What album do you play over the holidays?


For me it will always be Beatles White Album because my friend got it, along with a Hot Wheels race track set up for Christmas 1968 when we were in 6th grade and then in the first week of January 1969, Boston got hit by a major snow storm that gave us another week off of snow days so we listened and listened to that album over and over.

Okay, your turn...
stevecham
Ray Conniff is my choice. His Christmas album won a Grammy and remenber hearing it in my youth. I'm 56. It just brings back memories.
It's not an album but I always listen to I Believe in Father Christmas - ELP and Happy Xmas the War is Over - Lennon and Peanuts Greatest Hits - Vince Guaraldi Trio 
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Hmm, almost two years later and this one fizzled out. Well, there it is. Happy October (Q4!) to everyone! 

Yep Slaw and tostado, poor Linda had to suffer that indignity. She was a fine photographer, though. What, John had his wife in his Band, so Paul had to too?!

A lot of Beatle people blame Yoko for the breakup of their favorite Group. I don't---it was going to happen anyway, and in fact should have earlier (listened to the Let It Be album lately? Oh, it's painful.). Actually, Ringo had already quit and was talked back by John, George had pretty much checked out, and the famous Lennon/McCartney writing partnership had long since been a reality. They were very different people in 1969 than they had been in 1963, and the era of the solo singer/songwriter was in full bloom. It was time to move on, separately.

It's too bad it had to end the way it did, with John hating Paul, Paul bossing everyone around, and even George making snide remarks to John about Yoko. As did George, I found it pathetic that John had to bring Yoko to work with him, as well as just wrong. Being in a Group or Band is a job, a profession, and you just shouldn't bring your Wife (or Mommy) to work with you. Be a man, dude. But Lennon's emotional problems were coming to the surface (remember his flirtation with Primal Scream Therapy? He recorded some of the vocals on his first album under it's spell. Just awful, as bad as Yoko imo), and he was making a fool of himself. Remember him telling everyone what a genius he was? Uh, John, you're suppose to let other people say that about you. How embarrassing.

I don't think Linda M. ever wanted to try to be a singer--I think he pushed that, whereas Yoko was a performance artist in her own right.
+1 for Austin Rhythm and Blues Christmas, some decent covers there.  I only have it on cassette so I'd have to go out to the garage to hear it.
where one draws their inspiration from is (key) I think. However (we) chose to dissect (this) inspiration is of no consequence as far as how a particular song is perceived by the masses.

Surely, John drew great inspiration from his wife. (I think that was a key to his later success after the Beatles).

Have you ever heard an isolation of Paul's wife's vocals in WINGS? I could not imagine Paul putting Linda in a record. Her voice is not at all musical in any form. May she rest.
Eccentric, crazy?, etc.... There must be some basic aspects of song writers/musicians/performers that drive them and differentiate them from a normal human being.

I think it IS these differences that make their songs speak to us "earthlings"?

I was listening to "Double Fantasy" recently and thought that even though Yoko's voice can be irritating, she did have a basic vocal instinct of musical timing. Whoever...John?, put those songs to music... I found it pretty enjoyable. It was like early Blondie.?


Another great reminder, Jackson Browne. He is by far my favorite of the L.A. Laurel Canyon crowd, a really, really good songwriter, and fine singer. He has also always had a great band. I sure wish he hadn't let his political/social causes take over his lyrical content, but that's artists for ya! Too literal and "sincere", ya know? I felt the same way about Lennon in the 70's. At least Jackson didn't put his wife in his band, and call her Mommy ;-).
"Austin Rhythm & Blues Christmas" with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Lou Ann Barton, Paul Ray, Charlie Sexton, Willie Nelson, Angeli Strehli and others. The perfect antidote for the usual syrupy Christmas music you'll hear at your relatives' house.
I usually select tracks (and this year I haven't listened to a single one yet) but the standby for a complete album has always been Elvis' original Christmas album. 
I dusted off and played John Fahey's two Christmas LPs. Interesting to listen to - - - once per year.
The same music I listen to any other day. Generally depends on the mood.
Cheers -Don
Nutcracker by the Russian dude Tchaikovsky! One thing that never changes over Christmas/New Year in my household, it kinda reflects my wish of being born British with a British sense of continuity and "tradition". The one I got in my genes is so boring: drink yourself to death with Stoli and die young! Neverending fight for yours truly ;-( especially for the Christmas season!
J.S. Bach for spirituality; A Christmas Gift for You from Phillies Records, which contains "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" with an incredible vocal by Darlene Love.
I usually listen to the Pentangle around Christmas time, especially Basket of Light, but also their eponymous 1st album, or almost any of their early catalog.