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Post by Kapitan on Dec 13, 2019 15:54:24 GMT
Nobody can question their fandom, that's for sure. From M Ward opening an album with a cover of "You Still Believe In Me" back in the mid-00s to Zooey interviewing Brian a few years later to their appearance on NPP, it's definitely something they refer and return to often.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 13, 2019 18:41:07 GMT
The Bill Murray Christmas special has become sort of a holiday tradition at my house since it first aired a few years ago. We haven't had a chance to watch it yet this year. So here’s this… I love this version of Alone on Christmas Day. The only way I can describe the saga of "Alone On Christmas Day" is incredible, for the following reasons:
1. You have to be a Beach Boys' diehard just to have heard the song. It is so obscure. For reasons that were never explained, the song didn't make the cut on Ultimate Christmas. It's just as good as "Santa's Got An Airplane" or "(I Saw Santa) Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree".
2. The original version of "Alone On Christmas Day" has come and gone and come and gone on YouTube. Your best bet was/is to acquire a bootleg of the 1977 M.I.U. Christmas sessions.
3. While I like the song very much, it was never one that really stood out among those 1977 Christmas songs. I could see if a band chose to cover, say "Winter Symphony" or "Bells Of Christmas", or even Dennis' "Morning Christmas". But some band, in this case Phoenix, actually pulled it off. They picked "Alone On Christmas Day" - and recorded it!
4. Not only was "Alone On Christmas Day" recorded and released, but none other than Bill Murray chooses to feature the song - out of the zillions of other Christmas songs - for his Christmas special, A Very Murray Christmas. WTF?
5. "Alone On Christmas Day" lives. You can actually hear it on the radio and while walking through stores during the Christmas season - right alongside "Little Saint Nick". "Alone On Christmas Day" is the "Kokomo" of Beach Boys' Christmas songs!
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 14, 2019 1:10:45 GMT
"Listen, The Snow Is Falling", written by Yoko Ono, first appeared on the 1969 John Lennon & Yoko Ono album, Wedding Album. It was later used as the B-side for "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)". I like this song very much, and I'm surprised it hasn't received more airplay and attention over the years.
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Post by Kapitan on Dec 14, 2019 2:10:49 GMT
It's also on the new Harry Nilsson album.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 14, 2019 14:18:27 GMT
Here's a Christmas song that comes out of the MTV Era - "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses. "Christmas Wrapping" has been featured in several movies, and this year you can hear it on T-Mobile commercials. Sadly, lead singer Patty Donahue passed away from lung cancer in 1996. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, but I think I'll miss this one this year. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas...
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Post by B.E. on Dec 14, 2019 15:57:21 GMT
The only way I can describe the saga of "Alone On Christmas Day" is incredible, for the following reasons: 1. You have to be a Beach Boys' diehard just to have heard the song. For reasons that were never explained, the song didn't make the cut on Ultimate Christmas. I would describe it as obscure.
The only explanation that makes any sense is that the song was being saved for a future release. Considering the Beach Boys were in full break up mode in 1998, I suspect Mike wanted it for himself. 5. "Alone On Christmas Day" lives. You can actually hear it on the radio and while walking through stores during the Christmas season - right alongside "Little Saint Nick". The Phoenix version?
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 14, 2019 16:10:46 GMT
The only way I can describe the saga of "Alone On Christmas Day" is incredible, for the following reasons: 1. You have to be a Beach Boys' diehard just to have heard the song. For reasons that were never explained, the song didn't make the cut on Ultimate Christmas. I would describe it as obscure.
The only explanation that makes any sense is that the song was being saved for a future release. Considering the Beach Boys were in full break up mode in 1998, I suspect Mike wanted it for himself. 5. "Alone On Christmas Day" lives. You can actually hear it on the radio and while walking through stores during the Christmas season - right alongside "Little Saint Nick". The Phoenix version? I thought that maybe the group or the record company didn't think it was worthy of release. The only other M.I.U. Christmas songs that remain unreleased are "Go And Get That Girl (Christmas version)", "Santa's On His Way", and the "Christmas Carol Medley", which is embarrassing. "Alone On Christmas Day" is better than those. If Mike wanted "Alone On Christmas Day" for future release, he certainly took his time in addressing it.
Yes, I hear the Phoenix version being played occasionally. I even heard it on the Comcast Cable TV music channel, Music Choice.
I think of the three versions, I actually prefer the Beach Boys' M.I.U. version. Here is a very clear version I found on YouTube:
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Post by B.E. on Dec 14, 2019 16:28:16 GMT
I thought that maybe the group or the record company didn't think it was worthy of release. The only other M.I.U. Christmas songs that remain unreleased are "Go And Get That Girl (Christmas version)", "Santa's On His Way", and the "Christmas Carol Medley", which is embarrassing."Alone On Christmas Day" is better than those. If Mike wanted "Alone On Christmas Day" for future release, he certainly took his time in addressing it. I don't think Mike had any imminent plans for it, but I'm coming from the point of view that, compositionally, "Alone On Christmas Day" might have had the most commercial appeal/potential from those sessions (not that that is saying much!). There are numerous possibilities, but if I had to guess I think Mike probably felt that the 1977 recording wasn't complete or worthy of the song and that since the group was breaking up, and it was a Mike co-write, he decided to hang on to it. We all know how unprolific he is as a songwriter, and while it's not a favorite song of mine, there's something there. Also, he routinely reaches back to the late 70s/early 80s for solo songs. I think that's more likely than the group or record company thinking the song, or even the recording, was unworthy of that compilation. That makes zero sense to me. (Of course, it need not make sense to me to be the truth.)
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 14, 2019 16:42:06 GMT
I thought that maybe the group or the record company didn't think it was worthy of release. The only other M.I.U. Christmas songs that remain unreleased are "Go And Get That Girl (Christmas version)", "Santa's On His Way", and the "Christmas Carol Medley", which is embarrassing."Alone On Christmas Day" is better than those. If Mike wanted "Alone On Christmas Day" for future release, he certainly took his time in addressing it. I don't think Mike had any imminent plans for it, but I'm coming from the point of view that, compositionally, "Alone On Christmas Day" might have had the most commercial appeal/potential from those sessions (not that that is saying much!). There are numerous possibilities, but if I had to guess I think Mike probably felt that the 1977 recording wasn't complete or worthy of the song and that since the group was breaking up, and it was a Mike co-write, he decided to hang on to it. We all know how unprolific he is as a songwriter, and while it's not a favorite song of mine, there's something there. Also, he routinely reaches back to the late 70s/early 80s for solo songs. I think that's more likely than the group or record company thinking the song, or even the recording, was unworthy of that compilation. That makes zero sense to me. (Of course, it need not make sense to me to be the truth.) Yeah, good points. Mike never forgets a lyric, a concept, or an old song.
There's one other thing I was thinking, and maybe it's just a coincidence. The only two M.I.U. ORIGINAL Christmas songs that were not included on Ultimate Christmas were "Go And Get That Girl" and "Alone On Christmas Day" - both co-written by Ron Altbach. "Santa's On His Way" is a "H.E.L.P. Is On The Way" re-write. Maybe the Ron Altbach factor had something to do with it.
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Post by B.E. on Dec 14, 2019 17:00:11 GMT
I'm glad songs like "Go And Get That Girl" and "Seasons In The Sun" weren't included on Ultimate Christmas. They don't sound like Christmas songs.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 14, 2019 17:13:26 GMT
I'm glad songs like "Go And Get That Girl" and "Seasons In The Sun" weren't included on Ultimate Christmas. They don't sound like Christmas songs. And "Michael, Row The Boat Ashore", a 15 Big Ones outtake, was supposed to be included on the 1977 Christmas album. Now, I love that song and especially the Beach Boys' version. It has been among my favorite unreleased Beach Boys' songs for years. But I think to include "Michael, Row The Boat Ashore" on a Christmas album because of basically two lines - "the River Jordan is chilly and cold, hallelujah...chills the body but not the soul, hallelujah" - is a bit of a reach.
I'm curious if any other artists ever used "Michael, Row The Boat Ashore" in the context of a Christmas song. Maybe back in the folk music era.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 15, 2019 18:52:49 GMT
Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme. Steve & Eydie! They were a popular husband and wife singing team in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. Steve & Eydie
appeared in night clubs, on Broadway, on a variety of TV shows, and were also fairly successful recording artists, both jointly and solo. Their biggest hit together was "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big" in 1960, written by Steve Allen. Steve Lawrence had a No. 1 single with "Go Away Little Girl" in 1962, and Eydie Gorme had a No. 7 hit with "Blame It On The Bossa Nova" in 1963.
In 1964, Steve & Eydie released their only Christmas album, That Holiday Feeling! It's an excellent album, reminiscent of the Christmas albums of that era. The songs have that cozy, romantic, and happy Christmas feeling. I was fortunate to get an autographed That Holiday Feeling! CD from Steve & Eydie, shortly before Eydie's death in 2013.
Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme were simply great singers. I am featuring two songs/videos. "That Holiday Feeling" is the title track and an infectious duet. You will occasionally hear it played over the Christmas season. "My Favorite Things" is solo Eydie, not included on the Christmas album, but quite a showcase for Eydie's sensational talent. Enjoy.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 18, 2019 0:35:03 GMT
Taking a little break from the Christmas music to bring you this, from Brian's Facebook page:
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 19, 2019 14:24:15 GMT
How about a fun, swingin' Christmas tune? Cool yule!
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 20, 2019 14:01:12 GMT
Take me back, Ronnie! Ring-a-ling-a-ding-dong-ding...
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