear some of the stories of homesick young Irish folks struggling to make a go of it here. You forget how tough it can be. This song captures bioth the high hopes and the sometimes crushing reality. The article and video are attached.
Honorable mentions
What Child is This?-Luther Vandross*-Ok full disclosure. I don't think Luther Vandross did a version of this song. However, when I narrated the Christmas pageant at my father's church, they used to bring a fellow in named Alwin, who sounded just like Vandross. He sang What Child is This? It was amazing. Not available in stores.
Speaking of which
Angels We Have Heard on High- United Church of Christ Choir- So these folks aren't really a recorded artist, but when I was a kid, my dad's church had a full choir and they would belt this out every Christmas Eve. All five stanzas. Most of these folks have passed, including my Uncle, but thinking back to hearing them sing those songs is a great family Christmas memory.
NEWS ITEM: THE LOST ENDING TO OLD LANG SYNE
They've been playing Christmas music at my office, and this piece of sap by Dan Fogelberg has been in heavy rotation. I went on-line to get the lyrics to the song and discovered that the original song had two extra stanzas. I really don't know why Fogelberg decided to scrap the two verses, but thanks to my extensive research, I can now present them to you.
First here is the song with lyrics.
now after she drives away the lost lyrics pick it up from there...
She started driving on the rain slicked road
After finishing her beer
Her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep
And she crashed into a deer
The cops arrested her for DUI
She spent Christmas day in jail
And now the profits from this record's sales
Are going towards her bail.
Maybe it's best they left the song as is.
ITEM: MORE VIDEO TREATS..
So to wrap this up, I'm leaving you with this web gem I came across after reading Phillip Norman's Biography of Paul McCartney. The author took Sir Paul to task for lowering himself to appear on Britian's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on Christmas Eve 2004. Actually, he lays most of the blame at the feet of Paul's shrew ex-wife Heather Mills, who appears on the show with him. I don't think Norman should be so quick to judge, maybe Paul needed the money.
Anyway here is the link. It's a bit long so you may want to break it up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVjkyxPvi5k&t=516s
*Full disclosure-Paul and Heather were playing for the charity Adopt a Minefield.
Hope you enjoyed this. Next week will be part one of the year in review.
Merry Christmas
and Happy Chanukkah
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Answers to Do They Know It's Christmas Time Trivia
1) Paul Young
2) Boy George
3) George Michael
4) Simon LeBon
5) Sting
6) Bono
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