Because I’m in the arms of my favorite Holiday music loves, I want to share some of the least known but still fantastic songs on my playlist…
“Five Pound Box of Money” by Pearl Bailey – If I don’t play this one at home myself, I’m not gonna hear it anywhere else. For me, Pearl Bailey doesn’t pop up enough in life and this song makes me laugh like crazy.
“That Spirit of Christmas” by Ray Charles – I don’t know why this one isn’t more popular. I first heard it in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” It still evokes a tender moment from the film, and I love the song more each year. Of all Ray Charles’ Christmas songs, this one is my favorite.
“Send Me Some Snow” by Chris Standring & Kathrin Shorr – Okay. I know these folks. They’re friends. But that has no bearing on my love of this song. And I do love it. Dearly.
“Swiss Colony Beef Log” by Eric Cartman – This tune from the fellas of “South Park” is another giggle-worthy holiday treasure. But it also sparks of the truth. I do want a Swiss Colony Beef Log at Christmas each year. (And I never seem to get one. Dag.)
The Little Drummer Boy by Karl Lundeberg & Full Circle – (sorry – no link) – This jazzy rendition may be a little out there for some, but I adore it. It’s really hard to find, too, y’all! It isn’t Christmas for me until I play it. And play it I do.
“25th December” by Everything But The Girl – This is another of those songs that I won’t hear unless I play it. And that’s a shame, because it’s lovely. Really, really lovely.
“Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl – I’m adding this one at Mister’s insistence. I guess I’ve always thought this song to be quite known and quite popular. He tells me no – not so well-known or popular. And after I thought about it, I decided he may be right. I mean, this season I’ve only heard the song at home. That seems odd to me, but there you go. Anyhoo – I do love this song. And as much as it makes me smile, it also makes me sad. I feel that way whenever I hear Kirsty sing. I can’t believe she’s gone. She was a brilliant songwriter and a beautiful vocalist. At least we get to have her here, in this wonderful song.
That’s it! For now. I do love these songs and though I hear them only at Christmas, I’ll take what I can get.
If you have an uncommon and fabulous Christmas song on your fave list, please share!
I’m convinced you could successfully petition Parliament to change the national anthem to Fairytale of New York. Here’s a story.
With Jackie too hungover to walk the 80 steps to the Red Lion in Stretham our first Boxing Day here I went alone. The Public Bar was packed with football fans so I made my way to the Lounge Bar where a couple of tables of lunch stragglers were sitting. There was a keyboard left behind from a party and I wandered over and hit a note…it was on and I jerked my head up to the bar to catch the glare of the tender.
“That’s alright, mate. Do you know what you’re doing with that?”
“Not at all.” I sat down and struggled through the first few bars of Fairytale and he said, “Here you go. I’ve turned on the mic for you.” “Aww, man, I can’t carry a tune, and my playing is palsied and I’ve got no sense of time.” “Then you’ve picked the right song, innit?”
So, I started over and a teenager from one of the family tables wandered up and sat with me doing the Kirsty bits (and she could actually sing). I was pretty sure we couldn’t be heard over the din of the games on telly until I got to
“I coulda been someone,”
And in one voice the thirty blokes in the other bar all chimed in,
“WELL, SO COULD ANYONE!”
It took a long count before I picked up the tune again and some of them continued to accompany the two of us straight through to the bitter end. Marvelous.
Afterwards, my partner’s dad bought me another beer and said, “Aye, you CAN’T carry a tune.” Her mom added, “and your playing really IS rubbish.”
My music recommendations are in the 25 December Daily Tipple post (ready to publish — just waiting to see what we are drinking on the day).
I love this! What a fabulous experience. Thanks for sharing!