Christmas Music 2017

[Mendalla]

One month today is Boxing Day, so I think it's safe to get the annual WonderChristmas music thread going. I'm not going to split sacred and secular this year, but if someone feels there should be a separate thread for the religious stuff, go for it.

To get things going, a couple that came to my attention on Youtube this past week.

First up, on the secular side, Choir! Choir! Choir! teams up with up and coming pop singer Ruth B for a cover of Last Christmas, which was a hit for the late George Michael. They pulled together 14,000 people across 4 shopping centres across the country and then edited it all together. Ignore the Cadillac Fairview stuff and just enjoy the music. Someone had to provide venues and bankroll it.

And on the spiritual side, a clip from Pentatonix's 2017 Christmas Special (full show airs tomorrow night on NBC) featuring the group (including new bass Matt Sallee) with Jennifer Hudson. It's not actually a Christmas song, but there's a Christmas tree, it's a Christmas special, and Hudson is awesome so I had to post it somewhere.

 

[Waterfall]

Wow Jennifer Hudson!

 

[Waterfall]

Couldn't decide whether to post Joni Mitchells version or Sarah's.
River:

 

[Mendalla]

That is a tough call. Love Joni's original but I'm a big Sarah fan (one of the few artists I've seen live, in fact). One of the best voices of her generation of pop stars.

 

[Mendalla]

I have long loved "When a child is born". There are dozens of covers and I've posted some them in previous Christmas threads. Don't think I've come across this one before, though, by Judith Durham of legendary folk ensemble The Seekers.

Part of my love of it is that carries the message of hope being found in the birth of a child with only minimal reference to the Nativity narrative. IOW, it's a nativity hymn for those of us who are not literalists about that story.

 

[Mendalla]

More Pentatonix, with a lively, fun, spirited rendition of an old chestnut. They seem to have become the official singing group of Christmas. They literally have more Christmas albums than regular albums (which bugs me a bit because the originals on their self-titled first non-Christmas CD are fantastic and I want more).

 

[Waterfall]

More Pentatonix, with a lively, fun, spirited rendition of an old chestnut. They seem to have become the official singing group of Christmas. They literally have more Christmas albums than regular albums (which bugs me a bit because the originals on their self-titled first non-Christmas CD are fantastic and I want more).

Didn't there used to be a blonde in the band?

 

[Mendalla]

Didn't there used to be a blonde in the band?

Kirstin has been the only woman in the band since the beginning and she did wear her hair blonde for a while (see below) so that's probably what you're thinking of. She's got a solo career going now, too.

 

[Waterfall]

Thanks

 

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This is the Florin Street Band:

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

There's a new album out, featuring various artists. "Holidays Rule" volume 2 (bad title) I like several on it...this is my favourite...

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

And, wouldn'tcha know it...Gosh Garrels, with his very own take on "Gloria"... (he has to be the best musician I inadvertently tripped over in years).

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

 

[Mendalla]

I have been a fan of violinist and dancer (yes, she dances while playing her electric violin) Lindsay Stirling for a while now. Like Pentatonix, she's perpetually putting out Christmas music. One of her contributions to the season this year:

 

[Waterfall]

I have been a fan of violinist and dancer (yes, she dances while playing her electric violin) Lindsay Stirling for a while now. Like Pentatonix, she's perpetually putting out Christmas music. One of her contributions to the season this year:

I like her too, she was voted off of America's Got Talent in the fourth quarter but went on to success anyway.
She reminds me of one of the Celtic women who also plays violin and dances:

 

[Mendalla]

she was voted off of America's Got Talent in the fourth quarter

Yeah, I was surprised when I learned that but those talent shows' choices are a bit iffy at times. Kelly Clarkson is one of the few winners of any of them who seems to have achieved lasting success and, to be honest, with pipes like that, I don't know that she needed a talent show to get going.

 

[Mendalla]

And, since you brought up Celtic Woman, a Chris de Burgh song that isn't specifically Christmas-y but alludes very strongly to the Nativity story.

 

[Waterfall]

Olivia Newton John sings Instrument of Peace:

 

[Waterfall]

For King and Country: Little Drummer Boy