Christmas Music - Bills Christmas top 5 Songs and Tunes

And so this is Christmas!   Another one rolls around and all the hoopla begins - earlier than ever it seems.   The advertising and assault on the senses to get you to buy more stuff is more relentless than I ever remember.   If it wasn't for all that good Christmas Music I would lose it.

But the day can't come till I hear my Christmas top 5 songs - some classic, some obscure, some variations or new versions - but all favorites that I especially enjoy this time of year.  Check em out if you get a chance before the season slips by.




Number 1 -  "Merry Christmas -War is Over"  Plastic Ono Band.   This song has come a long way from being a protest piece in it's day to being played alongside Bing Crosby.   It has an anthem like quality that makes you want sing along till the end.  Plus, the line "And so this is Christmas"" is Lennon at his sarcastic best.   The chorus vocals include the Harlem Community Choir - a real nice Christmas gesture by John.

Number 2 - "Merry Christmas From the Family"  Robert Earl Keen.    If your family is anything like mine, you will enjoy this one.  Keen captures the feeling of a family Christmas gathering similar too the way National Lampoons Christmas Vacation does - the song almost sounds like it belongs in that movie!     

He also recognizes the diversity that exists in today's society with some of his clever lyrics.   And is there a better opening line than "Mom got drunk, dad got drunk, at our Christmas party"?

Number 3 - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Butch Baldasari.   When I first heard this track - one the weather channel no less - I was hooked.   This tune was made for the mandolin.   I tracked down the CD and have been playing along since I found it.  The arrangement of the tune is cool and the ringing crosspicking and dual descending melody notes make for a refreshing version of an old, old, standard - that I used to hate!!

Number 4 - "Zat You Santa Claus" - Louis Armstrong.    I first heard the Buster Poindexter version on MTV and was hooked on this one, not knowing it was a Louis Armstrong recorded in the 50's when Louis did several Christmas CD's for Decca Records I love the part where he sings Please, a-please, a pity my knees and the big ending after some more knocking from the drums - "that's him alright"!   Is anyone cooler than Louis?  



Number 5 - "White Christmas "  John Fahey - from the classic fingerpicking album "John Fahey's Christmas Guitar".   When a master takes on a classic, the results usually are pretty good.  Here they are great.  Fahey takes some neat twists and turns on the standard and it sounds like it was made for fingerpicking guitar, but try to do it!!   Actually, like Evergreen - I like em all on this CD and it's a christmas staple in my Christmas CD rotation.



Well those are my favorites - love to hear your's!  Merry Christmas.