A music blog
Advent calendar: December 12—Ray Charles, “This Time of the Year”
Ray Charles, “This Time of the Year” (1985)
from The Spirit of Christmas
CBS FC 40125
Aside from the ridiculous cover—I mean, come on: between the blighted greenery in the background to the funkytown tux in the sleigh, I’m glad Ray was spared the sight of this artwork—this album is a tonic for most holiday-music excesses.
Advent calendar: December 11: The Skip-Jacks with Esquivel and His Orchestra, “Here Comes Santa Claus”
The Skip-Jacks with Esquivel and His Orchestra, “Here Comes Santa Claus” (1959)
from The Merriest of Christmas Pops
RCA Victor LSP-2032
Esquivel tests the concentration of the Skip-Jacks with his ADD arrangement of the Gene Autry classic. I’m not sure how his theological positions (“Santa Claus knows we’re all Gods children”; “So lets give thanks to the lord above / That Santa Claus comes tonight!”) hold up to scrutiny: that’s a message as mixed as Esquivel’s sonic palette.
Advent calendar—December 10: Cher, “O Holy Night”
You can call it kitsch. Andrew Sullivan calls it hathos. I call it the first skirmish in the War on Christmas.
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Advent calendar—December 9: “Lullay, Lullow: A Saw a Sweete Seemly Sight”
Stephen Borton and Paul Copcutt, “Lullay, Lullow: A Saw a Sweete Seemly Sight” (14th century; 1976)
Osian Ellis, harp
from Of Glad Tidings: A Celebration of Christmas Music across the Years, vol. 1: Medieval Carols
Argo 90-5732
“A maydin moder, meek and mild,
in credil keep a knave child
that softly slepe; she sat and sang:
Lulay, lullow, lully…”
Advent calendar—December 8: Memphis Sounds Orchestra, “Sleigh Ride”
Memphis Sounds Orchestra, “Sleigh Ride” (1976)
12-inch single
RSO PRO 014
“Disco,” yes— but I’m sure how “special” this is, yet not even the Memphis Sounds Orchestra can stomp the life out of the Leroy Anderson classic. I especially like the line of boogie-ing Santas on the cover—no doubt carrying sacks full of Qiana and double knit.
buy it: Amazon (believe it or not)
