what would you do with four calling birds anyway?

tonight's song takes the original "12 days of christmas," and, while using the traditional melody replaces the gifts from the composer's "true love" with items that are in better keeping with a more modern christmas and are provided by the singer's "good friends." it's a fun song even though it abandons the countdown construct shortly as the song progresses. must be a space issue.

a song and a christmas tree (the twelve days of christmas) - andy williams from the andy williams christmas album

happy second day of christmas

for many people, december 25 marked the end of the celebration of christmas; however, for others, the christmas season just started yesterday. on the liturgical calendar, christmas day marked the end of the season of advent, and yesterday was the first of the twelve days of the christmas season. this will be followed by the culminating event of the feast of the epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the magi to the christ child.

in recognition of the continuation of the christmas, today's songs are about ways that these twelve days could be celebrated. rather than the traditional carol, however, i'm posting two variations on that theme. here's the first that incorporates a variety of other holiday tunes and musical styles in as madcap a way as possible to get those gifts a given.

the 12 days of christmas - straight no chaser from christmas cheers

the christmas day conclusion: favorite christmas albums 6 - 1

happy christmas to one and all! i hope santa was good to each and every one of you celebrants of this wonderful holiday. well, we find ourselves at last at the the conclusion of my countdown of my favorite holidays season albums with the top 6 on the list. one of the best parts of doing this countdown has been sharing music that i find to be so very special, some of which some of you may be hearing for the very first time. i have more of the same today, and i hope it provides a fitting soundtrack to this christmas day. so starting this final segment of the countdown, we have ...

6.  december - kenny loggins

i believe i mentioned earlier in the month that one of my annual holiday season traditions is, though i consider the christmas season officially begins the day after thanksgiving, i will not play this particular album until the first day of december. given how much i love it, as soon as that day hits, this album is the first one playing. the interesting thing about this particular album is that it started out with very low expectations on my part. i actually found it in that little christmas music display that target always sets up in their in-store pop-up christmas section. i saw it, i liked kenny loggins, and so i thought, "why not?" and purchased it. am i ever grateful for that simple decision because this amazing collection of lyrical almost ethereal songs has added such a richness to many a holiday season. as i type this, a surprise snow is gently falling to the ground. i can't think of a better backdrop to the songs i will be sharing today.

on christmas morning
some children see him
december

5.  a christmas to remember - amy grant

oh, what a surprise to find a christmas album from amy grant in my top five. naturally, i kid. not only is amy grant tied with james taylor as my two all-time favorite singers, but to date, i believe she has like six christmas albums to her name with half of them being part compilation part new music. in addition, over the course of the month, i think amy is the artist with the most songs shared. of the three albums of original music, i've chosen two for the countdown. i do greatly enjoy all three. i think this particular one has a wonderful combination of original and classic songs -- songs that come from the canon of sacred music that celebrate the birth of jesus and songs that celebrate the delights of the modern holiday season. it is always one of the first christmas albums i play every year and one that i revel in all season long. i hope the songs i share today demonstrate why this is the case.

a christmas to remember
mister santa
'til the season comes around again
agnus dei

4.  christmas, love and you - will downing

and speaking of one of the first christmas albums i play every year, count this one in that number. to me, mr. downing has created what is the perfect contemporary christmas album. original arrangements of classic christmas tunes, wonderful new songs to add to the catalog of beloved holiday music, and sumptuous vocals delivered in a relaxed soulful style. if you're a fan of r&b music, expect to like this one a lot. you may even find yourself adding it to your own christmas music collection.

the first noel
love on christmas morning
christmas time after time

3. the christmas song - nat king cole

the final three albums have a truly special place in my heart. not just because they have such a sublime collection of songs and vocal performances, but more so, because they have been with me so long and evoke deep memories of times and places in my life. this album is literally the first christmas album of which i have any memory (well this and gene autry's rudolph the red nosed reindeer). this is likely due to the fact that my mother put this lp on our aircraft carrier sized stereo console every year until the needle practically dug a groove through the vinyl. even though i've listened to this and many a christmas album for the past 45 years (of which i'm aware), i'm not sure there is an album that brings back to my consciousness my memories of christmas as a child for me more than this one. with all of the emotional challenges that this holiday has brought to me in recent years, i am blessed to have had many a wondrous christmas as a child. thank you nat for contributing to that being the case for each and every one.

deck the hall
i saw three ships
caroling, caroling
the christmas song (merry christmas to you)

2.  a christmas portrait - carpenters

this album is all about my college years. that's when i first met its acquaintance though i had been a carpenters fan since my pre-teen years. a good friend and i would listen to this album non-stop as we studied for our fall semester final exams, looking forward to being done with those dreaded (at least for me) tests and back at home with family for a much needed break. there is only one singer that i can think of that has a voice as distinctive in the way that karen carpenter's is and that is judy garland. in both cases, their voices are so mellifluous with a touch of pathos that you can't help but be affected to the core of your soul. when you place karen's vocals in the context of richard carpenters' exquisite orchestrations then you have a musical experience that absolutely has few equals.

silent night
home for the holidays
ave maria
merry christmas darling

1.  home for christmas - amy grant

and we have finally reached number one on the countdown of my favorite christmas albums, and yes the top spot goes to none other than amy grant. this was the second of amy's christmas albums and to me it is the very best. for several of the tracks she hearkened back to earlier days of music recording history by recording with a live orchestra rather than the current practice of singing to already recorded music. this album is actually the first i play at the outset of every holiday season, and it's one that i love to have on as i begin my holiday decorating. while this album has many of the traditional christmas carols and standards, it has two very special songs that amy popularized and that have become a part of many a christmas album since (both of which i've included here). a more apt title could not have been chosen for this album, for it indeed makes you feel so at home in the very best sense of the word, providing a deep sense comfort, peace and most of all love.

breath of heaven (mary's song)
grown-up christmas list
the night before christmas
emmanuel, god with us
have yourself a merry little christmas

and that closes out my countdown of my favorite christmas albums. it has been a privilege to share this music with you, and i hope you found it worth your time to visit my blog this week. i will be back for the remaining days of the month to share a few more songs, but right now, as our last song expressed, "have yourself a merry little christmas now."

the countdown on christmas eve: favorite christmas albums 12 - 7

it's christmas eve -- the one night of the year when children can't wait to go to bed. that is with the exception of a few intrepid young souls who are determined to stay awake, hidden away, waiting to catch a glimpse of Santa's arrival. alas, even with this determination, they inevitably fall asleep and have to be carried to bed by their equally as tired parents, who likely have spent hours assembling, battery-ing, and wrapping present after present.

and on this christmas eve, we get ever closer to my top favorite christmas albums. today it's numbers 12 - 7 and i believe, with a only a few exceptions, that at least one song from this group of albums and tomorrow's has already appeared on the blog this month. so on to the final 12.

12.  the season - jane monheit

ms. monheit is one of those incredible singers who, while known and respected among fans of jazz  and classic standards, is not as famous as she should be given her immense talent. she has both an amazing voice and is a peerless interpreter of songs. i think i have all of her albums, and whenever i listen to one, it is like receiving a special gift. imagine my delight when i found out that one of my favorite singers was doing a holiday album, and speaking of gifts, this album, with it's lush arrangements and that phenomenal voice, is among one of the best one could ever receive. as with the other albums remaining in the countdown, there are an abundance of riches here from which to select songs to share. knowing i can't choose the whole album, i'm doing my best to narrow the selections down to two, and, if you like what you hear, itunes is only a few clicks away.

this christmas
i love the winter weather/i've got my love to keep me warm

11.  these are the special times - celine dion

i was just noticing that this section of the countdown has quite its fair share of some of the great vocalists of our time. certainly, few would dispute that this artist has a definite place in that category. her christmas album is everything you could want from one of the genre. a great variety of songs infused with ms. dion's beautiful voice is a combination that can't be beat. don't let the position on the countdown belie how fantastic this album is. on another given day, this album could easily have been placed a few notches higher. listening to these songs i've selected may even make you wonder why i didn't.

these are the special times
another year has gone by 

10.  star bright - vanessa williams

i so love this album. imagine taking christmas classics and re-interpreting them so that they have this modern r&b sound that would be quite at home in a swanky nightclub. that's the primary approach of this album, and this artist carries it off so very, very well. there have been a couple songs already shared this month that involve angels. here are two more.

hark the herald angels sing
angels we have heard on high 

9.  christmastime - michael w. smith

i really enjoy when an artist of today produces a christmas album that is reminiscent of the classic christmas albums by such artists as nat king cole, andy williams, perry como and johnny mathis.  there are quite a few examples of this approach represented on this countdown, and i am really grateful that michael w. smith chose to take it with this second of four christmas albums he has made over the years. enjoy these two selections from another truly great holiday album.

the happiest christmas
christmastime

8.  this is christmas - luther vandross

with songs that are both powerful and moving, this album is a delight for the ears from beginning to end. if there's an album you want to have to set the perfect mood for a christmas eve night with your significant other, you could do much worse than having this one in your playlist. here are two of the standouts. cue the goosebumps.

with a christmas heart
every year, every christmas

7.  merry christmas - mariah carey

so here's the last album of today's set of my favorite christmas albums and what an album to close out on. we all know mariah as a great singer, but i'm not sure that people fully appreciate what a talented songwriter she is. she brings that talent to this album by co-writing all of the original songs in this collection. i've selected two of those songs that are likely familiar to many of you. with both expect a great musical experience.

all i want for christmas is you
jesus born on this day

so tomorrow is christmas and the final six albums of the countdown. enjoy your evening and take it easy on the egg nog and cookies.

keeping on counting 'em down: favorite christmas albums 18 - 13

welcome back to the continuation of the countdown of my favorite christmas albums. christmas is in two days, but i've got some great musical gifts to share today. so, the next album is number 18 on the countdown. let's get to it.

18.  one wish: the holiday album - whitney houston

if i were just rating these albums on the vocal performances alone, i know this album would be much, much higher in the countdown; however there's more that goes into my ratings than just the singing. other elements like song selection, originality of songs and/or arrangements, and how much emotional history i have with the album are also key factors in my evaluation for relative placement of my favorite holiday albums. if there is one factor that contributes to this album being placed where it is, it's the fact that i just haven't had enough time with it. even though this album was released twelve years ago, there are albums higher up that i've been listening to for twenty, thirty, even forty years. that's a lot of history. still, with an album this good, i'm sure it will continue to climb over time.
here's the title track as proof of my prediction.

one wish (for christmas)

17.  noel - josh groban

this artist has a voice that is ideally suited for christmas music. with so many of particularly the centuries old songs being anthemic in nature, his full voice embodies them perfectly. yet, it's not just about singing to the rafters. much of the music of the season, if it is done well, also requires the ability to convey compassion, reverence, and peace. again, this is an artist for whom christmas music is a perfect match. the song i'm sharing is an original song, and the third song i've shared from mr. groban this month. it captures everything that i've just written and transcends it. try not being moved by it. i dare you.

thankful

16.  the andy williams christmas album - andy williams

this album is considered to be one of the quintessential holiday albums. if you say christmas album to many people of a certain generation this is surely going to be one of those albums that almost immediately will come to mind. even with this being the case and the fact that it was first released just before the year of my own birth, i didn't "discover" this album until much later in my life (unlike another classic christmas album that i'd been hearing likely since i was born, which will make its appearance later in this countdown). there's something about these older albums that is just so special with their "bright and shiny" vocals and arrangements. listen to this selected song and you'll get my meaning.

happy holiday

15.  a sentimental christmas - kathy troccoli

it's interesting that this album should be so closely ranked to the one that precedes it. it's one that shares that classic, timeless feeling but was released over 30 years later. i just love the way it makes you feel as if you're witnessing a holiday performance by glenn miller and his orchestra with kathy as their featured "girl" singer. if you enjoy christmas music with a 1940's big band sound then this album is definitely for you. and so is this song.

let it snow

14.  a charlie brown christmas - the vince guaraldi trio

is there a more fun christmas album with a cooler vibe than this one? not only does it make me want to get into the christmas groove every year. it makes me want to do it in a black turtleneck, dark sunglasses and a beret. and to think it was the soundtrack to a kid's cartoon special. but charlie brown has always been about more than entertaining just children and the songs on this album are meant to be enjoyed long after the kids have (finally) been put to bed on christmas eve. here's two more from this album for all you cool cats out there to add to the ones posted a couple of weeks ago.


skating
christmas is coming

13.  a christmas story - point of grace

so it's back to the contemporary christian music ranks for our next album from one of that genre's most successful and popular groups. the harmonies that these four (at the time) women achieve are a feast for the ears. on this particular album not only are they in fine voice, but the selections of both classic and original songs are top notch. flawless from beginning to end. this one gets two song selections as well (one of which has a special guest star who was the first male to appear on a point of grace record).

when love came down
light of the world (feat. michael tait)

with all of this great music shared thus far can you believe there are still 12 more albums to come? well, there are, and i hope you'll be back tomorrow on christmas eve day to hear the selections from albums 12 - 7.

the countdown continues: favorite christmas albums 24 -19

welcome back to the ietboyw 2015 favorite christmas albums countdown. today, i'm offering up selections from six more albums as we progress up the list to my all-time favorite holiday album. so without further ado, let's get to it.

24.  the new young messiah - various artists

during the 90's there was a particular phenomenon that was quite popular in the contemporary christian music realm. it was the "event" album. the premise was very simple. assemble a variety of artists from across a particular record label (or even across labels) and have them perform, separately and/or together, songs that were related to a particular theme. several of these event albums were related to christmas, and the one i've selected is my favorite from that lot. it's a modern take on the classic 18th century oratorio messiah by george frideric handel. since it's such a large work, i thought selecting two of my favorites would only be appropriate.

o thou that tellest good tidings to zion - susan ashton, christine dente, cindy morgan
the trumpet shall sound - 4him

23.  holiday wishes - idina menzel

this album comes from one of broadway's most beloved stars and certainly one of its most powerful voices. that voice could not be better suited for the song i've selected. it's one of those standard christmas songs that's a part of just about every christmas album. i don't think you'll hear a finer rendition than this one.

do you hear what i hear?

22.  christmas - bebo norman

this album comes from another favorite contemporary christian music artist (i really need to investigate if that's the term that's currently in vogue). mr. norman represents one of my favorite types of recording artists, the singer-songwriter. his combination of thoughtful lyrics and wonderful acoustic-based melodies are truly a delight to listen to. the song i've selected is the opening track on this album. listen as it begins with just his voice and a piano accompaniment and then builds into what can only be described as a glorious call to worship. i get chills.

come and worship

21.  a lovely way to spend christmas - kristin chenoweth

i guess this is the day for albums from broadway royalty. interestingly enough, kristin and idina originated the starring roles in what has become one of the most popular and successful broadway musicals of our time wicked.  their appearance on the same day of my countdown is purely coincidental. what is not a coincidence is how well kristin brings such life and character to each and every performance on this album. here she is with the very talented jazz pianist john pizzarelli singing two holiday songs that i'm not sure i would have thought to put together, but it turns out they make a wonderful pair (both songs and singers).

sleigh ride/marshmallow world

20.  snowflakes - toni braxton

toni braxton, toni braxton, toni braxton. i'm not sure much more needs to be said as to why this album is one of my favorites. it's just pure holiday, r&b deliciousness. so just listen to this song selection and be swept away to where few voices can take you (and if you have someone special, make sure they're close at hand so they can get "inspired" by ms. braxton's sultry suggestions).

holiday celebrate

19.  christmas stays the same - linda eder

another powerful singer who also has performing on broadway as part of her resume. i don't think there's a better word to describe this album than "homey" (in the sense of a place that is reassuringly comforting). it's just one of those holiday collections that, with every listen, your mind goes back to the best christmas holidays at home you've ever experienced (or at least to every hallmark commercial you've ever seen with a christmas setting). the title track shared here exemplifies that dynamic quite well.

christmas stays the same

so that's all for today. be sure to come back tomorrow for selections 18 - 13.

counting 'em down: the first seven

did someone call for a favorite christmas album countdown? well, today's your lucky day because starting now, i'll be counting down my favorites every day all the way until christmas day.

so, when you have over 100 holiday albums in your possession, as i do, you can imagine there's quite a bit from which to choose. so much so that the plans for this little countdown started out as my top ten favorite. well, after listing several more than ten off the top my head, i thought i should expand it to a top 15. as i began going through my collection i realized that i should expand it to a top 20. with more digging it expanded to a top 25,  and after even more digging, i figured i should just see how many i ended up with and use that as my favorites list.

i mention all of that to explain why you're getting a top 31 favorite albums countdown. it's an unconventional number sure, but after all, it's my blog so my rules. now, let's get to how this all will work.

each day, i'll be listing a handful of my favorite christmas albums with a brief commentary of why each album was so selected. following this will be a selection of one or two of my favorite songs from that album. it's going to be quite a bit of music ,so i hope you're stored up on christmas cookies and egg nog. brief explanation completed, let's start with the first album, moving up from number 31 (cause, you know, it's a countdown):

31.  glee, the music: the christmas album vol. 1

there are four volumes of christmas music performed by the kids from the television show glee. they're all very good, but i would have to say that the first album is my favorite. great singing, playful arrangements make this an enjoyable experience all the way around as evidenced by my postings  earlier this month of the "klaine" duet of baby, it's cold outside as well as the ensemble cast performing we need a little christmas. here's a third song that actually combines two popular christmas songs into one fun mashup.

deck the rooftop - glee cast ensemble

30. kylie christmas - kylie minogue

this is actually a new album in my collection, having been released just this year. i love ms. minogue's pop stylings in general, and she has used them to great effect with this christmas album. it's one that i can see climbing up the ranks of my list of favorites as the years go by. as proof of that prediction, i had a difficult time picking which songs i would post. that's the reason you're getting two from this one.

every day's like christmas
only you (feat. james corden)

29.  it's the thought - twila paris

long time readers of this blog will know that i'm a recovering evangelical christian (as well as a lapsed catholic. i'm thinking organized religion may not be my thing). still, if there's one good thing that came out of that experience, it's my exposure to what was then called contemporary christian music and to one singer in particular (but more on her later in the week). this album selection is the first of several from that genre i will be posting. it is a lovely, gentle album with both original and classic devotional songs interspersed. the song i've selected, which is the title track of the album, conveys the two adjectives i've used quite well.

it's the thought 

28.  cool yule - bette midler

leave it to the divine miss m to produce a christmas album that can shift effortlessly from jazzy beats to gentle ballads. equally fun and moving, i thoroughly enjoy this album every time i put it on. here are two great examples of this delightful duality (one of which is a version of one of her most popular songs and it fits very nicely into the themes of this holiday season).

cool yule
from a distance (christmas version)

27.  a christmas album - james taylor

it likely comes as no surprise that an album by james taylor would find it's way onto one of my favorites lists. what may be surprising is how far down the countdown this album is. don't get me wrong, this is a very good album, but for this one james decided to go pretty conventional. it has pretty traditional arrangements of traditional christmas standards. truth be told, if it were any other artist, the album might not have made this list, but it's not any other artist. it's james taylor and so of course he's here, and with him comes a very, very nice song.

who comes this night

26.  yule swing! - anna wilson

this album joined my collection a couple of years back, and in all candor, i'd never heard of the artist before its appearing in my amazon.com suggestion list. well, clearly amazon knows me pretty well because this collection of jazz/big band influenced holiday songs has become a most welcome part of my collection. it's the kind of album you definitely want playing at a christmas party for grown-ups. unfortunately, i can't find a full song from this album on the internet to link to, so i highly recommend you seek it out yourself to enjoy. to make it easy for you here's a link to the album on that retail site that brought it first to my attention. you can even hear some samplings before you purchase. my particular favorites are the title track, christmas is coming to town, and mrs. claus.

25. come darkness, come light: twelve songs of christmas - mary chapin carpenter

the last album for today's portion of the countdown comes from an artist who embodies every sense of the word.  the thoughtful lyrics, the beautiful imagery, the peaceful acoustic arrangements, and a reverential performance are all here. this is an album that envelops you and holds you close. if the previous album is a great selection for your next holiday soiree, this would be one that would be perfect listening to by yourself in front of a fireplace, reflecting on the powerful message of the season. you heard one song from this album last week. the song selected today is the title track, and well, it is as beautiful a christmas song as you could ask for.

come darkness, come light 

since you're coming this way anyway ...

here's a santa song for the grown-ups in the audience. i hope you have better luck than i have over the last few years getting this request of the big guy met. and what's really disappointing is i truly have been a good boy. honest.

hey santa! -- wendy and carnie wilson from hey santa!

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - ho, ho, ho!

so, it's five days until the big day, which means that children all over the world are driving their parents crazy with boundless agitation and questioning about when is santa finally going to arrive with their presents (there's a lot of presumption out there with kids assuming they're on the nice list).

well, this morning's song is a bit of encouragement for both children and parents alike. yes, kiddos the big jolly man in red will soon be making his way to your christmas tree intent on leaving you with all the toys and goodies your little hearts desire. and yes parents, the day of the long, seemingly  endless christmas siege perpetuated by your offspring ending is just around the corner.

well, that is until december 26 when they'll start asking you how long it is until next christmas.

here comes santa claus/santa claus is coming to town - linda eder from christmas stays the same