BB's Christmas Collection 2018
A BB Chronicles Christmas Compilation
Various Artists & Recordings
Mp3 @ mostly 320 kbps (a few @ 192)
Taking a short Holiday break from the Progressive Rock features: It's the Christmas season and time for another of my biennial Christmas compilations (because every year is just a bit too much for this type of thing, every other year just about right). This year I've got a another wonderful overstuffed hodgepodge of eclectic selections for your seasonal enjoyment. This 2018 edition highlights cuts from several new holiday releases (2017-2018) from popular artists, including Eric Clapton, Michael McDonald, The Mavericks, Ingrid Michaelson, and Cheap Trick, as well some oldies, classics, and a healthy dose of power pop. A few of the traditional Christmas songs are included, but (as usual), the bulk are non-traditional. One mini-theme this year embraces some attempts to raise previous novelty songs to full-fledged serious Christmas fare, as with The Chipmunks' 'Christmas Don't be Late' (done as a ballad by She & Him), SNL's cheesy 'I Wish It Was Christmas Today' (with full rock treatment by Cheap Trick), The Beatles fragment 'Christmas Time is Here Again' (fleshed out as a mashup with 'Flying' and "Baby You're A Rich Man' by The Weeklings), and Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody' (polished up into a power pop beauty by Sloan). Also included is a nod to my recent progressive rock features, with a couple holiday tracks from Yes veterans Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, as well as a holiday remembrance to the departed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Also, I have to give a special Thank You (and apology?) to Angelo from the Power Pop Criminals blog, because I leaned heavily on (stole?) several tracks from his own 2017 Power Pop Christmas Compilation (Very Merry Christmas), as he really knows Power Pop and does these things so very well (with inclusion of great songs by bands I never would have known), so great job there (and check his blog for all the previous years of great compilations and other stuff). Being pressed for time, I put this together really quickly, but I think it turned out great (at least I am really enjoying it). Anyway, hope you all check this out and enjoy it. Merry Christmas to all and wishes for a very Happy Holiday season!
Tracklist [# title-artist(album-yr)]:
01. At Christmas Time - Dan Fogelberg (The First Christmas Morning-1999)
02. Christmas Time Is (Coming 'Round Again) - The Mavericks (Hey! Merry Christmas!-2018)
03. Christmas Time - Jeremy (Very Merry Christmas-PPC Compilation-2017)
04. Christmas Time is Here Again - The Weeklings (Very Merry Christmas-PPC Compilation-2017)
05. It's Christmas - Eric Clapton (Happy Xmas-2018)
06. What Christmas Means To Me - Stevie Wonder (Someday at Christmas-1967)
07. Merry Christmas Time - Somerdale (Very Merry Christmas-PPC Compilation-2017)
08. Happy, Happy Christmas - Ingrid Michaelson (Songs for the Season-2018)
09. Something Bout This Time Of Year - Mike Daly (Very Merry Christmas-PPC Compilation-2017)
10. Christmas Dream - The Grip Weeds (Very Merry Christmas-PPC Compilation-2017)
11. Merry Xmas Everybody - Sloan (Very Merry Christmas-PPC Compilation-2017)
12. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Crash Test Dummies (Jingle All The Way-2002)
13. Joy to the World - Aretha Franklin (Joy to the World (2006)
14. Riu Chiu - The Monkees (The Christmas Album-2007)
15. Christmas Christmas - Cheap Trick (Christmas Christmas-2017)
16. Remember (Christmas) - Harry Nilsson (Son of Schmilsson-1972)
17. The Christmas Dance - Ringo Starr (I Wanna Be Santa Claus-1999)
18. The Flower Carol (Good King Wenceslas) - David Grisman Acoustic Christmas-1983)
19. White Christmas - Eric Clapton (Happy Xmas-2018)
20. Christmas Don't Be Late - She & Him (Christmas Party-2016)
21. I Wish It Was Christmas Today - Cheap Trick (Christmas Christmas-2017)
22. Ding Dong Merrily On High - Jon Anderson (3 Ships-1985)
23. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Michael McDonald (Season of Peace:The Christmas Collection-2018)
24. A Very Merry Christmas - The Beatphonics (Very Merry Christmas-PPC Compilation-2017)
25. Day Of Days - Jon Anderson (3 Ships-1985)
26. Run With the Fox - Chris Squire (Chris Squire's Swiss Choir-2007)
27. Winter Wonderland (feat. Jake Shimabukuro) - Michael McDonald (Season of Peace:The Christmas Collection-2018)
28. Hey! Merry Christmas! - The Mavericks (Hey! Merry Christmas!-2018)
One other note: I've always thought Stevie Wonder's 'What Christmas Means to Me' was a great contemporary Christmas song that has been underappreciated and underutilized (few covers). So, I was delighted to see it get some respect and inclusion in multiple new Christmas releases this year, including new versions done by Pentatonix, John Legend, and Michael McDonald, and intended on including the best of these new versions on my new compilation. However, after hearing them, none quite captured the essence and spirit (or coolness) of the original version, so I (of course) went back and included the original 1967 Stevie Wonder version instead. Sometimes you just can't improve on the original.
New Link! Updated 09/29/23
BB's Christmas Collection-2018.rar
Hi BB,
ReplyDeleteJust to wish you a good festive season and to thank you for all the posts over the years.
Best wishes,
Thanks for the Xmas tunes, and for all of your great stuff year-'round. It's appreciated and enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, a very enjoyable listen.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love your blog but I haven't been here in a while! - Stinky
ReplyDeletehelp full for me
ReplyDeleteiAMHJA
Just found my way to your blog — I think I'll be here often! Thanks for this, and lots of other goodies yet to be found. Best wishes to you and yours this Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about X mas music is it never wears out (at least not the good stuff)
ReplyDeletethankx for this compilation