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Christmas Classics – Volume 1

One of my favorite things of the Christmas season is the music. Growing up, I could not wait until the day after Thanksgiving to “officially” start playing Christmas music. It was always fun on Christmas Eve when radio stations would play nothing but Christmas music all night and all through Christmas. I am definitely partial to the classic Christmas songs so for the next couple of radio blogs, those songs will be featured. I love the big bands, the orchestration, and the angelic and ethereal voices that are backing these great singers and musicians. You definitely do not hear that in the new music. I have scoured record stores and found a lot of the Christmas music from my childhood. This seems to be a never ending quest for me.
The holiday season is not official until I hear Nat King Cole sing the “The Christmas Song.” Listen carefully to Lena Horne’s “Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer” and you will find out the real reason why Rudy’s nose was red. Pearl Bailey has a special Christmas wish from Santa. Every year, I go out and find more treasures. I hope you will enjoy them too and if I missed your favorites, don’t worry for there is much for good music to come.
For all the audiophiles out there, can you tell me if Sarah Vaughan ever recorded any Christmas music? I have not been able to find any recordings in my searching.
Christmas Classics – Volume 1 (listen here!)
01 – Nat King Cole – “Nat’s Christmas Wishes” from The Christmas Song [Capitol] (1961)
02 – Nat King Cole – “The Christmas Song [1961]” from The Christmas Song [Capitol] (1961)
03 – Aretha Franklin – “Winter Wonderland” from Ultimate Christmas
04 – Donny Hathaway – “This Christmas” from A Donny Hathaway Collection
05 – Vince Guaraldi – “O Tannenbaum” from A Charlie Brown Christmas
06 – Mahalia Jackson – “O Holy Night” from Mahalia Sings Songs of Christmas!
07 – Ella Fitzgerald – “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” from Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas [Remastered]Gladys Knight & the Pips – “Do You Hear What I Hear?” from Christmas Album
09 – The Harry Simeone Chorale – “The Little Drummer Boy” from Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits: 1955-Present (1958)
10 – Ramsey Lewis Trio – “The Sound of Christmas” from Sound of Christmas (1960)
11 – Lena Horne – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” from Merry from Lena (1966)
12 – Harry Belafonte – “Mary’s Boy Child” from Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits: 1955-Present (1956)
13 – Dionne Warwick – “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” from Ultimate Christmas
14 – Nancy Wilson – “That’s What I Want for Christmas” from Ultimate Soul Christmas (2 of 2)
15 – Duke Ellington – “Entr’acte” from Three Suites (1960)
16 – Stevie Wonder – “One Little Christmas Tree” from Someday At Christmas
Eartha Kitt – “Santa Baby” from Ultimate Christmas (1958)
18 – The Chipmunks with David Seville – “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” from Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits: 1955-Present (1958)
19 – The Drifters – “White Christmas” from Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits: 1955-Present (1954)
20 – Ramsey Lewis Trio – “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” from Sound of Christmas (1960)
21 – Lena Horne – “Jingle All the Way” from Merry from Lena (1966)
22 – Pearl Bailey – “Five Pound Box Of Money” from Hipster’s Holiday (1958)
23 – The Temptations – “Silent Night” from Ultimate Soul Christmas (2 of 2) (1970)
24 – Lou Rawls – “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” from Ultimate Soul Christmas (2 of 2)
25 – Jimmy Smith – “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” from Christmas ’64 (1964)

This entry was posted on Monday, December 5th, 2005 at 4:24 am. It is filed under Radio.Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.