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Christmas/Holiday music

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:18 pm
by KarenZ
Folks,

You have got to watch this YouTube video of David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth! It is simply magic. I had forgotten about this song until I heard it on the radio today. Wow.

Bowie and Bing

I found this background information:
One of the more surreal moments in pop music history took place September 11th, 1977, when the leading American pop star of the first half of the Twentieth Century met and performed with one of the more innovative rock 'n' rollers of the last half of the Century. Bing Crosby was in London on a concert tour and to tape his yearly TV Christmas special. It was Bing's idea that he should have as a guest on his TV show a young star. Someone suggested David Bowie. Bing had never heard of David, but his kids had, and so an invitation was sent to the rock star. David, as it turned out, was a secret fan and jumped at the chance to perform with him.

Bing's idea was that he and David would perform 'The Little Drummer Boy' as a duet. Bowie felt the song did not showcase his voice very well, so the writers added 'Peace On Earth', which suited Bowie's voice quite well. The two musical spokesmen of different generations met for the first time on the morning of the taping, rehearsed for an hour and finished their duet in only three takes. Bing was impressed with David, and gave him his phone number at the end of the taping. Bing told an interviewer four days later that he considered Bowie "a clean cut kid and a real fine asset to the show. He sings well, has a great voice and reads lines well. He could be a good actor if he wanted."

Bing died a month later, and the public did not see their performance until after his death. The duet generated much interest, and was excerpted to become a perennial TV music video, a best-selling 45-rpm single and, eventually, a computer CD-ROM. Some viewed the joint performance of Bing and Bowie as a symbol of the end of the intergenerational wars of the '60s and '70s. In 1999 TV Guide chose the duet as one of the 25 best musical television moments of the century (June 5 issue).


Any other Christmas/holiday songs or videos to share?

KarenZ

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:15 pm
by Patti
Karen was that really 1977!!! Seems like it was at least the 80's!!!

I do LOVE Groovelily's Striking 12 CD.... it is such a clever story/concert/ play!! It is a mix of Hans Christian Anderson's Little Matchgirl and a modern day version... complete with a reference to the Bing/Bowie video!!! The Little Matchgirl story takes place on New Years Eve...so the story is perfect for this time of year. If you haven't read it (recently) get a copy it is only a few pages long...


ALSO love Signature Sound holiday realease from a few years ago.. Wonderland...

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:26 am
by danaj
:!: This is one of my all time favorite Christmas songs. Thanks for the link, Karen. I had it saved on my computer, but I think someone got delete happy with my bookmarks... :roll: Thanks to you, I have it once again!!!

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:13 pm
by SusanH
Karen-

I had to laugh when you said you'd forgotten the Bing/Bowie version of Little Drummer Boy. I have always loved this version, yet a few years ago working retail at the holiday season, our video wall has this song in constant rotation. We heard at least 6 times a shift, and when you're working 60+ hours a week, it kinda gets on your nerves after a while.

In fact, to this day if I want to annoy my friend Kerri all I have to do is play this song. She hates it with a passion. :twisted:

It has been a few years since then and I now (once again) enjoy this song very much.

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:42 pm
by paddyinthepub
I have to say that while I enjoyed watching it this time around, I was less than receptive to it back in the day. It was just such an odd pairing. I was into Bowie a little bit, not that much. I grew up in the 60's watching Bing Crosby singing White Christmas year after year on television. Not to mention my Dad's fondness for Bing and other singers of his day. If I'm not mistaken, there may also have been a tell all book out by one of Bing's kids that painted Bing in a rather unflattering light. I think when the video aired originally in 1977 (over and over on MTV, wasn't it?) all I could see was Bing Crosby....the bad dad.

What I learned from this thread and subsequent viewing of the duo of David Bowie and Bing Crosby......is that Bing looks to be a bit winded, a bit weak if you will....and I was not aware that he died one month after their duet video was recorded.

Was it released for airing prior to Bing's death? I can't remember.

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:25 pm
by KarenZ
Wendy,

I am truly enjoying (and am inspired by) the CD that you recommended last year - the King's College Choir "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" which I finally got around to ordering this year. The link below is for you: a three-minute video of the choir performing "In dulci jubilo" during their first televised performance of "Nine Lessons" in 1954. Boris Ord is the director.

King College Choir - 1954

Thanks for such a wonderful recommendation. I hope to catch the live broadcast this Christmas Eve.

KarenZ

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:17 am
by wendy
Thank you, Karen! That is SOOO beautiful... Glad you like it, too! :D

The radio broadcast is a holiday staple for us: every Dec 24 at around 10a.m. (EST) Your local Public Radio station probably carries it. I had no idea they'd made a CD of it! :oops:

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:21 am
by KarenZ
Wendy,

:?: :?: But you recommended it! :D

KarenZ

wendy wrote:I had no idea they'd made a CD of it! :oops:

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:25 am
by wendy
Still feeling :oops: ....
I think I recommended the radio program. Nice to know the sounds are available any time, though!

Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:48 am
by KarenZ
Folks,

I have quite a few "favorite" Christmas songs.....and for me Christmas music means Johnny Mathis. My favorite Johnny Mathis Christmas song is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". I couldn't find a video of that on YouTube, but I did find a terrific video of Johnny doing "When a Child is Born". What a smooth voice....

Johnny Mathis - "When a Child is Born"

Another favorite is the Boston Pops version of "Sleigh Ride". Gonna go look for that.... hopefully with that swoonworthy Keith Lockhart.... :)

KarenZ

Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:06 am
by KarenZ
Ooh la la! Vince Gill performing "Sleigh Ride" with the Boston Pops!....Keith Lockhart doing his thing! :D

Vince Gill performing "Sleigh Ride" with the Boston Pops

KarenZ

Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:28 am
by wendy
Something's wrong with the sychronization on that one, but it's still great listening. Hard to beat the Boston Pops! :D Thanks Karen.

Among my favorites are Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting...) and Bing Crosby's "White Christmas". The movie Holiday Inn is another Christmas eve tradition in my family, with nieces and nephews singing and dancing along... Great fun :lol:

Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:30 pm
by stacyx
There's not many because I usually don't like Christmas music...

"Christmas Don't Be Late" by Alvin and the Chipmunks. This is from my all time favorite Christmas album. I had this on LP and played it to death.

"White Christmas" by Bing Crosby - No one sings it better.

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee. The only song I never get tired of hearing.

"Blue Christmas" By Elvis. Not a big fan of The King, but I do love his version of this song.

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Frank Sinatra. It's Frank. Enough said.

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" - Andy Williams. Although this is better right around the time school starts in September. The Staples commercial with this song and their Back to School sale was classic.

"Christmas at Ground Zero" by Weird Al. Christmas isn't Christmas without this song.

"The Night Santa Went Crazy" by Weird Al. Another great Weird Al Christmas song.

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:08 pm
by paddyinthepub
I took my son for a haircut today and in the salon the radio station was playing Christmas Songs. On came the Bowie/Bing duo...... :)

Serendipity :!:

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:03 pm
by PeteM
Check out a song from the group Bryndle called "Corn, Water, and Wood." Its available for download from their web site. Bryndle is made up of Wendy Waldman, Karla Bonoff and Kenny Edwards. Great musicians on their own, and when you get them together its amazing. Corn, Water and Wood is about a cowboy Christmas. I love listening to it on the headphones.
Peter

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:23 pm
by paddyinthepub
Pete....the song "Corn, Water, and Wood" was ringing bells for me. No wonder. It was on a release I have by the amazing Carol Elliot. And for those of you who know your EP history, Carol Elliot is the woman Ellis speaks of, when he tells the intro story to his song "Weightless."

Ellis: " I know this woman in Nashville, she runs a bed and breakfast for singer songwriters, kind of a homeless shelter, really."

Other artists who have recorded the song include: Wendy Waldman, Riders in the Sky, Michael Martin Murphy, and Priscilla Herdman.

I'll have to check out the latest version by Bryndle. Thanks. :D

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:18 am
by paddyinthepub
WXPN radio in Philly just played a live version of Tori Amos singing "Little Drummer Boy". Very soulful. Research shows she released a single of the song back in 1994. It's the first time I've heard her version. WOW.

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:38 am
by KarenZ
WUMB actually played Joni Mitchell's "River" (one of my favorites) twice this morning. (It ended up also being part of this morning's "guest mix".)

I couldn't find a video of Joni, but here's a nice version I found on YouTube performed by Allison Crowe.

River sung by Allison Crowe

KarenZ