In my grade-school years, December 1 was a big day. That was when my modest collection of holiday music was dusted off and dropped straight into heavy (indeed, exclusive) rotation for a full month. The star of the show? The Harry Simeone Chorale's original version of 'The Little Drummer Boy.' Yep, still have it. I have no plausible defense for this.
Number two on the chart was
'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' by Gene Autry. The album played during gift-giving was Mahalia Jackson's 'Silent Night.' After that the geeze alarm goes silent. Several holiday chestnuts have since rotted from the inside out due to overplay in retail emporiums, many of which start cranking 'em out on the PA at about the time my white pumps go into storage for the year.Over a few decades some new favorites have emerged. As it happens, my current fave is an update of the old one: 'The Little Drummer Boy,' as interpreted by Low. The bolero has become a dirge. Is this a metaphor for something? If so, don't tell me. I won't listen because I'm immortal and I can go like this at full throat for a long time: LALALALALALALALALA!!!!
At Chez Fever exclusive holiday music play is limited to tree trimming, present opening, and Christmas dinner. What is the playlist makeup? Well, it goes like this (played randomly, of course):
Elvis' Christmas Album
A Christmas Gift from Phil Spector
The Blind Boys of Alabama 'Go Tell It On the Mountain'
Charles Brown 'Cool Christmas Blues'
George Winston 'December'
Mahalia Jackson 'Silent Night'
Raul Malo 'Marshmallow Nights'
Rostropovich & the Berlin Philharmonic 'The Nutcracker Suite'
The Vince Guaraldi Trio 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'
Will there be a tenth this year? Well, I'm just now to the end of Aimee's album. It's nice, but does it qualify for the firmament? Perhaps it's time instead to admit a different newcomer: Thea Gilmore's new release, 'Strange Communion.' OK, I'm biased...when it comes time to hand out my end-of-decade awards, Thea will be announced as my Best Singer/Songwriter winner. And she can take as long as she wants for her acceptance speech.
What I love about this album is its complete lack of chestnuts, unless one counts Thea's cover of Yoko Ono's 'Listen, the Snow is Falling.' Here we have her performing 'That'll Be Christmas.'
Next week: Yup. 2009 Top 10. It's in the contract. Cheers!
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3 comments:
Well, huh, Fever. The girlfriend and I were just debating the merits of "Little Drummer Boy" just this afternoon.
Me: "If Little Drummer Boy comes on I'm SO outa here. Her: "Hey stop it! That's my favorite!."
It did come on. I gagged. We pulled out the Charles Brown "Cool Christmas." Whew.
Re: Your holiday pantheon: No Harry Belafonte? No Nat King Cole?
Well, huh, Fever. The girlfriend and I were just debating the merits of "Little Drummer Boy" just this afternoon.
Me: "If Little Drummer Boy comes on I'm SO outa here. Her: "Hey stop it! That's my favorite."
It did come on. I gagged. We pulled out the Charles Brown "Cool Christmas." Whew.
Re: Your holiday pantheon: No Harry Belafonte? No Nat King Cole?
Ms. Dub: Oddly, I can relate to both your and and your girlfriend's point of view on 'The Little Drummer Boy.'
The pantheon's population is mostly happenstance. All of 'em found their way to me over the years and stuck. Familiarity, comfort, and low CQ (that's Chestnut Quotient) rule.
BTW, I might not have been drawn to Charles Brown's album had I not seen him perform (for my one and only time) in Minneapolis.
Cheers! V
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