Chrisstmas 2022

 

A CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST 

 (Note: this was published in segmented form on Facebook Christmas Eve)

 

 

CALL THIS PRELUDE: In each of the past three or four Christmases I've come across Christmas carols performed in unique ways. Now, I am talking about traditional religious carols. I don't care for the popular type music context. No "Rocking around the Christmas tree; " or "Silver Bells" and especially not "Feliz Navidad." This year I went looking for them and I found seven or eight that I liked. So, with apologies to Ma Belle Michele, I have organized the special ones I found into a playlist  But for starters here are two from the past couple of years.

The first I have posted before, and I still like it. The second is just because it's funny. I hope some folks will join me. In the meantime enjoy "The Little Drummer Boy" like you may have never heard it before — with drums. 

And here is the second: The second is for comic relief. Last year I saw a list of someone's favorites. Something looked a little off in the presentation so I checked it. I deon't think this is the "Joy to the World" he thought it was. "Jeremiah was a bullfrog …" "Joy to the World" 

 

 

 

And now for this year's play list

 

 

I've searched the interweb over the past month or so looking for that one Christmas carol done differently but respectfully that impresses. I've found one by accident the past couple of Christmases but this year I went looking for that one. Instead I found several I liked. So I made a playlist. These first two came out at the top of the pile. I couldn't make a choice between them, I am only putting the one first because it is a new, original song and produced with children. The first few bars of solos are a little rough, but when the chorus gets fired up it's an experience. And deserving equal billing: this is the second one, second only because of the originality and children in the first. This is six sisters ranging in age from 19 to 29 singing a carol in (get this) six-part harmony. And then on to the best of the rest.Meet the Cimorelli sisters.

 THE BEST OF THE REST

Billed as the best Christmas song ever heard. 1,000 participants. Over A Thousand People Came Together To Break a Record And Bring This Moving Christmas Hymn To Life. The Piano Guys, Peter Hollens, David Archuleta, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir get together to sing "Angels We Have Heard On High." 

 

 

 O Come O Come Emmanuel - New City Sessions

New City Church, Macon, Georgia If this doesn't play, here is the link.

Hark the Herald angels Sing: Junior Garr & The Spirituals perform reimagined traditional Christmas carols! Originally performed in St. Paul’s Cathedral, this London-based choir bring exciting and rhythmic re-arrangements that go beyond the season.

 

 

Hallelujah Chorus is done in many versions; I particularly liked this one. Just like many who starred in shows such as American Idol, America's Got Talent, and The Voice,

Lucy Thomas also got her start on a show called The Voice Kids.

In December 2020 Lucy Thomas released Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and it quickly became her most popular video on YouTube.

 

 

 

The final best of all the rest. It seems every year somebody does a new version of Drummer Boy. I'll leave Joan Jett's version to your imagination. But, how about with African rhythm. This is

Little Drummer Boy (African Tribal Version) - Alex Boye' ft. Genesis Choir.

 

And that's it for Christmas 2022.