I know I've mentioned I'm not big on holiday music. I'm just not - and not just the jesus / saviour / birth / star songs either. I don't really care for the sleigh / wonderland / chestnut ones as well.
Yes, Bah Humbug. Overall, they are just crappy songs. Save your breath - you cannot convince me otherwise.
That said, there are a few out there, that I like the arrangements - music or vocal - that I can look past the seasonal message of to enjoy (Sting's "Gabriel's Song" or Alison Moyet's "The Coventry Carol").
I think I could get away with justifiable homicide when taking out anyone who covers Wham!'s "Last Christmas". Is it my imagination or are there an unimaginable number of people who want re-record that piece of trash? Who knew people could be worse than George and Andrew?
Don't even get me started on Billy Squire's holiday song. Or Billy Squire, in general.
About the only appreciation I have for the genre is from Pee Wee's Christmas Special.
That long-ago special offered no new nuggets, in ways of music, just some fun renditions of the ones that have been around for 1,628 years. Sure there are some clunkers (Little Richard has always given me the heebie-geebies), but most are done very tongue in cheek.
Last year, I gave you k.d. lang's version of "Jingle Bell Rock".
Dr. Spo will tell you that there is no good version of "The Little Drummer Boy" - and it is hard to argue with him on this. It's a super-crappy song.
But Grace Jones makes it a lot less crappy. It doesn't hurt, when it comes down to it, she only sings 62 seconds of a song that seemingly goes on forever. 62 seconds is probably just the right amount. Yet she does it with Grace flare and that is all you really need. ....and she's way more in tune than the Del Rubio triplets.
So there you have it, the holiday My Music Monday.
Sorry Grace......back in the box!
4 comments:
"a charlie brown xmess" is the only holiday stuff I like; the rest of it is pure shit over and over and over again.
Pee Wee should really do a come-back Christmas special again.
Give Tracey Thorn's "Tinsel and Light" a listen. Her cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" is amazing on it.
Could not agree more with your summary. She makes a crappy song less crappy. I've never been able to define why but she has always fascinated me.
Happy Christmas
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