Musical tastes certainly change over generations; and if one does not get some good “steering” on certain matters he or she will miss a lot. So I feel the need to share some Christmas music with you that you need to acquaint yourself with, and see that it is played in your presence every Christmas season. You know, we won’t always be there to point them down the straight and narrow, so there is a need for these instructions. All said with “tongue in cheek.”
First and foremost, on your list has to be Elvis singing “Blue Christmas.” In fact that song is so good you can play it year round: the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, any and all days. A close second to that song is Nat King Cole doing “The Christmas Song.” By the way, the writer of that song is Mel Torme, and his version is also acceptable. Very acceptable.
Don’t let the season go by without Bobby Helms singing “Jingle Bell Rock.” It’s also okay if you listen to Brenda Lee’s version of the same song or "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.". No Christmas is Christmas without Bing Crosby and “White Christmas.” You ask, “Who is Bing Crosby?” You also probably never heard of Dinah Washington or Jerry Butler, but listen to either of them do “Silent Night.” Also Gene Autry singing “Here Comes Santa Claus” should be on this list. A must is another Elvis song, “I’ll Be Home on Christmas Day.”
Shortly after Christmas day make it a must to listen to anyone that does “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” I recommend Sonny Till and the Orioles version before hearing any others. But Joe Williams, Barry Manilow or Norah Jones do very creditable renditions of the song also.
I must throw in something a bit more current, like in the past twenty-five years, and that is Dan Fogelberg singing “Same Old Lang Syne.” The song doesn’t really have much to do with the holiday season, but it does have some great thoughts and has killer lyrics. Year endings are a great time to have some great songs and thoughts from years past. Last but not least, listen to Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians close out the old year with “Old Lang Syne.”
If you can put these on your listening calendar, well, maybe there is still some hope. Your grandfather will be some place smiling and thinking, “What good musical tastes those kids have. I guess someone must have helped them in their selection.”
Generally we all regardless of age can use some help when it comes to the matter of “choices and selections.”
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December 5, 2013
Keep on,
Larry Adamson