Merry Christmas!

Hi-Fi Holidays: The Christmas Song

Nat King Cole - "The Christmas Song" (1963) - Capitol Records

Hello Friends,

Its Christmas Eve.  The shopping is done, the presents are wrapped, the punch bowl is brimming and the Christmas Eve Paella is nearly done.  Best of all, we've got an undisputed classic on the turntable tonight.

Nat King Cole would release his first and only Christmas LP in 1960 (entitled, The Magic of Christmas).  In 1963, Capitol Records would re-release this LP with a different cover and the updated version of the title track.

With his smoother-than-silk voice, Nat sings the definitive version of Mel Torme's classic, "The Christmas Song" aka "Chestnuts Roasting On an Open Fire".   Nothing sets the mood for a romantic Christmas Eve dinner party quite like this recording, friends.  



In addition to "The Christmas Song", Old King Cole sings classics like "Deck the Halls", "Adeste Fideles", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "I Saw Three Ships", "O Holy Night", "Joy to the World", "O Tannebaum" (sung in its original German!), "Silent Night" and the lesser-known, "A Cradle in Bethlehem" & "Caroling, Caroling". 

The music on the record is conducted and arranged by Ralph Carmichael and features the usual lush and warm orchestrations that permeated Capitol releases of this era.  

By 1965, Nat King Cole would be dead from lung cancer leaving behind a legacy of some pretty great jazz-inspired popular music. Not only would this record become THE top-selling Christmas album of the 1960's, but it would become one of the most beloved records of Cole's career.

Merry Christmas everybody!

RATING: 4.5 feasts of the seven fishes out of 5

Hi-Fi Holidays: Belafonte!

Harry Belafonte - "To Wish You A Merry Christmas" (1962) - RCA Victor

Hello Friends,

Originally released by RCA records in 1958 and then re-issued with Harry's incredibly photogenic face gracing the cover along with a slightly different B-Side in 1962, this album was a staple in homes of many a baby boomer.

There's gospel ("A Star in the East", "The Son of Mary") , calypso ("Mary's Boy Child"), folk ("Jehova The Lord Will Provide"), jazz ("Where the Little Jesus Sleeps"), and even a hint of country (the Johnny Cash-penned, "The Gifts They Gave").  What a talent this Belafonte cat is!  Pretty much the only stinker on the album is "The Twelve Days of Christmas" because that song sucks anyways.

The arrangements are, for the most part, quiet and reserved, the star of the record being Belafonte's familiar baritone.  Listening to this on vinyl, where you can really hear the quiver and intricacies of Belafonte's voice, is pretty much the only way to listen to this album! 

Again, not the best record for your Space Age Holiday soiree, but a perfect record to put when you come home from one.  Tired and buzzed, enjoying one last nightcap in the basking glow of your Christmas tree.

RATING: 4 in thy dark streets shineth out of 5

Hi-Fi Holidays: Pretty Paper

Willie Nelson - "Pretty Paper" (1979) - Columbia

Howdy Partners,

Smoke some if you got some because tonight we've got some Willie Nelson on the Christmas turntable.  Slick Willie really ended the 1970's in style with this festive LP featuring the likes of Booker T. Jones serving as producer and keyboard player; ex-Burrito Brother, Chris Ethridge on bass; longtime drummer, Paul English; and harmonica-player extraordinaire, Mickey Raphael, playing that "cuts through a fog"-style of harp.  (Its pretty much a reunion of the musicians and lineup used on the incredible, Stardust.)

Willie was at his peak in the late 70's in both creativity and record sales.  Interesting choice to close out this decade with an album of (mostly) traditional Christmas tunes, but all the selections here are performed in WIllie's inimitable style.  There's only a handful of artists that can perform songs like "Rudolph" or "Frosty" with no tongue-in-cheekiness and with the utmost sincerity.  

And speaking of sincerity...

Sixteen years prior to the release of this record, Willie wrote the song "Pretty Paper" which became a hit for fellow Texan, Roy Orbison, in 1963.  Inspired by a homeless veteran on a busy sidewalk during the holidays, the song is vintage Nelson.  Easy to hum along to, but heartbreaking nonetheless.      

RATING: 4.5 pretty pencils to write I love you out of 5

Hi-Fi Holidays: The New Possibility

John Fahey - "The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album" (1968) - Takoma Records

Hello Friends,

We've got a little bit of a unique one on the Holiday Turntable tonight: a solo guitar instrumental album by American folk artist John Fahey.   Minimalist to be sure, Fahey's style combines avant-garde arrangements with a traditional country-blues style of steel string guitar picking.  The resulting music has a way of sounding both old and new at the same time. (Fahey's style was termed "American Primitivism" in the late 50's.  Besides Fahey, the most famous proponent of this style is guitarist Leo Kottke.)

The bottom line is if you enjoy well-played Christmas music on an acoustic guitar this record is a must listen.  (Also, we can't be positive, but this might be the first acoustic guitar Christmas album ever.  Couldn't find any examples of this style of music before 1968!)   

Released on Fahey's own label, Takoma Records, it remains the best-selling release of his 40 year recording career.  Its really good from start to finish with the triumvirate of Side One's "Auld Lang Syne", "The Bells of St Marys" and "Good King Wenceslas" being the record's high point!

RATING: 4.5 gathering winter fuels out of 5




is known as American Primitivism.  

This is another 

Hi-Fi Holidays: Christmas with Chet Atkins

Chet Atkins - "Christmas with Chet Atkins" (1961) - RCA Victor

Hello Friends,

Its snowing out and we've got a real gem on the Christmas turntable tonight courtesy of the Country Gentleman himself, Mr. Chet Atkins.

This record is definitely one of our favorites!  Laidback and atmospheric like colorful Christmas lights reflecting off a freshly laid snowdrift at sundown. 

Released in 1961, and produced by Atkins himself, the arrangements are spare and crisp. Not a note is wasted.  Accompaniments are provided mostly by the background vocals of the Anita Kerr singers. The star of the record, of course, is Chet's six-string. Similar to our previous record, Sinatra's A Jolly Christmas, Side One features more popular carols with Atkins playing the electric guitar playing while Side Two takes a more traditional approach with Atkins going unplugged.  

The entire record is great with "White Christmas" and "Silent Night" being particularly good!  His take on "Silver Bells", however, is nothing short of stunning.

(A side note: If you've heard this album before on the Razor & Tie CD release from 1997, you haven't heard this album!  Listen to this on record!  You won't be sorry!)

The snow is still falling outside, there's no cars on the road; inside its warm, the tree is lit and we're pretty lit ourselves!  We're going to flip this record once more and probably pass out on the couch!  To the Holidays!

RATING: 5 rye manhattans in a snowstorm out of 5  

Hi-Fi Holidays: A Jolly Christmas

Frank Sinatra - "A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra" (1957) - Capitol Records

Hello Friends,

We're kicking off our Holiday festivities tonight with some Ol' Blue Eyes on the turntable. 

Incidentally, we're also celebrating the Chairman on the Board's birthday today (December 12th)-- he would have been 98!

A Jolly Christmas is Sinatra's second holiday album and first holiday record for Capitol. With the chorus and orchestra arranged and conducted by frequent Sinatra collaborator, Gordon Jenkins, the record tows the line between the jazzy-sentimentality of Sinatra's earlier records and the light-hearted corniness of some his late 50's, early 60's recordings. 

Its a record of two sides.  Side One being the "fun" side with secular classics like "Jingle Bells", "The Christmas Song", "Mistletoe & Holly", "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "The Christmas Waltz" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".

Side Two is the more religious side with carols like "Silent Night" & "Adeste Fideles".

Both sides are good, but be forewarned merrymakers, this is not exactly a swinging Christmas record. The songs and arrangements are excellent, but the tone is mellow and contemplative.  Tiki T. and I are enjoying this one admiring our newly decorated tree while enjoying a glass bottle of wine or two!

Frank Sinatra - The Christmas Waltz

Happy Birthday you big goomba! 

RATING: 4.5 oh by gosh by gollies out of 5

Hi-Fi Holidays at Vinyl in the Valley!

Hello Friends,

Its the Holidays on Vinyl in the Valley again and we're getting ready to listen to some vintage vinyl while celebrating a pretty cool Yule. 

So light the candles, fill that punch bowl and tinsel that tree because we have some real festive goodies cued up on the turntable!

God Bless us!  Everyone!

Movie Night: A Mighty Wind (2003)

Hello Friends,

Grab your popcorn and pull up a stool, its Movie Night again on Vinyl in the Valley!

Tonight we're watching the 2003 film, A Mighty Wind.

Directed by Christopher Guest, A Mighty Wind is filmed in the same mockumentary-style as his previous classics, This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman & Best In Show and stars many of the same familar faces including Michael Mckean, Fred Willard, Eugene Levy, Harry Shearer, Catherine O'Hara, Jennifer Coolidge, Bob Balaban, Jane Lynch, Ed Begley, Jr and the always adorable, Parker Posey! 

A Mighty Wind "documents" the events leading up to a big revivalist folk concert featuring fictional groups that resemble 60's folk acts like The Kingston Trio, The Weavers, Peter, Paul & Mary, etc.  Eugene Levy is a real highlight as Mitch Cohen (one half of the fictional folk duo, Mitch & Mickey) as is the always awesome (and sometimes inappropriate), Fred Willard ("Wha Happen?") 

If there's one complaint about the movie is that it falls a little flat in comparison to Guest's earlier films but, in fairness, Spinal Tap, Guffman & Best in Show are pretty much perfect films so its a little unfair to compare this movie to those classics! Still, A Mighty Wind is funnier that 90% of the comedies released theatrically anyways. 

One song from the movie, "A Kiss At the End of the Rainbow" was even nominated for an Oscar and lost to some shitty new age song from The Lord of the Rings called "Into the West".  Try tapping your toes to that crap, kids!

Good movie!  Fun music!  We give two enthusiastic cocktail glasses up! 

We'll see you next time, friends, until then the Tiki Bar is closed*.  

(* not really)