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Post by stuart7 on Dec 5, 2009 16:35:25 GMT
There's quite a lot of Christmas Hits I like from the 70s to the early 2000s. Here's my list:
Band Aid: Do They Know It's Christmas (1984) Slade: Merry Christmas Everybody Wizzard: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday Jona Lewie: Stop The Cavalry Chris Rea: Driving Home For Christmas Paul McCartney: Wonderful Christmastime Cliff Richard: Miseltoe and Wine Cliff Richard: Saviour's Day Boney M: Mary's Boy Child Chris De Burgh: A Spaceman Came Travelling Shakin' Stevens: Merry Christmas Everyone.
There's plenty of other ones I like, but those particularly stand out for me.
Stuart
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Post by MRHloco on Dec 6, 2009 15:53:36 GMT
Impressive list there, Stuart. The two Cliff Richard ones, in particular, are very beautiful. Incidentally, Saviour's Day was released in December 1990, just about 6 months after I was born, and really is a good song to listen to, whether you're religious or not. There is one other Christmas song that I really like that I've been meaning to mention for a while now. I have questioned this before but I don't see any harm in bringing it up now, 25 years after its release. The song in question is Another Rock 'n' Roll Christmas by Gary Glitter. I'm sure a lot of popstars have had their controversies over the years and Gary Glitter is no exception. I've read on Wikipedia that he had a hint of rebelliousness and recklessness as a boy and it seems to have come across in his adult life too ( not going into details). But, despite his history, I never think about it when I listen to Rock 'n' Roll Christmas. For a start, the song was created with good intentions and, although it's not heard so much on the radio these days, it's a piece of work that really gave Glitter the lift he needed after his career had slumped in the 1970s. This was his most successful record since 1975 when it was first released and, indeed, it hit a very respectable 7 in the UK Singles Chart. From its lively rhythmn and melody to the energetic lyrics that Glitter wrote for it, this is a song to be reckoned with - it really gets me into the festive spirit and also helps me to realise exactly what it is about Christmas Time that really makes it such a wonderful time of year. Even though it's the only one of Gary Glitter's songs that I've ever heard, it's probably his finest - certainly it was one of the highlights of his whole career at the time. It's especially lovely because he's really enjoying the spirit of the festive season: no matter what controversy he got into since then, Rock 'n' Roll Christmas is a song where all he wanted was to invite his audience to enjoy this excellent time of year by going over all the elements of Christmas and jazzing them into Rock 'n' Roll (a popular genre at the time). Out of interest, this is the same Gary Glitter who, at some point during the 1980s and 1990s, appeared in several humourous billboards and posters for British Rail, trying to look young in order to obtain a Young Person's Railcard (without success! ). So, I hope nobody minds me mentioning this song. But I felt that it had to be mentioned sooner or later, especially now that this song - like Thomas The Tank Engine's TV Series - is now 25 years old. Warm Regards As Always, MRHloco
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Post by Ian on Dec 7, 2009 14:21:43 GMT
I won’t waste time repeating the gems people have mentioned before me, on the most part I agree with all of you. But here are a couple of Christmas tunes that, while maybe not ‘classics’ are personal favourites of mine. The obscure ones will surely be on ‘youtube’ somewhere for the curious amongst you! All Alone For Christmas by Darlene Love I can't listen to this song without immediately thinking of the 'Home Alone' films, which were steeped in fabulously festive frolics (try saying that after a glass of Christmas cheer…) Rocking Around The Christmas Tree by Mel & Kim Possibly the corniest, cheesy Chrimbo’ song ever made… which is why I love it! If you can’t do corny at Christmas, when can you? There aren’t many songs where the ‘artists’ get a little bit of banter too. Rock on Mel & Kim… oh, and Griff, who gets the best line in the song I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Dolly Parton So many artists have had a crack at this one, but this is the one that stands out for me. It’s such a gentle, beautiful version of the song, much lighter than many of the other versions. From A Distance (Christmas Version) by Bette Midler The original of this was already a lovely song. This version features a nice mix of both original and festive lyrics, with the added bonus of the music score featuring snippets from some much-loved Christmas carols. It’s quite possibly my favourite Christmas song of all time. And last but not least, although I’m amazed nobody has mentioned him before now, is… Dominic The Italian Christmas Donkey by Lou Monte It’s bizarre. It’s annoying. And sadly, it’s incredibly catchy. Eeee-aaawwww!
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Post by Rusty Red Scrap Iron on Dec 11, 2009 19:12:12 GMT
I can't believe I didn't mention this last year, but another Christmas song I really do like which is probably my favourite at the moment (and it only came out last year) is Status Quo's: It's Christmas Time, they're only Christmas song so far (should they do another one).
As for this year's Christmas Number 1, I wouldn't know who'd to vote for that. It's never been a Christmas song for a long time, in recent years it's been Winners of 'X-Factor' who most of them are pretty much forgotten about (except Leona Lewis) but from reading a few reports by the likes of Slade's lead vocalist and hearing Sting's views of 'X-Factor' that has certainly taken a bashing (not that I really give a monkees, because it's full of one hit wonders).
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Post by Matthew24691 on Dec 11, 2009 19:53:22 GMT
well for anybody who wants to know the winner of the x-factor will be releasing... a cover of miley cyrus' "the climb" but then today simon cowell has said his disgust at the campaign for rage of the machine to get number 1 whereas i myself am going for the muppets bohemian rhapsody as i have heard rumours of it being released on monday 14th december.
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Post by Matthew24691 on Dec 20, 2009 19:53:24 GMT
and the singles chart for CHRISTMAS 2009 is
1) Rage Against The Machine "Killing in the Name"
2) Joe McEldridge "The Climb"
3) Lady Gaga "Bad Romance"
4) Peter Kay "Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band"
5) 3OH!3 "Starstrukk" (feat. Katy Perry)
well the campaign to keep the x factor from bagging the number 1 spot had definately worked so for those who helped get RATM to number 1...
I salute you all...
wouldn't have minded the muppets being in the top 5, with their rendition of "Bohemiasn Rhapsody", somewhere but oh well never mind.
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Richard
Passenger Engine
Posts: 697
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Post by Richard on Dec 21, 2009 0:51:58 GMT
I've been introduced to the Ray Conniff group recently and apparently they did a load of Christmas songs. My favorite of theirs is either God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or What Child is This?
Definitely worth a listen or two (or three.)
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matthew
Main Line Engine
A Thomas fan since 1992.
Posts: 1,569
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Post by matthew on Dec 26, 2009 1:03:35 GMT
I originally only knew three Christmas songs, till now.
Here's the songs, I knew before... -All I Want For Christmas is You (Mariah Carey) -White Christmas (Rascal Flatts) -Jingle Bell Rock (Rascal Flatts)
But, now I have found another christmas tune that is amazing...it's called 'Last Christmas' by 'George Michael/WHAM!'
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Post by MRHloco on Dec 26, 2009 11:51:27 GMT
Ah, yes! That's another song that's 25 years old this year! And still it's been a great joy to listen to - in my younger days, I used to think of the nameplates sequence from TTTE&F Series 2 when listening to it! Who would have thought it, eh? Warm Regards As Always, MRHloco
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