Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas Music Analysis

Okay - at the risk of sounding like a complete Scrooge, I'm going to divulge my least favorite Christmas songs.  I know you've all been wondering.  Mike and I were discussing this the other night.

5.  Feliz Navidad.  I think there are about 10 words total in the entire song.  Two minutes of 10 words over and over again...ugh.  But I give Jose Feliciano credit for being able to turn those 10 words into an international hit.

4.  Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time".  Another song with about 10 words.  But trippy music.  This 1979 video is quality though.



3.  John Lennon's "So This is Christmas".  I'm not totally sure why, but this song just grates me.  It's a really depressing song for this time of year.

2.  Springsteen's "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".  I seriously have to change the station if this song comes on.  I'm not really a Bruce Springsteen fan to begin with, but this is extraordinarily painful to listen to.  I mean...he's rarely in tune.  Rarely.



1.  Twelve Days of Christmas.  I refuse to teach this song to my piano students.  I welcome them to look at it on their own - I may even answer the occasional question, but it isn't something I'm going to devote lesson time to.  There are only two versions of this song that I can currently stand.  The "Looney Tunes" and "Alvin & the Chipmunks" versions.  You can't go wrong with Daffy Duck or Foghorn Leghorn jabbering on about this ridiculously long song. 

And that's currently the top five songs I could do without.

What do I like you ask?

5.  Josh Groban with Brian McKnight "Angels We Have Heard on High".  So pretty.

4.  Harry Connick, Jr.  This is a no brainer for those that know me - but my current favs off his three Christmas CDs are "The Happy Elf" and "I Come With Love". 

3.  Lately I'm enjoying the Looney tunes and Chipmunk CDs I bought last year as a fun thing to give the kids.  Daffy Duck...I love Daffy Duck.  I mean - I was a music major.  I know quality when I hear it.

2.  Anything Bing Crosby sings.  Anything.  I'll even sit through "The Twelve Days of Christmas".  But the season wouldn't feel right without a little "Mele Kalikimaka" flowing through the air.

1.  This pianistic wonder.  She's awesome.  You should definitely buy her CDs ($10+shipping).  Your life will never be the same.

In fact I'm going to give away three of these amazing CDs.

To enter:
1.  Just leave a comment as to what your favorite or least favorite Christmas song is. 
2.  Link this to a blog and add another comment letting me know you did that.  No blog to link to?  Either start one, or simply refer a friend who leaves a comment and let me know they arrived via you!
3.  Contest closes Friday (12/18) at 1pm, Central Time.  Winners will be announced that evening.

Good luck!

13 comments:

Stacey said...

Martina McBride--O' Holy Night

Every year it grounds me in the whole point of the season and she has the pipes to do a beautiful job.

Carol said...

I love Bing Crosby - especially I'll be Home for Christmas and I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. I grew up listening to his music and it wouldn't be Christmas without Bing crooning away.

Tracy said...

I have too many favorites (and least favorites). Least includes: Last Christmas (by anyone), that Charlie Brown christmas son (by the gang). One of my new favorites is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by the Barenaked Ladies. Catchy.

Sue H said...

Least favorite? I have a CD by Mel Torme, and there's one song where he does "scat"...I've got to figure out how to program the sound system to skip that track...it always sends me running to move to the next track! p.s. I blogged about your give-away! I love your CD. I have given several as gifts. I really prefer instrumental music as opposed to sung Christmas music.

Anonymous said...

You can't go wrong with Jingle Bells. I always look forward to hearing the song aout the Reindeer running over Grandma also.

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

So glad you asked!! My favorite is Momma Mary by Roger Whittaker! It's the best!

Murph18 said...

hey i put it on my blog!! :)

~samantha~

Robin said...

Well I read about you on Sue H's blog. I have no blog myself. I have to agree with you on some least favorites, with Paul McCartney being at the top. As far as favorites well that's a litle harder to pick- I like O Holy Night by just about anyone and Carol of the Bells. rnoel57@gmail.com

Mary-Kay said...

I don't really care for Feliz Navidad either. But it's has a lively beat and maybe that's why other people like it. I don't really have a favourite Christmas song but tonight at the school concert I heard a jazzy version of Silent Night that started out witha violin solo and then broke into a jazzy tune. It was great.

Tracy said...

It's on my blog! P.S. -- Austin sings Feliz Navidad. Maybe you'll like his version. It's very short.
Also, I think he says Believe Naughty Nah.

Linda R. said...

I love listening to anything by Andrea Bocelli and Il Divo (I think I spelled that right). I like just about any Christmas music. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Kristy said...

My favorite Christmas song is Christmas Canon by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Love it!

Quiltsmiles said...

I just heard my favorite at an eucumennical concert. The name was It's Christmas Tide and what a beautiful song it was. Absolutely enchanting.
Happy Holdiays and a very Merry Cristmas.
Jane