Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 11. Angels Among Us by Alabama
I know, I know. You’re probably in one of two camps: either you are wondering why this didn’t make the top ten, or you are wondering why this song is in the countdown at all… As I’ve mentioned before, I am drawn to stories, especially in songs. This song is on a Country Sounds of [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 12. All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
This one goes out to all of my yearbook alums who bring this song to life every year in our beloved room 701. A few years ago, during a particularly stressful deadline rush with yearbook, a few of my editors made a playlist with just this song in it — about 15 copies, to be [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 13. When My Heart Finds Christmas by Harry Connick, Jr.
Harry Connick Jr.’s music takes me back to the very early 90′s when I was actively involved in the production side of our church, Chesapeake Presbyterian, in Southern Maryland. I was on the drama team, and we performed skits that contributed to the focus of each sermon. I made a lot of friends there, many [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 14. I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Josh Groban
There are times when our emotions are so deep, the words escape us. We are left with actions, instead, to speak for us. Today, I let Josh Groban and Morrill Worcester do what I cannot seem to do. Josh’s tribute to our troops in his rendition of this song, and Morrill’s Wreaths Across America project [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 15. Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses
Nothing deep here today. This trademark song of the 80s by Patty Donahue and The Waitresses (best known for their 1982 song, “I Know What Boys Like”) wraps up so many memories from this decade — the Pat Benatar-style new-wave singer doing a half-sing, half primitive rap about a feel-good love story that ends in [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 16. Christmas Canon by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
This is the second song by Trans-Siberian Orchestra to make the countdown (First Snow came in at no. 26); this is also the second time Pachelbel’s Canon has been featured (Variations on the Kanon by George Winston kicked off the countdown at no. 30). I just couldn’t pass on this version, though, especially since Trans-Siberian [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 17. Merry Christmas Darling by The Carpenters
For one reason or another, this song evokes strong emotions from so many of us. For me, it’s the extreme contrasts between an absolutely beautiful song, sung by a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice, who struggled with demons all her life. Demons so many of us knew nothing about. Karen Carpenter was only 20 [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 18. You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch by the Brian Setzer Orchestra
What’s not to love about this Seussian classic? How The Grinch Stole Christmas was written and published by Dr. Seuss in 1957 and made into a television production in 1966, featuring the voice of the legendary Boris Karloff. Most recently, in 2000, it was produced as a full-feature film starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch. [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 19. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
I have to thank the movie, Home for the Holidays, for creating my own personal home movie in my head whenever I hear this song. At the end of the movie, we see a collection of home-movie clips of family moments — all good — at Christmastime. Even the characters that are less than likable [...]
Christmas Countdown 2009: No. 20. Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone
There are many, many versions of this song, and before Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone cut their version for the Elf soundtrack, I didn’t like any of them. They were too fast, too slow, or worse — too peppy and cute. The Deschanel/Redbone cut is, by far, the perfect combination of silk and jazz that [...]
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