Making that perfect CD....

[SinatraClaus]

If you were to make that perfect Christmas CD.. What song(s) and by who would you start with?

For me some of the one's I would start with would be -

Frank Sinatra - Mistletoe and Holy and The Christmas Waltz

Dean Martin - Silver Bells and Jingle Bells (He does the Bells songs really well!)

Nat King Cole - Christmas Song

Bing Crosby - White Christmas and What Child is This, Holy and Ivy

Judy Garland - Have yourself a Merry Christmas

Johnny Mathis - We need a little Christmas

[Jeff Westover]

Some good ones there, SinatraClaus. I'd defintely stick with some tried and true...

Dean Martin -- Baby It's Cold Outside
MoTab-- Hallelujah Chorus
Mannheim Steamroller -- Carol of the Bells
John Denver -- Aspenglow
Carpenters -- Merry Christmas, Darling

...how's that for variety?

Jeff

[AuntieMistletoeDear]

:-) What a lovely idea. 8) Not sure why I haven't created one yet.

:) Here are the songs that would be a must have on my CD - there are others I would likely add to the list.

The Muppets (or Mahalia Jackson) - We Need A Little Christmas

Ella Fitzgerald - The First Noel

Who-Ville Choir - Welcome Christmas - Fah who for-aze!

Thurl Ravens croft - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (Also voiced Tony the Tiger for Kellogg’s “They‘re grrrrreat!”)

The Peanuts Gang - Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Burl Ives - Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

Carpenters (Bing Crosby) - Do You Hear What I Hear

Bing Crosby & David Bowie -The Little Drummer Boy

Jimmy Durante - Frosty The Snowman

Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Nat "King" Cole (Frank Sinatra) - The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)

Louis Armstrong - White Christmas / Zat You Santa Claus

My dad singing - Uncle Mistletoe & God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

[RadioJonD]

I struggle with this each year when I put together a Christmas CD for family and friends. While I do like the classics, I tend to search for the more obscure. The classics are best left to the "Christmas" radio stations and canned store music of the season. Hopefully I'll tickle someone's fancy with less mainstream tunes!

However, if I were to attempt a perfect Christmas CD just for myself, I would have to include a little of everything; old, new obscure, mainstream, country, standard, rock, Cajun, Celtic...

[Jeff Westover]

Yep, I tend to do the same thing. Always have. I remember when I was 17 I made what I thought was a mistake by allowing my Dad to use my car with one of my homemade cassettes still in the deck. He heard everything from Def Lepard to John Williams and the Boston Pops doing the theme from Indiana Jones.

I was stunned when he told me how much he enjoyed listening to it.

I like my Christmas music the same way though I have to admit a stronger-than-usual allegiance to the classics.

Jeff

[elfworks]

i have created the perfect cd already!

i have about 50 holiday cds and had them all on my computer. then, one day i sat down and weeded thru it, removing those songs that were not my fave versions of some songs. there are still groovy dupes of some songs, but... basically i have a list of 100 songs. so technicall i guess that is more like 6 or 7 perfect cds!

anyone who didnt hear diana krall's holiday cd that came out this past yr, needs to go listen. its the best!!

i shall refrain from listing all 100 songs, but they range from charlie brown (vince guaraldi) to mitch miller to ella to some groovy stuff off of christmas cocktails to the roaches to the canadian brass......

xo

[Jeff Westover]

Diana Krall...jingle bells, baby.

[elfworks]

her version of christmastime is here is just magical.



xo

[Jeff Westover]

mercy...to be honest, I haven't heard the whole CD yet...but I really need to because she is an ARTIST

[RadioJonD]

i shall refrain from listing all 100 songs, but they range from charlie brown (vince guaraldi) to mitch miller to ella to some groovy stuff off of christmas cocktails to the roaches to the canadian brass......
xo

Aw, come on ElfWorks! Refrain not! Go ahead and list 'em! 8)

[Jeff Westover]

Hey, Elfworks...meet RadioJonD, our resident expert on the music and audio of Christmas. He's a good elf. Claims he is of "sound" mind.

[elfworks]

ok fine! will give you 10 at a time.


1. santa claus is coming to town - jimmy mcgriff
2. nutcracker suite - les brown
3. xmastime is here - cb xmas
4. what child is this - cb xmas
5. jingle bell rock - hollyridge strings
6. oh tannenbaum - cb xmas
7. ring those xmas bells - fred waring
8. merry christmas from the family - robert earl keen
9. the mistletoe jam - luther vandross
10. have yourself a merry little xmas - julie christianson


xo

[elfworks]

11. white christmas - diana krall
12. christmas trumpets - ray anthony
13. the christmas song - diana krall
14. have yourself a merry little xmas - krall
15. 12 days of christmas - mitch miller
16. what are you doing new years eve - krall
17. let it snow - krall
18. a visit from st nicholas - canadian brass
19. angels we have heard on high (instrumental) - lara & reyes
20. count your blessings instead of sheep(snot) - krall


xo

[elfworks]

21. louisiana xmas day - aaron neville
22. christmas time is here - krall
23. what are you doing new years eve - ella fitzgerald
24. hot texas christmas day - dale watson
25. good king wenceslas - the roches
26. sleigh ride - krall
27. jingle bells - krall
28. christmas is coming - charlie brown
29. good morning blues - ella
30. the xmas song - charlie brown

[elfworks]

31. christmas is - lou rawls
32. winter wonderland - krall
33. my little drum - charlie brown
34. the xmas song - nat king cole
35. i'll be home for xmas - krall
36. linus and lucy - charlie brown
37. let it snow - asleep at the wheel
38. god rest ye merry gentlemen (instr) - lara and reyes
39. winter wonderland - lara & reyes
40. the christmas song - ella

[elfworks]

41. white xmas - ella
42. sleigh ride - mitch miller
43. the xmas song - lara & reyes
44. feliz navidad - lara & reyes
45. sleigh ride - ella
46. have yourself a merry little xmas - ella
47. by the fireside - (from xmas cocktails 2 i didnt write down who the artist was)
48. santa claus is coming to town - krall
49. christmas time is here - charlie brown
50. silver bells - the roches

[elfworks]

tired of typing - will post last 50 later!

xo

[elfworks]

51. let it snow - ella
52. must be santa - mitch miller
53. ive got my love to keep me warm - dean martin
54. the man with the bag - kay starr
55. snowfall - george shearing
56. rudolph the red-nosed reindeer - billy may
57. xmas waltz - nancy wilson
58. blue christmas - willie nelson
59. let it snow - lara & reyes
60. please come home for xmas - marcia ball
61. i'd like you for xmas - julie london
62. theres no place like home for the hollidays - leon redbone
63. silver bells - mitch miller
64. sleigh ride - the roches
65. all i want for xmas - nat king cole
66. holiday on skis - al caiola
67. i saw mommy kising santa claus - mitch miller
68. rudolph..... - mitch miller
69. blue xmas (instr) - see # 47
70. pretty paper - willie nelson
71. blue xmas - leon redbone
72. skating - charlie brown
73. ill be home for xmas (instr) - jackie gleason
74. jingle bells - ella
75. what are you doing new years eve - nancy wilson

[elfworks]

76. chacha all the way - capitol studio orchestra
77. white xmas (instr) - lara & reyes
78. silver bells (instr) - lara & reyes
79. winter wonderland - ella
80. sun valley ski run - see # 47
81. frosty the snowman - ella
82. jingle bell rock - bobby helms
83. carol of the bells - canadian brass
84. frosty (instr) - lara & reyes
85. jingle bells - mitch miller
86. deck the halls - the roches
87. the merriest - june christy
88. jingle bells - canadian brass
89. white christmas - bing
90. caroling, caroling - nat king cole
91. chritmas kisses - ray anthony
92. happy holidays - peggy lee
93. winter wonderland - peggy lee
94. we wish you a merry xmas - lara & ryes
95. we wish you a merry xmas - canadian brass
96. deck the halls - mitch miller
97. dance of the sugar plum fairy - canadian brass
98. santa baby - eartha kitt
99. here we come a caroling - the roches
100. baby, its cold outside - dino!

[elfworks]

and... mixed in with all 100 of the above is a 4 cd set from THE CHRISTMAS REVELS (if youre unfamiliar with them YOU MUST CHECK THEM OUT!!
and the soundtrack to how the grinch stole xmas (animated)
and the soundtrack to amahl and the night visitors


xo

[sheepsnot]

That would have been approximately four days typing for me. I generally use three fingers and one thumb. Looks weird, but I can burn up the keyboard! Great list, by the way. I'll peruse it and see if I can download some of them. I'm at work and need to avoid being labelled a kook and passed over for promotion because of my Christmas spirit. :smile:

[RadioJonD]

See? That didn't hurt a bit did it Elfworks? Quite a nice list! A good mixture of the claasics and more obscure. Thanks! I'll be perusing it later when I'm at home. I'd hate to know that there is something I haven't heard.

As I've said before somewhere, my goal is to hear every Christmas song every recorded!

[elfworks]

heehee. just saw that i missed one. i have 101!

101. rockin' around the xmas tree - brenda lee


xo

[RadioJonD]

How in the world could you have left that one out!?!

[elfworks]

well, i was copying off my itunes and just didnt have the page totally scrolled down. kwim?



xo

[Jeff Westover]

What? No Mo-Tab?

[elfworks]

sorry...... no mo-tab for me


xo

[Jeff Westover]

20. count your blessings instead of sheep(snot) - krall


Now, this one I want to hear....

[Jeff Westover]

sorry...... no mo-tab for me

Philistine!

[elfworks]

i am NOT a philistine! IM A PAGAN!!!!


:D :D :D

[Jeff Westover]

Philistine, pagan. Whatever. Pass the tinsel.

[elfworks]

deck us all with boston charlie. walla walla wash and kalamazoo!

[Jeff Westover]

Whatever floats your boat, turns your crank, trims your tree, etc. etc. etc.

[elfworks]

'tis POGO. are you not familiar with the great works of walt kelly?


xo

[Jeff Westover]

are you kidding me? you're expecting me to be well read] too?

Sheesh, Elfworks. You have high standards.

[elfworks]

alas... the bubble has burst...........












:-)

[Jeff Westover]

some bubble that was.

[elfworks]

if you really and truly dont know POGO, then i am now on a mission! if you are, in fact, yanking my chain....... well, then i am on a totally different mission!!!!


:D

xo

[Jeff Westover]

You'll nnnnnnnnneeeeeevvvvvvvverrrrrr find out.... :grin:

[elfworks]

be afraid...... be very afraid......


xo

[Jeff Westover]

You're sounding more like Elmer Fudd than anything else right now. That's where my education comes from...Looney Tunes.

[elfworks]

thats a good place to start!


xo

[sheepsnot]

I used to love the 12 days of Christmas each year in Pogo. That was a family favorite in our house. http://www.pogopossum.com/

[elfworks]

sheepsnot... i think i love you! a fellow pogo-ite!!


life is so good!


xo

[sheepsnot]

I am 45 and have honestly never heard anyone outside of my family quote Pogo before now. I found one guy who had heard of the strip, but that's about it.

[elfworks]

i am 48 (soon to be 49) and other than members of my family, dont know a soul who knows pogo either! one tries to enlighten them..... it is so very sad..... walt kelly would have loved this place, he was a christmas fool too!!!

xo

[sheepsnot]

My older brother used to rattle off the whole "Deck the Halls" song. He was a full blown genius. Introduced me to The Far Side as well. My first cartoon was a picture of vultures and hawks, etc., sitting in a tree with shades on. The caption read, "Birds of prey know they're cool."

[elfworks]

i have never seen that FAR SIDE!!! my two faves are PUT THE CAT OUT (dog is outside whispering into master bedroom window) and the cows that are standing around smoking and chatting and then the lookout says CAR! and they all go back on 4 "feet" and munch grass....



you a get fuzzy guy?


xo

[sheepsnot]

I don't even know what that means. :-o

[sheepsnot]

OK, I just looked it up. It is a pretty good cartoon, but isn't offered locally. I need to read it online.

[elfworks]

i have it delivered to my email inbox every morning from comics.com

it is just the funniest darn strip!


xo

[sheepsnot]

I have Calvin & Hobbes delivered each morning to my work email. I have so many of them cut out and taped around my desk that they almost outshine my many Simpsons posters and mugs, etc. You might want to watch the "d" word, if'n you don't mind.

[elfworks]

ooopsy sorry


xo

[RadioJonD]

I’m vaguely aware of Pogo from other newspapers. The Far Side & Calvin & Hobbes were my favorite when they were published. I hated to see them go. It's nice to still have them on line though!

These days, my favorite is Mother Goose & Grimm.
http://www.grimmy.com/comics.php
Check the archives (by date) for some Christmas strips!

[Ervserver]

Third Day - Do you hear what I hear
Trans Siberian Orchestra - Carol of The Bells
Roger Whittaker - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Bing - White Christmas
Dean Martin - Winter WOnderland
Go Fish - Silent Night

[ChristmasFanatic]

Every year, I make up a new Christmas CD or two, but I think I may have come up with all my favorites/favorite versions on 5 CDs, this year....

-The Christmas Song-Nat King Cole
-White Christmas-Bing Crosby
-Silver Bells-The Ray Conniff Singers
-I'll Be Home For Christmas-Glen Campbell
-Deck the Halls-Jackie Wilson
-The Little Drummer Boy-The Harry Simeone Chorale
-Sleigh Ride-The Boston Pops with Arhtur Fiedler
-Winter Wonderland-Lena Horne
-The Most Wonderful Time of the Year-Andy Williams
-Holly Jolly Christmas-Burl Ives
-Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree-Brenda Lee
-Jingle Bell Rock-Bobby Helms
-Blue Christmas-Elvis
-Suzy Snowflake-Rosemary Clooney
-Santa Baby-Eartha Kitt
-Sleigh Bells-Gene Autry
-Jingle Bells-Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Frank Sinatra
-Winter Wonderland-Dean Martin
-Do You Hear What I Hear-Bing Crosby
-Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!-Dean Martin
-Sleigh Ride-The Carpenters
-God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Barenaked Ladies/Sarah McLachlan
-O Holy Night-Nat King Cole
-It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas-Johnny Mathis
-Peace On Earth/The Little Drummer Boy-Bing Crosby/David Bowie
-Mele Kalikimaka-Bing Crosby
-White Christmas-Dean Martin
-Winter Wonderland-Tony Bennett
-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-The Carpenters
-Silver Bells-Kate Smith
-Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-Gene Autry
-Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!-Lena Horne
-Santa Claus Is Coming to Town-Frank Sinatra
-Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-Dean Martin
-Sleigh Ride-Johnny Mathis
-O Holy Night-Bing Crosby
-Joy to the World-George Jones
-Carol of the Bells-The Carpenters
-I Wish You A Merry Christmas-Bing Crosby
-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Lou Rawls
-The Little Drummer Boy-Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
-Do They Know It's Christmas-Band-Aid
-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Percy Faith
-Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!-Vaughn Monroe
-Home For the Holidays-Perry Como
-Sleigh Ride-Ella Fitzgerald
-Carol of the Bells/Deck the Halls-The Robert Shaw Chorale
-O Little Town of Bethlehem-Nat King Cole
-Merry Christmas, Darling-The Carpenters
-Deck the Halls-Mannheim Steamroller
-We Three Kings-Mannheim Steamroller
-Bring A Torch, Jannette, Isabella-Mannheim Steamroller
-Good King Wenceslas-Mannheim Steamroller
-Wassail, Wassail-Mannheim Steamroller
-Carol of the Bells-Mannheim Steamroller
-I Saw Three Ships-Mannheim Steamroller
-God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Mannheim Steamroller
-O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night-Trans Siberian Orchestra
-First Snow-Trans Siberian Orchestra
-A Mad Russian's Christmas-Mannheim Steamroller
-Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24-Trans Siberian Orchestra

[dvdguy]

this is a great post for makin a playlist

[SigurRos]

Not sure if they've been mentioned already, but over here in England we have a christmas song made by the Pogues called 'Fairytale in New York', which by all accounts is BY FAR the greatest Christmas song there has ever been.

[jhan]

And don't forget The New Christy Minstrels: how about "Sing Hosanna, Hallelujah" and the unforgettable versions of "Here We Come A-Caroling"
and "Do You Hear What I Hear"!

[nickolasj80]

Not sure if anyone has said these yet, but songs that go on almost every christmas CD I make...

Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run
Chuck Berry - Merry Christmas Baby
Smokey Robinson - I Believe in Christmas Eve
Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad (im sure this one was suggested 50 times)
Brena Lee - Rockin Around the Christmas Tree (see above :P)
Jackson 5 - Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Also, anything by Manheim Steamroller or TSO are always winners!