(: Colette asked:


I remember him singing at the suber bowl once, and I really liked it, but I forgot what it’s called!Do you know?Thanks!

Tommy

Hot Mess asked:


I personally don’t understand why everyone hates her. She got beat up by her husband, she gives money to animal charities and does good work. Her disability always get’s made fun of and if it was anyone else then it wouldn’t be allowed. But as it’s Heather Mills, we should all be able to take the p*ss?

Paul McCartney is a complete idiot IMO, he’s a wife beater and he has turned the media and most of the general public against Heather.

So what are your views?

Wesley

Peter Cross asked:


I’ve been in rock and roll all my life and I’m well aware that The Rolling Stones have been called the best rock and roll band. Don’t get me wrong because I love Mick and the Stones, and the Beatles were my major musical influence, but here’s why I think that Led Zeppelin is the best rock and roll band of all time:

1. BEST PLAYERS

First of all, John Bonham was the best rock and roll drummer ever to walk the face of this planet, and that’s an informed opinion coming from a former professional drummer. John played drums unlike anyone else ever did, still does, or ever will, and that fact is continually demonstrated in the astounding breadth and depth of his recorded work. He had complete independence in all four limbs, he slammed his drums harder than anyone else, and he did it with speed and total precision, never once dropping the beat. His beats were innovative and creative, and John was never stuck in simple grooves. His fills were innovative, creative, complex, and technically brilliant, he knew when to keep it relatively simple (i.e. Kashmir), but he was always in the stratosphere of drumming. And to top that all off, John created a giant drum sound which is unique. It inspired a host of imitators who were able to imitate the sound of his snare drum, but only with a simple backbeat. At the time that Led Zep was formed, Jimmy Page could have gotten any drummer in the world to play with him, and he chose John. There’s not one single drummer alive or dead who can begin to touch John’s power, creativity, speed, precision, and technical brilliance. I’ve heard that Jimmy still feels the same way about John as I do.

Secondly, Jimmy Page has always been one of the best rock guitarists ever, right from his earliest days as a session player and the beginning of his real public stardom in the Yardbirds. I suspect that Jimmy would agree with me that Jimi Hendrix was the one true genius of guitar because he came from another galaxy in terms of his sound and his use of feedback. But unfortunately, Jimi died and we will never know how much further he would have progressed. When I listen to Jimmy’s solos using the violin bow, I get the urge to put him on the same pedestal as Hendrix and wonder which galaxy they both came from. As a songwriter, Jimmy used his superior ability to play lead guitar to create actual song structure. Led Zep’s songs use not one or two of Jimmy’s incredibly powerful, complicated and unbelievably **** riffs in each song, but there are four, five or more riffs in some songs. Jimmy’s riffs differ from each other within each song, and also from song to song. His lead guitar playing can be HARD and sexy, he can be sensitive and beautiful, and he can be technically brilliant, all in the very same song.

Thirdly, John Paul Jones is a bass player who attained a level of brilliance comparable to Paul McCartney. Just like McCartney, John could play beautiful “melodic” bass (i.e. “Ramble On”), he could play as fast as it gets, but he also knew when to keep it simple and just hold down the bottom although I think he was incapable of doing that without utter sophistication. No one at all can touch those two on bass, and John also played consistently brilliant keyboards - piano, organ and synthesizer. The intricate way in which he wove his bass guitar playing into, through, and underneath Jimmy’s guitar playing is nothing short of perfection itself.

And last but not at all least, Robert Plant had an incredibly high vocal range, emotionally as well as in terms of octaves. Just like Dylan was for his own music, Robert’s voice was perfect for Led Zep’s music and there’s no other singer who could possibly have fit in. As a professional singer, I’m knocked out by Robert’s vocals on both a technical and an emotional level. Robert understood the concept of using his voice like a musical instrument, creating fascinating sounds without using lyrics. And Robert co-wrote with Jimmy too. A lot of the time you can’t understand his lyrics and I’ve heard that was Robert’s intent because just like Mick Jagger, all he cared about at that time was that you connect with the emotion and the energy in the totality of the music. But when you can get the lyrics (like in Stairway to Heaven, their tribute to Janis Joplin), you find a great piece of poetry. And on top of all that, Robert had the best “oooh yeahs” in the business!

2.CREATIVE SONGWRITING

Hardly anybody has ever covered Led Zep songs for very good reasons. Their song structure is based on their vastly superior playing abilities and there’s no one who can actually play what they played. I’m talking about songs that are not based on simple chords like all other rock and roll is. Jimmy and Robert based their songs on Jimmy’s riffs and on his chordal tonalities that to this day stand alone as being unique. I’m also talking about length of songs that maintain a constant and intense high, up to 11 minutes in length without resorting to an overly repetitive chorus. I know from Robert’s solo work after Led Zep that he also uses unusual tonalities in his writing, but even without actually knowing this I would have to assume that due to Jimmy Page being an erupting fountain of brilliant guitar work, the majority of the non-vocal music creation came from Jimmy. The Beatles certainly deserve abject worship for John and Paul’s creative songwriting ability, no question about that. Certainly Mick and Keith wrote a slew of classic, historic and truly memorable rock songs, but the very nature of their comparatively simple rock and roll structure and basic similarity to each other in terms of using major and minor chord progressions, simple and basic rock and roll rhythms, and verse/chorus/bridge approach defines them as being less innovative when compared to Robert and Jimmy.

3.SUM TOTAL OF BRILLIANT WORK

Here they outdistance The Stones because most of the Stones’ albums have “fillers”, which are songs that do not hit the same intense high that got slammed in all their best ones. However, I’d like to say that I don’t think either Mick or Robert is capable of recording anything short of a brilliant vocal. The Beatles actually exceed Led Zep in terms of numbers of great albums that constitute a greater body of brilliant and uniquely innovative work that literally broke new musical ground with every single song they recorded. The Beatles were simply The Beatles, and they were the most creative rock and roll band ever, from being the best singers and songwriters ever right down to their individual charm and charisma. But without denigrating their gorgeous, sensitive and original style of playing, what they recorded is not the heavy type of rock and roll that either the Stones or Led Zep played. George, Paul and John were all brilliant and creative guitarists, but because they did not improvise on stage, they were not really master guitarists. I love and respect Ringo as both a person and as a very creative drummer who mastered the art of drum sounds. He has his own unmistakable Ringo style for both, but he’s not really a master drummer in the sense of being able to play with great speed and dexterity. I’m talking about 9 Led Zep albums chock full of brilliant and intensely high songs - I don’t know how many hours of great rock and roll listening that is. There’s not a single weak track among all that work, and there’s simply no question that they consistently broke new ground musically. Their debut album is still the best one of all time (including Cream’s), and Coda, their “swan song” is equally perfect.

4.STAGE PRESENCE

Led Zep was there when the concept of rock and roll star” was still evolving. I will grant that the Stones at least deserve honorable mention as the best rock and roll band but it’s mostly because of their impressive touring record and Mick’s superstar stage presence with his ability to put on a great show every single time he appears. And he’s still doing it at age 60 for goodness sake! My point isn’t that Led Zep necessarily had the best stage presence, just that they did have a true rock star sexual aura.

I could go on about Jimmy Page’s abilities as a producer, and there are other aspects to their greatness like the length of time they were together without a change of band members. And the life they actually led as archtypical wild rock and roll bad boys equals the life led by the Rolling Stones in intensity, if not length. Both bands are perfect examples on an artistic level of what I call FORM = CONTENT, which in this case means that these two rock and roll bands personified the rock and roll life.

In conclusion, the above four categories do enough to fully qualify Led Zeppelin for my not-so-humble award. There will never be another rock and roll band to approach the stratospheric musical heights that Led Zep reached. The Recording Industry Association of America, who has the correct statistics, lists Led Zeppelin as the third best selling musical act/artist in history. The Beatles are first, with 166.5 million albums sold in the USA alone, Elvis is second with 117.5 million, and Led Zep is third with 106 million. I think it’s very significant that those statistics are becoming geometrically times greater than the number of albums that they sold during their performance lifetimes. What has happened and is happening is that the young people of today are discovering them in droves because they are coming of age sexually and they recognize and connect with the most powerful musical example of that sexual power. They are buying their CD’s, shirts, posters and other memorabilia. And frankly, I’m thrilled.



Larry

Andreas asked:


Many Beatles fans are unaware of the great impact British folk-singer and guitarist Donovan (Donovan Philips Leitch) had on the Beatles and their music in 1968.

Donovan was a friend of the Beatles, and when the group traveled to Rishikesh in India to study Transcendental Meditation in February 1968, Donovan came along. There were several other westerners present at the Rishikesh camp too, including Mike Love of the Beach Boys.

Many of the songs that would later feature on the Beatles’ 1968 album entitled The Beatles - also known as The White Album because of its white cover - emerged during the group’s stay in India.

One reason for this was the fact that Donovan was there. Between the mediation classes, he taught John, Paul and George a special finger-picking guitar style which can be traced on many of the songs on The White Album.

Take Paul McCartney’s Blackbird, for example. It was written in India, and it’s a prime example of how Donovan’s guitar-technique was applied by the Beatles. Listen how elegantly Paul picks the strings and how the guitar pattern supports the lead vocal brilliantly.

Acoustic guitars had arguably not sounded quite as sophisticated as that on previous Beatles recordings, perhaps with a few exceptions, such as Paul’s I’ve Just Seen A Face from 1965 and Lennon’s Girl from 1966. The Beatles had often used the acoustic to play rhythm guitar - which of course worked brilliantly - but the Donovan finger-picking style added yet another dimension their music.

Another of Paul’s songs, Mother Nature’s Son, also took shape in India. Also here Donovan’s influence is obvious. The lyrics, meanwhile, are said to have been influenced by a lecture given by meditation guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a central figure at the camp.

Paul was of course not the only Beatle who was inspired by Donovan’s guitar technique. Just listen to the songs Julia and Dear Prudence, both penned by John Lennon. Dear Prudence is actually about a specific incident that occurred at the Rishikesh meditation camp. The song is really about Prudence Farrow, sister of actress Mia Farrow, who also stayed at Rishikesh. Prudence, however, preferred to meditate in solitude in her chalet. In the end Lennon and George Harrison had to convince her to come out and join the others: Dear Prudence, won’t you come out and play?

Other songs written or inspired by the stay in India were Lennon’s The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill and **** Sadie, plus McCartney’s Why Don’t We Do It In The Road and Wild Honey Pie.

Sexy Sadie was originally called Maharishi after Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the meditation guru. After having stayed in India for a while, Lennon lost trust in Maharishi, apparently because of a rumor that the guru had made sexual advances to a female member of the course. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill was about college graduate named Richard Cooke III who visited the Rishikesh community because his mother Nancy was staying there. They did indeed go tiger hunting, just like the song suggests.

Paul McCartney later said he got the idea to Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? in India, where he had seen two monkeys copulating in the road. Wild Honey Pie was a sing along that also emerged in Rishikesh.

The first Beatle to leave India was Ringo, who returned to London in early March. McCartney soon followed, while Lennon and Harrison left in April.

You can read about all the songs the Beatles released on my website: http://www.thebeatlesonline.com



Michele

Virgil The Stroyteller asked:


While Paul McCartney was the most well known member of the band to indulge in seemingly ethereal song concepts, John Lennon was also from time to time given to contribute his own musical visions. With Across The Universe Beatles fans were treated to a glimpse into Lennon’s creative process. In 1967, Lennon was inspired during an argument he had with his wife. While listening to her talking at him, rather than to him, the first line of ‘Across The Universe’ kept repeating in his mind: ‘words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup’. Whether this indicated the state of Lennon’s feelings regarding his marriage or was truly a transcendental moment the world will never know, but the line persisted in Lennon’s imagination and he began to search for music and verses to accompany it.

At the time, the Beatles were in their Indian guru / meditation phase, which accounts for the inclusion of the ‘Jai guru deva om’ mantra, spoken in Sanskrit in the chorus of the song. The song was somewhat hastily recorded prior to a trip to India, and Lennon was not satisfied with the results. It was shelved, and other tracks were released to tide the public over until the group could return from their vacation. He later groused that he felt McCartney had tried to steamroll the song through the studio, a glimpse of the impending breakup of the band due to constant inner squabbling. The song was remixed in order to be part of a charity release before it was properly packaged onto the ‘Let It Be’ album. It was one of the few contributions Lennon made during the recording sessions for that album.

Interestingly, the song has had a lasting impact on world culture long after its original release. In a film named Across The Universe Beatles songs and themes were used to tie together a rather loose plot. The film was more of a visual and musical exploration than a proper narrative. ‘Across The Universe’ also had the honor of being broadcast into space on X band radio raves by NASA in 2008. It was only the second time that a piece of music had been intentionally transmitted into deep space, although radio waves from all over the planet routinely bridge the gap between the stars. This was done in celebration of the 50th anniversary of NASA, and hopefully anyone out there on the receiving end will be converted into a Beatles fan.

 



Lois

Marvin J Markus asked:


l, George, & Ringo were the greatest rock band of all time and they played every kind of music a rock band can play during their time together.

I’m the type of Beatles fan that appreciates all of their music but I do have do have a special appreciation for their more psychedelic songs. And that’s what this article is all about, the best five psychedelic songs of The Beatles in no particular order.

1. “I Am The Walrus”

Without a doubt one of the all time great psychedelic masterpieces. Everything about this song from the bizarre lyrics to the imaginative chord changes to the amazing production makes it one of the greatest psychedelic songs not only by The Beatles but by any band, ever.

This is one of those songs that can be heard countless times without ever growing tired of it. I’m sure I’ve heard this song close to 1,000 times yet I still find it fresh. There’s so many layers, so many little twists & turns that I still hear new things in the song even when I listen to it now.

2. “Strawberry Fields Forever”

I often look at “I Am The Walrus” & “Strawberry Fields Forever” as brothers of sorts. They both have so many amazing ideas and incredible production. While “Strawberry Fields Forever” is more of an introspective “acid” song, “I Am The Walrus” is a bit of a “freak out.”

“Strawberry Fields Forever” is a song that would have been great even if it were played simply on an acoustic guitar but it was taken to an incredible level by the remarkable production and the imaginative arrangement.

3. “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”

I almost didn’t include this track because it’s almost become a cliche in some ways. But in the end, the song is still great. The vocal effects on John Lennon’s voice are great. Paul McCartney’s bass is fantastic. And as usual the song’s production is incredible.

4. “A Day In The Life”

The final track on Sgt Pepper’s is usually thought of as a “psychedelic” song at least not like the first three songs I Listed are, but it very much is. The orchestral build up is absolutely insane for one thing. Bit’s definitely so much more than just that. I personally feel this is the greatest song of all time, psychedelic or not. It’s lyrically amazing and musically deep. The arrangement is one of The Beatles many great musical achievements.

5. “Sun King”

This song reminds me a lot of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon (which of course came out about 4 years after this track did on Abbey Road.) I sometimes wonder if David Gilmour, the guitarist of Pink Floyd, was influenced by this song. They surely heard it.

Mostly I am referring to the very liquid sound of the guitars.

The “ahh ahh” bits are very Beatles and are also very psychedelic.



Jean

Jessica Harper asked:


As a writer of children’s music, I always make a mental note when I hear an artist performing a song that was not intended for kid listeners but would suit them just fine.There are lots of songs like this, but most of them are from another era, when lyrical content was less, uh, robust than it is now. Kid-friendly songs in the adult marketplace are harder to come by these days, but I scanned my iTunes library and came up with a substantial list of cool and current tunes I’d be happy to spin in the nursery.

“We’re Going To Be Friends” by the White Stripes is as good as it gets: simple, sweet, an ode to friendship with lyrics that could have been written by a six-year-old poet.

“Heavenly” by Harry Connick, Jr. is a swinging lullaby, performed with great retro style. It’s a love song about the man in the moon (who’s in love with the girl in the world) and it’s gorgeous. For other old-fashioned sounds check out The Puppini Sisters, who brind their inimitable charm to a new version of “Jeepers Creepers,” and to a cover of “Sisters” that’s a must for multiple-girl families.

If you are looking for some inspired goofiness, try Ben Kweller’s cover of “Lollipop,” or The Flaming Lips’ “If I Only Had A Brain.” Also, “Bathtime In Clerkenwell” is a bubbly nonsense song by The Real Tuesday Weld that’s perfect for tiny tub-lovers with a sense of humor.

When Toots and the Maytals sing “Never Grow Old,” I defy you not to dance with your child. Paul McCartney’s “Dance Tonight” might also inspire you, as will one of my all-time favorites, “The Littlest Bird” by the Be Good Tanyas.

If you’re a dad with a daughter, play her Paul Simon’s declaration of love, “Father and Daughter,” and keep the Kleenex handy. Or, for those moments when you are swept away with baby adoration, choose one of the great recent love anthems: Alicia Keyes’ “No One.” If you’ve heard it too many times, try the Curtis Lynch reggae remix, which is even better than the original.

A real morning song (for those five a.m. wakeup calls) is “Sunrise” by Norah Jones. It’s hard to tell if it’s the sun or the music that gives the nursery th”at glow. Another great way to start the day is to play Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” My daughter’s kindergarten teacher played it every day when the kids arrived, setting a sweetly positive tone in the classroom.



On those occasions when a child needs a little encouragement after a bad day, song with a fabulous message wrapped in a stunning production is “Pick Yourself Up” as sung by Diana Krall. It’s impossible to ignore her suggestion that you “dust yourself off and start all over again.”

So, when you’re looking for music that’s both kid and adult-friendly, check out some of these tunes, and search your own music library. You will most certainly find more gems like these.



Scott

Daniel Asamota asked:


Michael Jackson is probably the world’s greatest pop star. He’s as famous as Elvis and only Elton John has sold more records than he, and no one has sold more copies of one record (Thriller) than he has. He’s world renowned and a megastar in most countries and even now inspite of allegations of improprieties with children still has a huge fanbase. Few stars can boast of such a feat and fewer yet will ever achieve it. Yet this fame has come at a huge price and now this megastar, this once pop music juggernaut is in seclusion no one knows exactly where for he moves around quite a bit. After the trial that acquitted him of any wrongdoing he took off for a foreign land and stayed in the house of some prince or sheik (whatever) then he was off again to Ireland where purportedly he was looking at homes to buy, and finally in between appearances at trials for Civil Suits brought against him he finally landed in Vegas, so it is said. A quick trip to Japan where he was treated like the star he is and wants to be acknowledged as has been the only real public appearance he’s made and he charged thousands of dollars to those who wanted to be in his presence for a few minutes. Since then, nothing else has happened save the lawsuits that constantly harangue him as he tries to hold on to his most prized possessions; Neverland Ranch (why I don’t know), his music catalogues (The Beatles, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament/Funkadelic) and most likely his sanity. How could so much go so wrong, I know he’s asking himself and I must admit when I’ve nothing better to do I’ve pondered it myself. I mean, he had everything any man could possibly want, and yet he’s had more trouble than any HUMAN could possibly deal with! WHAT WENT WRONG? Well my take on this may be a bit unflattering but trust you me, it’s kind compared to what others have said about him. But basically, when you wanna’ be a god instead of a man then you have to deal with godlike issues and one of those is rebellion of the masses.

I must say that at one time I worshipped the ground Michael Jackson walked on. I wanted to be him, I wanted to be like him, I wanted to be with him, I wished I was his brother, I would have been his pet dog just to be near him. He was perfect in every way to me and I absolutely adored him for it. But then things started to go wrong in paradise like when he had his first nose-job. I wondered why he did that for I felt there was nothing wrong with his appearance. Notwithstanding that at the time he STILL looked like a black man, so I forgave that. I didn’t like him walking around with the monkey either but okay he can afford a monkey let him have one. Then he came out with his new cd ‘Bad’ and I noticed he was 100 shades lighter than he was on the cover of ‘Thriller’ (not my favorite album. I preferred ‘Off the Wall’) and then I knew something was wrong. Plus with another nose job and other things done (the cheeks, the chin, the eyes) my hero was starting to look like a sideshow FREAK! What happened to this beautiful black man who had been the pride of Afrocentric rebellion and strength? He had went Hollywood in the worst way and even beyond that; he turned his back on us and showed us how proud he was to be Black, NOT AT ALL! He wanted to be something else and it was reflected in the choices he had made in his professional and personal life. After realizing that,and it was a hard realization to come to, my hero became a big fat zero and I wasn’t the only one. He has disappointed many people and thank God for one thing that didn’t really change all that much; and that’s the quality of his music. The music was still pretty good (though his attempts to transform himself into a rock star was ludicrous at best) and even his last CD ‘Invincible’ sold 9 million copies. He’s got the chops and the fanbase to still be out making hit records. Even after the trial and all the accusations he’s faced over being a pedophile (which I’m not sure what to make of. Who pays 20million dollars to somebody and they’re innoccent?) he’s still got tremendous support amongst the populace. If he put a record out today it would be no.1 by tomorrow and he could command a nice price for a world tour should he decide to do one. The only other thing he could do for me personally is to give back that Beatles song catalog to Paul McCartney. They were friends at one time and it was wrong of him to do that to a friend, even in bizness. Now maybe Paul would have done it to him had he the chance (maybe) but maybe not! He hasn’t had that chance and then too business should never come before friendship. Eitherway, mayhaps one day Mike will sit down and review his life and look at his mistakes and learn that he’s not a god nor the answer to the world’s problems. He’s just an R&B singer who’s good at his job and that’s all he should do.



Fernando

tirong asked:


It’s one of those records that lives it’s own life. It’s so varied, so long and informative, that you’ll never get over it. And the songs only keep growing. The funny thing about this record is that it somehow doesn’t sound like The Beatles. It’s somewhat darker, more mystic and intellectual that anything else they ever did. Beyond its stylish minimalism, the essentially blank cover of The Beatles, better known as the White Album, served a symbolic purpose. The band could find no honest way to visually represent itself as a coherent unit. Each of the three main songwriters was pursuing his own vision, with the other members, however reluctantly, serving as backup musicians. Once a whole far greater than the sum of its parts, the Beatles were now a tense alliance of daunting individual talents.

Another favorite tune of mine found on The White Album is the old western sounding "Rocky Raccoon", written by John and Paul while in India of all places, with some help from ’60s rock star Donovan. Lennon is my main man in the Beatles, but this album marks some of Paul’s best contributions to any of the Beatles albums. I mean, take the masterpiece song "I Will",only thing wrong with this sweet number is that it is too short. "Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da" and "Birthday" were both co-written by Lennon and McCartney, but Paul started writing each of these songs before John joined in to help finish them.

The same as the U.K. set except: A Hard Day’s Night was issued in its original French format as 4 Garcons Dans Le Vent. The records were pressed in France with their original labels (Odeon and Apple). Rarities was put out on EMI. The box was four inches thick, larger than any other edition, and the individual album titles were printed on the back. The Beatles (White Album) was listed as Back In The U.S.S.R.

Paul McCartney - acoustic & electric guitars, flute, flugelhorn, piano, Hammond organ, bass, drums, bongos, timpani, percussion

George Harrison - vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, violin, organ, bass, tambourine, firebell

Ringo Starr - vocals, piano, drums, bongos, maracas, castanets, tambourine

John Lennon - vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica, saxophone, piano, organ, harmonium, bass, 6-string bass, maracas, tambourine, tape loops

Finally, this is definitely a must-have album from the Fab Four. A truly superb experience in a double CD compilation of the most genuine masterpiece from the British Pop Legends



Francisco

Gianni Truvianni asked:


hout much room for doubt, safe to say that no other holiday (religious or secular), or day of the year or time of which has so much in the way of music dedicated to it; as does Christmas. This in a tradition that goes back through the centuries as far as the middle ages. However it was during the years of the reformation that a lot of the music connected to Christmas was banned as was the celebrating of Christmas itself. This being caused by the believe of those who stuck firm to the notion that since Christmas was not mentioned in the bible; it ought not to be celebrated; as doing so would be an act of sin. With time however Christmas celebrating was brought back as was the music connected to it which in the last 100 years has become connected more with carols and songs then with the church orchestral music which those of centuries prior used to associate this time of year with. Christmas music now a days can be for the most part divided in to two categories; they being carols and songs, with carols concentrating on the religious side of Christmas and all that has to do with the birth of Christ, such as the virgin Mary, the town of Bethlehem, angels and the star which guided the three wise men to the place of Jesus’ birth. Carols include such numbers as “Oh, Come O’ Ye Faithful” “Joy To The World” and “Silent Night” which as stated in this paragraph capture the essence of what in fact is being celebrated and that being the birth of Christ. It is songs like these that make for a quit evening at home, perhaps around a fireplace, if one happens to have one though I am reminded of my youth in New York. This being not because I had a fireplace but because it was in New York that channel 11 would play Christmas music exclusively from 9 pm till midnight of the 24th of December. All the time showing nothing on the screen but a fireplace with one burning log. I guess channel 11, figured most people would be limiting themselves to listening to the music and not watching what was on the screen. It however seemed strange to me that after watching the log burning for sometime; I started to get a feeling of warmth which no doubt must have been created by my mind as it is highly doubtful that the TV set would have radiated more heat because of this image. As for Christmas Carols; I would also say they offer relaxation from the hustle and bustle that is the Christmas season. All of which includes the need to plan how we will spend this day along with the shopping done; in more often then not crowed stores, as we look for bargains or that perfect gift for that certain someone. It is from this that we can come home to a lovely melody of the season which for us older folks would be accompanied by a cup of coffee with brandy while the younger ones may enjoy a cup of hot chocolate which would not be just right without those marshmallows. Where carols focus on the religious side of Christmas, songs do so on all the rest that is connected to this time of year, which includes the commercial angles of shopping and decorations plus the sentimental side of Christmas that makes people come together. As some examples of Christmas songs one could mention “White Christmas”, “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”, and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”. It is songs such as these that have contributed perhaps even more then carols to Christmas being so vastly celebrated through out the world. As in an age when people are turning away from believe in God, they may find something in songs that put emphases on simply having a good time or being together in sharing our love of humanity. Christmas songs can also be very good for bringing out the joy of giving presents or receiving them as well as being close to one’s loved ones; weather they be our children or parents or just that special romantic relationship; one may be involved in at the time of Christmas. As these songs remind people of the simple way two people can share this time of year. In a way where little other then each other’s society is required. Songs like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” or “I’ll Be Home For Christmas or “Blue Christmas” are the ones I have in mind when it comes to expressing such ideas. As for myself, I have always enjoyed listening to such songs with my wife in a romantic setting where our tree of the season is never out of sight. When it comes to Christmas songs, “Jingle Bells” is arguably the most popular of all and yet strangely enough the lyrics of this song have almost nothing to do with Christmas as they do not even mention it by name for that matter. “Jingle Bells” actually was not originally released as a Christmas song but a pop song about winter which for the reason that most countries in the north celebrate this time of year during their cold months has come to be considered as a Christmas song. It in my opinion is a nice little piece which most children through out the world have heard and though it has no real connection with Christmas it is always a lot of fun and has even been covered by “The Three Tenors” on their Christmas Album of 2000. “Jingle Bells” however is not the only song to become popular during Christmas simply because it makes reference to the snow and cold to be found in most of the northern countries as “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” or “Let It Snow” or “Winter Wonderland” do likewise whilst also failing to use the words Christmas or even Santa Claus. As for myself, I particularly like the song “Sleigh Ride” and its merry melody which also does not say anything about Christmas but gives the listener plenty to be merry about. This song can also be found on the Christmas album by “The Three Tenors”. Another variety of Christmas song which has become popular is those which are basically of little difference from romantic songs other then they tell of a romance during Christmas time. “Last Christmas” by the pop group “Wham” perhaps is a perfect example of how such feelings are not being kept out of this kind music which tries to cater to feelings that might arise during this most special time of the year. So, lovers need not feel excluded as there are many such songs to fill the hearts of those who really care little for anything that concerns this season; save being with the one they love above all else in a romantic way. As for my taste when it comes to such romantic Christmas songs, it leans toward the ones recorded so many years ago by those now legendary performers, like Dean Martin (real name Dino Crocetti and who incidentally died on December 25, 1995), Doris Day, Bing Crosby and who could forget Frank Sinatra, “the voice”. It is these singers that have been played on my stereo many a time during Christmas; as there is something in their renditions of songs like “A Winter Romance”, “I’ve Got My Baby To Keep Me Warm” and some of the ones already mentioned that in my opinion truly brings out the romance that some of us now associate with this time of year. Christmas perhaps most of all is enjoyed by children as to them everything is new and the presents they get are of most importance to them then anybody else and it is for them that some songs have been specially written. For instance “Frosty, The Snowman”, ( not really a Christmas song, as it does not mention it) truly captures the spirit of this time of year in the countries of cold with its happy melody reminding all, specially the young that they need not fuss with school and may go out and build all their imagination and snow will allow them to. Of course, there are a variety of songs for this time of year; some of which are simply about Christmas partying such as Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” or Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody”. It is songs like this and several others which for the most part are nice songs to even dance to in a party setting with drinks and general good cheer. However in this that be music of the season, John Lennon also contributed a song called “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” which undoubtedly captures the ideas of this time of year while throwing a bit of a political view as it makes reference to American participation in what become known as the Vietnam War. This song however in spite of its politics and reference to a war which has been over for over 30 years is still popular and was even covered twice by my idol, Placido Domingo. First with Sarah Brightman and then with his fellow tenors, Carreras and Pavarotti. Christmas songs however come from all over the world and many times some of the songs we believe to be from our country; turn out to be from overseas and were translated in to our language. For instance “Silent Night” (composed by Mohr and Gruber) comes to us from Austria and because of this we can imagine that it was originally written in German; as is the case. France for instance has given us “Oh, Holly Night” while Spain is not without classics of its own such as “Ay, Para Navidad”; so it is this Christmas that I urge those who enjoy music of this season to try some songs from other countries. If for no other reason then just to see how they differ from those in our own countries. Poland for instance has a nice song called “Dormi Bambino” which thanks to Carreras having a Polish girlfriend at the time ended up being performed by “The 3 Tenors” on their Christmas album which I recommend to all, even those who be not fans of classical music. When it comes to Christmas songs, they not only are not limited by international boundaries but by musical styles as songs of the season have been covered from artist as diverse as “The 3 Tenors”, McCartney, Lennon, Slade, Brian Adams, Steve Vai, Kenny G, Kenny Rogers in styles of music that include country, disco and recently even hip-hop. I however always incline to the traditional arrangements as those are the ones I grew up on. In conclusion I would say there is no denying the influence Christmas has had on music as there is no denying the same for what music has meant to Christmas, for what would be this season without those songs we grew up with? Songs which we perhaps sang in school, which will last forever as will this day, therefore it is with this in mind that I suggest to all who enjoy Christmas not to exclude those songs and carols which like the tree itself will bring to our homes that spirit of giving which is so abundant during this time of year known as Christmas.

Herman