ACCM - Christmas Music

I've posted in previous years about my favorite Christmas songs. This year I thought I'd do something different and share the albums that I grew up with. These were the staples every year in my house (and, yes, it was during actual vinyl album days). When I grew up, joined the Army, moved out, and got married, I went and purchased CDs of each of these albums. It just wasn't Christmas without them.

First there was Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas. My hubby isn't a Christmas Carol person, but even he likes a little Christmas Elvis. If I'm going to play something with him around it's this one.

My favorites from this album are "Winter Wonderland," "On a Snowy Christmas Night," "Silver Bells," and "Blue Christmas." No one does "Blue Christmas" like Elvis!

Another of my childhood Christmas albums was Jingle Bell Rock by Brenda Lee. I don't know what it is about Brenda Lee's Christmas album, but I thoroughly enjoy every song. There isn't a single one that comes on and I forward to the next. I know she's more of a country artist, but that isn't it. There's so much emotion in her songs and they remind me of beautiful Christmas nights. This one gets busted out shortly after Halloween (but I only play it when the hubby and kids are at school...no reason to make them all bah-humbug by playing holiday music too early).

As I mentioned, I love all of these songs. If I had to pick a favorite it would be "The Angel and the Little Blue Bell." This song always makes me cry if I listen too carefully. You can listen to the song here.

What is Christmas without Bing Crosby? He is the king of "White Christmas!" Sure plenty of others sing "White Christmas" and do a pretty good job, but no one beats Bing! White Christmas is one of my all-time favorite movies too. Watching it is a Christmas tradition in my house. I watch it and everyone else leaves the room. I still hold out hopes that one day someone will stick around and watch it with me!

Favorite songs include "White Christmas (of course!)," "Jingle Bells (sung with the Andrew Sisters)," "Christmas in Killarney (that's the Irish in me)," and "Mele Kalikimaka (loved Christmas in Hawaii!)."

Finally, the last of the old albums for my traditional Christmas is We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Ray Conniff and the Ray Conniff Singers. Each "song" is wonderful. Of course most songs are actually medleys. It's really a nice twist on the traditional Christmas tunes.

There aren't many titles on this album. With most songs being medleys they last longer than a regular song, but you can sample this album with the medley "Let it Snow! Let is Snow! Let it Snow!/Count Your Blessings/We Wish You a Merry Christmas" here.

Maybe my husband and kids go running for the hills when I put on my favorite Christmas movies, but I can safely say that I've gotten my children to love the Christmas songs I grew up with. They don't get quite as bah-humbug as the ol' man does. I hope that these albums will bring them the happy feelings and memories that they bring me and I look forward to them playing them for their families someday and continuing the tradition!

Blog Caroling!

Luckily I'm keeping up on my Google Reader (for the most part anyway) and noticed that Blog Caroling is fast approaching!  I loved sharing my favorite Christmas carol last year and was very excited when I came across the first Blog caroling post which just happened to be Bill West's who was singing "I Saw Three Ships".  Oddly enough I'd heard the song before, but didn't know the words except for "On Christmas Day in the morning".  Thanks for sharing, Bill, and thank you footnoteMaven for the caroling!

After some consideration I finally decided on a song for this year.  When I was a little girl, my mom used to play Brenda Lee's Christmas album, "Jingle Bell Rock".  I loved those songs, but there was one that always gave me chills and brought a tear to my eye (almost every time...even today).  I've played this album for my kids as well, and my oldest son Benjamin loves this song too.  It's called, "The Angel and the Little Blue Bell."

Now let me see...no hot toddy for me tonight, but my cup of tea is still warm.

1...2...3...

The Angel and the Little Blue Bell

At Christmas time in the steeple high

The bells would proudly ring

To tell the world of the joy and cheer

That Christmas Day would bring

But one little bell in the steeple high

Could only pain alone and cry

No matter how he'd try and try 

Poor little thing

He couldn't ring

At all...

All the other bells in the steeple high

Saw all his lonely tears

And watched him try his best to ring

Each Christmas through the years

But the little blue bell in the steeple tall

Just cried when Christmas came to call

For like I said in spite of all

Poor little thing

He couldn't ring

At all...

One Christmas Eve in the steeple high

An angel did appear

She smiled and said to the little blue bell

I've come to dry your tears

And on that night so the story's told

She changed the little blue bell to the purest gold

With the richest tone to hold and hold

Proud little thing

Just hear him ring

At all