Let me be among the first this holiday season to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Say it loud, say it often, say it clear. The politically correct hate it. So, put it in their faces every chance you get (and yes, I intend to wish my Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah).
When it comes to Christmas music there are some 'must-haves' for your collection. I'm sure I am going to inadvertently leave out a few, but in my view this list contains the very best Christmas music ever recorded, most of which is still available from various retail and online sources.
So, let's get to it...the best Christmas music of all time.
1. (Tie) 'O Holy Night' by Andy Williams, recorded 1965.
'Ave Maria'(Schubert version) by Perry Como, recorded in 1957, updated version 1983.
2. Handel's 'Messiah' recorded by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra and
the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, 1970.
3. 'The Little Drummer Boy' original version, Harry Simeon Chorale, 1950s
4. 'Mary's Boy Child' by Evie Tournquist, 1976.
5. 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' recorded a capella, The Cathedral Quartet, 1985.
6. (Tie) 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' recorded a capella, The Florida Boys, 2000
'I'll Be Home For Christmas' by Perry Como
7. 'White Christmas' by Bing Crosby
8. 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire' by Nat King Cole
9. (Tie) 'Sleigh Ride' by Amy Grant
'Sleigh Ride' by Arthur Feidler and the Boston Pops
10. 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town' by Frank Sinatra
11. 'Silent Night' recorded a capella, The Florida Boys, 2000
12. 'The Bells of St. Mary's' by Bing Crosby
13. 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' by Bing Crosby
14. 'There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays' by Perry Como
15. 'Do You Hear What I Hear?' by Re'Generation, 1975
16. 'Jesu Bambino' by Re'Generation, 1975
17. 'I Wonder as I Wander' by Perry Como
18. 'Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas' by Burl Ives
19. 'What Child Is This?' by the Harry Simeon Chorale
20. 'Jolly Old St. Nicholas' by the Ray Conniff Singers
21. 'Go Tell It On the Mountain' by the Harry Simeon Chorale
22. 'O Come All Ye Faithful' by Nat King Cole
23. 'Beautiful Star of Bethlehem' by Flatt and Scruggs
24. 'Frosty the Snowman' by Perry Como
25. 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' by Gene Autry
26. 'Christ is Born' by Perry Como
27. 'Happy Holiday/It's the Holiday Season'--Andy Williams
28. 'Winter Wonderland' by Johnny Mathis
29. 'Ave Maria' (Bach version) by Celtic Woman or Luciano Pavarotti
30. 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year' by Andy Williams
I will add that if you can find anything by the Robert Shaw Chorale, get it. This world-renown choral group, under the direction of the quintessential maestro Robert Shaw, produced some of the finest music ever recorded, most of it a capella. I did not list any one song by Robert Shaw simply because everything he ever recorded was top-notch, particularly his Christmas recordings. These are true collector's items.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
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2 comments:
You have excellent taste in music, sir; your list & mine overlap extensively.
Paul,
Glad to see there are others besides me who appreciate finer music.
Brigid was by here just the other day to comment on my Perry Como post. She too appreciates those who can actually sing without relying on the vast enhancements of digital/computer technology.
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