Best and worst Christmas songs ?

[rubis]

+1 for the Dylan song, love th video too
Also love Boney M......camp as Christmas

[colgraff]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1450356558' post='2931951']

"The production on that album is amazing..."
[/quote]

Ha ha ha! I was going to do that reference but you beat me to it! For those who don't know it...
[size="2"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beCYGm1vMJ0[/size]

[ras52]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1450357092' post='2931961']
I've not heard the album, but the song just shouts 'class', something lacking in most recordings. It's maybe of a different age though, where the product was more important ?
[/quote]

I refer you to Mr colgraff's post above....

[colgraff]

For people who don't like clicking on links, especially in the working day, it is from a Not the Nine O'clock News sketch, Gerald the Gorilla.

[Hector]

My favourite christmas song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5K3UgrPdbQ

[Deep Thought]

Every year for a long time now the Killers have released a charity Xmas single which never seems to get much attention. Some have been fairly unimpressive, last year's 'Joel the lump of coal' was utterly ludicrous, but this one, 'A great big sled' is my favourite Xmas song ever. This year's effort is pretty damn good too. Honourable mention for Greg Lake, Chris Rea's 'Driving home for Xmas', and although it's been played to death, 'Fairytale of New York' for its total lack of the usual Xmas schmaltz. Worst for me is probably Elton John's effort.

http://youtu.be/w-nse84xIpE

Edited December 17, 2015 by Deep Thought

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1450347929' post='2931819']
Beautiful. I presume that stunning arrangement is Mr Riddle?
[/quote]

No, not Nelson Riddle but Ralph Carmichael I believe.

[size=4]July 6th, 1960
(Session #9532; 14:00-18:00) Capitol Recording Studio, 1750 N. Vine Street, Hollywood California
[i]Nat Cole (vocal), Ralph Carmichael (arranger / conductor), John Collins (guitar), Lloyd Lunham (bass), Lee Young (drums), Dale L. Anderson (percussion), Ralph S. Hansell (percussion), Milton W. Raskin (piano), Lloyd W. Hildebrand (reeds), Jules Jacob (reeds), Harry G Klee (reeds), Arthur Smith (reeds), James Thomas 'Jim' Henderson (trombone), Thomas M Shepard (trombone), Lloyd Ulyate (trombone), Ray S. Linn (trumpet), Joseph 'Joe' Triscari (trumpet), George Werth (trumpet), Bob Stone (arco bass), Armand Kaproff (cello), Edgar 'Ed' Lustgarten (cello), Emmett Sargeant (cello), Joseph Saxon (cello), Kathryn M. Thompson (harp), Allan Harshman (viola), Louis 'Lou' Kievman (viola), G.R. 'Ray' Menhennick (viola), Milton 'Mill' Thomas (viola), Victor Arno (violin), Israel Baker (violin), Emil F. Briano (violin), James Gelzoff (violin), Nate Kaproff (violin), Joseph 'Joe' Livoti (violin), Emanuel Moss (violin), Alexander 'Alex' Murray (violin), Erna Neufeld (violin), Isadore Roman (violin), Ralph Schaeffer (violin), Joseph Stepansky (violin), Gerald 'Jerry' Vinci (violin), Unidentified (vocal chorus)[/i][/size]
[size=4][color=black][font=Symbol]· [/font][/color](34133) Joy To The World[/size]
[size=4][color=black][font=Symbol]· [/font][/color](34134) Deck The Halls[/size]
[size=4][color=black][font=Symbol]· [/font][/color](34135) Hark The Herald Angels Sing[/size]
[size=4][color=black][font=Symbol]· [/font][/color](34136-5) Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)[/size]
[size=4][color=black][font=Symbol]· [/font][/color](34141) Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)[/size]
[size=4][color=black][font=Symbol]· [/font][/color](34142) O Tannenbaum[/size]

[BassTractor]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1450287560' post='2931411']
Ring Out Solstice Bells by Tull. 1. Great tune. 2. No mention of Christmas. 3. A band totally on their game. 4. John Glascock.
[/quote]

Ah!
It has been said.
Also, it has been said better than I could've.

Here it is then, and I feel it's only one of many good Jethro Tull songs with elements of Christmas and/or winter, one other being Swimming Away in the Shallow Water of the New Summer Day ... er... orwhatsitscalled.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2mh5zPj7Lc[/media]

Edited December 17, 2015 by BassTractor

[spectoremg]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1450373320' post='2932186']
Ah!
It has been said.
Also, it has been said better than I could've.

Here it is then, and I feel it's only one of many good Jethro Tull songs with elements of Christmas and/or winter, one other being Swimming Away in the Shallow Water of the New Summer Day ... er... orwhatsitscalled.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2mh5zPj7Lc[/media]
[/quote]Funny you should say that - Tull are a winter band for me. Yes are spring (first time I heard Fragile).

[BassTractor]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1450375407' post='2932217']
Tull are a winter band for me.
[/quote]

Ha! For me too, in that much of the stuff to me has an element of being inside the house, warming oneself close to the fireplace, drinking hot cocoa, whilst outside, cold winds terrorize the icy landscape.
I've always just presumed the band's sound and folk inspirations had something to do with that, but today I see I may also have been manipulated by all the song and album titles, like all the different Christmas songs, the Christmas album, Skating Away... , Solstice Bells, Stormwatch, etc.
Maybe even the snot running down his nose!

[lowdown]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1450371880' post='2932162']
No, not Nelson Riddle but Ralph Carmichael I believe.

[size=4]July 6th, 1960
(Session #9532; 14:00-18:00) Capitol Recording Studio, 1750 N. Vine Street, Hollywood California
[i]Nat Cole (vocal), Ralph Carmichael (arranger / conductor)[/i][/size]
[/quote]

Ah...Ok.
It's staggering the amount of talent that went through Capitol back then.

[drTStingray]

Worst:-

Definitely Mistletoe and Wine

Best:- I'm playing a medley of White Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer; Winter Wonderland; We Wish you a Merry Christmas; Jingle Bells; Silent Night etc followed by a standalone Merry Christmas Everybody by Slade - I have to say I like all of them as a player but not sure I would as a punter - mind you they're all well oiled by that stage.

One I don't play which I like is Rocking around the Christmas Tree (to listen to and to play)!!

[spectoremg]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1450378064' post='2932255']
Ha! For me too, in that much of the stuff to me has an element of being inside the house, warming oneself close to the fireplace, drinking hot cocoa, whilst outside, cold winds terrorize the icy landscape.
I've always just presumed the band's sound and folk inspirations had something to do with that, but today I see I may also have been manipulated by all the song and album titles, like all the different Christmas songs, the Christmas album, Skating Away... , Solstice Bells, Stormwatch, etc.
Maybe even the snot running down his nose!
[/quote]Subliminal! Get it on the conspiracy thread!

[Mykesbass]

Essential Tension's post of Tennenbaum reminded me of the other classic German Christmas song, here in a very different guise:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgYFXCUEL4Y"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgYFXCUEL4Y[/url]

[TrevorR]

I did a YouTube playlist of my fave not the usual suspects Christmas tunes for our office Friday mixtape last week. Here it is if you want to take a listen. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGIYNBxcSZ3ulEh_6hUrfomkvT5AUqdWt

Topped and tailed by the best new Crimble song in the last 10 years imho...

http://youtu.be/7qQAE794uvo

Other faves...

The Greedies - A merry jingle
http://youtu.be/ZN2bcS9shuY

Run with the fox - Chris Squire and Alan White
http://youtu.be/TZqRDCif7Ig

Bert Jansch - In the bleak midwinter
http://youtu.be/yRQ_FoeFO3Q

And the worst ever ever ever... Jewel's version of Rudolph. Truly dire! Could only find a live version of her doing it with her mum. The album version is even more grating on the ear...

http://youtu.be/vsqeEyzW9NE

Edited December 17, 2015 by TrevorR

[ras52]

No mention yet of Stop the Cavalry? Hearing that is my cue to start feeling Christmassy... and I haven't heard it yet this year!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='jbn4001' timestamp='1450296410' post='2931530']
Actually - McCartney track was a Yamaha CS80, as used to great effect by Vangelis for Blade Runner soundtrack
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0QpG2Z54QI"]https://www.youtube....h?v=U0QpG2Z54QI[/url]
[/quote]

Some amazing programming going on there in order for it to sound like a cheap and nasty home keyboard.

[oldbass]

I wonder how much cash Noddy Holder has made from Merry Xmas?..yeah we all hate it but its still an immense tune...
I quite like the Mariah Carey tune with that beautifully played plodding bass...
+1 on everything else that's been mentioned.

[colgraff]

I heard Mr Holder refer to it as "my pension."

[ambient]

[quote name='ians' timestamp='1450390686' post='2932415']
I wonder how much cash Noddy Holder has made from Merry Xmas?..yeah we all hate it but its still an immense tune...
I quite like the Mariah Carey tune with that beautifully played plodding bass...
+1 on everything else that's been mentioned.
[/quote]

My brother was saying yesterday that he read that Roy Wood earns something like £30k every Christmas from 'I wish it could be Christmas'.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1450379950' post='2932281']
Subliminal! Get it on the conspiracy thread!
[/quote]


Will do.

[oldbass]

[quote name='colgraff' timestamp='1450390856' post='2932421']
I heard Mr Holder refer to it as "my pension."
[/quote]
Lucky man...and the Roy Wood tune too...I couldn't write a song to save my life...hats of to these guys.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1450379102' post='2932271']
Ah...Ok.
It's staggering the amount of talent that went through Capitol back then.
[/quote]

And still available ...

[url="http://www.capitolstudios.com/"]http://www.capitolstudios.com/[/url]

[Painy]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1450388484' post='2932387']
No mention yet of Stop the Cavalry? Hearing that is my cue to start feeling Christmassy... and I haven't heard it yet this year!
[/quote]

+1

I'm also rather fond of Monty Python's Christmas In Heaven.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='ians' timestamp='1450429909' post='2932632']
I couldn't write a song to save my life...hats of to these guys.
[/quote]

I really don't get this attitude. I very much doubt that anyone on here was able to play a tune competently the first time they picked up their chosen instrument. Song writing is a skill just like any other that is developed by being rubbish at first and then practicing until you are not.