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Christmas Music For Those Who Sometimes Find It Boring
By an Amazon.com customer
A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television SpecialA Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special by Vince Guaraldi Trio
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $4.55
Some panel of journalist music critics picked this as one of the top 5 Christmas albums of all time. Obviously I agree. I've treasured it since I was a kid.
Christmas Album (Light of the Stable)Christmas Album (Light of the Stable) by Emmylou Harris
Buy used from: $22.50
A pleasure from start to finish. No boring tracks. Beautiful treatments of standards, plus some good new songs(for me anyway): LIGHT OF THE STABLE(especially!!) and BEAUTIFUL STAR OF BETHLEHEM and CHRISTMAS TIME'S A'COMIN'.
Christmas AlbumChristmas Album by Boney M.
Buy used from: $58.38
MARY'S BOYCHILD/O MY LORD is one of my all-time favorite Christmas recordings. HOME FOR CHRISTMAS is fun.And FELIZ NAVIDAD is almost as good as the original hit by Jose Feliciano, but in different style.
The Best of Aaron Neville - The Christmas Collection: 20th Century MastersThe Best of Aaron Neville - The Christmas Collection: 20th Century Masters by Aaron Neville
Buy new: $8.97 / Used from: $4.96
Highlights: LOUSIANA CHRISTMAS DAY, PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, O HOLY NIGHT.
Home Alone: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackHome Alone: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $4.84
Another of my all-time Christmas single favorites: WHITE CHRISTMAS by the Drifters. I was glad to find this on CD after so many years listening to a tape of my scratchy 78...yes, a family heirloom 78!!!!! And a whole generation says: Whazzat???
Millennium PrayerMillennium Prayer by Cliff Richard
Buy used from: $1.23
Cheating a bit here, but must recommend this recording of The Lord's Prayer to the tune of AULD LANG SYNE. So it DOES kinda fit with the 'holiday' spirit and of course the spiritual significance of 'the season'.(A number one hit in Europe).
Christmas All-Time Greatest Records, Vol. 2Christmas All-Time Greatest Records, Vol. 2 by Various Artists
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $4.69
Actually I wanted to recommend Volume One, just for DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR by Bing Crosby., though I'm sure you can find it on other CDs. Other good items on both Vol 1 and 2 are available on my next choice below.
Now ChristmasNow Christmas by Various Artists
Buy used from: $3.26
The best collection of Christmas hits.(Now That's What I Call Christmas). Also good less known items and 2 hard-to-find treats by Canadians: MARY HAD A BABY and WHAT A MARSHMALLOW WORLD.
Have a Fun ChristmasHave a Fun Christmas by Various Artists
Buy new: $11.99 / Used from: $2.99
I bought this really just for THE CHIPMUNK SONG(Christmas Don't Be Late) and JINGLE BELLS by the Singing Dogs. Items like Burl Ives' HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS and Brenda Lee's ROCKIN' ROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE are found on many collections.
Christmas GreetingsChristmas Greetings by Kenny Rogers
Buy new: $5.98 / Used from: $2.29
Standard enjoyable Christmas fare. But the gem is Kenny's jazz waltz arrangement of MY FAVORITE THINGS, the Sound of Music song. Not really a Christmas song, but it does have a wintry 'Count Your Blessings' theme.
Elvis ChristmasElvis Christmas by Elvis Presley
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $5.98
Just for BLUE CHRISTMAS, which is available on many Christmas collections elsewhere, of course.
The Best of Leroy Anderson: Sleigh RideThe Best of Leroy Anderson: Sleigh Ride
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $7.98
SLEIGH RIDE is definitely my favorite single INSTRUMENTAL Christmas recording. Many other renditions have been offered since, but this is still the best.
A Fresh Aire ChristmasA Fresh Aire Christmas by Mannheim Steamroller
Buy new: $10.99 / Used from: $2.49
HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING and THE HOLLY AND THE IVY stand out here. This group produces the best Christmas instrumental music around. Don't have time or memory to recommend specific tracks now though.You may need to skim-listen or listen yourself.
Music 1968-1971Music 1968-1971 by Mason Williams
Buy new: $16.99 / Used from: $9.94
Greensleeves, also the melody for the Christmas carol WHAT CHILD IS THIS?. A joyful triumphant arrangement, similar in style to Mason's big guitar hit CLASSICAL GAS
Christmas CollectionChristmas Collection by The Carpenters
Buy new: $15.97 / Used from: $11.39
MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING is the sweet Christmas song most identified with and unique to the Carpenters and deservedly so. But the rest of this collection is appealing too. Karen probably has the warmest female voice ever in pop music.
Jump Up CalypsoJump Up Calypso by Harry Belafonte
Buy used from: $47.68
Just for THE BABY BOY, West Indian song about the birth of Jesus.(This album is available by another seller a lot cheaper, but I wanted the picture for display).
What a Wonderful Christmas (2 CDs)What a Wonderful Christmas (2 CDs) by Anne Murray
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $10.98
A compilation of two good previous Christmas albums.
What I Really Want for ChristmasWhat I Really Want for Christmas by Brian Wilson
Buy used from: $1.25
I've only skim-listened to this and liked several, but I saw Wilson do GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN really well on the Tonight Show. So I just bought this CD for only a buck. Great deal !
Pure ChristmasPure Christmas by Various Artists
Buy new: $16.98 / Used from: $44.21
DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Chris Rea.
Christmas with LoveChristmas with Love by Various Artists
Buy new: $9.98 / Used from: $0.75
PRETTY PAPER by Roy Orbison
Sarah Brightman ClassicsSarah Brightman Classics by Sarah Brightman
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $3.39
AVE MARIA
The Definite Best...The Definite Best... by José Feliciano
Buy new: $17.49 / Used from: $6.41
FELIZ NAVIDAD
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and ThymeParsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel
Buy used from: $1.67
7 O'CLOCK NEWS/SILENT NIGHT. A somewhat controversial concoction at the time. Some thought it sacreligious. Maybe, but it can also be heard as a sad lament that Man does not turn to God.
These Are Special TimesThese Are Special Times by Celine Dion
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $2.00
Pretty good Christmas album. Fine renditions of Christmas classics and some very good new songs: THE PRAYER, I'M YOUR ANGEL, ANOTHER YEAR HAS PASSED, THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS
Humour MeHumour Me by Jesse Winchester
Buy new: $17.98 / Used from: $6.59
LET'S MAKE A BABY KING
A Guitar for ChristmasA Guitar for Christmas
Buy new: $16.50 / Used from: $7.99
Two good Christmas CDs by Canada's internationally known guitarist, ex-girlfriend of our former Prime Minister(now deceased) Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Christmas DreamsChristmas Dreams by Liona Boyd
Buy new: $16.50 / Used from: $7.77
Actually another album by Liona Boyd.
Ultimate Classical Christmas Album of All TimeUltimate Classical Christmas Album of All Time by Ultimate Classical Christmas Record of All Time
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $7.96
LITTLE DRUMMER BOY by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It's played to death every Christmas, so some may be tired of it. That's no reflection on the quality however. Well, actually it may be a testament TO it.