Gen X-Mas

For me, the standout tracks remain three wonderful covers by two fellow Canadian singer-songwriters and one former Beatle. Two sacred numbers – “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Silent Night” –  are also stellar.  The one SM original here is okay if holiday heartbreak is your cup of tea (Gord and Joni would approve). A couple of the secular Christmas numbers include what sounds like jazz trumpet which seems out of place and feels very un-Sarah. I prefer her singing about God and Jesus. Merry Christmas! Grade: B+

“Because we could not go to God, God came to us and dwelt among us. As Fr. Canice Egan, SJ, put it, ‘In the silence of the night Love Itself stole down unseen to embrace the hearts of all.’ That the Creator of the universe would deign to take on the nature of his creature and become one of us is so astonishing!” 

—Excerpted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025 by the Irish Jesuits

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Playlist: Christmas Faves III

A continuing celebration of my favorite Christmas songs. Updated. Enjoy!

 

Tammy Wynette

01. Burl Ives – “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” (1965)

02. Martina McBride – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1998)

03. Elvis Presley & Martina McBride – “Blue Christmas” (2008)

04. Burl Ives – “Happy Birthday, Jesus (A Child’s Prayer)” (1968)

05. Darlene Love – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (1963)

06. Willie Nelson – “White Christmas” (1979)

07. Jimmy Eat World – “Last Christmas” (2001)

08. Cary Grant – “Christmas Lullaby” (1967)

09. Tammy Wynette – “Away in a Manger” (1970)

10. Percy Faith & His Orchestra & Chorus – “We Need a Little Christmas” (1966)

11. Ray Connif and The Ray Conniff Singers – “Jingle Bells” (1959)

12. Ray Connif and The Ray Conniff Singers – “White Christmas” (1959)

13. Tammy Wynette – “One Happy Christmas” (1970)

14. Ray Connif and The Ray Conniff Singers – “Here We Come A-Caroling” (1965)

15. Ella Fitzgerald – “Silent Night” (1967)

16. New Found Glory – “Nothing for Christmas” (2012)

17. Bobby Helms – “Jingle Bell Rock” (1957)

18. Henry Mancini – “Carol for Another Christmas” (1966)

19. Nat King Cole – “Deck the Hall” (1960)

20. Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra – “Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town” (1959)

21. Alan Jackson – “Silent Night” (2002)

22. Ella Fitzgerald – “O Holy Night” (1967)

23. Ray Connif and The Ray Conniff Singers – “What Child Is This?” (1965) 

24. Dan + Shay – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (2013)

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Playlist: Adults Only II

A continuing celebration of my favorite adult alternative songs. Updated. Enjoy!

Sixpence None the Richer

01. Pearl Jam – “Alive (2004 Remix)” (1991)

02. Morrissey – “Back on the Chain Gang” (2018)

03. The Killers – “When You Were Young” (2006)

04. Jon Bon Jovi – “Midnight in Chelsea” (1997)

05. Pulp – “Babies” (1994)

06. R.E.M. – “Find the River” (1992)

07. Shed Seven – “Chasing Rainbows” (1998) 

08. Wheatus – “A Little Respect (David Thoener Mix # 1)” (2001)

09. Foo Fighters – “Learn to Fly” (1999)

10. R.E.M. – “Leaving New York” (2004)

11. Sixpence None the Richer – “There She Goes (Ben Grosse Mix)” (1999)

12. Sting – “Shape of My Heart” (1993)

13. Crash Test Dummies feat. Ellen Reid – “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead” (1994)

14. R.E.M. – “Supernatural Superserious” (2008)

15. James Dean Bradfield – “That’s No Way to Tell a Lie” (2006)

16. Morrissey – “First of the Gang to Die” (2004)

17. Manic Street Preachers – “If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next” (1998)

18. The Cranberries – “Animal Instinct” (1999)

19. Sheryl Crow – “If It Makes You Happy” (1996)

20. The Beautiful South – “You’re the One That I Want” (2004)

21. The Wallflowers – “Sleepwalker” (2000)

22. Sarah McLachlan – “Angel” (1997)

23. James – “Sometimes” (1993)

24. The Wallflowers feat. Adam Duritz – “6th Avenue Heartache” (1996)

25. The Cranberries – “Just My Imagination” (1999)

26. Ryan Adams – “La Cienega Just Smiled” (2001)

27. Dido – “Here with Me” (1999)

28. Keane – “Is It Any Wonder?” (2006)

29. Ryan Adams – “So Alive” (2003)

30. U2 – “With or Without You” (1987)

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Playlist: The Easy Way

A continuing celebration of my favorite easy listening. Updated. Enjoy! 

01. Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass – “Slick” (1968)

02. Lalo Schifrin – “The Man from Thrush” (1965)

03. Astrud Gilberto – “Windy” (1968)

04. Quincy Jones and His Orchestra – “Soul Bossa Nova” (1962)

05. Peter Thomas – “Caught at Midnight” (1967)

06. The Ray MacVay Sound – “Kinda Kinky” (1965)

07. Henry Mancini and His Orchestra – “Moon River Cha Cha” (1961)

08. The Sandpipers – “Never Can Say Goodbye” (1971)

09. Martin Denny – “Congo Train” (1959)

10. Hugo Montenegro – “Lady in Cement” (1968)

11. Bert Kaempfert – “Bert’s Bossa Nova” (1964)

12. Chris Montez – “The Face I Love” (1968)

13. Nick De Caro and Orchestra – “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” (1969)

14. Kai Winding feat. Kenny Burrell – “Hero” (1963)

15. Luiz Henrique feat. Walter Wanderely – “Happy Birthday” (1968)

16. Walter Wanderely – “Telefone” (1964)

17. Martin Böttcher Und Sein Orchester – “Sonderdezernat K1” (1972)

18. Roberto Menescal– “Você” (1964)

19. Julius Wechter and the Baja Marimba Band – “Flyin’ High” (1969)

20. Ingfried Hoffman – “Thunderball” (1967)

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Playlist: In Praise of Sunshine Pop II

A continuing celebration of my favorite sunshine pop. Updated. Enjoy! 

01. Tommy Roe – “Paisley Dreams” (1967)

02. The 5th Dimension – “Never My Love (Live)” (1971)

03. Roger Nichols & the Small Circle of Friends – “The Drifter” (1968)

04. Strawberry Alarm Clock – “Barefoot in Baltimore” (1968)

05. Bunky and Jake – “Hey Buckaroo” (1968)

06. The Mamas and the Papas – “People Like Us” (1971)

07. Kenny O’Dell – “Flower Girl” (1967)

08. Roger Nichols & the Small Circle of Friends – “Let’s Ride” (1968)

09. The Bells – “Moody Manitoba Morning” (1970)

10. The Mamas and the Papas – “Pacific Coast Highway (1971)

11. Spanky and Our Gang – “Sunday Will Never Be the Same” (1967)

12. The Gates of Eden – “No One Was There” (1967)

13. The New Hobbits – “I Could Hear the Grass Growin’” (1969)

14. Eternity’s Children – “Rumors” (1967)

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Playlist: Psychedelic Laundromat II

A continuing celebration of my favorite psychedelic songs. Updated. Enjoy! 

 

01. The Fun and Games – “It Must Have Been the Wind” (1968)

02. Harumi – “Hunters of Heaven” (1968)

03. The Holy Mackerel – “Wildflowers” (1968)

04. Kathy McCord – “Rainbow Ride” (1970)

05. The Pipe Dream – “January Girl” (1969)

06. Dino Valente – “Birdses” (1964)

07. Lynn Castle w/ Last Friday’s Fire – “The Lady Barber” (1967)

08. The Lollipop Fantasy – “It’s a Groovy World” (1967)

09. The Peppermint Trolley Company – “9 O’Clock Business Man” (1968)

10. Shalynn – “Flower Song” (Unknown)

11. Stained Glass – “A Scene in Between” (1967)

12. The Pipe Dream – “The Middle of the Night” (1969)

13. The Gainsborough Gallery – “Light in the Window” (1970)

14. The Avante-Garde – “Naturally Stoned” (1968)

15. Sally Eaton – “Flowers in the Air” (1970)

16. The Second Helping – “Floating Downstream on an Inflatable Rubber Raft” (1967)

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Playlist: Folk-Rock Explosion! II

A continuing celebration of my favorite folk-rock. Updated. Enjoy! 

 

01. Tom Parrott – “Groovy & Linda” (1968)

02. Bob Ray – “(Girl with The) Cameo Ring” (1970)

03. J.P. Rags – “Soul Sunrise” (1968)

04. The Hubbels – “Hippy Dippy Funky Monkey Double Bubble Sitar Man” (1969)

05. The Spike Drivers – “Break Out the Wine” (1967)

06. The Tradewinds – “Mind Excursion” (1967)

07. The Factory – “No Place I’d Rather Be” (1967)

08. Marcus – “Grains of Sand” (1970)

09. Smokey & His Sister – “In a Dream of Silent Seas (You Can Find Me)” (1967)

10. Tony Green and Barry Stagg – “Life and Love” (1969)

11. 3’s a Crowd – “Coat of Colors” (1968)

12. Wendy & Bonnie – “You Keep Hanging Up on My Mind” (1969)

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