Getting In the Mood : Best Christmas Albums (vol.10)

I think it's pretty clear I'm a guitar guy, and there has been plenty of guitar on this list, and today we are adding more.

Joel Paterson : "Hi-Fi Christmas Guitar"

Paterson is an exception guitarist with a love for Christmas music as he released his second Christmas Album this year., "The More the Merrier." I haven't gotten it yet but I'm hoping Mrs. Claus brings it to me! For Hi-Fi Christmas we'll start with "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

Now we'll move onto his soulful take on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

How about "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm."

His take on "Jingle Bells" is such a great groove! Oh and he does "Jingle Bells Rock on this album too.

As we know, I always go with "White Christmas if it's on an album, and I need to keep hearing it, because it doesn't look like we're gonna have snow in Erie for Christmas. But in fucking April we'll have 6 feet.

Let's do one more, because I love me some good guitar playing! "Christmas Time Is Here."

Enjoy!

Track List: 

1. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

2. I'll Be Home For Christmas

3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

4. Mele Kalikimaka

5. Silver Bells

6. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

7. Jingle Bell Rock

8. Blue Christmas

9. Pretty Paper

10. Jingle Bells

11. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

12. White Christmas

13. Winter Wonderland

14. Christmas Time Is Here

Getting in the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 9)

 

We're back with volume 9 of the best Christmas albums and we're going with an album full of oldies and goodies! 

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector : Various Artists 

Since this song has been on most of my lists, we'll do it again. Darlene Love's take on "White Christmas."

When you think Phil Spector you think the Ronettes and then you think "Sleigh Ride."

And you gotta love The Crystals version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!"

We can't forget Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans with "The Bells of St. Mary."

This is just great old school Christmas tunes that you kids out there need to get hip to.

Enjoy

Track List:

1.White Christmas (Darlene Love)

2. Frosty the Snowman (The Ronettes)

3. The Bells of St. Mary (Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans

4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (The Crystals)

5. Sleigh Ride (The Ronettes)

6. A Marshmallow World (Darlene Love)

7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (The Ronettes)

8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (The Crystals)

9. Winter Wonderland (Darlene Love)

10. Parade of The Wooden Soldiers (The Crystals)

11. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)  [Darlene Love]

12. Here Comes Santa Claus (Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans)

13. Silent Night

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 8)

 

It's been a busy week or so and I haven't been able to get back to the list, but Christmas is fast approaching so it's my duty to get you the quality Christmas tunes! With number 8 we're going to rock a bit.

Bad Religion: "Christmas Songs"

There's something wonderfully ironical about Bad Religion rocking out Christmas songs, and they don't shy away from religious ones. Lets get started with "O Come , O Come Emmanuel."

As you should know by now, "White Christmas" is one of my favorite Christmas songs, so we have to hear their version!

And this next one, takes me back to the days at St. James Elementary School, but we didn't do it like this..."Angels We Have Heard On High."

If your looking to spice up your Christmas music playlist, and get a little umph, this is the way to go. Enjoy!

Track List:

1. Hark the Herald Angels Sing

2. O Come All Ye Faithful

3. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

4. White Christmas

5. Little Drummer Boy

6. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

7. What Child Is This?

8. Angels We Have Heard On High

9. American Jesus

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 7)

 

Well for volume 7 we are going back...Back to my youth, back to Cleveland, Ohio. The Singing Angels is a Cleveland youth choir that was formed in 1964. My parents had a Christmas album of theirs and every year while we opened presents, The Singing Angels were the soundtrack to our unwrapping. A few years back, while missing my mom, I started searching itunes for that album. I couldn't find the exact one, but I found a 2005 version with almost all the same songs. The Singing Angels always hit me in the feels.

The Singing Angels: Somewhere in My Memory

Here is the closing number on the Album, "We Wish You the Merriest."

Here is "One Little Candle."

Next, we have "Away in a Manger." My Catholic upbringing peaking through with this album.

We'll close with "Merry Christmas Darling." This one isn't on the updated album, but it's on that one I remember so fondly, and this is my blog so I can do what I want.

That concludes this trip down memory lane. If you enjoy any of this, checkout The Singing Angels. 

Track List:

1. The Most Wonderful Time of the Tear

2. Somewhere in My Memory

3. Jingle Bell Rock

4. Away in a Manger

5. Step into Christmas

6. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen

7. Sing for Hanukkah

8. A-Caroling We Go

9. We Need a Little Christmas

10. Feliz Navidad

11. One Little Candle

12. O Holy Night

13. We Wish You the Merriest

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 6)

 

We're onto volume six and if you're a Jazz fan like me, and enjoy that big band style, you'll enjoy this.

The Count Basie Orchestra: A Very Swingin' Christmas!

We'll start off with "Good Swing Wenceslas."

From there we'll move onto "Let It Snow" because you gotta have snow for Christmas.

Now we'll slow it down with one of my favorite versions of the classic, "Silent Night."

Let's swing out of here with their version of "Sleigh Ride."

Keep getting in the mood. I'll be back tomorrow with another round.

Track List:

1. Jingle Bells

2. Let It Snow

3. It's the Holiday Season

4. Silent Night

5. Good "Swing" Wenceslas

6. The Christmas Song

7. The Little Drummer Boy

8. Sleigh Ride

9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

10. Winter Wonderland

11. I'll Be Home for Christmas

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 5)

 

We are onto volume 5 and this one is all old standards done by some of the great crooners. You can thank my parents for this one, as this was one of my father's went to when decorating or wrapping presents. 

The Rat Pack: "Christmas With the Rat Pack"

Let's start at the beginning with Dean Martin and "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!"

Next, we'll go to Sammy Davis Jr. and "Christmas Time All Over the World."

And you can't have The Rat Pack without "old blue eyes" himself. Here's Frank Sinatra with "The Christmas Waltz."

Of these guys, I'm a big Dean Martin fan, so we'll go with one more of his numbers..."I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm."

The album is all oldies and goodies. pour yourself a drink, kick back, relax and enjoy.

Track List:

1. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!  (Dean Martin)

2. Mistletoe and Holly  (Frank Sinatra)

3. Christmas Time All Over the World  (Sammy Davis Jr.)

4. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing  (Frank Sinatra)

5. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm  (Dean Martin)

6. The Christmas Waltz  (Frank Sinatra)

7. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer  (Dean Martin)

8. Jingle Bells  (Sammy Davis Jr)

9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas  (Frank Sinatra)

10. Baby, It's Cold Outside  (Dean Martin)

11. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear  (Frank Sinatra)

12. Winter Wonderland  (Dean Martin)

13. The Christmas Song  (Sammy Davis Jr)

14. The First Noel  (Frank Sinatra)

15. White Christmas  (Dean Martin)

16. I'll Be Home for Christmas (If Only In My Dreams)  {Frank Sinatra}

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 4)

 

So, our latest edition of Getting in the mood: Best Christmas Albums we're going a different direction. This is the first on our list that isn't an album full of standards. 

JD McPherson: "SOCKS" has an oldies vibe and nods to tradition Christmas songs, but it's from 2018 and is so much more. Original, humorous, with heart and rockin'. Let's start with the opening track, "All the Gifts I Need."

I mentioned humous...When I heard the next song, "Bad Kid," I honestly laughed out loud at some of the lyrics. And it has a great groove to it.

We can't skip the title track, "Socks" a true anthem for the kids out there, unsatisfied with some of their gifts.

And who hasn't had the "Ugly Sweater Blues"

I also mentioned this album having heart. If you didn't hear any of it yet, here's some of it. "What's That Sound?"

Besides Socks, JD McPherson has released a number of Christmas singles. He also does non-Christmas music. He's doing a Christmas tour this month, if he passes by your town, check him out.

Track List:

1. All the Gifts I Need

2. Bad Kid

3. Hey Skinny Santa

4. Socks

5. Every Single Christmas

6. Ugly Sweater Blues

7. Holly, Carol, Candy & Joy

8. Santa's Got a Mean Machine

9. What's That Sound?

10. Claus Vs. Claus

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 3)

 

Here we are again, getting in the mood. Be sure to check the previous two posts, as well as the Getting in the Mood posts from 2020. Today we are on number three of my picks of the best Christmas Albums. If you didn't get the hint from number two, I'm a big guitar guy and I love Surf guitar and Surf Rock. So today I give you...

The Ventures:  "Christmas Joy"

Let's start with their take on "Winter Wonderland"...What a groove.

Next up, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." Not how you typically would expect to here this one, which is why I like it. A totally different feel and vibe to it.

Now lets get to that oldy but goody, "Sleigh Ride." If you're talking about Surf Rock and Christmas, this is exactly what you want to hear. Straight rocking, big drums, plucky groove and all.

How about one more for good measure. "Jingle Bells" opening up the album with a strong bass line, bring in the drums, organ and guitars boys...

That's some quality Christmas grooving.

Track List:

1. Jingle Bells

2. We Wish You a Merry Xmas

3. Winter Wonderland

4. Joy to the World

5. O Christmas Tree

6. Silent Night

7. Jark! The Herald Angels Sing

8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

9. O Holy Night

10. The Christmas Song

11. Sleigh Ride

12. We Three Kings

13. What Child is This

14. O Come All Ye Faithful

15. Deck the Halls

16. Feliz Navidad

17. Christmas Joy

Enjoy!

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums (vol. 2)

 

 We're back with the second installment of Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums. Today's pick is from a legendary Jazz guitarist. One of my all-time favorites, and one of Jimi Hendrix's major influences...

Kenny Burrell: "Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas"

We'll start with the opening track, "The Little Drummer Boy." It starts out how you may expect a Jazz guitarist to put their spin on the song, but eventually Burrell goes off with a solo that any shredder would love to play, and he's doing it clean with no pedalboard tricks. 

Now we'll move onto his rendition of my favorite, "White Christmas." Burrell's is beautiful, smooth and soulful. I simply elegant.

Now we move on to "Children Go Where I Send Thee." This is a total jam! Mixing Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Bing Band, the song just rips. You can't help but tap your foot and smile.

Burrell puts his unique and skillful style on every one of these classics, and for anyone who may say Jazz is boring or dull...There is nothing boring or dull about this album. Check it out kids!

Track List:

1. The Little Drummer Boy

2. Have Yourself a Merry Littles Christmas

3. My Favorite Things

4. Away in a Manger

5. Mary's Little Chile

6. White Christmas

7. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen

8. The Christmas Song

9. Children Go Where I Send Thee

10. Silent Night

11. Twelve Days of Christmas

12. Merry Christmas Baby

Getting In the Mood: Best Christmas Albums ( vol. 1)

 

In 2020 I did a series of posts titled "Getting in the Mood," all about some of my favorite Christmas songs. This year we are going to be talking about Christmas albums. It's easy to put out one good song. It's something special to put out a album full of Christmas "bangers" as the kids say. Some may not find all the songs on these albums to be "bangers" but fuck them! They're clearly uncultured shit-bags who don't appreciate jazz, blues, soul, rock and the classics the way this old fucker does.

So, number one on the list...

Booker T. & The MG's: "In the Christmas Spirit"

This is the coolest, grooviest, and my favorite version of "White Christmas" which is one of my favorite Christmas songs.

And how about this jam of "Winter Wonderland!"

Then they take "Silver Bells," a traditional slow, somber tune and give it soul, and it's a version you actually hear plenty of jingle bells in, and in the end as it fades out they give you a taste of the songs original tone.

Every song from beginning to end is fantastic and grooves.

Full Track List:

1. Jingle Bells

2. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

3. Winter Wonderland

4. White Christmas

5. The Christmas Song

6. Silver Bells

7. Merry Christmas Baby

8. Blue Christmas

9. Sweet Little Jesus Boy

10. Silent Night

11. We Three Kings

12. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Check it out!

Getting In the Mood 2021

 

I recently started resharing my "GETTING IN THE MOOD" posts from last December where I was sharing some great and some of my favorite Christmas/Holiday songs to try and boost my holiday spirit. To be fair, my mood is down a good deal more than it was last year. I'm feeling pretty flat on Christmas and I hate that. I'm going to do my best to turn that around this week, but today I'm giving you a song that sums up how I'm feeling.

"Be Good at Christmas" by Katie Malco. And after this, checkout more of Katie Malco. She isn't talked about enough and her 2020 album "Failures" is the best album that was released in that God awful year!

Alright, let's get Holly fucking jolly!

Getting In the Mood (vol. 12)

 

Christmas has come and yes, it ended up being a white Christmas. Very white. Snow started falling here on Christmas Eve around 5:30 PM and as I post this at 11:30 PM Christmas night it hasn't stopped. Right now we are getting 2 inches of snow a hour. Luckily it's 2020-COVID times and we don't have to go anywhere, so tomorrow will be filled with watching Movies/Shows, playing games, eating and relaxing.

As for my mood, the snow falling helped last night, along with our traditional Christmas Eve snacks, watching Christmas movies, a couple Holiday Beers and then doing my job as Santa. Setting up the presents under the tree, a surprise gift for my wife, filling the stockings, moving the Elves, (we have three Elf on the Shelf with three Elf pets) eating the cookies, drinking the milk, putting the carrots for the Reindeer back in the fridge. I put our big dog to bed, the little one followed me up to bed, snuggled with me as I softly put on Christmas music to fall asleep to. I was feeling very Christmassy.

Morning came quickly, and we gathered  around the tree to open presents. "A Christmas Story playing on the TV in the background. The kids were very happy. They all still have another present coming. Each of the kids have a gift stuck somewhere in transit as FedEx, UPS, and the USPS have all gotten slammed even harder this holiday season. The dogs were happy. The wife was happy, as was I. 

We ate early. I made Ham and Lamb Chops with a couple sides. My wife baked homemade rolls and I made a whipped Honey Butter to have with them. The wife and I snuck off for a quickie.  We watched "Wonder Woman 1984." It was a great day. We are very lucky. I won't get into the bad news of the day or the politics and crap that has gone on. I turned much of that off today. But it reminds me, I'm lucky. My family is lucky.

Today's song is an easy one. It was popping in my head all day. I felt it all day. I felt good, all day. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

Good ole, Andy Williams.

Here's a bonus song for you. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Birdy. I hope you do. It's 2020 and all screwed up, Christmas doesn't have to end tonight. Enjoy how ever you can, as long as you can.

Merry Christmas!

Getting In the Mood (vol. 11.)

 

Christmas Eve! All the gifts are wrapped. We've decorated home baked ornaments. I made a Chewbacca Gingerbread man/Wookie, my son made Sans (from Undertale) gingerbread man. my daughter made a few snowmen and did a handprint and heart. 

Buffalo Chicken Dip is in the Crockpot and Hanky-Pankies are prepped for Christmas Eve junk food eating and movie watching fun. If you are asking, Hanky-Pankies are ground meat, sage sausage, sautéed with some herbs and spices, then drain the grease. Mix in Velveeta cheese. Spoon onto party ryes. Freeze them. Then when you want to smash some, heat them up in the oven at 350 degrees for maybe ten minutes. Have a nice Christmas Ale with them. I recommend Lake Erie Brewing Company's Christmas Ale or Troeges Mad Elf Ale.

Honestly, my feeling is Christmas Eve is better than Christmas Day. Yes I love seeing the kids excited and them & my wife happy with their gifts and getting together with family...normally, but not this year. But Christmas Eve has the build up. It's great family time. Christmas wouldn't be nearly as fun if it wasn't for Christmas Eve. And I'm wasting too much time doing this, so lets get to the song.

This is my favorite Christmas song. I think it's the most underrated one out there. It doesn't get nearly enough air-play. Maybe I'm biased because it's from my youth, but this song says what Christmas is about. It's about Love and being with the people we love.

Billy Squier's "Christmas Is a Time to Say I Love You."

Merry Christmas!!!

Getting In the Mood (vol. 10)

 

Well, It's Christmas Eve and I'm really trying to feel the mood. Most of the presents are wrapped. Some of the food is prepped. Shit is decorated. My youngest (with my help) baked ornaments yesterday and we will be painting them soon. While I was narrowing down what song to pick today, I realized I wanted to do two totally different songs. So, I'm doing one this morning and later in the day, as I'm gearing up for the "Artic Snowstorm" the weathermen are hyping up. We're really hoping to get that White Christmas. 

Today's first song in the beautiful Pretenders song, "2000 Miles."

In classic 1980's fashion, the video is stupid as hell. Ignore the video, listen to the song and enjoy it's beauty.

I'll be back this afternoon.

Getting In the Mood (vol. 9)

 

Just two days away from Christmas. I still don't have my snow, but they're hyping up a Winter storm for Christmas Eve, so there's hope for the White Christmas.

But we all know Christmas in these COVID times is not going to be the same as usual. There are going to be less family gatherings. There are going to be smaller gatherings. There will be families who will never have Christmas ever again with some of their loved ones. There are families that aren't even thinking about presents, because they're just trying to keep a roof over their heads and food on their tables. Unfortunately in this country, as COVID rages and unemployment continues to grow, and essential workers aren't getting hazard pay, our government continues to shit the bed when it comes to handling things and helping the people they represent. While they have great healthcare, steady income and 12 weeks of paid vacation.

My family is lucky. My kids are lucky. They'll have presents under the tree. Hell, they have a tree and there are plenty of kids that don't even have that this year. Sorry to be a downer today, but it's reality. I love Christmas time and I've always felt that "holiday spirit" where things seem a little better and everyone a little nicer. This year it seems harder to find that spirit. 

So today's song, we are going to DANIEL MUSTARD and his song "Since Santa Ain't Coming."

I'll see you tomorrow for some Christmas Eve fun. 

Getting In the Mood (vol. 8)

 

Well, we're almost there. Time got away from me today and I almost forgot to post this. Was busy doing my Santa Claus duties. There's this myth that moms do all the Christmas stuff. 

 Not in this household. We both do gift shopping, but I tend to be in control of the kids lists. The Tree is my department and normally the night we decorate, I go back and fix things after everyone is in bed, because I have serious OCD about how ornaments are put on the tree. This year, was the best the kids have ever done and there were very few minor adjustments. I'm training them well. My wife does the Christmas cookies with the kids. I do the meals, ALWAYS! I do the wrapping of presents. This use to be something my wife did when the kids were young, I would take them out for a fun day and she would be miserable wrapping. No I wrap and hide the gifts as I go, because our youngest is still into the Santa Claus thing and my wife doesn't want us to kill that. Then Christmas Eve, I set it all up under the tree. I even mix in surprises my wife doesn't know about.

Maybe that old myth comes from way back when most women stayed home and all that June Clever shit, but those days are long gone and if you're a father and not getting your hands dirty in this Christmas stuff, you're an asshole!

Since I brought up those days from yesteryear, Today's song is the Brenda Lee classic, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

Enjoy, see ya tomorrow!

Getting In the Mood (vol. 7)

It's hard to not get the Holiday Blues, especially in this COVID era when everything is so messed up. I'll always get a touch of the Blues after Christmas is done. come the 26th when Christmas movies stop airing and Christmas music stops getting played. But now I get some of the blues when thinking about my Mom and other loved friends and family who are no longer with us...The fact that they can't share in all the fun and food and presents and music and joy with us just sucks. The best we can do is think of them, tell stories of them, not let each other forget how much they mean to us. 

So today's song, "Blue Christmas."

Our Lady Peace is my favorite band and I love their rendition of this tune, but you can't go wrong with the beauty and simplicity of Chet Atkins' version.

Then there's Joe Perry's version he did for the first "Merry Axemas" album, where he showed off some slide skills.

This last one is nice and stripped down by Max Jury.

Love the ones still with us and remember those who aren't.

See you tomorrow. 

Getting In the Mood (vol. 6)

 

There's the wife, in the white room, on the white loveseat, by the white Christmas tree asking for her white Christmas and I love giving her the white...Every day, not just Christmas!

All kidding and being a pervert aside, here we sit in Erie, PA, a place that never has trouble getting snow, and all I've got is rain. It often feels like we get snow 8 months out of the year. Just a couple years ago we got six feet in one night. But it's 2020 and everything is fuckered up. But damnit snow helps the wife and I both get in that holiday vibe. So today's song is a no-brainer..."White Christmas."

We'll start with the grooviest version out there, by Booker T. & The M.G.'s from their 1966 album, "In the Christmas Spirit." The coolest and most underrated Christmas album out there.

Speaking of cool, how can you not love The Drifters version?

Then of course there is Kenny Burrell's flawless Jazz version.

How about we shift gears in a totally different direction. Nothing shocked me more than, when Bad Religion put out a Christmas Album...And I love it!

How can you not think of Bing Crosby when talking "White Christmas?"

Which is your favorite? Are you hoping for a White Christmas?

Enjoy the music and enjoy the day!

Getting In the Mood (vol. 5)

 

Her in our build-up to Christmas, it's Saturday, so let's have some fun. A classic rock Christmas song that's fun. At least many viewed it as funny and comical. It does have that vibe, but it also gets to a bigger issue. Christmas isn't always fun for everyone. We see it right now as millions of people are suffering from not only the physical and emotion complications of COVID, but also the economic. 

Today's song is none other than The Kinks' "Father Christmas"

Enjoy it, have fun. Listen again and understand the lyrics, with a touch of humor were making a larger point.

see you tomorrow. 

Getting In the Mood (vol. 4)

 

So today I'm feeling another traditional Christmas tune. A true classic. There are many versions but I think the most well known version is due to A Charlie Brown Christmas. Yep, today's song is "Christmas Time is Here."

There is another version I have fallen in love with. It comes from sister and brother duo, Jocelyn and Chris Arndt. They do a lot of Bluesy-Rock stuff but this is acoustic, nice and mellow.

Hope you enjoy. Keep listening to music!