It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas

The weeks and days leading up to Christmas is probably my favorite time of the year. The weather starts to get cooler and one begins to reminisce about the years past with family and friends. However, nothing gets me in the mood like Christmas music.

There are radio stations around that start to play holiday music just as the calendar turns over to November. But you won't catch me listening to them until maybe mid-December at the earliest, otherwise I get burnt out. That happened once and by the time Christmas came around, I was ready to for the holidays to be over. Music and movies... everything. So it's all about moderation for me.

Anyhow, here are some of my favorite Christmas albums of all-time:

Harry Simeone Chorale's Little Drummer Boy:
It's not Christmas unless I've heard this album. It is my numero one all-time favorite. It's full of traditional songs and these are my favorites from the album:

1). Go Tell it on the Mountain
I've always thought James Earl Jones sang this tune because the guy who does has the coolest baritone. Of course, I always have to sing along with it in the lowest voice I can muster.
2). O Holy Night
We once tried to sing this at a Christmas mass several years ago, but thought better of it because the girls in the group couldn't hit some of the notes. Though us guys could in falsetto, hence why we nixed the idea.
3). Little Drummer Boy
I've always had a certain affinity to this song, because I too, was a little drummer boy at one time. Maybe I'll give my favorite all-time drummers one of these days.
4). God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Though part of a medley, it's only a short version of this song, but it's long enough to make an impact.

Bing Crosby's White Christmas
I think this is my mom's favorite, and since it's listed here, it's also one of mine. These are the classic standards of American Christmas music. My faves:

1). White Christmas
Who doesn't like this song? Like I mentioned in a past posting, this song has an all new different meaning to me after having witnessed a "white Christmas" in my hometown, down near Corpus Christi, in 2004.
2). I'll be Home for Christmas
This used to be my mantra for the time after finals and before I went home for the holidays. Now, it's just another Christmas song since going "home for Christmas" is not necessarily a feasible thing to do every year.
3). It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas
Classic.
4). Mele Kalikimaka
Apparently, if you spend your Christmas in Hawai'i, this is what they'll say to you. Thanks Bing for the heads-up!


George Strait's Merry Christmas Strait to You
Another family favorite. My dad is a huge George Strait fan, and so am I to a certain extent, and he has always said that George is his twin. Of course, that's debatable, but my dad's a handsome dude, so I'll give him that much. Among my faves here:

1). There's a New Kid in Town
A country twist on something like, O Little Town of Bethlehem.
2). The title track is a 2-step dancin' type.


Rebecca St. James Christmas
This album consists of updated, rockin' versions of many famous Christmas standards. I totally dig these:

1). Happy Xmas (War is Over)
This song seems to be sung by anyone who has any musical talent and St. James' version is quite good.
2). Come, O Come Emmanuel, O
3). One Small Child
4). O Holy Night
An up tempo version of this Christmas classic, replete with back beat. I would have never thought I'd say that O Holy Night could rock, but it does.

Sarah McLachlan Wintersong
She is one of my all-time favorite musical maidens, and she does a fairly good job of doing Christmas music. Check these out:

1). What Child is This?
2). River
3). Although it's not on the Wintersong album, I love Sarah's featured voice on The Barenaked Ladies version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings.


Okay... after having written all this, now I'm ready for Christmas music!