10 favorite Christmas albums
As promised, here’s the next in the BAM’s Blog lists of favorite Christmas things. I’ll be continuing the list all week, yes, even the day after Christmas.
Today’s list covers 10 of my favorite Christmas albums, expanding on Monday’s list of 10 favorite Christmas songs.
Again, if you still have people left to buy gifts or stocking stuffers for, you might consider grabbing one of these CDs. And feel free to share your own essential holiday listening if it’s not listed here:
1. Various artists, “The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas”: This classic top-selling CD has everything, from Gene Autry’s “Frosty the Snowman” to Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” (Incidentally, you probably won’t be able to get this one in time for this Christmas, since it’s backordered over a www.timelife.com. But it’s definitely worth it if you want to order for next year. )
2. The Vince Guaraldi Trio, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”: The jazzy piano-driven music is one of the many factors that has made this animated Christmas special the enduring favorite it remains to this day. Highlights include “Linus and Lucy,” “Skating” and of course, “Christmas Time Is Here.”
3. Mormon Tabernacle Choir, “Joy to the World”: If a grand choir beautifully belting out carols such as “Carol of the Bells,” “O Holy Night” and ”O Come All Ye Faithful” puts you in the Christmas spirit, this is the disc for you.
4. Windsong Chamber Choir, “Glory to the Newborn King”: This excellent Oklahoma City choir performs sacred songs such as “O Come Emmanuel,” “The Lamb” and ”Love Came Down at Christmas.” This is a great CD to relax to on Christmas Eve and then drift off for that long winter’s nap to awaken to the joy of Christmas Day.
5. Anuna, “Christmas Songs”: It’s easy to imagine a crystal-cold snowy Christmas night when you hear the lilting voices of this Irish choir crooning “Away in a Manager,” “Wexford Carol” and “Winter, Fire and Snow.” Since we typically have to imagine our white Christmases in Oklahoma, this CD can help set a seasonal tone.
6. Jim Nabors, “Jim Nabors Christmas”: The man who played Gomer Pyle shows off his impressive baritone on ”O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” ”O Little Town of Bethlehem” and more. (My husband particularly loves this CD and would be annoyed if I left it off.)
7. Toby Keith, “A Classic Christmas”: If you can get past the cheesily horrific cover art – and that takes a bit of doing – this two-disc set offers the best of both worlds. The Oklahoma country music star employs his warm baritone to both religious carols (“The First Noel,” “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger”) and secular favorites (“Silver Bells,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”)
8. Mason Williams, “A Gift of Song”: The Oklahoma-raised guitarist, best known for his Grammy-winning composition “Classical Gas,” offers a great instrumental album including such varied fare as “Hawaiian Sleigh Ride,” “Coventry Carol” and “Guitar Carol.”
I’ve reserved the last two spots for two of the new Christmas albums I’ve really been enjoying. There were certainly more than two released this season that were worth adding to a holiday music collection, but these are tops with me, at least for the moment:
9. Los Lonely Boys, “Christmas Spirit”: Tex-Mex rockers Los Lonely Boys give the holidays a bluesy groove on songs such as “I’ve Longed for Christmas,” “Run Run Rudolph” and ”Feliz Navidad.”
10. Bela Fleck and the Fleck Tones, “Jingle All the Way”: If you’re looking for variety this Christmas season, you probably won’t find more of it than what banjo master Fleck and his band provide. This quirky offering runs the gamut from Tchaikovsky to Tuvan throat singing. It includes such standards as “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night” and ”The Christmas Song,” but you probably haven’t heard them quite like this before.
-BAM
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Comments
I was so thrilled to see that you saved “the best for last”! LLB’s long-awaited for Christmas Spirit is just the BEST!!! Every single song has it’s own uniqueness and the album is so much fun. They’ve done a great mix of classic and their two originals are gabulous. Carol of the Bells, with the Del Castello brothers is gorgeous nad elegant. Like Laurie above… I’ve been listening to it every day since it came out and The Boys have kept me (and everyone around me at the office!) in the Christmas Spirit. I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND this new offering for those wanting to freshen up a stale catalogue and get your Christmas groove on. 
Merry Happy! Nan in VT
It’s great to see that Los Lonely Boys “Christmas Spirit” CD is making the Top 10 with so many. Absolutely love the CD and it’s definately been on my playlist since it was released. “She’ll be my everything” and “Rudolph” are my favorite dancing songs and the guitar work on “Carol of the Bells” takes my breath away. Thanks for sharing your list with.
I have been enjoying Los Lonely Boys’ “Christmas Spririt” this holiday season! I play it every day at work and home. I love their two new songs, including the Texican Rock N Roll sound the boys added to the classic Christmas tunes! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!