{"id":4849,"date":"2012-12-10T09:31:27","date_gmt":"2012-12-10T14:31:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gadflyonline.com\/home\/?p=4849"},"modified":"2012-12-12T09:14:32","modified_gmt":"2012-12-12T14:14:32","slug":"happy-xmas-ten-great-christmas-albums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/happy-xmas-ten-great-christmas-albums\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy Xmas: Ten Great Christmas Albums"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cChristmas\u2014an aspirin for the soul or cold-turkey celebration of the birth and life of Christ? It has to be a measured bit of both, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d\u2014Ian Anderson, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album<\/em><\/span><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What a year it\u2019s been. We\u2019ve had kids getting micro-chipped in the public schools<\/span><\/a>. Congress, the courts and the White House working in cahoots to erode our privacy rights<\/span><\/a>. The Transportation Security Administration fumbling its way through national security<\/span><\/a>. Hurricane Sandy<\/span><\/a> ravaging the Eastern shore. The police state<\/span><\/a> merging with the surveillance state to keep us tagged, tracked and under control. The military industrial complex<\/span><\/a> lobbying to keep the nation at war and defense contractors in the money. Individuals<\/span><\/a> getting fined and arrested for violating any number of vague and overreaching laws. Homes getting raided and innocent Americans killed by rampaging SWAT teams<\/span><\/a> armed to the hilt.<\/p>\n

After endless months of being mired in gloom and doom, we now find ourselves just a few weeks away from Christmas, struggling to latch onto that spirit of joy, excitement, innocence, magic and hope we had as children<\/span><\/a>. Even if one is successful in momentarily blocking out the political gloom and doom, it still takes a monumental effort to get past the Grinches<\/span><\/a> and Scrooges<\/span><\/a> who can you make you feel like yours is anything but a wonderful life<\/span><\/a>. And then there\u2019s Christmas itself, which has become embattled<\/span><\/a> in recent years, co-opted by rampant commercialism<\/span><\/a>, straight-jacketed by political correctness<\/span><\/a>, and denuded of so much of its loveliness, holiness and mystery.<\/p>\n

Despite all of this humbuggery, however, there are still a few steps<\/span><\/a> you can take to reclaim the magic of Christmas and enjoy the season. For a start, do something nice for someone else\u2014whether it\u2019s a family member, a neighbor or a stranger on the street. Turn off the news and turn on a Christmas movie<\/span><\/a>, one of the oldies but goodies\u2014something full of good will, sweetness and heart. And then, to top it all off, add some Christmas tunes to the mix, whatever fits the bill for you\u2014be it traditional carols, rollicking oldies, or some rocking new tunes. What I love about Christmas music is how the sacred and irreverent meld into an atmosphere of joy and wonder.<\/p>\n

Listen to them over dinner, in the car, on your iPod. Hum them under your breath as you do your shopping. Belt them out in the shower or while gathered together in a group setting. Before you know it, you\u2019ll start feeling like it\u2019s Christmastime again.<\/p>\n

Out of the hundreds of Christmas albums I\u2019ve listened to over the years, the following are ten of my favorites, covering a broad range of musical styles, moods and tastes, but each in its own way perfectly capturing the essence of Christmas.<\/p>\n

\"\"It\u2019s Christmas<\/em><\/span><\/a> (EMI, 1989): 18 great songs, ranging from John Lennon\u2019s \u201cHappy Xmas (War Is Over)\u201d to Bing Crosby\u2019s \u201cWhite Christmas.\u201d The real treats on this album are Greg Lake\u2019s \u201cI Believe in Father Christmas,\u201d Kate Bush\u2019s \u201cDecember Will Be Magic Again\u201d and Aled Jones\u2019 \u201cWalking in the Air.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"Christmas Guitar<\/em><\/span><\/a> (Rounder, 1986): 28 beautifully done traditional Christmas songs by master guitarist John Fahey. Hearing Fahey\u2019s guitar strings plucking out \u201cJoy to the World,\u201d \u201cGood King Wenceslas,\u201d \u201cJolly Old Saint Nicholas,\u201d among others, is a sublime experience.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Christmas Is A Special Day<\/a><\/em> (The Right Stuff, 1993): 12 fine songs by Fats Domino, the great Fifties rocker, ranging from \u201cAmazing Grace\u201d to \u201cJingle Bells.\u201d The title song, written by Domino himself, is a real treat. No one has ever played the piano keys like Fats.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Christmas Island<\/a> (<\/em>August\/Private Music, 1989): \u201cFrosty the Snowman\u201d will never sound the same after you hear Leon Redbone and Dr. John do their duet. Neither will \u201cChristmas Island\u201d or \u201cToyland\u201d on this collection of 11 traditional and rather offbeat songs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A Holiday Celebration <\/a><\/em>(Gold Castle, 1988): The classic folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary, backed by the New York Choral Society, sing traditional and nontraditional holiday fare on 12 beautifully orchestrated songs. Included are \u201cI Wonder as I Wander,\u201d \u201cChildren Go Where I Send Thee,\u201d and \u201cThe Cherry Tree Carol.\u201d Also thrown in is Bob Dylan\u2019s \u201cBlowin\u2019 in the Wind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Christmas Album <\/a><\/em>(Columbia, 1992): Neil Diamond sings 14 songs, ranging from \u201cSilent Night\u201d to \u201cJingle Bell Rock\u201d to \u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d to \u201cCome, O Come Emmanuel.\u201d Diamond also gives us a great rendition of Lennon\u2019s \u201cHappy Xmas (War Is Over).\u201d A delightful album.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A Charlie Brown Christmas<\/a> <\/em>(Fantasy, 1988): 12 traditional Christmas songs by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The pianist extraordinaire and his trio perform \u201cO Tannenbaum,\u201d \u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d and \u201cGreensleeves.\u201d Also included is the Charlie Brown Christmas<\/em> theme.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Jethro Tull Christmas Album<\/a><\/em> (Fuel Records, 2003): If you like deep-rooted traditional holiday songs, you\u2019ll love this album. The 16 songs range from \u201cGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen\u201d to Ian Anderson originals such as \u201cAnother Christmas Song\u201d and \u201cJack Frost and the Hooded Crow.\u201d With Anderson on flute and vocals, this album has an old world flavor that will have you wanting mince pie and plum pudding.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A Twisted Christmas<\/a><\/em><\/span> (Razor Tie, 2006): Twisted Sister, the heavy metal group, knocks the socks off a bevy of traditional and pop Christmas songs. Dee Snider\u2019s amazing vocals brings to life \u201cOh Come All Ye Faithful,\u201d \u201cDeck the Halls,\u201d \u201cI Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,\u201d among others\u2014including \u201cHeavy Metal Christmas (The Twelve Days of Christmas).\u201d Great fun and a great band.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Songs for Christmas<\/a> <\/em>(Asthmatic Kitty, 2006): In December 2001, independent singer\/songwriter Sufjan Stevens set out to create a Christmas gift through songs for his friends and family. It eventually grew to a 5-CD box set, which includes Stevens\u2019 original take on such standards as \u201cAmazing Grace\u201d and \u201cWe Three Kings\u201d and some inventive yuletide creations of his own. A lot of fun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One more thing. We must never forget that the Christmas holiday is named after the Prince of Peace. So in the midst of the giving and the getting and the making merry, let\u2019s not forget to do our part to make this world a better place for everyone. As John Lennon sings in \u201cHappy Xmas (War Is Over)<\/span><\/a>\u201d:<\/p>\n

And so this is Christmas,
\nFor weak and for strong,
\nFor rich and the poor ones.
\nThe road is so long.
\nAnd so happy Christmas
\nFor black and for white,
\nFor yellow and red ones.
\nLet\u2019s stop all the fight.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Merry Christmas, and in the words of Tiny Tim<\/span><\/a>, \u201cGod bless us everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After endless months of being mired in gloom and doom, we now find ourselves just a few weeks away from Christmas, struggling to latch onto that spirit of joy, excitement, innocence, magic and hope we had as children. Despite all of this humbuggery, however, there are still a few steps you can take to reclaim the magic of Christmas and enjoy the season. For a start, do something nice for someone else\u2014whether it\u2019s a family member, a neighbor or a stranger on the street. Turn off the news and turn on a Christmas movie, one of the oldies but goodies\u2014something full of good will, sweetness and heart. And then, to top it all off, add some Christmas tunes to the mix, whatever fits the bill for you\u2014be it traditional carols, rollicking oldies, or some rocking new tunes. What I love about Christmas music is how the sacred and irreverent meld into an atmosphere of joy and wonder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,214,218,212],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4849"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4849"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4872,"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4849\/revisions\/4872"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gadflyonline.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}