Christmas Songs ~ Day Seven

Ahh, I’m at the last day of sharing my favourite Christmas songs. My two all-time favourites are contained in this post. Both of them make me smile so much. Both of them are a little unconventional. The first one, in particular.

From the first time I heard this song, I fell in love. It’s funny, catchy, singy-alongy (sorry, but how else do you say it?). I’ve Karaoke’d this song more than once with my my besties. It’s different to other Christmas songs. It’s unique. And I love Kirsty McColl’s voice.

So, here it is. ‘A Fairy Tale of New York’ by The Pogues & Kirsty McColl. (Check out the video for a cameo by a young Matt Dillon.)

 

My number one song for the holidays is one that always makes me sing and dance and feel happy. It’s a song that always reminds me of Mum. She loved it, and as soon as Christmas came to within touching distance, she would play this and we’d both sing along. Mum had severe rheumatoid arthritis from the age of twenty-six, so she never danced, but she took great delight in watching me float around the living room, full of Christmas excitement. Such happy memories. It’s hard when you know you will never feel that way again.

But I don’t want to bring the mood down. So, here is my favourite ever Christmas song: ‘Happy Holiday’ by Andy Williams.

 

So, there we have it. My Christmas through music. It’s been great to watch all these videos. I feel a little more Christmassy now. Tonight, I will see my two best friends. We all meet up every Christmas Eve; it’s tradition. I have a feeling we’ll end up having a few drinks and watching ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol.’ (Oh yeah, we know how to roll!).

I won’t blog over the next few days because it’s family time. But, I will be back.

Happy Christmas and a blogging New Year!

Christmas Songs ~ Day Six

So, Christmas is almost upon us. Only two full days of preparation left. Which kind of freaks me out because I have so much to do. You know, those everyday-dull-as-dishwater things like cleaning and tidying. I wish I’d been more organised. But I’ve spent all my time writing and blogging. Those are—surely—more important than cleaning and tidying?

Finding the right videos for each of my favourite Christmas songs has been time-consuming, as well. But in a good way. My husband is the actual Grinch (except, he’s not green), so listening to festive tunes is usually something I do through my headphones. But this week, I’ve had the excuse that I’m researching for my blog. It’s important. 

So, the first song I want to share is ‘Carol Of The Bells.’ This song is truly beautiful. Last Christmas, it seemed to be all over the TV. In 2015, ‘Downton Abbey’ used it on the trailers for their last ever series. It was hugely popular, so last year it seems to get used on every TV ad going. But, anyway. It is beautiful.

 

 

My third favourite Christmas song of all time is ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.’ Many versions of this song have been recorded. I almost shared the Frank Sinatra version.His voice is so rich and warm and it’s easy to get lost inside it. But, in the end, I had to go with the version that grips my heart: Judy Garland. This version, taken from the film ‘Meet Me In St. Louis,’ just breaks me a little each time I hear it. Okay, I know that’s me being over-dramatic. But, her voice . . . oh, her voice. It aches. She’s so young in this film, but her voice belies a whole world of pain. Then, we have the lyrics. Even as a small child, I found them moving. Each verse has at least one killer line. The one that gets to me—above all others—is, “Through the years we all will be together.” I don’t know why I find this so emotional. I think I always knew that the times we were all together were limited. I think I already felt nostalgia for a time that had been lost. Maybe, a time that never existed.

Well, I’ve gone off on a bit of a tangent. So, I’ll leave you with my number three song:

Christmas Songs ~ Day Four

I just want to share one song with you today. It’s a song I have loved for many, many years. It’s a song that almost never gets played in this country. Which is a shame, and so I want to share it with your today. It is ‘Merry Christmas Darling’ by The Carpenters.

I know, I know, I should be feeling bucket-loads of shame for admitting to loving this song. Well, guess what? I’m going to admit to loving The Carpenters, period. I love them! Karen’s voice is—without question—the most beautiful I have ever heard. I could listen to her all day long and not get bored. She had so much talent. I feel sad whenever I stop to think about her life and illness. I wish she had been able to love herself as much as others lover her.

In this video, she is clearly very ill. So thin. Her eyes don’t have their usual sparkle. I’m not sure exactly when it was filmed, but it must have been late 70s/early 80s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn1uK4SwB9Q

Christmas Songs ~ Day Three

Let’s get straight down to it today. My first Christmas song choice (and one of my favourite duets ever) is ‘Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy’ by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. On paper you think, How can this ever work? Crosby and Bowie?  But it does work, and then some. Every time I hear this song, I get tingles all over. It’s so good, and so poignant now we’ve lost both of them. It’s one of those songs that stops all the holes where happiness bleeds out of me. Does that make sense?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiXjbI3kRus

I think I mentioned a week or so ago that my Mum’s family have a party every Christmas because they are so vast in numbers that it’s the only way we can all get together. Well, I wrote this poem a couple of years ago about those parties, and I thought it would be fun to share it with you.

 

Wheals’ Christmas Parties

When I look back on all the Christmas
parties we have thrown,
I smile at long-ago memories,
such happy times we’ve known.

The Wheals all gather in one place,
to celebrate festive times;
brothers and sisters, cousins, too,
with music, dance, and rhyme.

Our parties in the village hall,
the games we used to play;
pass the parcel, musical chairs,
with silly hats on display.

As times have changed throughout the years,
our numbers have decreased,
the head of the family lost from us,
the youngest now deceased.

But, somehow, through the lonely times
we come together still,
a family united, showing
seasonal good will.

Now this year’s party day has come,
The Wheals are in good cheer,
we’ve travelled to Auntie Beryl’s house,
(some of us on reindeer!).

So we settle in and reacquaint
ourselves with family, so dear,
and look to our host, who makes this happen
every single year.

 

And so, I move on to my next song choice for today. The song that is Christmas. It just is. Fact. It’s the song that has every person who ever listens to it screeching, “It’s Christmas!” in attempts to sound like Noddy Holder at the end of it. It’s also the song that has everyone up on their feet, dancing. I love it. It’s big, flamboyant, loud, and so much fun! “Merry Christmas Everybody’ by Slade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A8KT365wlA

Christmas Songs Day 1

Okay, so I can’t shy away from the fact Christmas is fast approaching any longer. I have a week until the day arrives.

I’ve spent the last month feeling miserable about the prospect of another Christmas without Mum and Dad. That hasn’t really changed. I know it’s going to be hard. But, what has changed is that I’ve decided to face it head on.

Ever since I can remember, my two big passions in life have been writing and music. Take either one away from me and I would struggle. Listening to Christmas songs has proved impossible, though. You see, Mum loved Christmas. She loved Christmas music. I hear a carol, and I’m five years old, sitting in the church, listening to the carol service with Mum. Or, sometimes, I’m a little older, and I’m singing in the school carol service or Christmas concert. They are such happy, warm, safe memories. They are memories of a time that’s forever lost. That’s why it’s been hard to listen to Christmas music.

But I’m not letting the darkness win. I have to decided to share with you my all-time favourite Christmas songs. Some are carols, but most of them are just songs from when I was growing up; songs we all listened to when we were opening our presents. I plan to share two songs every day, leading up to Christmas Day.

I would love to hear your favourite festive tunes, as well. Reply to this post with your favourites. You can even leave a link to your blog if you like. I’d love to hear from you.

My first choice today is the carol ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.’ This is my favourite traditional carol, but this version is a little less traditional. It’s beautiful, nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku7ohU1IGls

My second choice today is absolutely beautiful. I’ve loved it ever since I can remember. Although, I looked it up and it was released in December, 1982. It’s one of those songs that make you drop whatever you’re doing and listen. It is ‘A Winter’s Tale’ by David Essex. (Plus, David Essex is kinda cute.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jszz8SEORr8

So these are my choices for today. What shall I choose tomorrow?