Christmas Listening
How 'bout a little Satchmo for Christmas this year? Sure it wouldn't be Christmas without Bing and Johnny but who can resist Armstrong's wonderful, gravely voice.
Despite having an incredible, and lengthly music career, Louis Armstrong only recorded a handful of
Christmas song which he did for Decca in the 1950s. While many of his Christmas selections are relatively sedate, my favorites are some of the more vibrant novelty tunes he recorded- Zat You, Santa Claus? and Cool Yule.
Our first tune, Zat You, Santa Claus? is so much fun and filled with sound effects!
What I love about this tune is that it's a rather unusual Christmas song. In this song ol' Satchmo is worried about the sounds he is hearing and hopes that the cause of these noises is Santa rather than something more menacing- this element of fear is a little out of place in a Christmas song, which makes me love it all the more.
Despite having an incredible, and lengthly music career, Louis Armstrong only recorded a handful of
Christmas song which he did for Decca in the 1950s. While many of his Christmas selections are relatively sedate, my favorites are some of the more vibrant novelty tunes he recorded- Zat You, Santa Claus? and Cool Yule.
Our first tune, Zat You, Santa Claus? is so much fun and filled with sound effects!
What I love about this tune is that it's a rather unusual Christmas song. In this song ol' Satchmo is worried about the sounds he is hearing and hopes that the cause of these noises is Santa rather than something more menacing- this element of fear is a little out of place in a Christmas song, which makes me love it all the more.
Christmas in New Orleans is a new favorite of mine! I love the first two lines of this tune as they describe my Carolina Christmas perfectly:
Magnolia trees
At night
Sparkling bright
Fields of cotton
Look Wintery white
Here's the second novelty tune I mentioned in my opening, Cool Yule. Pay attention to the lyrics of this song- they're hilarious, as they should be, they were written by Steve Allen.
When all you cats are sleepin' warm as toast
And you gonna flip when the Old Saint Nick
Takes a lick on the peppermint stick
And finally, here's a classic tune that needs no introduction.
To listen to more festive music, visit last years Christmas Listening post.
And, for a good Christmas story or two, visit my 2009 Christmas Listening post.
