Legal Insurrection’s Christmas Song-a-palooza
From sublime choir renditions to fun children’s songs and nostalgic Christmas favorites
Legal Insurrection has posted some awesome Christmas videos over the years, and this is a great time to revisit them . . . and add a few.
Music is such an integral part of the human experience, and our memories are so often connected directly to a particular tune or lyric. A song can whisk us back in time, warm our heart, and boost our spirits. Christmas songs, it seems to me, are among the more powerful examples of this phenomenon.
First up, from Mike’s VIDEO: Hillsdale College Choir Sings ‘O Holy Night’:
It is indeed sublime.
Next up, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” from Mall Ditches Santa’s Christmas Village, Hides Him in Glacier Display:
While we’re revisiting childhood Christmas memories, we can’t skip the Heat Miser song from the Christmas classic The Year Without a Santa Claus. It’s one of my faves:
Ultimately, though, a lot of people like to enjoy Christmas music that is not for children only. In her 2014 Christmas post, “Who Spiked the Eggnog?” or, “A Legal Insurrection Christmas Sing-a-Long!”, Amy posted some great Christmas videos.
Remember when the anti-joy PC police came after “Baby It’s Cold Outside” as a “date rape song”? So ludicrous.
Anyway, among the comments on Amy’s post, LI reader snopercod suggested inclusion of the Carpenters’ “Merry Christmas, Darling.” It’s truly gorgeous, so here it is:
Another song suggested in that thread resonates for me because I live in the “Redneck Riveria” part of Florida, also known as LA (as in “Lower Alabama”).
Mike is particularly fond of The Ultimate Christmas Flash Mob Video!. And with good reason.
I’ve heard a zillion renditions of “White Christmas,” but none comes close to Bing Crosby’s:
My all-time favorite Christmas song, however, has to be Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas.”
Do you have a favorite Christmas song or version by a particular artist?
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One of my favorite Christmas songs, performed by two of my favorite artists. The Wexford Carol, also known as “Good people all,” performed by Alison Krauss with Yo-Yo Ma on cello. It is said to be one of the oldest Christmas carols in the European tradition — and it’s certainly beautiful. I like to see it get a new airing from time to time – and at the moment, this is my favorite version.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/yxDZjg_Igoc
Amazon link: Check out “Songs of Joy & Peace” by Yo-Yo Ma on Amazon Music. https://music.amazon.com/albums/B001HDX0YC?ref=dm_sh_KO5kTqKfwakzWxTDAEqATlM1C
My favorite depends on my mood… it can vary from a traditional carol to Eartha Kitt or the Beach Boys.
A post above, though, reminded me of “Christmas in the Trenches”.
https://youtu.be/KCTeXUkTFwQ
I like Gaudete by Steeleye Span:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoQ3kbxegHY
I saw that glitzy photo of Elvis, and I done got triggered.
My preferred Christmas songs are sung in chorus with family and close friends, in honor of the guy born in Bethlehem. Carols are to be done with you. By the time some over-madeup ‘star’ gets on a stage, you become passive – they’re done for you, or given modern performance volumes, they’re done TO you.
Merry Christmas.
For me no Christmas is complete without Maddy Prior (the female vocalist with Steeleye Span) and the Carnival Band’s “Tapestry of Carols” and Horselips “Drive the Cold Winter Away” albums. Probably my favorite from the latter is this (which is Manx not Irish), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoTrf7gNqCg
On the humorous side, Frank Kelly’s 12 days of Christmas/Christmas Countdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoTrf7gNqCg
And lastly, Stuck in the Smoke Hole of our Tipi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkwlR6EnOps
I don’t necessarily like all of their songs, but I really like some of the versions of several traditional Christmas songs by an Evangelical Christian “rock” group called, “Future of Forestry” (their name comes from a phrase used by Christian author C.S. Lewis in one of his books or essays). Especially some of the songs from their “Solstice” concert (the videos of that concert have a bluish hue). Songs such as:
“O Holy Night”
“O Come Emmanuel”
“What Child Is This?”
“The First Noel”
“O Come Let Us Adore Him” (Fan Video).
Merry Christmas to all. Praise God for His glorious and transcendent gift!!
My favorite version of “Baby it’s Cold Outside” appeared on a “King Family” special, and I have been looking for it for years.
My second favorite is this one as a commercial(?) for a TBS show “Ground Floor”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwqAJhdrGmA&feature=youtu.be
There is a clip out there with Megan Mulaley and the Donald singing “Green Acres”. I think it would have been cool if he and Melania recorded a version of BICO.
I have never thought of that line as being particularly misogynistic. roofies were unheard of at the time. It refers to the alcohol content of the drink.
The funny thing thing is that there seems to be a more misogynistic aspect of the song. The female clearly wants to be convinced, but she wants the male to chase her, and her concern is not with what will happen but her “reputation”.
A feminist version would be more like:
“I really must go.”
“But baby it’s cold outside.”
“OK. I’ll stay. let’s do it.”
You missed all the Charlie Brown ones.
Snoopy Christmas.
Linus and Lucy.
O Tanenbaum.
Christmas Time is Here.
My recent favorite is Bake naked Ladies “We Three Kings/God Rest Yee Merry Gentlemen”.
Oh, and who can forget Mannheim Steamroller?
Handel’s “Messiah” is the most beautiful and most inspirational of all Christmas songs in my opinion.
One of the most fun songs is from the Christmas Vacation swimming pool scene.
I love Handel’s “Messiah.” Oddly, I’ve never really thought of it as a Christmas song, but it clearly is perfect for Christmas.
It does work for both Christmas and Easter. So not limited to just Christmas. There was a time when many a high school band and choir combined to do Handel’s Messiah as part of their Christmas or Easter concerts. I still remember my high school performance of it and being led by the gay choir instructor as conductor with tears streaming down his face as the performance closed. A combination not likely to be seen today for many unfortunate reasons.
The Prof. had a link to this on the front page yesterday…Simply amazing, Jennifer Nettles sings one of the best performances I have ever heard of “O Holy Night”
Enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAEJKg0lSPk&list=RDjAEJKg0lSPk
This is my all-time favorite Christmas song – Spirit of Christmas – Ray Charles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfLmpKTqugM