Top Christmas Covers: Songs that Rule the Yuletide

I think I said before that I love Christmas music. And I like making playlists, regardless of the season. So here’s my Christmas favorites list, for the holiday standards. Some artists have covered a particular song so well that they can be considered the definitive version. You probably can think of a couple now- songs that have been covered by everyone from Bing Crosby to Christina Aguilera, but in that broad range of artists, there are one or two who just own that song, and having any version besides theirs is just superfluous.

So here’s my list. I’ve imposed order via a few simple rules: 1) the song must be definitely about Christmas, Epiphany, or Channukah, no vague songs about “it’s the time of the season where people agree…blah blah blah.” Let’s not be coy, here. Plus, this list is intended to give some love to the beautiful hymns that aren’t on most radio stations’ holiday lists. 2) It should be considered a “standard” in that more than two people have covered it. That’s the only reason that half the list isn’t Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 3) The song should be a non-recent phenomenon. I’ll do a list later of favorite original holiday songs.

10) Nat King Cole, “The Christmas Song” – Nat King Cole, the first person you think of with this song.

9) Percy Faith and His Orchestra, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”- Beautiful instrumental arrangement.

8) Bing Crosby, “Silver Bells”- Expect a fair amount of Bing on his list. The man’s voice was made for Christmas music. “Silver Bells” is one of those nice, anticipatory songs about Christmas. And unusually for a holiday song, this one focuses on the urban decorations. It may seem commercial, but I think it celebrates the feeling of community experienced throughout the Christmas season. Ever had one of those magic moments where everyone- everyone in the town square- stopped to listen to a beautiful carol and smiled? Then you know what this song is about.

7) Reba McEntire “Silent Night” – I just like her take on this classic.

6) Josh Groban, “O Holy Night”- Josh Groban really did an amazing job, here. “O Holy Night” is a demanding song, with its simple structure and climbs, and it’s really easy to mess it up. The high point is, of course, “Fall on your knees/ Oh hear the angel voices”…and Mr. Groban’s strong voice carries it beautifully.

5) Daughters of St. Paul, “Carol of the Bells”- It’s hard to find their version, but the Daughters of St. Paul do a traditional version with the different singing parts, tricky and beautiful.

4) Bing Crosby, “Do You Hear What I Hear?”- I think this song illustrates the main problem with most Christmas music: production. Tampering with the classics is tempting because 1) the songs are well-known, so it’s difficult to get noticed 2) most artists have very little talent outside their narrow range of genre and ability. To cover the artists’ defect (and make the song more noticeable) they rely on heavy amounts of mixing. You will not catch Bing Crosby out this way. Well, except his version of “Rudolph” (the less said, the better). And this song uses a very simple woodwind and chime arrangement as a backdrop for a powerful voice.

3) Twisted Sister “O Come All Ye Faithful”- Before you decide this is a joke, listen to the link. Passion always rates high with me, so the emphatic nature of this song gets me. I know they’re being silly, but this is such an infectious cover. No, not infectious like a disease. You know what I meant.

2) Perry Como, “Home For the Holidays”- Good song, very nice for the drive to visit friends and family.

1) Adeste Fideles- Bing Crosby- Of course! No collection is complete without the greatest Christmas artist (Mr. Crosby, folks) singing this hymn. Adeste Fideles is one of the oldest Christmas songs that I don’t have time to look up the history on.  

Well, I better run. New posts later!

Brandon Urie can do more of this, as far as I'm concerned.

Now, isn't that pretty? Panic!At the Disco wasn't my favorite act originally, but between this and the Beatles tribute that is their "Pretty.Odd" album, they are going the right way for getting the attention of Thunder-child. And for anyone wondering, the rural American setting makes this more cattlepunk but the steam is undeniable.

Also, the wonderful crowd that brings down Mary is the league of S.T.E.A.M., and you can find out more about them at their official website. Enjoy your Sunday, and ask yourself, "Have I done sufficient for the advancement of Science and re-Victorianizing culture?"

Whoa, Mona Lisa you're guaranteed to run this town. Whoa Mona Lisa, I'd pay to see you frown!

Halloween Track: War of the Worlds

Uuuuuuuu-laaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!



This is my ultimate Halloween music- innovative, creepy, and melancholy by turns. Jeff Wayne put together a dramatic album based on HG Wells' The War of The Worlds and using the talents of Richard Burton, Justin Hayward, Phil Lynott, Julie Covington, and Chris Thompson.

The chances of anything coming from Mars were a million to one, they said. But come they did, and Jeff Wayne's utilization of Moog synthesizers and dramatic horns and woodwinds is the perfect way to portray the terror and call to bravery for humanity. More on this later!

Abney Park Weighs Anchor in Dallas

There are few things finer (particularly for dancing or just general ambience) than world music and rock. Abney Park is a fine source of both, and one of the most personable themed groups around.
They are based in the Pacific Northwest, which makes this Philadelphian's chances of seeing them slim to none. The god (goddess? perhaps) of brass and steam smiled on me, as I discovered in late June that they would be playing at The Church in Dallas.
Fellow privateers, aeronauts, and men of science, it was awesome. There was a bit of a long wait (doors opened at 8pm and I was the second in line) for the band to arrive. At 9pm they started playing La Citee d'Enfants Perdus over the 'stylings' of DJ Virus...and various other mystifying videos. As the hours crept from 9am to 12, we caught glimpses and heard rumors.
"The band is taking pics out front. It'll be a few minutes."
"I heard they had trouble with the sound check. It might take a few more."
Regardless of the delay, they got out there. They opened with some new songs, which indicate (to my mind) a slightly more rag-time, music-hall sensibility which I'm assuming will be the informing idea of "Aether Shanties".

We eagerly await its arrival.

The crew seemed a bit drained, which I entirely put down to Dallas weather. Dallas is not a pleasant place, even in the sheltering arms of the classic Church venue and in the company of Dallas steampunk fans. The heat outside was only slightly better than the previous week. Regardless, AP showed much love to the Dallas crowd, performing encores and throwing enthusiasm into an admittely terrible attempt at "Black Day" requested by the crowd, over Captain Robert's protest.
See what happens when you don't listen to your Captain?
The other songs were excellent, and since the only album I own by AP is "Lost Horizons", I learned something. Something that will probably result in me slinging more cash towards CDs, as soon as moving is completed. And who knows? I haven't visited my married friends in Portland in quite a while and I see they're doing a show in September....

Oh noes! Need to get rid of Abney Park tickets (two)!

I recently made the mistake of buying tickets for three people (two I thought would be in the area) and found that (surprise!) two of them won’t even be in Dallas for the Abney Park concert at the Church. This is a particular sore spot as one of them has a Nice Camera and I would have loved having the chance to take pictures with the band.

The main issue, however, is finding a home for two luffly tickets to the concert in The Church. These tickets cost $15 a piece and I hate people who scalp, so I'm only looking to make sure that someone is capable of buying them. I'll think of something...comment if you're interested in seeing Abney Park in Dallas.

Phooey. Work Web Banning Youtube.

But I can still post here! I'm linking (sorry, can't embed) an Abney Park video for their song Herr Drosselmeyer's Doll to showcase the type of fun expected in July.
Komme, fahren Sie hier.